11 Campsites to Check Out While Camping in Namibia

Camping in Namibia is full of excitement and challenges. This is easily the cheapest way to find accommodation in Namibia (without staying at a lodge!). Campsites in Namibia can be a great place to find a pool, meet new friends, and watch the stars. Here’s what we did to get the most out of our trip. 

In March 2018, Jackson and I spent 4 weeks self-driving and camping on our holiday to Namibia. It was an adventure of epic proportions and prior to doing this, we’d never gone camping together. When we were finished with our Southern African road trip, we had spent 29 days in our tent.

If you had told me 5 years ago that I would spend 29 days in a tent I would have never believed you. Camping in Namibia was never on my list of ways I wanted to see a country. Then, when I realized just how expensive Namibia is, I changed my tune.

Cost of Accommodation in Namibia:

Camping in Namibia will cost you between $9-$30 USD per person, per night, depending on where you stay. This is a BARGAIN compared to the $75-$1,000 USD a night it can cost to stay in some of the lodges.

The good news is that a lot of people go to campsites in Namibia and it is really common to go pitch a tent while in this desert country. I think a holiday to Namibia couldn’t be truly complete if you don’t stay in a tent at least once!

Quick Thoughts on Camping in Namibia:

The campsites in Namibia were where we stayed during our month, in the order we stayed in them.

Some of these places were better than others. We found that the best campsites in Namibia were ones that had a bar we could hang out at, offered meals throughout the day, had a space to relax, and employed really friendly people.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many options for camping in Namibia so sometimes the campsite is going to be very bare bones and you can’t do anything about it because there is literally nowhere else to stay.

Most campsites in Namibia have a pool which is really strange to see in the middle of a desert, but was very welcome, especially in the mid-day heat.

The most comfortable accommodation in Namibia included a concrete patio we could pitch our tent on, had plenty of shade, and our own private ablution block (an ablution block is a place where you take a shower, rinse in a sink, and use a toilet. Sometimes they also have a small kitchen/food prep area as well – just not in the bathroom!).

The least comfortable campsites don’t have adequate shade, get flooded easily, have ill-equipped (or broken) facilities, and are noisy. Thankfully, they are not everywhere.

On Booking a Campsite in Namibia:

There is no clear cut way to do this other than contacting the campsite or lodge directly and making a booking through their website.

Some campsites in Namibia are located on the grounds of a lodge and you need to contact the lodge to ask about their camping rates and availability. This sounds scarier than it is, usually people picking up the phone or answering emails are quite nice and responsive (and speak English!).

We recommend booking well in advance. Although Namibia is not a densely populated country, it still gets over 1 million tourists a year and during the busy seasons campsites will book out. You DO NOT want to be caught out without a place to go. Sometimes it can be a long drive before you can find another campsite.

Jackson and I booked our accommodation in Namibia about 2-4 weeks in advance. We did book the more popular places (Sossusvlei & Etosha) farther in advance, just in case.

A lot of camps are in the middle of nowhere. Please be sure you have enough gas to get you there and back to wherever you are going! Jackson wrote a very comprehensive post about driving in Namibia here, if you need more information.

Campsites in Nambia We Stayed at:

1. Hobas Camping Site, Fish River Canyon

Cost: 2018 prices N$190/ $13 USD per person, per night (2019 prices are going up to N$250/$17.50 USD per person)

Hobas was our first time camping in Namibia and we didn’t know what to expect! After 4 weeks, we retroactively realized that this was well laid out and set up when compared to the other campsites in Namibia we stayed at.

It’s bare bones, but we liked that there were so many trees! Given that this is the middle of the freaking desert, having a bunch of trees to pitch a tent under is a real blessing.

We arrived early (around 2pm) and had our pick of camping sites in which to pitch a tent, by 6pm, however, the campsite had really filled up! A lot of people, while on their holiday to Namibia, come to Hobas.

Overall, the campsite was clean and well tended. It was nice to have seating and a place to braai (BBQ), if we wanted. We were able to use our electric socket for our hot plate without any issues.

Ablutions Block:

Shared by the whole camp, but clean. A couple stalls for a shower and a couple rooms for toilets. Divided into a men’s and a women’s room.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes (although the spouts had hardened with minerals and the shower heads were really blocked so it was more like a hot, painful jet stream of water).
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Clean and  lots of amenities overall. The ground was covered in a soft sand and there was plenty of shade from the trees. The sound carried easily around the camp and there was not too much privacy at each camp site.

• WiFi: No (They say they have it, but it would have cost us about $5 USD each to use it, and only by the front offices, so we decided not to.)
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes.
• Braai area: Yes.
• Garbage Can: Yes, one for recycling, waste, and food scraps.
•  Running Water: Yes, a crude spout by the Braai.
• Braai Tools: a grill. Nothing else.
• Seating: Yes. Concrete chairs and table.
• Lighting: Yes. A lamp that goes off after 10pm.
• Food Preparation Area: Yes.

Other Amenities:

• Public Pool
• Bar
• Small market you can buy bread and some simple staples. You can also purchase SIM cards there.
• Staff who are helpful and attentive.

Things to Do and See:

Visit Fish River Canyon! This was a little bit of a drive along a very corrugated road to the rim, but the rim was gorgeous. We enjoyed walking along the edge and looking at the beauty of it all. When on a holiday to Namibia, Fish River canyon is a great place to visit.

2. Quivertree Forest Rest Camp

Cost: N$240/$17 USD for the first night per person (incl: entrance to the parks) and then N$140/night for camping.

This accommodation in Namibia was way hotter than Hobas. There were trees, but they were more like bushes and provided very little shade. There were some bigger trees closer to the entrance of the Quivertree park, and we wound up moving there once a spot opened up.

The camp has a lot of sand and when the wind blows it can get everywhere.

The quivertrees were beautiful and we really enjoyed looking at them in the forest, the problem was the flood light that went on at dusk and saturated the area in obnoxious yellow light, that– coupled with the C-Road running right next to the camp– made it quite noisy.

We really liked watching all the little critters running around and watching the wildlife. We saw some really cool looking things. The stuff to do around Keetmanshoop is awesome, so we would recommend stopping here so you are in the center of it all, but manage your expectations about watching the stars at night in peaceful desert silence…

Ablutions Block:

Shared, but clean. They were small and unisex.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Very bare bones. The ground was a dusty sand and got really hot in the afternoon.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes.
• Braai area: Yes. (Although it was tiny).
• Garbage Can: Yes, one for recycling, waste, and food scraps.
• Running Water: Yes, a crude spout that sticks up out of the ground.
• Braai Tools: a grill. Nothing else.
• Seating: No. Large blocks of stone are your table and chairs.
• Lighting: Yes. Little globe lights at each campsite as well as the big spotlight.
• Food Preparation Area: No, just the large rock slabs.

Other Amenities:

• A Commissary in the owner’s house where you can get some spotty WiFi and buy something to drink, if you fancy. (It had Air Conditioning!) Sometimes, to really enjoy a holiday to Namibia, you need access to an A/C.

Things to Do and See:

This area of Namibia has a bunch of places to visit and we spent two days at this spot so we would have plenty of time to see it all (we had more than enough). You can read more about Keetmanshoop’s attractions here.

With the purchase of your camp site, you get entrance to the Giant’s Playground and Quivertree Forest.

Up the road, about 30 minutes, you can visit the very friendly farmer, named Geil, who’ll give you a tour of his land and explain the awesome Mesosaurus fossils he has lying all over the place. That was unbelievably cool and well worth a stop! The tour was an hour and N$130/ $9 USD per person.

Giant’s Playground is a massive field of magma that has cooled and been weathered away over the eons into really strange and beautiful shapes. You can go on a 45-minute hike; we were the only ones there. This is a fabulous activity to do while on your holiday to Namibia.

3. Hardap Dam

Cost: N$150/ $10.50 USD per person, per night. Plus N$90/$6 USD for vehicle entrance to the park.

We spent one night at Hardap Dam because we’d heard that the views of the reservoir were beautiful. Stopping here would also help us break up the trip from Keetmanshoop to Sesriem.

We were shocked at how utterly empty this place was, yet seemed fully stocked for hoards of people! There was a fully staffed and functioning restaurant and they even had a full outdoor theatre!

The views were stunning. The campsites in Namibia are up on a cliff that overlooks the dam and once you walk out past the chalets and houses, you get beautiful views. The stars were incredible.

There wasn’t too much here to offer a camper shade. When we pulled in it was really hot and we needed to pitch the tent on baked sand.

Ablutions Block:

Shared, clean, but at night they became something like a horror movie. Jackson described going into the men’s room like walking into a cockroach-infested horror show. Yuck! The women’s room wasn’t nearly as bad, but freaked me right the hell out when I needed to get up to pee in the middle of the night. I needed Jackson to go with me.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Lots of amenities. Although more trees would have been nice at this accommodation in Namibia.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes.
• Braai area: Yes.
• Garbage Can: Yes, one for recycling, one for waste.
• Running Water: Yes, a crude spout that sticks up out of the ground.
• Braai Tools: A grill. Nothing else.
• Seating: Yes. Concrete tables and chairs.
• Lighting: Yes. Little globe lights at each campsite as well as bigger lights that went off later at night.
• Food Preparation Area: Yes. A public kitchen with food prep area, sink, and outlets.

Other Amenities:

• A big, beautiful pool.
• Fully staffed, working restaurant.
• Outdoor theatre.

Things to Do and See:

We walked along the dam and took a lot of pictures of the scenery. While we were on our holiday to Namibia, the region was experiencing a drought so the dam levels were low. That said, it was still very pretty. During the day the temperature was boiling, so we went to the pool and had a great swim. The showers and changing facilities at the pool were excellent and they had lots of sun chairs to sit in and enjoy the view.

We could have ordered something from the restaurant had we wanted, this made camping in Namibia feel very luxurious.

4. Sossus Oasis Camp

Cost: N$210/$14.50 USD per person, per night. N$105/$7.25 USD for kids.

This was one of our favorite campsites in Namibia! The location was beautiful, the campsite was clean and very well kept, we had plenty of amenities and we were really close to the entrance to Sossusvlei. The stars at night were very nice (although there was a lot of light pollution from the other hotels and campsites).

They had a gas station right by the camp as well as a full service station were you can buy sandwiches, cold drinks, ice, and some groceries.

We loved the personal feeling to each camp site. We pitched our tent right on the concrete block and felt very safe and cozy. Plus, there was a roof to our little site which provided much needed shade in the desert sun! This was the easiest place for camping in Namibia.

Ablutions Block:

Personal! Personal shower, sink and toilet.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Delightful. Clean and well kept, each camping site was provided with a concrete slab to help mitigate the temperatures of the day.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes.
• Braai area: Yes.
• Garbage Can: Yes, one for recycling and waste.
• Running Water: Yes, your own kitchen sink.
• Braai Tools: a grill. Nothing else.
• Seating: No. (this was the biggest disappointment for us! We wound up sitting on the concrete pad)
• Lighting: Yes. Personal lights in the bathroom and kitchen area.
• Food Preparation Area: Yes! A small, personal kitchen area with a sink and counter top.

Other Amenities:

• Sweet pool in the middle with lovely views of the mountains, sun chairs, and tables to work at all under a roof to keep the sun off of you. A holiday to Namibia never felt so relaxing.
• Small convenience store located at the entrance. You can buy sandwiches, ice, equipment, groceries and various sundries. This accommodation in Namibia was awesome!
• Gas station. This is full service! You can read more about driving in Namibia here, if you are curious about what that experience is like.

Things to Do and See:

Visit Sossusvlei! This national park is a treasure and one of the biggest draws to Namibia. I mean, this place is out of this world and epic in every way. The camp is really close to the entrance. We were the first ones waiting in line at 7am to get into the park.

In Sossusvlei, you can get helicopter tours, hot air balloon trips, dune buggy tours, go hiking… lots of stuff. You can read about more tips for Sossusvlei here.

Up the road, about 45 minutes, you can eat a delicious apple crumble in Solitaire. This apple crumble is legendary and people from miles around come to sample it. If on a holiday to Namibia, be sure to grab a slice of this crumble!

Watching the stars out this way is gorgeous. There is really not much out here other than a couple camping sites and if you really want to do some star gazing, you can get yourself to one of the campsites in Namibia that are a bit removed from the pack and see some beautiful night sky.

5. Hakos Guest Farm

Cost: N$220/$15 USD per person, per night.

We hadn’t planned on coming out this way, but due to a total drama-filled day, we wound up here at sundown.

Hakos is really in the middle of nowhere. It bills itself as an “astrofarm” and encourages star gazing tourists to come and look at the heavens through their observatory. The farm sits up on a rise in the middle of a massive amount of valleys and hills and is a stunningly gorgeous piece of property.

We both agree: this accommodation in Namibia had the prettiest views of all the ones we stayed in.

Because this place takes star gazing so seriously, however, there is no electricity. The amenities are rather bare bones as well (no pool, no kitchens, no convenience store, no paved roads) so… come prepared.

That said, when we stayed we had zebras crunching around our camp at night and the stars were so bright we could look out our tent window and see quite a lot. It was utterly beautiful.

For a (rather expensive) price, you can book breakfast in the main house in the morning. We paid about $12 USD each to eat there.

Ablutions Block:

Shared by two campsites. Small.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: No.

Camping Site:

Very simple. The ground was gravel, so we pitched our tent inside the little shelter.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: No.
• Braai area: Yes.
• Garbage Can: No. They ask you to please carry your garbage out with you and deposit it by the main house. The owner sited baboons as being rather messy and cheeky with whatever is left behind at the site.
• Running Water: Yes, a crude spout that sticks out of the camp’s shelter.
• Braai Tools: a grill. Nothing else.
• Seating: No.
• Lighting: No.
• Food Preparation Area: Yes, a small counter top area inside a crude shelter.

Other Amenities:

• A rather simple shelter with a roof that provides shade. Otherwise, there is very little to protect you from the elements.
• The main house has breakfast and dinner options and are available upon request for a cost.

Things to Do and See:

Hakos is bang in the middle of wilderness. There is nothing but stunningly beautiful scenery to drive through. Had we not had such a stressful day the day before, we would have really enjoyed this lovely area more.

Hakos’ main draw is, like I said, the star gazing. The owner can help you set up a chance to look at the night sky through their telescope, if you’d like. Camping in Namibia should include a stop to let you be in total darkness so you can see the stars.

6. Brandberg White Lady Lodge

Cost: N$150/$10 USD per person, per night. There is also a one-time fee of N$40/$2.75 USD per vehicle.

This was very relaxing among campsites in Namibia. They had massive trees that gave lots of shade from the sun, which was awesome. There was no grass to pitch a tent on, but the sand was clean and soft.

There was a fairly good wind that would whip through the campsites and really stir up a lot of sand, so find a good amount of brush and tree you can nestle into to avoid the worst of that sand (this is a general rule of thumb anytime you are camping in Namibia!).

The camping site is a bit of drive out from the main lodge reception area (about 10 minutes) and as such, there is no WiFi and no electricity.

The camp had a lot of people at it and sounds carried easily, but due to the lack of electricity and WiFi, everyone went to bed after sundown! Also, there were the prettiest birds flying around the camp! We enjoyed watching them as we ate.

The lodge itself was really nice. The pool was gorgeous and they had a massive garden filled with all sorts of desert plants and flowers, it was really pretty and we enjoyed going for a swim (while charging our phones!). We ordered sandwiches from the bar and drank a bunch of sodas for very reasonable prices. Overall: quite a relaxing accommodation in Namibia.

Ablutions Block:

Shared, no roof, no doors (just a chain to indicate someone was in there, as well as a wall) very crude and simple. Sometimes camping in Namibia is like this, in our experience.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes. (But only in the evenings and mornings as they need to stoke the fires to heat the water, which they do twice a day).
• Lighting: No.

Camping Site:

Quite bare bones, but clean.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: No.
• Braai area: Yes. (Although more of a fire pit than anything, and some were in bad repair).
• Garbage Can: Yes. One for recycling, one for waste.
• Running Water: Yes, a crude spout that sticks up out of the ground. Campsites were sharing these: 2 to one spout.
• Braai Tools: No.
• Seating: No.
• Lighting: No.
• Food Preparation Area: No.

Other Amenities:

• Pool
• Full Bar
• TVs
• Restaurant (although their website states that you’d need to make a reservation a couple days in advance so they have enough food. When we were there they asked that you let them know you want dinner before 3pm that day.)
• WiFi at the reception.

Things to Do and See:

Go hiking to see the “White Lady” cave paintings. The campsite and lodge sits in the shadow of the highest mountain in Namibia, the Brandberg Mountain. There are hikes offered throughout the day and you are welcome to get more information at the reception. We would recommend that you get to the hiking point early in the morning as the day really heats up by the afternoon.

This is a guided hike to the cave paintings (which are thousands of years old and full of history of Damara Land and its people). The walk was about 2 hours total and not very strenuous. Tickets cost N$100/$7 USD each. Well worth the trip while on your holiday to Namibia, those cave paintings were beautiful.

There are other hikes you can do in the mountains. Some are over a couple days and take you to the top. You’ll need to hire a guide to go with you. Costs and time breakdowns are available at the reception desk.

There are also guided bike tours through the mountains. Again, information at the reception.

7. Mopane Village Lodge

Cost: N$150/$10 USD per person, per night.

This was a delightful stop for us. The campsite was clean, had plenty of shade (although it did rain quite a lot too!), there was a sandy floor which soaked up the rain and wasn’t soggy, which was great. We had our own private ablutions block and felt like there was a lot of privacy as the campsites were divided by a thick hedge on all sides.

We liked that these campsites in Namibia were within a short walking distance of the main reception area, so we didn’t have to drive everywhere. Also, the reception area had free instant coffee and tea on display at all times which was awesome!

The owners and staff were delightful, very sweet and accommodating. We stayed in the main reception area working on our laptops for hours and they were incredibly sweet and friendly to us.

We made reservations for dinner. The steak and sides were delicious (a bit expensive, the meal was about $40 USD for the two of us) but it was really nice to be taken care of.

They have a viewing platform you can go up on if you’d like to drink a glass of wine. The views at the top were stunning and we watched the sunset: amazing. Although we only spent one night here, we really enjoyed ourselves. A great stop! It’s not too far from the entrance to Etosha, either. Given that it’s a lot cheaper and less crowded outside of Etosha, we’d recommend staying at this accommodation in Namibia.

Ablutions Block:

Private! Toilet, showers and kitchen: all for your own campsite (this happened sometimes at campsites in Namibia, but not too often).

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Delightful. Sandy ground which soaks up rain and isn’t soggy (awesome). There is a tarp that hangs overhead and although it doesn’t act as a waterproof roof, it will block the sun a bit and provide much needed shade. Lots of privacy, big hedges around the campsite (although the sound still carried!).

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes.
• Braai area: Yes.
• Garbage Can: Yes. One for recycling, one for waste.
• Running Water: Yes, a kitchen and bathroom sink.
• Braai Tools: A grill.
• Seating: No. No tables, either. You can go to the main house to sit.
• Lighting: Yes. Personal overhead lamps.
• Food Preparation Area: Yes. A private kitchen counter.

Other Amenities:

• Pool
• Bar
• Viewing platform with comfy seating and shade.
• Fire pit
• Dinner and breakfast available upon request.
• Complimentary coffee and tea available all day.

Things to Do and See:

Etosha! Located only 30 minutes from the entrance gate, you can head up to visit one of the best wildlife viewing parks in the world. Mopane Village will offer tour rates, should you decide to get driven around rather than self-drive.

If you are not keen to go into Etosha just yet, they have bikes you can rent and take around the property and area. Being so close to Etosha, there is a lot of wildlife and birds around that you can see without driving a ton.

If you want to relax, their pool is delightful and they have a bunch of seating, both under cover and not, that allows you to sit back, relax and drink a cup of something delicious. (We totally took advantage of this option and had a great time doing so!). Camping in Namibia was easy here!

8. Namutoni Camp in Etosha

Cost: N$350/$25 USD per person, per night. Plus entrance fees to Etosha National Park: N$80/$5.50 USD per person, per day. Vehicle fee: N$10/$.70 USD per vehicle, per day.

This was the most expensive among campsites in Namibia. It was also the most crowded, the noisiest, the dirtiest and the most run down.

I hate to have to give this place such low marks but it really shows its usage. The benefit to being here other than at other campsites in Namibia is that you are in the middle of the park and get an opportunity to explore without having to rush around to make it out before the gates close. (Etosha is REALLY big!).

The cool thing about this camp is the amenities: a gas station, laundry service, pool, restaurant, convenience store and old fort. There’s also a viewing area where you can go to hopefully catch sight of some more animals from the safety of the camp. You’ll be hard pressed to go camping in Namibia and get better viewing platforms than here!

The camp is closed in on all sides to prevent animals from roaming around at night, and that is really nice to know because there are a lot of animals I wouldn’t want to meet when getting up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. Gates close at sundown.

Ablutions Block:

There are 2 and they are shared by the whole camp. They are divided by gender and offer several bathroom stalls, shower stalls, sinks and mirrors. It’s all inside and there is a main door.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Run down and crowded. We were sleeping right next to the next campsite. There are plenty of trees to take shade under. The ground is grassy which means that puddles form and some campsites had little lakes on them. Gross. The braai area was dirty and in need of repair. Not a great accommodation in Namibia.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes.
• Braai area: Yes.
• Garbage Can: Yes. One for recycling, one for waste.
• Running Water: Yes, a crude spout that sticks up out of the ground near the campsite as well as a sink in the bathroom and shared kitchen prep area.
• Braai Tools: a grill.
• Seating: Yes. There are concrete tables and chairs at each site.
• Lighting: Yes. Little globe lights at each campsite.
• Food Preparation Area: Yes. A shared kitchen area with sinks and counters.

Other Amenities:

• A pool
• A small convenience store with some grocery staples, newspapers, ice and drinks.
• An old fort to explore
• Laundry service
• Gas station
• Animal observation platform

Things to Do and See:

Drive around Etosha! This camp is in the heart of the park and really offers fantastic views of the area. Just outside the gates is a watering hole where you can see all sorts of wildlife at sunset.

You can self-drive around Etosha or you can book a tour, whatever, it’s your holiday to Namibia! The camp offers a couple options you can book at reception.

9. Roy’s Rest Camp

Cost: N$130/$9 USD per person, per night.

This was a nice and quiet place to pitch a tent. We enjoyed the campfire the owners made for us that night and liked sitting around the fire chatting. This was one of the first times we were able to do that while camping in Namibia.

There was a really nice little restaurant and a library fueled by the rule: “take a book; leave a book.” There was a small pool, lots of space, and a place for WiFi.

Unfortunately, it poured rain while we stayed at the camp and the campsite flooded. Thankfully, we were on a rise and didn’t get too wet! Rainy season in Namibia can be no joke…

Ablutions Block:

Shared by the camp. There was male and a female section with a couple of toilet stalls and shower stalls. We were there in the wet season and the bathroom was COVERED in a million mosquitoes. Honestly, there were so many mosquitoes there was a humming noise every time I went in there.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Simple. There was a sandy ground in most of the campsites which was a real blessing because it poured rain when we were there and the ground didn’t get soggy. A couple of the campsites had a grassy bottom and they got quite wet. A good portion of the camp flooded, creating a massive lake.

I was please by the amount of trees that provided a bunch of shade. That’s a real premium among campsites in Namibia.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes.
• Braai area: Yes.
• Garbage Can: Yes, a public one used by the whole camp.
• Running Water: No.
• Braai Tools: A grill.
• Seating: No.
• Lighting: Yes. Little globe lights at each campsite.
• Food Preparation Area: Yes. A very nice public kitchen area used by the whole camp with a gas stove and plenty of counter top space as well as a sink and a FRIDGE!

Other Amenities:

• A pool
• A small reading library and free magazines.
• Bar
• Restaurant providing breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Reservations are needed for Dinner and Breakfast). Complimentary coffee in the morning.
• A free WiFi area.
• Hang out area with a fire pit.

Things to Do and See:

Roy’s Camp is close to a traditional San village. You can go visit this “living museum” if you feel to. (We didn’t go!).

There is also a small walking trail you can take through the bush if you want to go bird watching.

Not too far from the camp is the Hoba Meteorite. This is the largest meteor found on the planet and it is too cool. It’s  a bit pricey to go see (especially since there is not much to do once you are there except look at the meteor!) but it is still worth a trip while on your holiday to Namibia. Tickets were about $5USD each.

10. Ngepi Camp

Cost: N$150/$10.50 USD per person, per night.

This was one of our favorite campsites in Namibia! We loved Ngepi so much we wound up staying an extra night.

Why was this camp so awesome? Well, first you are greeted by these ridiculous signs as you come in which really help lighten the mood, especially considering the camp has quite a long driveway (took us about 20 minutes to get to it from the main road, although we saw people who had come in in a 2×4, I would NOT recommend driving in with anything less than a SUV or 4×4; those roads were muddy and quite bumpy!).

The bar was full of good cheer, lots of people were camping in Namibia there so we made friends easily. There was WiFi and places to sit both under a roof and outside. The staff was FANTASTIC: funny, helpful, taking the time to chat with us and make us feel welcome.

The food they served at the restaurant was incredibly good, some of the best meals we ate while camping in Namibia and they were very reasonably priced! The bar drinks were also very reasonable. Our dinner were about N$210/$15 USD each and we were stuffed by how much food they had. It was N$180/$13 USD for lunch for the two of us for three days.

There was no pool, but there was a place to jump in the river and that was delightful. Each of the campsites sat on the river itself and felt very private. They were covered in grass that didn’t get too muddy and there was a lot of flowers and trees all around which provided excellent shade. The bathrooms were hilarious, each one telling another cheesy joke.

There were little pathways to walk on around the camp and it felt very clean and quiet. At night we could hear the hippos in the river which was a little scary, but also super cool. Everything was breathtakingly beautiful! We would HIGHLY recommend this accommodation in Namibia as the start to a trip through the Caprivi Strip!

Ablutions Block:

Shared by a couple of the campsites. There was no rooftop and some of them had no door, only a cord that you pulled across before rounding a corner to go inside (best to shout before entering!). Taking a shower outside was delightful and the shower our camp shared was really pretty: covered in flowers and trees.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Beautiful, secluded. There is a nice grassy ground to each camp (they make it very clear that they do NOT want you to park on the grass. They’ll charge you a fee of N$100 if you do). Each camp looks at the river and feels very lush a beautiful. There are a bunch of trees to provide shade.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes, although only available during certain times of the day (solar powered) and not for anything requiring a high voltage (like a hot plate).
• Braai area: Yes. (Although it was tiny).
• Garbage Can: Yes.
• Running Water: Yes, a hose sticks up out of the ground. It was river water.
• Braai Tools: No.
• Seating: No.
• Lighting: No.
• Food Preparation Area: No.

Other Amenities:

• A bar
• WiFi at the main house/bar
• A restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner (reservations needed if having dinner)
• A watering hole to go swimming in the river
• Plenty of outdoor seating for sunbathing or relaxing.

Things to Do and See:

Ngepi offers river cruises in the evenings. We took advantage of this and went out on a two-hour tour of the Cubango. We saw a ton of hippos. No crocodiles, but apparently they are very plentiful. The river cruise was N$200/$14 USD per person.

There are also opportunities to go bird watching if you feel to. The owner is a bird enthusiast himself and will occasionally take people out to bird watch if there is a desire.

Game drives. For a fee, you can go on a game drive and go see more unique wildlife in Namibia.

Guided Hambukushu and Xwe Bushmen village excursions. We saw a couple of people take advantage of this, although we didn’t.

11. Caprivi Safari Boat Lodge

Cost: N$150/$10.50 USD per person, per night.

Overall, this was a very relaxing campsite. They were on the banks of the Zambezi River and we could look out and Zambia across the water (and even get cellphone service from over there!).

The campsite was clean and had a lot of shade from trees so there was no worry about getting baked in the sun. It rained quite a bit while we were there and the ground soaked it all up: no major puddles.

There was a common area to hang out that was full of couches, chairs, and an “honor system” bar (if you take a drink, you write down your name and camp number). We enjoyed sitting in the common area and relaxing while watching the river float by.

At night there was a club playing loud music until 12am and that was pretty irritating because the music was so loud our camp vibrated. The owner was very apologetic about that, but he could do nothing about it.

The staff was very friendly. The owner took us out on his boat and took us on a small river cruise at sundown and didn’t charge us anything. It was very nice and a great way to see the area. The camp was relatively empty, but we did make some friends with other visitors passing through on their way to Zambia.

Ablutions Block:

Shared by the camp, but clean. There was a male and a female area although the bathrooms were open air with only a roof and a cord acting as a door.

• Running water: Yes.
• Flushing toilets: Yes.
• Hot showers: Yes.
• Lighting: Yes.

Camping Site:

Quite nice. There was plenty of shade and a sandy ground. At each campsite there was a personal sink, counter top, and mirror. Each site was surrounded by trees and provided a bit of privacy, which was very nice.

• WiFi: No
• Personal Electric Socket: Yes.
• Braai area: Yes.
• Garbage Can: Yes, one for recycling, waste, and food scraps.
• Running Water: Yes. A personal sink at each camp.
• Braai Tools: A grill.
• Seating: No. Although there was a common area you could go to cook and sit and eat.
• Lighting: Yes. Little globe lights at each campsite.
• Food Preparation Area: Yes. There was a common area kitchen that had gas stoves, sinks and counter tops. It was quite well maintained. There was a fire pit in the middle of the seating.

Other Amenities:

• WiFi at the main reception area (although it was quite weak).
• There is a breakfast, lunch and dinner available. If you request anything. The breakfast buffet was N$100/$7 USD per person.
• Quick Note: They have a bunch of dogs on this property!

Things to Do and See:

Go on a riverboat cruise. You can book a cruise at the reception.

You can also go bird watching. The owner is a lover of birds and an enthusiastic bird watcher. Many people go on a holiday to Namibia to see the birds there. While camping in Namibia, we saw quite a few without looking very hard.

Relax and drink as much as you can handle. That’s exactly what we did.

Our Final Thoughts on Camping in Namibia:

In truth: camping in Namibia was so much fun. Did we miss the comfort of sweet hotel beds? The firmness of concrete walls? The safety of a roof from the elements? Yes, yes, and yes.

That said, we had some stunning moments in the wilderness. I’ll never forget the sounds of hippos on the banks of the Cubango river at Ngepi Camp, or the snorting of zebras at Hakos Camp. I loved the friends we met along the way, the coziness of our tent on a rainy night, and, honestly, the utter lack of connection to the outside world for long stretches of time.

Many people wondered at our ability to pitch a tent on the ground for so long. “Aren’t you scared of snakes? Scorpions? Ants?” I mean: I was. But, we both agreed that we felt the tent was more bug and snake proof than some of the chalets at these lodges, many of which didn’t even have a solid door! If there was a mosquito in our tent: we could kill it easily. Same with spiders. We just kept the tent zipped all the times.

I’m going to write a post about what we bought and took with us while camping in Namibia, because we really learned the value of some of the items we brought (and wished we had some other items we didn’t bring!).

Any questions about camping in Namibia? Please leave them in the comments section below!