Namib-Naukluft Park runs from the Swakop valley near Swakopmund to the B4 road to Lüderitz, some 600 kilometres from north to south. At around 50,000 square kilometres it is larger than Switzerland. Sossusvlei is its best-known part, but only a small one. The park also takes in the Namib itself, the Naukluft Mountains in the east and the lagoon at Sandwich Harbour on the coast.
- area, 49,768 or 50,766 depending on the source
- about 50,000 km²
- founded as Namib-Naukluft Park
- 1979
- from north to south
- about 600 km
- height of the Naukluft Mountains
- almost 2,000 m
Its roots go back to 1907. That year the German colonial administration proclaimed Game Reserve No. 3 here. In 1979 the Namib Desert Park and the Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park were merged, and in 1986 parts of the diamond restricted area were added. After that the park was considered the largest game reserve in Africa and the fourth largest in the world.
You cannot drive everywhere. The south, formerly part of the Sperrgebiet, is still closed to visitors. The main areas open to you are the north between the Swakop and the Kuiseb, the area around Sesriem and Sossusvlei, and the Naukluft Mountains.
If you spend longer in the park, carry emergency food, plenty of water, a spare tyre and firewood. You need no permit on the main roads through the park. For campsites and side tracks you do.
The Namib: Moon Landscape and welwitschias
Namib means something like empty place in Nama, or open space by another reading. It is considered the oldest desert in the world. Inland, daytime temperatures climb above 40°C, and at night it can freeze.
Even so, the welwitschia grows here. All its life it has just one pair of leaves: they die back at the tips and keep growing from the base. According to botanists a welwitschia can live for up to 2,000 years. East of Swakopmund the Welwitschia Drive leads to some large specimens. On the way you pass the Moon Landscape, a jumble of bare, folded hills without any vegetation.
The Naukluft Mountains
In the east of the park the Naukluft Mountains rise to almost 2,000 metres. In their gorges the Nama leader Hendrik Witbooi hid from the colonial Schutztruppe for more than a year in 1893 and 1894. After two weeks of fighting in the Naukluft he was forced to negotiate on 11 September 1894. He signed a protection treaty and remained Kaptein.
Today the Naukluft is hiking country, with trails of varying difficulty. The state-run NWR operates Naukluft Camp there; book it in advance directly with NWR. The cliffs are home above all to Hartmann's mountain zebra, for which the state once bought up 14 farms. Kudu, klipspringer, jackals, bat-eared foxes and leopards live here too.
Blutkuppe
Blutkuppe is a granite inselberg in the Namib east of Swakopmund. Its name, blood dome, comes from the red glow at sunrise and sunset. The climb over smooth, slippery rock is tiring. From the top you look far across the Namib.
Because rain runs down the rock faces, more grows here than in the surrounding desert, including quiver trees. There are a few basic campsites in the area.
Today, as of October 2026Since 1 April 2026 Namib-Naukluft has been one of the premium parks. Foreign adults pay N$ 280 per day, up from N$ 150. Sandwich Harbour is excluded: the ministry announced in July 2025 that a concession fee applies there instead. According to the environment ministry you only need a permit away from the main roads; for the Welwitschia Drive you get it in advance from the ministry office in Swakopmund, on the corner of Bismarck Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue. Since a provisional proclamation in 2009 the park has been part of the Namib-Skeleton Coast National Park, which covers Namibia's entire coast. And since 2013 parts of the park have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the Namib Sand Sea.
- Time needed
- several days for the Namib, Sossusvlei and the Naukluft
- Cost
- N$ 280 per foreign adult per day (as of October 2026)
- When
- early morning and late afternoon; midday is hot
Our tipPick up your Welwitschia Drive permit in Swakopmund the day before. Then you can set off in the morning before the heat builds.
Places to stay in Sesriem and Sossusvlei
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Stofpad Namibia
D1261
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Wi-Fi
from €88per night on 12 May 2027
Check prices on trivago
Namib Outpost L Ondili
5 km to the crossing to D854
- Pool
- Spa
- Wi-Fi
from €859per night on 12 May 2027
Check prices on trivago
Namib-Naukluft Park: frequently asked questions
Do you need a permit for Namib-Naukluft Park?
You need no permit on the main roads through Namib-Naukluft Park. For side tracks, campsites and the Welwitschia Drive you get a permit in advance from Namibia's environment ministry.
How big is Namib-Naukluft Park?
Namib-Naukluft Park covers about 50,000 square kilometres, with figures of 49,768 or 50,766. It stretches some 600 kilometres from the Swakop near Swakopmund to the road to Lüderitz.
Where can you see welwitschias in Namib-Naukluft Park?
You can see welwitschias along the Welwitschia Drive east of Swakopmund, in the north of Namib-Naukluft Park. The route also passes the Moon Landscape.
Which animals live in the Naukluft Mountains?
The Naukluft Mountains are home above all to Hartmann's mountain zebra, along with kudu, klipspringer, jackals, bat-eared foxes and leopards.