Namibia with Kids: What to Expect & Why It’s the Best Family Destination in Africa
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Thinking of visiting Nambia with kids but are not sure what to expect and if it’s even a good idea? This article should give you a good idea of what it’s like to visit Namibia with children and help you decide if it’s the right destination for your family. Find out!
Spoiler alert – you can easily explore Namibia with kids and it’s a wonderful destination for a family trip. In this post, you can read why – in my opinion – Namibia is the best country for a family trip to Africa.
When most people think about family travel, they usually picture happy smiling faces at a theme park, kids playing on a beach or diving in the swimming pool… More adventurous families go hiking or take the kids camping… A family road trip to Africa is not the most obvious choice and many families don’t even consider it.
But yes, you can travel to Africa with your family! And yes, it’s an incredible experience! Find out!
Africa is big, and – as everywhere else in the world – there are enormous differences between different countries. While it’s probably not a good idea to take your kids to Congo or Nigeria, you can easily travel to Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya, and many other African countries.
TIP: If you are not sure where to go, you should know that South Africa and Namibia are probably the best and the easiest countries to visit in Africa with kids.
Good to know: We took our kids to Africa twice: once to South Africa, and once to Namibia. Both are wonderful destinations and both are perfect for a family trip. Namibia is not only the best African country for a family trip, but it’s also one of the nicest places you will ever travel to.
South Africa is a very close second (when it comes to family travel). If interested, here you can read more about our South African adventure with toddlers.
13 great reasons why Namibia is the best country for a family trip to Africa:
1. Namibia is one of the safest countries in Africa
You really don’t have to worry much about safety when traveling to Namibia with kids. Well, not more than anywhere else in the world.
Of course, you have to use your common sense just as you would do anywhere else. Don’t travel at night (this is mainly because of the gravel roads and wild animals), watch out for pickpockets in Windhoek, don’t leave valuables in the car, stay in the car when driving through Etosha or other parks with dangerous animals, and be very careful on the road.
In fact, driving on gravel roads is probably the biggest danger tourists face in Namibia. Car rental companies even give you a short introduction course about driving in Namibia, and it’s really helpful. Drive carefully, enjoy the scenery, and you will be just fine.
2. There is no malaria in the tourist areas and no yellow fever in Namibia
You need to take malaria pills and get a vaccination against yellow fever if you travel to most African countries. Not so in Namibia (generally).
If you don’t travel North of Etosha (to Caprivi strip), you don’t have to worry about malaria. Theoretically, there is a chance of malaria mosquitos being active in Etosha during the rain season, but if you travel in the dry cooler months (as most tourists and families with school-going kids do), you really don’t need malaria pills.
Of course, the situation might change, so make sure to check for any updates before planning your trip. But as long as I have known, Namibia tourist areas are pretty much malaria-free.
TIP: We use the website of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Belgium to check for the most up-to-date travel medical advice. If you are not sure, always consult with your own doctor.
Overall, there are not many flies or mosquitos in Namibia, and certainly not in the dry season. Nothing compared to Tanzania or Australia’s Red Centre…
3. Namibia has lots of wildlife and beautiful nature
Seeing safari animals is probably the main reason why most people travel to Africa. You will not be disappointed as there is plenty of wildlife in Namibia. You will see it daily, often just next to the road. Abundant wildlife will be a big hit with kids of any age!
Etosha National Park is, of course, the best place to see wild African animals in Namibia, but there are many private nature reserves as well. Some of them have animals that you will not find in Etosha, like hippos or crocodiles.
But Namibia has more than that! Seal colony with hundreds of thousands of seals – check. Thousands of wild flamingos – check. Dolphins – check. Whales – check. Pangolin, aardvark, meerkat… The list is endless. You will surely see at least a few animals that you have never seen before. Needless to say that children of any age will love it!
There is more to Namibia than just safari animals. Namibia has beautiful nature like Fish River Canyon and Sossusvlei red sand dunes, to name just a few.
4. Summer school holiday (July and August) is the perfect time to travel to Namibia
If you have school-going children as we do, you probably face the same problems as most families. You find a beautiful place you want to travel to, but it’s just too hot, too cold, too wet… to visit in the summer months. Christmas/ New Year vacation is too busy and too expensive, and the rest of the holidays are too short…
Namibia, however, can be perfectly visited in July and August. Namibian winter is a dry cold season which means pleasant daytime temperatures. Animal viewing is also at its best in dry months as water is scarce and animals gather around water holes.
Also, daytime temperatures in July or August are really pleasant and not too hot for exploring. It was tough enough to climb sand dunes of Sossusvlei with kids; I can’t imagine doing it at 35°C temperatures…
5. Namibia has plenty to keep your kids interested and entertained
One of the biggest challenges on any family trip is keeping the kids entertained. Namibia has plenty of variation when it comes to places to see and things to do.
Make sure to prepare a good Namibia trip itinerary so that each day has a good mix of action, adventure, but also flexible free time. I can guarantee that neither you nor your kids will get bored. We spent four weeks in Namibia and every day was more exciting than the previous one.
LEARN MORE: Best Things to Do in Namibia
6. The whole family will love African sundowners
What do most people like most about Namibia? Landscapes, animals, red sand dunes? Absolutely! But the people I talked to, all smiled when they remembered Namibian sundowners.
For those of you who have never been to Africa before, a sundowner is a sunset experience in style – with snacks and drinks and beautiful views. Most hotels and lodges organize sundowners every evening, and they are quite affordable in Namibia (and young children are often free).
It’s a pretty standard ‘formula’ which looks something like this. You take a short safari ride in the late afternoon looking for animals. An hour or two later, the ride ends at a beautiful location, usually high on the hill. From there you can watch the most spectacular African sunsets while sipping a drink and chatting with fellow travelers. Some lodges have sundowner walks and, depending on the location, they can be just spectacular.
On foot or by car, a sundowner is something you just have to do in Namibia. Our family loved them: kids – for the ride in the jeep and for the snacks, my husband – for not having to drive for a change (and for the drinks), and I couldn’t get enough of the amazing African sunsets.
We went on many sundowners during our trip to Namibia and it’s some of the best memories of our vacation.
7. Namibians speak English, but you also get plenty of chances to interact with other cultures and languages
English is the official language in Namibia. Even though it’s a native language to less than 1% of the population, it is used everywhere.
Many local tribes living in rural Namibia don’t speak English, but people are extremely friendly and willing to interact. One of the advantages of traveling is that you get to know so many different cultures, habits, and see how people live in different parts of the world.
If you are willing, you can find plenty of such opportunities in Namibia. Himba, San, Damara people – these are just a few examples of different ethnic groups you can meet here.
LEARN MORE: Indigenous Tribes of Namibia
8. Food is very good and safe in Namibia
I cannot think of one bad experience related to food in Namibia. The food is absolutely delicious anywhere you go.
Most of the food in the lodges was very European. Just instead of beef or pork, you would find antelope steaks and similar. Also, all the lodges we stayed at made an effort to prepare special meals for the children.
Now that I think of it, one of our younger boys got a bit sick after a week in Namibia. It was also over the next day and nobody else experienced any stomach problems. But travelers’ diarrhea is not something you can avoid completely anywhere in the world.
9. Quality of accommodations is very high in Namibia
You really don’t have to worry about the quality of accommodation in Namibia. Depending on your budget, you can find the finest luxury lodges, simple hotels, or camping facilities, but in general, it’s way better than you would expect.
It still amazes me how well-equipped and luxurious most lodges are, especially if you take into account that they are often literally in the middle of nowhere.
When traveling to Namibia with kids, your biggest challenge will be finding family rooms. Some lodges have them, some don’t, some only have a few. The earlier you book your family trip to Namibia, the more possibilities you have.
Many families also choose to rent a car with a tent on the roof, but camping is not really our thing, so I cannot comment about camping in Namibia with kids.
10. Namibia is not very expensive
Namibia is not a very expensive destination, although – as everywhere else – a lot depends on the choice of accommodation. The biggest cost is the flight and car rental. Unless you decide to fly around the country instead of driving, of course. That is also possible, but taking an airplane instead of a car is indeed quite expensive.
Food and activities are relatively cheap in Namibia.
The Namibian currency is fixed to the South African Rand, which is quite weak for years already, and so you get more value for your money.
11. Namibia has the same time zone as Europe and is closer than you think
The fact that Namibia is in the same time zone as Eastern Europe is a big advantage to European travelers. And especially to the families who are traveling to Namibia with young children.
But even if you travel from the US, Namibia is closer than many people think. You can take direct flights from Europe to Namibia in just 10 hours.
We boarded the plane in Frankfurt, Germany, in the evening and landed in Windhoek early the next morning. It takes a bit longer from the US, because there is no direct flight and you have to change planes in South Africa, but it’s totally worth it.
12. There are no crowds in Namibia
There are just a couple of million people living in Namibia and when you see how big the country is, you’ll realize that it’s very thinly populated. Tourism is mostly concentrated around several areas and even then, it’s never really busy. The rest of the country is empty.
You can drive for several hours and not meet anyone… This may be a negative aspect to some, but to me, it’s what makes Namibia so special. And safe.
The only negative side to this is the fact that doctors and hospitals can be several hours driving distance away, depending on where you are.
It’s a good idea to take a small first-aid kit and any medicine you think you might need on the road. Especially when traveling with kids.
LEARN MORE: What to Pack for Namibia
13. Namibian roads are reasonably good so you can travel individually
Namibia can be visited individually and a road trip is the best way to explore the country.
Even though there are only a few tar roads in Namibia, the quality of the main gravel roads is usually very good. You just have to rent the right car (4×4), adjust the driving speed accordingly, plan your trip well, and it’s totally doable.
LEARN MORE: Namibia Travel Tips
If you don’t feel comfortable traveling to Namibia with kids on your own, you can always join an organized small-group tour. However, it’s really simple to organize a self-drive trip and plan your own bucket-list family vacation in Africa.
So, these are just a few good reasons why Namibia is a perfect destination for families with children. If you are still hesitant or have any questions about traveling to Namibia with kids, feel free to leave a reply below.
If you dream of visiting Africa, Namibia is truly one of the best places to start, also for families with children. You’ll love it!
More information for traveling to Namibia:
- Namibia Itinerary
- Best Places to See in Namibia
- Tips for Traveling to Namibia
- Namibia Packing List
- Where to Stay in Etosha National Park
- How to See Himba and Other Tribes in Namibia
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My family and i recently vistied Nambia for Africa family Trip. The level of detail in this blog was incredible, making my trip stress free and enjoyable!
Glad to help.
Happy travels!
Thank you for a positive review about my country Namibia 🇳🇦❤️.
Also thank you for choosing Namibia as the best destination with kids. I hope you enjoy the contrasting beauties of my motherland, much love 💕.
Hi Philip, to this day, Namibia remains one of our favorite destinations from all our trips.
Hope to go back some day!
Hi! Great article, very nice to read. I see you took three kids on your roadtrip, how did that work out regarding child seats? Could you fit 3 proper seats in the back?
Hi Gijs, indeed, we visited Namibia with three kids and they all had a car seat. We rented two car seats for our younger kids in Namibia (reserve in advance if you do this!) and we took this backpack/ booster seat for our oldest one. The combination of two big car seats and a booster worked well and they could all sit next to each other in the back.
When our kids got older, we bought two more of these boosters for our twins and we still use them for our trips now. If your kids are old enough to sit on a booster like that, it’s so much easier and cheaper (and more hygienic) than renting car seats abroad. And you can easily put three of these next to each other in any car. The biggest issue is the kids fighting on the back seat, not the seats they sit in. :)))
Greetings! This is great information. Thank you for sharing. You mentioned many things are free for kids. Do you happen to know at what age do places tend to begin charging for children to participate? Thanks!
Hi Chelsy, most activities we did in Namibia were free for kids under 6-7. We didn’t really pay attention to the exact age requirement as our kids were younger than 6 at that time.
I think that most hotels don’t charge for kids under 12, but for that, you’d have to check with each place separately. Also, the ‘kids stay free’ rule usually only applies when a kid is staying in the same room with the parents, but the rooms in most places can usually only accommodate one extra bed. So depending on how big your family is, it can be cheaper this way, or you might still need to book two rooms in most places as we had to do. Some hotels have family rooms for 4 people, but only very few places have rooms for 5, for example.
Hello! Your posts are so inspiring! We’re planning a 6 week trip to Africa with our 2 kids (3 and 6) and are trying to figure out an itinerary. Can you tell me where you went in Namibia?
Hi Maor, we have lots of articles about Namibia- check on destinations page. One of them has our detailed Namibia itinerary.
Hi Jurga,
Your blog is so informative, thank you! We are coming all the way out from New Zealand June 2020 with our 7 & 10 yr olds. We are planning on a Namibia self drive. I’ve got two itineraries. One leaves out Botswana as they say its very busy and expensive, favoring a quieter Zambezi river camp and finishing in Zambia?. In your opinion would we regret missing out Chobe and Moremi parks given we may not come back any time soon?. We tend to shy away from busy tourist areas but then again we are coming to see scenery & animals:-)
Cheers
Kris
Hi Kris, I really don’t know since we haven’t been to these places. I wouldn’t listen to what people say about how busy it is, and would just visit the places you really want to see. And if they are popular, it’s probably for a good reason and there are always ways to avoid the crowds (if this word can even apply to anything in that region) by visiting at different times than most people do. Enjoy your trip!
Thank you for an amazing blog. I’m a South African, but never been to Namibia. We will be traveling there March 2019 with my 8 year old son. We are planning 2 weeks going all the way up to Etosha and back again to Johannesburg, camping all the way. I was worried that my son would be bored, but after reading your blog, I’m more at ease.
Hi Melinda, glad to help 🙂 I think for an 8-year old you may want to take something that would keep him a bit entertained in the car. Some of his favourite music maybe? Sometimes it’s really a very long drive, which I know is tough for kids that age.
But once you’re out and about exploring and camping, I really think you have nothing to worry about. Your son will love it!
PS I always recommend taking binoculars for the kids – keeps them busy for hours, especially in places like Namibia where there’s wildlife everywhere.
Enjoy your trip!
Wow! You’ve convinced me that I need to go to Namibia! I really want to see Africa, but I’ve always been afraid to take my kids because of Malaria. I knew South Africa was more or less Malaria free, but I didn’t know about Namibia. You make me very excited to visit one day!
Namibia is absolutely amazing, with or without the kids. You’ll love it!
Hi,
I am planning to take the family (kids age 7 and 12) for a 4 month trip to Africa next year, including Namibia and other countries. I am wondering about finding accommodations that will accommodate the four of us in one room. Do you have any tips in this regard?
FK
Our experience is such that it’s never a problem to find a room for 4 people, also in Africa. We travel with 5 and I can tell you it’s a whole other story… Everywhere in the world standard family is considered 2+2.
Most hotels/lodges have at least a few family rooms, but it’s best to book in advance. In Namibia they often provided us with an extra mattres for a third child, but there were also hotels that wouldn’t accommodate more than 3 people in a room. In that case we just booked two rooms and split up with me and my husband staying in separate rooms with one or two kids. It’s really case per case basis. In South Africa for example you will have much more options so it will definitely not be an issue to find family rooms, but in more rural areas sometimes you just have to adapt and make the best of the situation.
Can you comment on safety in both Namibia and South Africa?
We are looking for a good family summer trip and will have a 7 month old and 5 year old. It will be the baby’s first trip. The 5 year old has been all over SE Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. We did not hesitate at all taking her there. After being to South America before having kids, we are hesitant to take them there and do have an interest in Africa.
Thoughts in South Africa and Namibia?
Hi Jacob, we found both countries perfectly safe to travel with kids. July isn’t malaria season either in main tourist areas, so you just need regular vaccinations. Food is very good, water probably better not to drink from the tap… My only concern with a baby would be Namibia, because sometimes you are really hours away from any doctor if something were to happen, and babies can get sick (And recover) so quickly… So I would pack all the emergency medication and maybe even antibiotics just in case.
Hope this helps
Fantastic blog, nicely written and very useful information! I have a spontaneous travel opportunity to visit the Kambaku region this April with my two children aged 3 and 6. For one week. I know this is not the best season but my main reservation is my kids don’t have any of the listed vaccinations. From your experience, is it a serious no no to travel here without the vaccinations? Thanks in advance.
Hi Graham, I had to google Kambaku. 🙂 Do you mean the Kambaku Safari Lodge in Waterberg Namibia? Anyway, we always use this website for consulting travel health matters. It says that in Namibia you need the following vaccinations: TETANUS-, DIPHTHERIA-, PERTUSSIS-, MEASLES- and POLIOMYELITIS VACCINATIONS. These are all usually already given to all the kids (at least here in Belgium it’s standard), so probably your kids have them already unless you refused all vaccinations from when they were born. HEPATITIS A is probably the only one that is usually not standard and should be considered for Africa. I think you can still get your kids vaccinated, even if just with one shot before the trip (some Hepatitis vaccinations require a second shot after a few months if I remember well). If I were you I’d talk to your doctor asap. Getting these shots doesn’t take much time. And, as I said, most vaccinations your kids probably already have anyway. I’m not a doctor, but I strongly believe in vaccinations and you don’t want to take unnecessary risks with kids. And don’t forget mosquito spray too – malaria risk is low in Namibia, but you should always use a mosquito spray.
As for the trip itself – grab the chance and go! 😉 You’ll love it there.
Hi! How old was your youngest on this trip? I know everyone’s comfort levels vary, but personally in hindsight, would you have felt comfortable bringing any of your children on this trip as babies? I was planning on SA but that doesn’t seem the best option in early August, so considering other ideas (part of RTW trip). Older son will be 2.5 (not worried about him, he’s been to Oman desert, Cuba, Japan, etc.), baby will be 7 months old. We’d only go for about 1 week, so only 2-3 stops. Thanks!
Hi Jessica, our twins were 3yrs and 10 months when we visited Namibia (the oldest was 5,5). Even then it’s quite a young age for Namibia. I mean, you can go there with a baby or a toddler, no problem, but it depends on what you expect this trip to be. It’s a lot of driving too with not much going on to keep such young kids entertained. Also, one week in Namibia is really short, so you’d really need to decide where to go instead of trying to see all the main highlights.
We love South Africa and visited in July once too. It was nice and warm during the day in the North of the country and in the South we had it all – sunshine, but also cold and windy days, also one day with some rain. But there is so much more to do with such young kids in Cape Town/ Cape Peninsula / Garden Route and if you only have one week I think this area would be a much better option with kids than Namibia. You can find some inspiration here – South Africa with young kids. This trip was in November though, but you can do exactly same things in August, just dress warmer.
If you’d still rather go to Namibia, then try to visit Sossusvlei and Etosha – both are a must in my opinion, but they are really far from each other. Local flights might be an option (not if you are on a tight budget).
Nice!! Awesome post!Thanks for sharing! Indeed Namibia is a very beautiful place and definitely a must to visit.
Thanks for your reply Jurga! I think we better stay in SA for the first time and maybe do Namibia the next time when she is a bit older. When we did our SA and Namibia trip with the 2 of us we drove 6000 km in 4 weeks, I don’t think that will be doable… Oh wish we could stay there forever!
I think we will go for Cpt, Kgalagadi and Augrabies, a friend of ours guides there so we must visit? I will definitely visit your blog again, the page with what to take with/first aid is so useful!
Oooh reading your blog gives me tears in the eyes, how much do I miss Africa! My husband and I already went 2 times, the first time south Africa, Botswana and Zambia, the 2nd time south Africa and Namibia. Now we would like to go back with our baby girl and share our love for Africa and wildlife! We thought of going around march 2019, our daughter will be 29months by then. Is that doable you think? We would love to go back to etosha, kgalagadi and cape town, but the distances are to much I think. Do you have some suggestions? Thanks!
I miss Africa too – amazing continent!
I think this trip you have in mind is doable, but it’s so much driving… I’m not sure if I would do it with kids, Kim. But we have three kids, and you only have one, so it’s a huge difference. 😉
We took our kids to Cape Peninsula and the Garden Route at that age and had a wonderful time there. The big advantage was that we could stay in just 2 towns (Cape Town and Knysna) and make day trips. Very kid-friendly. You may check this post for more information: South Africa with young kids.
What an inspiring story! We’ve only been to The Gambia pre-kids, never to any other parts of Africa. But this sounds amazing. I’m sure our toddler would love this. Namibia wasn’t on my bucket list, but it definitely is now!
Thank you so much for your comment, Lisa. I am so glad that my blog inspires people to discover new destinations they wouldn’t have even considered otherwise! You made my day!
Namibia is a beautiful country and is perfect for family travel. We also love South Africa, especially the Southern Part: Cape Peninsula and the Garden Route. If you haven’t already, you can read more about it here: South Africa with kids.
Jurga, puikios nuotraukos – dziaugiuosi, geriuosi, zaviuosi ☺
Aciu labai, Egle! Thanks a lot! 😉
in Ireland on a cold and dreary night and planning a motorcycle ride up to Victoria Falls in the coming 2 weeks time. you have got me packing to do a recognisant trip to bring my tribe out injuly next.Thankyou for your blog.