During my recent visit to Namibia, a country we have been traveling extensively in over the last few years, I noticed some interesting and concerning changes that I feel I need to discuss in an open forum.
We visited the country from April 2025 to mid-May 2025, a period of more than six weeks, during which we visited some of the more remote areas. It was a delight to see the country after the rains, and also to experience the damage that resulted.
We entered the country via Vioolsdrift and enjoyed a week in the southern part, where the rivers flood without warning, as we encountered some heavy rainfall in the area. What a delight to experience.
There were a few concerns that I would like to address
1. Camping costs in Namibia are incredibly high. Paying N$230 (US$12.79) to N$300 (US$16.72) per person for camping is pushing the limits.
We found a few campsites that were still between N$150 (US$8.33) to N$180 (US$10.00), which we thought was a fair price, and when comparing the quality of these facilities with the more expensive campsites, there is not much of a difference.
For a South African, we cannot afford these campsite costs, and when travelling over several weeks, the total costs of camping are too high for us to afford. This is in comparison to the fact that diesel prices are higher than what we have experienced in South Africa, particularly in Cape Town. Diesel in Namibia is becoming just too expensive.
2. We entered the Khaudum from the North for a 2-day visit. We had to pay daily entrance fees for both us and the two vehicles.
Arriving at the Khaudum Lodge campsite, we paid for one night as well as overnight fees for the two vehicles. The concern was raised that we had already paid, and it was explained that we have to pay these fees for the lodge as it is privately owned.
This was a concern as we now had to pay double for the vehicle for a day and a night fee for both cars. We could only pay cash, and as we only had N$100 notes and the price for the camping was N$434, the official did not have any change.
Considering that a mobile tower is located behind the campsite, we were unable to understand why payment via card is not possible.
Apart from the cash issue, the official was dressed in an old T-shirt with holes in it. Surely the Lodge owners could supply the man the necessary dress code as well as enough float to assist travelers.
The campsite was great, with a perfect view over the area, and the facilities were well-maintained, addressing the needs of campers.
3. We saw some animals in the Khaudum, but we were told that due to the rain, the water holes are not visited regularly this time of year. What concerned us was that the animals, upon seeing us, took flight.
One elephant was at the waterhole, and when we arrived, he ran away from us into the bush. This was evident with all the animals we encountered. This suggests that these animals are hunted extensively, possibly even poached.
4. We also got the impression that we could either camp at the designated campsites or camp anywhere in the park. No clear guidance was provided on where to camp, either at the official campsites or anywhere in the park for the 2-day stay.
5. Closer to the Sikereti campsite, there is an area where it appears that heavy vehicles have traveled. When examining the specific area South of the water hole, a section of the trees has been removed.
This cannot be a natural occurrence, as you can see the forest line on both sides of this area. It seems that wood was harvested in this area of the national park. Apart from hunting/ poaching, it seems commercial deforestation is also taking place. Do the authorities know about it, and what measures are being taken to prevent this?
6. I could never understand the requirement for two or more vehicles when entering the park. Driving from the Rundu side (North) of the park, this became very clear when we encountered the road conditions leading to and within the park – an actual wilderness area. This is an exciting part of the country.
7. We also visited the Naukluft National Park and bought our permits in Walvis Bay. Again, we experienced the corruption because we did not have the correct amount in cash.
This time, we only lost N$10, as our account balance was N$690 and we had only N$100 notes. This is also expensive, as it comes out to roughly N$115 per person per night in an area with no facilities. Granted, we do not want facilities there, but then the tariff should be calculated accordingly.
Some of the roads were in unexpectedly good condition in certain places, but as usual, in poor condition in others. Everywhere there is notices of “No off-road driving” but when we arrived at the Southern part of the park, driving close to the Kuiseb we encounter small villages with their goats and sheep in the park making more and more roads in the area they live in ignoring the signs of “No off-road driving”.
Why must I have to pay for a permit to visit this park to find people are living there with no permits, drive everywhere they feel like, and have their domestic animals roaming the area?
The population has grown over the past few years, and bore holes have been sunk for these people within the boundaries of a national park! I pay for the solitude only to find that a number of people live there, including domestic animals.
8. Another concern was the mining activity in the Naukluft National Park. At Bloedkoppie, we could hear the mining activity in the area, and they were also prospecting not far from the campsites.
We could also see these drills, all three of them, from Bloedkoppie. There is also a new road to these drills, which was not there 2 years ago when we last visited this particular area (keeping in mind the “No off-road driving” signs).
9. It is also disheartening to see that companies that prospect and mine in the Naukluft Park do not restore the area when they are done. The removed soil was left in the heaps after mining. The buildings erected were without doors, windows, a roof, etc.; only the brick walls remained. This is a stark reminder of humanity’s activities.
10. Talking to some of the workers in the Naukluft park, we ask why there is no wildlife to be seen. They said that poaching is happening on a grand scale. The Oryx, giraffe, and springbok are gone. It could be due to the rain, but we did not encounter any animals except for a few springboks in the southern part of the park.
11. The gravel roads in Namibia have been damaged due to the rains, and we could see everywhere that maintenance work is in progress or has been completed. Well done, Namibia road authority, for the quick repair and grading of these gravel roads.
The above are some of the more pressing concerns we encountered while traveling the country.
Positives about our Namibia Road Trip
We encountered the lone men of the Kaokoland and camped at the house on the hill. What an experience. I have read some negative comments on the internet regarding these sculptures, which I found to be unfounded and made by people who have nothing positive to say or are simply seeking attention. These sculptures and their whereabouts searches are a lot of fun and have placed Kaokoland on the map as an interesting tourist destination.
Thank you Gysbert Verwey
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