Tourist Attractions in Namibia

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While we were in Swakopmund a man approached us and asked our names. After giving him our names he wrote them in the dirt. We thought that he was just curious and being friendly. But of course he was trying to sell us something. He was trying to sell us a seed (or pit) from a fruit. Once the fruit has been eaten, the brown pit is boiled and can be carved to reveal the white underneath. Since we had heard the story from at least four other people in the market we were not really paying attention to him. As he was talking about the nut he was actually carving our names into them. Of course he expected us to buy it afterwards and was quite aggressive about it!!

Fun Alternatives: We didn't buy the thing and I gave him a piece of my mind about how tricky and sneaky he was being. The only was to get this to stop is to NOT buy anything!!!! Otherwise he will keep trying to coerce people into buying it.

The price level for tourists activities like safari, travels, sightseeing, etc is quite high due to the Namibian Tourist Board. Companies registrated must charge prices set by the government. An extreme example for this is the company "Leading Travel" who claimed 1000 N$ (130 USD) for each passengers in a car for a trip from Katima Mulilo crossing the border to Kasane, Botswana. The trip takes 1,5 hour. We were 3 people, so it would have been 390 USD. It's rude charging so much money for a small trip like that. Say no, and travel by yourself...

Fun Alternatives: There are other options, however not published... 2 local minibuses leaves at 07 AM and 09 AM from Katima Mulilo if there are enough people onboard. They charge 10 USD.

Although Harnas is about 90km from the Trans Kalahari route, we saw their signpost and decided to have a look since a member of our party saw something about them on TV.

Upon arrival we were greeted by a number of tame domestic cats begging for something to eat. By their quite smart eating place, we were treated to someone feeding a lot of mongooses. There were also lion, leopard and crocodile kept in captivity.

They have this theme of caring for sick animals, but then, once the animals are cured it seems they just keep them there to serve as drawcards for tourists.

What also worried me was all the domestic cats in the wild. Surely they are going to become a pest soon and consume all the wild birds and small wild animals in the area.

They tried to peddle a very expensive walkaround to "learn about what they are doing", but we have seen enough and chose to take the road to Kang instead.

Fun Alternatives: Rather proceed to South Gate and sleep there before carrying on to Kang if you are heading through Botswana. If you are coming from Botwana, just carry on towards Windhoek and stay over in or near Gobabis.

Visiting Swakopmund and Windhoek and looking around for a place to park the car, we discovered the Namibian alternative to parking meters. Local people, usually young men, hover by the kerb ready to approach you as soon as you step out of the car in order to offer to look after it. If you accept you’re charged a small fee and a slip of paper is tucked under the wiper to indicate that “this car is being watched, so meddle with it at your peril”. At times three or four people were competing for our custom in this way.

I don’t know what would happen to your car, if anything, if you refused these offers as we never did. Remember that:
a) this fee may be his main or only source of income
b) it’s still a lot cheaper than parking in most cities around the world
c) it’s a lot less hassle than a damaged or stolen hire car!

Of course in any country there is something, but in my short visit, there was absolutely nothing that I could report of. There are not so many tourism to Namibia anyway, so in most places tourist are very much welcome and treated very well and fair.

Burnt Mountain, about 15km from Twyfelfontein. It is very desolate and there is nothing here. It is okay if you are stuck for something to do.

Unique Suggestions: At least go on a bit of a walk.

Fun Alternatives: Spend more time on the Skeleton Coast

It's very unlikely that you will see many animals on the "official" 4 hour game drive to the plateau. None of the fellow travellers we've met has seen many animals. The price for the tour has been raised from 40N$ to 200N$ in early 2003 and is now clearly overpriced.

Unique Suggestions: It is certainly a bad idea to go on the game drive when you've been to places like e.g. Etosha. So if you go, go there before you go any place else. (And take warm closing for the morning drive (6-10) as well as the afternoon drive (14-18). Drives include box breakfast or sundowner respectively. Book immediately upon arrival. Despite the price, drives are often fully booked.

Fun Alternatives: Avoiding the game drive means by no means avoiding the park! Enjoy the well marked walks near the Restcamp. Go to the top of the plateau (lots of baboon, rock dassie, great variety of birds).

Although they do have a few snakes and crocodiles at the Mokuti Lodge reptile park, it's really only of interest to true reptile lovers.

Why pay to see the paltry pack of cold-blooded critters when you're going to be entering Etosha National Park in the immediate future? Sure, finding some of these animals in the wild will be near to impossible. But, it's just not worth your time or money, at least in my opinion.

Just go to the zoo when you get back home. You'll get the same, if not a better, look at reptiles.

Unique Suggestions: Just don't expect much.

Fun Alternatives: Spend more time in Etosha National Park looking for animals in the wild. And, if you still miss some of these reptiles, go to a zoo back home.