One of the best ways to explore the stunning and surreal landscapes of Namibia is by renting a car and driving around the country on your own. If you’re planning to visit Namibia and want to rent a car for your adventure, you’re in the right place.
After spending over two weeks driving across Namibia from south to north, covering more than 4,000 kilometers, I have put together a list of things I wish I had known before renting and driving in the country. Without further ado, here are 11 essential tips to know before renting and driving in Namibia.
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11 Things I Wish I Knew Before Driving in Namibia
- Carry a Valid Driving License
- Rent a 4x4
- Go with a Car Rental + Accommodation Package
- Take Videos of Everything When You Get the Car
- Beware of Speed Limits
- Prepare for Gravel Roads
- Learn How To Change Tires Beforehand
- Adjust Your Tires According to the Road Condition
- Avoid Driving at Night
- Always Fill Your Gas When You Have a Chance
- Download Maps Offline for Navigation
- Further Reading for Namibia
11 Things I Wish I Knew Before Driving in Namibia
1. Carry a Valid Driving License
First and foremost, make sure that you have a valid driver’s license before renting a car in Namibia. You can use your local driver’s license, but it must be in English. If it isn’t, you’ll likely have to obtain an International Driving Permit prior to your visit.
When you arrive at the car rental agency in Windhoek, they will ask for your driver's license and register the car in your name for the entire rental period. While driving, always keep your driver's license with you in case you're stopped by traffic police.
Based on my experience during my 4,000 km journey through, I didn’t encounter any traffic stops, except at the entrance to Etosha National Park. Unlike some other African countries, looking at you, Kenya, the police in Namibia won’t bother you unnecessarily. And if they do stop you, they’re not looking for bribes like those I’ve encountered in parts of East Africa, so you’re good to go.
2. Rent a 4x4
Despite what some blogs suggest about not needing a 4x4, I highly recommend renting one. It will make your trip faster and smoother while protecting the car from flying rocks on gravel roads. Additionally, it helps you avoid fines from the rental company for potential damage.
I chose a Toyota Fortuner for this trip, and after covering over 4,000 km, I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Road conditions in Namibia are far from ideal, with about 70% of your journey likely spent on gravel roads that range from manageable to downright unbearable.
To summarize the road conditions I encountered, there are essentially three types of roads in Namibia: paved roads (mostly found in and around major cities), good gravel roads (where you can drive at around 90 km/h), and terrible gravel roads, so rough and bumpy that they’ll give you headaches after just a few minutes.
Unless you plan to drive on sand dunes, you likely won’t need the full capabilities of a 4x4 during your trip. That said, you'll feel much more comfortable and less stressed if you choose a 4x4. Some models even come equipped with a rooftop tent, making it an obvious choice if you plan to camp during your journey.
3. Go with a Car Rental + Accommodation Package
After doing extensive research for my trip to Namibia, I concluded that it’s more affordable to rent a car from a company that offers both car rental and accommodation as part of a self-guided, self-drive tour package, rather than booking them separately.
With this type of package, the company takes care of everything, from the car to all accommodations throughout your stay. All you need to do is drive, and that’s it. The self-drive package typically has a fixed price that’s easy to understand, and you pay once, and that's it.
I did the math using the actual prices of the lodges I stayed at, and I definitely saved a significant amount of money by choosing the package, compared to booking everything myself. Lodges in Namibia are not cheap!
The company I went with was Namibia2Go and I couldn't be happier. They were professional through and through with the whole renting process, which went smoothly from beginning to end. They picked me up at the airport, brought me to the rental place, got briefed on the car, road rules, etc., and I was off in about 30 minutes. The car I got was clean and in excellent condition, and the lodges they provided throughout the trip were incredible!
Since Namibia2Go is a subsidiary of Gondwana, a company that owns numerous lodges across the country, you’ll be staying at some of the best lodges Namibia has to offer. I opted for their Go Big self-drive package, which is an epic 15-day road trip from Fish River Canyon all the way to Etosha, and I highly recommend it if you have the time. You can learn more about the itinerary and lodges here.
4. Take Videos of Everything When You Get the Car
When renting a car (or any vehicle), it’s always a good idea to take video footage of the entire car, from top to bottom and inside to outside, as proof of its condition when you receive it. This way, when you return the car, the rental company cannot hold you responsible for any damages you didn’t cause.
Although I didn’t need to use the footage as proof when I returned the car in Namibia, since the people there are honest, I still recommend doing it anyway. Otherwise, you might learn the hard way, like I did in Saudi Arabia, when I was charged for a coffee stain I didn’t cause because I only filmed the outside of the car, not the inside 🤦. Don’t repeat my mistake!
5. Beware of Speed Limits
Of course, you must respect the rules of the road when you rent a car and drive here, especially the speed limits. Fortunately, they’re straightforward and easy to remember. Here are the speed limits for Namibia:
- In cities: 60 km/hr
- Outside of cities on paved roads: 120 km/hr
- On gravel roads: 80 km/hr
6. Prepare for Gravel Roads
Most of the roads outside of cities in Namibia are gravel roads, some more challenging than others, and you can expect to be driving on them about 70% of the time. Some gravel roads are in good condition, allowing you to drive at speeds up to 100 km/h, but many are covered in corrugation, which can make driving tricky.
Adding to that is the dust kicked up by other vehicles, making the drive even more demanding. The best way to tackle rough gravel roads is to drive through them as quickly as possible, so you get it over with sooner. Trust me, the slower you go on bumpy roads, the bumpier they feel.
Also, avoid driving behind other cars, as the dust can be blinding, and you don’t want to be breathing that in every day. To prevent this, you can start your drive earlier in the morning to have the road to yourself, or slow down, let the other vehicles pass, and then hang back until they’re far enough ahead and the dust settles before going normal speed.
7. Learn How To Change Tires Beforehand
Since you'll be driving on gravel roads 70% of the time, there will likely be a point where you'll need to deal with a flat tire. It happened to me on the third day of driving 😅. If you've never changed a tire yourself, like I hadn't, I recommend learning how to do it beforehand.
You can also find tutorials on YouTube and download them for offline viewing in case you get a flat in the middle of nowhere with no internet access. Most of the car rental places will also instruct you on where the tools are and how to do it when you receive the car, so be sure to pay attention and take videos of the demonstration.
I was fortunate that the tire was punctured in the evening, and I only realized it the next morning while preparing to check out from one of the Gondwana Lodges. Most of their lodges are equipped with service stations, so they fixed the tire for me free of charge. If you're not as lucky, you can switch to the spare tire and have the flat one repaired at the next service station.
8. Adjust Your Tires According to the Road Condition
Speaking of tires, it’s important to adjust the tire pressure based on the road conditions you'll be driving on. Ideally, the pressure should be around 2.0 kPa for tar roads and 1.8 kPa for gravel roads in Namibia. I kept mine at 1.8 kPa for both tar and gravel roads throughout the entire trip, and it worked out great.
If you plan to drive on sand dunes, like at Sandwich Harbour along the Skeleton Coast, you'll need to lower your tire pressure to 1.3 kPa. An air compressor is usually included as part of the standard equipment when you rent a 4x4, which you can use to deflate your tires. If it's not provided, be sure to ask for one or purchase your own. The compressors typically run on battery power and can be quite slow when reinflating the tires.
9. Avoid Driving at Night
If you rent a car from a reputable company, they will likely warn you about driving at night, especially over long distances. In fact, some companies prohibit driving more than 300 km after sundown and may fine you if you break this rule. Most rental cars are equipped with GPS trackers, so they can monitor how far you've traveled and how fast you're going, and they can fine you if you don’t follow the guidelines.
The reason they prohibit driving at night isn't just due to reduced visibility, but also because Namibia has many nocturnal animals, especially near nature reserves. These animals often cross roads unexpectedly, which can lead to accidents. It's best for both you and the animals to avoid driving at night altogether.
10. Always Fill Your Gas When You Have a Chance
With a population of only 2.8 million people, Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. Cities and towns, where gas stations are located, are few and far between, so whenever you have the chance to fill up your tank, make sure to do so. With most itineraries, you'll be driving through at least one town each day, so you can fill up then.
Most gas stations accept credit cards, and they are not self-service; a petrol attendant will assist you. If you're planning to visit Etosha National Park, be sure to fill up before entering, as you could drive over 400 km, spend an entire day inside, and still have only covered half of it.
Inside the park, there are only about three very small gas stations, and they can run out of fuel at any time. They also don’t accept credit cards, and long queues can form. It will save you a ton of headaches if you fill up your tank before entering the park. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience 😅.
11. Download Maps Offline for Navigation
Last but not least, if you're relying on Google Maps to navigate in Namibia, be sure to download the maps for offline use so you can access them even when there’s no data signal. The roads aren’t too difficult to navigate, but you’ll often find yourself in the middle of nowhere, where data access is scarce. It’s always a good idea to have an offline map just in case.
Also, in case Google Maps doesn’t work well, you can download Maps.me as a backup and save the Namibia offline map, just in case. I relied on Google Maps throughout my trip, and it worked fine, but as Phoebe from "Friends" once said, it’s always good to have a backup for your backup 😉.
Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:
Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.
Further Reading for Namibia
If you are looking for more articles about Namibia, here are a few articles that might help you plan your trip:
- For a complete itinerary to Namibia, check out: 2 Weeks in Namibia: A Road Trip Itinerary.
- Feeling a bit overwhelmed with planning your trip to Namibia? Check out this easy-to-follow guide: Namibia Bucket List: 10 Must-Do Experiences.
- Planning to visit Southern Namibia? You gotta stop by Luderitz! Here are the 9 Best Things to Do in Luderitz.
- Who wants to visit an abandoned ghost town in Namibia? Kolmanskop is the famous ghost town often featured in many mainstream media and here is A Complete Guide to Namibia’s Ghost Town.
- You can’t visit Namibia without exploring Sossusvlei, home to the surreal sand dune landscapes the country is known for. To help you plan your trip, check out: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Sossusvlei.
- Out of all the cities I visited in Namibia, Swakopmund is hands down my favorite. To get the best out of it, be sure to check out: A Guide to Swakopmund: 10 Best Things to Do and More
- Want to visit Sandwich Harbor but not sure where to begin? Check this out: A Complete Travel Guide to Sandwich Harbor
- Spitzkoppe is one of the most surreal places to visit in Namibia, and it would be a shame to come all the way to Namibia without seeing it. Here's a complete travel guide to Spitzkoppe.
- Have you ever dreamed of going on a self-drive safari in Africa? Well, you can do that in Etosha National Park in Namibia. Here's A Complete Self-Drive Safari Guide to Etosha National Park.
- If you want to see a real authentic Himba village and interact with the Himba people, here's a travel guide for you: Visiting the Himba Tribe: A Complete Guide.
- Not sure which car rental company to choose in Namibia? Here's my experience with Namibia2Go: Renting a Car with Namibia2Go: My Review.
- To see all articles about Namibia, be sure to check out our Namibia travel guide page.
- Looking for more travel guides for Africa? You will find more over at our Africa page.
- For more of my travel guides, visit my Destinations page.
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