Sandscapes' Namibian History Tour

Synopsis Itinerary

A self-drive tour

This is a synopsis. To view the full itinerary, please CLICK HERE.

To prepare yourself for this tour, you might like to read our pages on 19th Century Namibian History and 20th Century Namibian History.

Unfortunately a tour like this is location-bound and space-bound. To put it simply, visitors to Namibia, with two or three weeks at their disposal, simply do not have the time to criss-cross the country while trying to approximate the order in which historical events actually happened. In addition, while they are in Namibia, visitors also want to enjoy the major sights and attractions. Bearing these factors in mind, we have tried to keep distances and travel times within reasonable bounds, while also providing you with the opportunity to enjoy other sights along the way.

ITINERARY FOR THE TOUR

DAYS 1–3: Windhoek: A good way to begin is to sight-see from the ridge behind the ‘Tintenpalast’ and the Houses of Parliament, from where you can get a good idea of the lay-out of the city. Then visit ‘Ai Gams’ (Klein Windhoek) where Jonker Afrikaner settled during the 1840s. Next, tour the German-era buildings and monuments around the Lutheran Christ Church and Luderitz Street, as well as the German-era houses on the ridge to the north.

After visiting the old cemetery, stop at the Old Location cemetery, which contains a memorial to the people who died while protesting at being forcibly relocated by the apartheid government. Proceed to Katutura, preferably with a guide who can point out details that would otherwise not be noticed.

Make time to visit the expansive Heroes’ Acre with its large monument on the southern outskirts of Windhoek. This site commemorates the liberation struggle which finally culminated in independence for Namibia. Then visit the Old Fort Museum, the Owela Museum, the National Archives, and the Railway Museum.

Accommodation: Olive Grove Guest House or Hotel Heinitzburg

General activities: General tour of the city; craft centres; browsing the stores and bookshops; relaxing with a coffee or a beer at a cafe in or just off Independence Avenue, absorbing the ambience of Namibia.

DAY 4: Rehoboth and the Kalahari Desert: Today you travel southwards, stopping to visit Rehoboth, which is 90 kms from Windhoek. Rehoboth is the traditional home of the Baster people, who staged their own ‘Great Trek’ from south of the Orange River during the 1870s. Visit the old Lutheran church, the museum, and the spa, which is the site of the hot spring that made Rehoboth an attractive site for settlement.

Travel further southwards to Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch, which is to the east of Mariental. The lodge is set amongst the spectacular red dune fields of the Kalahari Desert.

Accommodation: Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch

General activities: A 'nature drive’ during the early morning and late afternoon to view the unique dune topography and vegetation, as well as the rich bird and animal life; viewing cheetahs.

DAY 5: Travel to the Fish River Canyon. Stop to visit Gibeon, a town that is inextricably connected with the iconic Hendrik Witbooi. Also visit the Commonwealth War Graves site, which contains the graves of soldiers who died in fighting while the South African forces were making their way northwards to conquer the country during the First World War. Then proceed to Keetmanshoop and visit the town’s museum, which is housed in a hardy stone church that was built in 1895, before driving onwards to the Fish River Canyon.

Accommodation: Cañon Lodge

Activities: Viewing the canyon from various viewpoints; flights over the canyon; sundowner drives in the Gondwana Private Nature Reserve.

DAYS 6 & 7: Drive westwards to Luderitz, making a short detour to Bethanien to view the church and house that are associated with missionary Schemelen. Drive onwards to Luderitz, a unique fishing port with many well preserved German-era buildings, situated on a rocky, island-guarded bay between the desert sands and the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

Walk around Luderitz, viewing the many well preserved buildings. Drive to the lighthouse on Shark Island with its monument to Adolf Luderitz. While there, spare a reflective thought for the hundreds, if not thousands, of Nama and Herero prisoners who died in the concentration camps on this spot after the conflict that began in 1904. Visit Diaz Point and climb up to the replica of the cross that the Portuguese mariner, Bartholemeu Diaz, erected here in 1488. Tour the ‘ghost town’ of Kolmanskop, once a rich and bustling diamond-mining centre, and visit the Luderitz museum.

Accommodation: Seaview Hotel Zum Sperrgebiet

General activities: Explore the environs, viewing flamingos and visiting the rocky coast around the peninsula; take a yacht cruise to get a close-up look at whales, dolphins, and penguins; stop off at the roadside hide at Garub to view the famous wild horses of the Namib.

DAY 8: Take a short drive to Aus during the mid-afternoon, thus giving you enough time to explore and enjoy Luderitz and its environs.

Accommodation: Klein Aus Vista Lodge

General activities: Relax, enjoy the fine views and desert colours, and stretch your legs! A busy day lies ahead.

DAY 9 & 10: Travel northwards to Sesriem and Sossusvlei. Along the way, call in at Duwisib Castle, a national monument that was built by a German nobleman who died while fighting in the First World War. Unfortunately no other notable historical events are associated with this area, so you have nothing to do but to sight-see and enjoy one of Namibia’s most famous tourist attractions.

Accommodation: Sossusvlei Lodge

General activities: Early morning guided drive to the spectacular dunes, which are at their very best at sunrise; game drives and walks; simply enjoying the breath-taking views and colours; and an early morning balloon trip, soaring silently above the magnificent sand dunes and desert.

DAYS 11, 12 & 13: Swakopmund is Namibia's premier holiday resort and the centre of the West Coast Recreational Area. Swakopmund has many well preserved German-era buildings, while the jetty reminds you that the town was the main port for the German colony as well as the starting point for the first railways. The museum has interesting mementos of those days. Nearby Walvis Bay also has an interesting history, as it was the port through which 19th century traders brought in their wares, and through which famous names entered and departed from Namibia.

Accommodation: Hansa Hotel

General activities: There are too many to mention here! Please refer to the full itinerary for these.

DAY 14: Omaruru: Drive eastwards from Swakopmund towards the interior. Stop and visit the impressive granite Spitzkoppe mountains to view ancient rock paintings. Continue your trip to Omaruru, a small town with a varied and interesting history.

Accommodation: Erongo Wilderness Lodge

General activities: View outstanding rock art at Paula’s Cave; enjoy a nature drive; take a guided walk to explore the beauty and variety of the Erongo Mountains; watch wildlife from hides; view the abundance of bird life.

DAYS 15 & 16: Drive to Twyfelfontein, stopping at the Bandberg massif to visit the famous ‘White Lady’ rock painting in its impressive ravine setting. The Brandberg is also home to a host of other evocative galleries of rock art. Twyfelfontein itself has some of the most renowned rock paintings and engravings in Southern Africa.

Accommodation: Mowani Mountain Camp

General activities: Viewing rock art and unusual geological phenomena at the Organ Pipes and Burnt Mountain; walking and hiking; enjoying the impressive views across the Aba-Huab Valley; possibly sighting wild animals that have adapted to the harsh environment, such as giraffes, springboks, ostriches, and desert-dwelling elephants.

DAY 17: Etosha vicinity: Drive to Ongava Safari Lodge, which is situated just outside the Andersson gate, the western entrance to Etosha National Park. Unfortunately Etosha does not have many historical sites, so your visit is mainly to enjoy the renowned wild life.

Accommodation: Ongava Safari Lodge

Activities: Game drives in Etosha as well as in Ongava's own reserve; guided walks with an armed guide to track white rhino; night game drives.

DAYS 18 & 19: Drive through Etosha National Park from west to east, stopping at Rietfontein water hole to view the grave of one of the Dorsland trekkers. Then continue to Namutoni and visit the old German fort.

Accommodation: Mokuti Lodge, which shares a common border with the park and is only a few kilometers from Namutoni.

General activities: Game viewing in Etosha park.

DAY 20: Drive to the Waterberg, stopping at Tsumeb, site of a copper mine that was commercially developed during the German period although copper had been extracted there for many hundreds of years earlier. Visit the museum at Tsumeb. Then continue your journey to the Waterberg, which was the scene of the final battle between the Herero and German forces in August 1904.

Accommodation: Waterberg Wilderness Lodge

General activities: Game viewing and bird watching; walks and hikes; climbing to the top of the sandstone Waterberg escarpment to enjoy the magnificent view.

DAY 21: Drive to Windhoek, stopping at Okahandja, which is the ‘cultural capital’ of the central Herero people. Visit the old mission church and the surrounding and nearby graves, which include those of Herero leaders as well as German soldiers and civilians. Also visit the curio and carving stalls at both entrances to the town.

WHAT HAVE WE MISSED?

For reasons of time and effective routing, we have missed out Otjimbingwe and Owamboland, both sites of historical interest. If you would like to visit these places, we could arrange an itinerary that includes them.

OTJIMBINGWE, which is about 100 kms west of Okahandja but is off the main road, was a thriving town during the mid-1800s. It was the base for European traders and hunters, as well as for the German Lutheran missionaries, who set up a school and seminary there. Hugo Hahn, the most famous missionary name in central Namibia, was closely associated with Otjimbingwe.

OWAMBOLAND is not on the main tourist itineraries, which is unfortunate, as it is the most populous area of Namibia, with a distinct culture and a bustling way of life that is both distinctly ‘African’ and modern. Historically, Owamboland has a lot to offer to visitors who take the time to enquire into its past.