The best places for landscape photography in Namibia

One of the biggest draws for travel is uncovering jaw-dropping landscapes – it’s why so many adventure travellers dabble in landscape photography. And Namibia doesn’t disappoint as an incredible country for landscape photography.

Driving across the country it felt like every few kilometres the landscape would change to reveal something entirely new. I kept thinking, “well, this has got to be the most beautiful spot in Namibia” and an hour later down the road I’d be blown away by something else.

So if you’re a fan of landscape photography (or really, any kind of photography), Namibia needs to be on the top of your travel wish list.

The best places for landscape photography in Namibia

Spoilers / Table of Contents
1. Sesriem
2. Deadvlei
3. Sandwich Harbour
4. Spitzkoppe
5. Etosha National Park
6. Literally almost everywhere

Sesriem

This small settlement is one of the gateways to the Namib-Naukluft National Park, but what a gateway it is. Rocky hills meet sandy valleys, giving you some absolutely beautiful views. I took this picture here and it’s one of my favourites from my trip.

Tip: Keep an eye out for some of the “locals” especially if you’re also into wildlife photography. Oryx wander freely around here and you might even catch a jackal out and about.

Deadvlei

Deadvlei is home to some of the most iconic images of Namibia. The petrified wood forest is of course stunning, but being surrounded by some of the tallest dunes in the world makes the whole experience feel like you’re on an entirely different planet and exploring the area to take landscape photos is SO MUCH FUN.

We spent hours going up and down the dunes and find interesting new angles of each of the twisted trees. An absolute playground for landscape photographers.

When I was there, we were up before 5am and through the gates at the first possible moment with the other crazy people like us. Meant we got there before the bigger crowds flowed in and it was much easier to get pictures without another tourist standing in the back ruining your shot lol.

Sandwich Harbour

Namibia sits beside a particularly treacherous strip of the Atlantic Ocean. Not so great for ships. But incredible for people like you and me who love to see the enormous dunes run right into the ocean.

This whole area has tons to explore. Pink salt flats, shipwrecks, tons of interesting wildlife like flamingoes and seals… it’s an amazing spot for wildlife and landscape photographers alike

I took a tour with Sandwich Harbour 4×4 and they were incredible. The driver took us ripping up and down the dunes which was so much fun, but they also were super knowledgeable about the landscape and protecting the space and wildlife within it. Our guide even worked with the Top Gear guys in their super entertaining Namibia episode so we got to hear some of the behind the scenes stories (spoiler alert: they really did get lost, it wasn’t just an act for camera)

Make sure you only go with a real guide from a responsible and legitimate tour company. It’s not the kind of place you can drive yourself – both because the terrain is difficult to navigate and dangerous without off road experience, but also because there are parts that require proper permissions to enter. We saw a few people who had been taken by “fake” guides (aka locals with a pick up truck) who are often much less careful (and familiar) with the delicate landscape

Spitzkoppe

Spitzkoppe (aka the Matterhorn of Namibia) is a granite peak just a few hours outside of Swakopmund. It’s an interesting landscape since the peak feels like it pops up almost out of nowhere. But there are tons of interesting arches and boulders to scramble across to find the perfect set up.

On top of landscape photography, there’s a few other things you can do while you’re here. Experienced rock climbers will enjoy the many climbing routes, historians will love checking out the bushmen artwork, astrophotographers will love the dark skies, and film buffs might like that pictures of Spitzkoppe were used as backdrops in 2001: A Space Odyssey during the “Dawn of Man” scene.
^{_{(It’s me. I’m film buffs. And I won’t stop mentioning that fun fact for as long as I talk about my visit to Spitzkoppe).}}

Etosha National Park

No trip to Namibia is complete without exploring Etosha National Park. The real stars of the show here are of course the wildlife, but it doesn’t mean that the landscape stops being pretty just because there’s animals in it.

Remember, you can’t get out of your car here so setting up for “the perfect angle” might be a little tricky. But I loved spending time just hanging out by watering holes and driving around.

Also important to know: there is zero tolerance for drones here (because poachers suck). So leave yours at home. They search every car at the the park entrances.

Literally pretty much anywhere it’s safe to pull over

Like I said, Namibia is the gift that keeps on giving for anyone who loves landscape photography (or wildlife photography or astro photography or adventure photography or… You get the point). There’s so many places you can pull over and hop out of the car to appreciate the scene and set up for a picture.

So if you’re thinking of doing a self-drive check out my beginner’s guide here. But there’s many tours specialising in landscape (or wildlife) in case driving yourself isn’t your style.

Still on my wish list: Kolmanskop

I spent 16 days on a self-drive through Namibia and even that wasn’t enough to do it all. Kolmanskop is an abandoned mining town in the southern part of the country that is slowly being taken over by the desert giving it a beautiful and eerie vibe that is unlike anywhere else in the world. Plus, you might recognize it from the show Fallout or from the cover of the Tame Impala record “The Slow Rush”

Wanna see some more pics?

Check out my instagram to see more adventure travel pics from Namibia, Mongolia, and more.

Ready for some photography in Namibia?

Leave a comment below about where you’re most exciting to shoot and let me know what kind of photography you love to do.