Yet in tourist terms it’s largely empty, with visitors to Africa favouring Tanzania and Botswana for their ease of logistics. But if you want to go off the beaten track, find yourself in a tiny group in the Namib Desert under a thick constellation of stars, or feel like you’re the only ones watching a magnificent sunset over the Sossusvlei dunes, this is the place to come. The combination of great open spaces, excellent wildlife, diverse cultures and spectacular scenery will always satisfy - and thanks to Nature Friend Safaris, organising a trip here couldn’t be easier.
Besides bespoke safaris (by car and/or light aircraft), they offer flying safaris on a join-in basis, so you can hop quickly between destinations without chartering a plane just for yourselves; but, being small Cessna 210 6-seaters, you will only have a maximum of 4 or 5 companions, so it never feels like an (aerial) bus tour! They also co-own the Dunehopper daily air-taxi between Windhoek and Sossusvlei / NamibRand - which makes getting seats a breeze.
Why we chose this partner
- Unrivalled knowledge of the country: most of the team have lived here all of their lives, and have worked in travel for most of it
- Leander's team is small enough to give you individual attention; but big enough to offer excellent value for money
- As soon as 2 people book, the departure is guaranteed, so you don't have to worry about cancellations due to insufficient numbers
- During our recce, everything they organised for us ran like clockwork and every time we needed to speak to the office there was somebody available; very reassuring
- A detailed booklet described each day of our tour with driving instructions, rough timings and a useful highlighted map
Please be aware
- i-escape can only vouch for those properties which are featured and reviewed on our website. For other areas and accommodations, while we do trust our operator to provide the best options for your needs, you should make sure that you are happy with their suggestions before confirming
Best time to go
Lodging
- They use excellent lodges in Namibia’s most glorious settings, most of them small and independently owned - in tune with our own criteria
- Where possible, they will use the lodges and hotels featured in i-escape's collection
- On our trip, they were refreshingly honest in their advice (including the drawbacks)
Activities
- Sand-boarding or quad biking through Sossusvlei sand dunes
- Hand-feeding seals in WalvisBay
- Tracking wildlife (including endangered rhino) on foot alongside expert guides
- Hiking into the vast Namib Desert to sleep under a blanket of stars
- Microlighting and camel safaris just outside Swakopmund
Activities include:
- Birdwatching
- Boat trips
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Horse riding
- Hot air ballooning
- Museums / galleries
- Plantlife / flora
- Private guided tours
- Safaris
- Sailing
- Shopping / markets
- Traditional cultures
- Trekking
- Whale watching
- Wildlife
With Kids
Children over 12 are welcome in some lodges and cost will be calculated according to individual camp policies; enquire when booking.
Best for:
Teens (over 12)
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Transport
Operating from Namibia's capital Windhoek, NFS specialise in fly-in safaris to the country's most exciting natural environments: Onguma reserve in Etosha National Park; Damaraland on the Skeleton Coast, the NamibRand Nature Reserve, and the red dunes of Sossusvlei. Due to the size of Namibia it is difficult to visit the highlights by road in anything less than 2 weeks, so for most itineraries you’ll be flown into a destination in one of the company’s private planes, then met on the ground, and picked up again by plane in a few days to be flown to the next destination. While on the ground, you’ll enjoy guided drives and excursions, all with the aim of showing you Namibia’s spectacular highlights. Other itineraries offer self-drive options and less flights, so are cheaper (Namibian Wonders). Basically, trips vary in length according to how much you want to see and do, but to start you off you can look at the suggested itineraries below. Some have specific departure dates and itineraries (Namibian Visions and Treasures), others have a flexible departure date and fixed itinerary (Namibian Wonders).
Location
Nature Friend Safaris' HQ is in Windhoek, central Namibia, in southwest Africa.
By Air
Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport (40km) is the arrival point for overseas flights. If you're flying internally, you'll arrive at Windhoek Eros Airport (8km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.
From the Airport
A NFS representative will meet your flight - and, if you are self-driving, deliver your rental vehicle and driving info pack.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com. 
More on getting to Namibia and getting around