A QUICK TOUR OF NAMIBIA
My wife and I are planning a trip to Namibia in December. We plan to arrive in Walvis Bay and return from Windhoek and would like to spend four days in Walvis Bay and three days in Windhoek. We would like to visit Swakopmund and Erindi Private Game Reserve and take a drive in the desert. Should we stay in Walvis Bay or Swakopmund and can you recommend four- or five-star hotels? — Dr Yunus Abdulla
Flying in to Walvis Bay and out of Windhoek is an efficient use of both time and money for a short trip. Flights from Johannesburg to Walvis Bay on SAA currently cost from R2,350pp one way in early December, while one-way flights from Windhoek to Johannesburg in mid-December — roughly 10 days later — are currently available from N$2,434 pp (N$1 = R1). See flysaa.com for bookings.
As you plan to visit Swakopmund and Windhoek, you will need to hire a car, available from a number of rental agencies at Walvis Bay’s airport. Remember that December is extremely hot in Namibia so make sure your car has air-conditioning.
Walvis Bay is Namibia’s main port — Swakopmund is a nicer place to stay. We recommend the four-star, 125-room Strand Hotel which overlooks the town’s main swimming beach with its palm-shaded
walkways and parks. The hotel is known for its excellent restaurants, most notably the German-inspired Brewer & Butcher and the Ocean Cellar seafood restaurant. Rates from R1,500 pppn in early December. See strandhotelswakopmund.com.
For desert driving, it is best to use an operator, of which there are several offering 4x4 trips to Sandwich Harbour — a Ramsar-protected wetland — in the Namib Naukluft Park and to the magnificent Dune 7 near Walvis Bay. See laramontours.com (for Sandwich Harbour) and Red Dune Safaris Namibia
(reddunesafarisnamibia.com) for a tour of Swakopmund and Dune 7. Erindi Private Game Reserve (erindi.com) is a two-hour drive north of Windhoek. The reserve covers more than 70,000ha and is home to diverse wildlife including elephants, leopards, cheetahs, servals and many antelope species. Rates at the wonderful Old
Traders Lodge are from N$1,590pppn full board.
Windhoek has plenty of diversions and attractions such as Alte Feste (the old fort, now a museum), the railway station, which also has an excellent museum, and Christuskirche, and some excellent places to eat. Get local advice on where to eat.
The best hotel in town is the newish Hilton (hilton.com), which offers great dining and excellent views. Early December rates start around N$2,000.