Some say Namibia is “Africa for beginners” – it’s easy to get to, easy to get around, and has none of the political woes that plague so many other countries on the African continent. I think Namibia is for everyone, equally appealing to novice travellers and seasoned Africa explorers alike. In my view it’s one of the most beautiful countries in Africa, with dry sand deserts, game-rich savannas, rocky mountain ranges, and densely forested hills all forming part of a very diverse patchwork of landscapes. Because of its friendly and welcoming locals and a very low population density (only 2.5 million people!), Namibia is also one of the safest and most easy-going places to visit in Africa. Never have I been so relaxed on an African holiday before!
There aren’t any major mountain ranges as you’d find them in the Alps or Rockies, and the highest point of the country is only 2573 m above sea-level. However, there are plenty of small to medium-sized peaks and ridges all across the country that are excellent for hiking and scrambling. In fact, there are so many, I’d go as far as saying that Namibia is a hiker’s paradise, especially if you’re ok with off-trail exploring. The country is vast and there are countless opportunities to run up a (usually unnamed) peak by the road, explore some new scrambling territory or go on a guided hike on an established trail in one of the National Parks or conservation areas. In some regions, however, access to the mountains can be tricky as much of the land is in private hands and fenced off (need to ask for permission first), That was the case with Gamsberg Mountain (Namibia’s third highest), Groß Otavi, and the Omatako Mountains, which we couldn’t hike because of access restrictions. It didn’t matter, though, as found a ton of other excellent hikes that we thoroughly enjoyed, the highlight of the trip being Königstein, Namibia’s tallest peak in the Brandberg Mountain massif. I can’t recommend Namibia highly enough!