A journey through barren lands: the epic beauty of Namibia in photos
Namibia is best seen with your own eyes; so stark, and wild, and achingly beautiful that it's impossible to describe. We hope our Namibia photo diary helps to bring this stunning country to life for you, or inspires you to visit for yourself.
For sheer natural beauty, not many countries can rival Namibia. It's home to some of the most unique and stunning scenery you'll ever see, from the Mars-like landscapes of Sossusvlei to the barren plains of Etosha National Park, from the rugged and dramatic coastline to the frozen-in-time towns.
Rolling through the Namib desert, having not seen another life for hours, surrounded by fossilised mountains, stark coastlines, and sand dunes as far as the eye could see, we'd never felt more insignificant. In this day and age, when all the information you could ever want is available at the scroll and click of our phone screens, it seems, sadly, as though it's rare that a new place will completely blow us away. After all, by the time we get there we've generally seen it, liked it, shared it a million times already. But Namibia is the exception, not the rule - and standing amongst its ancient plains simply blew. our. minds. It was the most exhilarated and free we've ever felt on our travels.
Planning to visit Namibia? Our comprehensive Namibia travel guide might help!
It wasn't long ago that Namibia was only famous for being the birthplace of famous for being the birthplace of Brangelina's child Shiloh. Now, it's the go-to destination for adventure junkies, photographers and those looking to get off the beaten track. we think these photos might inspire you to make the long journey to Namibia to explore these landscapes for yourself.
Behold, the epic beauty of Namibia in photos.
NAMIBIA PHOTO DIARY - A JOURNEY THROUGH BARREN LANDS
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THE INCREDIBLE NATURAL BEAUTY OF NAMIBIA
It's impossible to describe how it feels standing before a towering, 300m burnt orange sand dune, walking amongst 900-year-old fossilised Acacia trees in the vast clay pan of Deadvlei, or traipsing across the shifting sands of the world's oldest desert, the Namib.
Then there's the jaw-dropping Fish River Canyon, the rocky mountain peaks of Spitzkoppe and Naukluft.
The natural beauty is otherworldly, mind-boggling, and awe-inspiring.
africa inspo: 13 incredible experiences to have in southern africa
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THE OPEN ROADS OF NAMIBIA
A country so sparsely populated, this stat is hard to comprehend: Namibia is almost twice the size of Spain, yet has 5% of Spain's total population. You won't see a soul for hours, which makes driving here strangely appealing, yet mostly worrying.
They're also perfect to stop as often as possible and take in the surrounding landscapes.
These long, straight roads forever stretching towards the horizon will be forever etched in our memory.
namibia travel tips | everything to know before visiting namibia
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THE EERIE TOWNS OF NAMIBIA
In the south of Namibia lies Kolmanskop, a formerly wealthy diamond mining community, now a long abandoned ghost town slowly being reclaimed by the Namib desert.
Even the small towns dotted throughout the country are slightly eerie, especially as dusk settles over the time-worn streets.
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THE BEST TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR FOR NAMIBIA
Below is the photography gear we used to get all of our shots in Namibia.
The Sony A7RII produces brilliant photos and video
The original photography beast which keeps going strong, the Canon 5D MKIII produces the best colours
The Canon 24-70mm is known as one of the best zoom lenses on the market; it's exceptionally sharp, small and lightweight, which makes it perfect for travel photography
The Canon 70-200mm f4 is our favourite lens, hands down. The image stabilisation works a treat, even on moving trains!
Check out the rest of camera gear here.
If you like our photography, be sure to follow us on Instagram, too.
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KEEN TO HEAD TO NAMIBIA?
Accommodation in Namibia can fill up quickly, especially during peak seasons. Book ahead like we did, using Booking.com, or if you're after a more authentic stay, used AirBnB. Here's a coupon for your first stay.
Travelling in Namibia can be very tough, as these photos show. You absolutely need travel insurance before you travel, which you can arrange with World Nomads.
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PLANNING SOME NAMIBIA TRAVELS SOON?
We have a heap of essential reading before you travel to Namibia:
NAMIBIA TRAVEL GUIDE | Our complete Namibia travel guide - what to see, know and do
THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN NAMIBIA | 10 essential things to do in Namibia
DRIVING IN NAMIBIA | 14 essential tips for driving in Namibia
NAMIBIA ROAD TRIP | Our 10 day Namibia road trip itinerary, essential Namibia road trip tips
STUNNING SOSSUSVLEI | Our detailed travel guide to Sossusvlei
NAMIBIA IN PHOTOGRAPHS | The epic beauty of Namibia in photos
PHOTOGRAPHY | Love our photography? Wondering what gear we use to get all of our photos around the world? Click here to view our detailed photography gear guide, as well as our top travel photography tips!
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL | Responsible travel is important. REALLY IMPORTANT. Learn our top responsible travel tips to help you, your family and friends travel more consciously around the globe
ECO FRIENDLY PACKING ESSENTIALS | Don’t leave home without our favourite eco-friendly travel essentials
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That, and you're officially a legend.