19 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Namibia - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Namibia

Kolmanskop Ghost Town

The remains of diamond fever taken over by the desert.

Namib Sand Sea

A desert that rolls right up to the ocean, where it's so dry animals live off the fog.

Dead Vlei

This "dead marsh" sits among the largest sand dunes in the world, a forest frozen in time.

Eduard Bohlen Shipwreck

Far from the shore, this sandy victim of the Skeleton Coast looks like it was plopped in the middle of the desert.

Fairy Circles of Southern Africa

Unexplained bald patches in the landscape grow and recede over time, as though they are somehow alive.

Shipwreck Lodge

Ten shipwreck-shaped chalets lie along the sand dunes on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast.

Hoba Meteorite near Grootfontein, Namibia

Largest Known Meteorite on Earth.

Welwitschia

Bizarre living fossil only grows in a small chunk of the Namib Desert.

See All 19 Things to Do in Namibia See All 19 Places

Unique Food & Drink in Namibia

African Horned Cucumber

The spiky, fruit cup-flavored orb made an appearance on “Star Trek.”

Tsamma Melon

This wild fruit helps man and beast survive long treks without water in the Kalahari desert.

Omajowa

Massive mushrooms spring from tall termite mounds during rainy season in Namibia.

Community Forums / Africa / Namibia

Top Discussions in the Namibia Travel Forum

Post	Replies	Views	Activity
Omajowa	2 June 18, 2019	1047	June 18, 2019
Kolmanskop Ghost Town	1 February 10, 2019	1408	February 10, 2019
Shark Island	1 February 10, 2019	1310	February 10, 2019
Namibia - Magic Shops and Food Recommendations	1 April 30, 2019	340	April 30, 2019
Each and Every Word	1 September 10, 2019	408	September 10, 2019

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Jorel wants to go to Dead Vlei

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Stories About Namibia

During wet periods, a thin sheen of water coats the salty expanse of the Etosha Pan.

The Transformation of Namibia's Etosha Pan, From Parched to Soaked

Satellite images track the shift from dry to wet at a vast, prehistoric lake bed in southern Africa.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

January 22, 2020

The train station, long since abandoned.

The Most Isolated War Grave of the British Commonwealth Is in the Namibian Desert

In 1915, South African forces fought Germans for control of territory in southern Africa.

by Sarah Laskow

October 23, 2018

The desert landscape is varied—and often foggy.

The Secret World Inside Tiny Fog Droplets

From the Namib Desert to Maine, fog is teeming with life.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

August 30, 2018