• NAD
    • AUD
    • GBP
    • EUR
    • HKD
    • NAD
    • NZD
    • ZAR
  • info@ati-holidays.com
  • Call Us
    • +264 (0) 61 228 717
    • UK Toll Free 0808-234-9378
    • US Toll Free 1-888-333-3876
Menu
ATI Holidays
  • Home
  • Destinations


    • Zimbabwe



      Zambia



      Mauritius



      Mozambique

      Our Destinations

      See All



      Namibia



      Botswana



      South Africa

  • Travel Styles


    • Romantic



      Self-Drive



      Fly-in



      Fly-Drive



      Wildlife

      Our Travel Styles

      See All



      Beach



      Family



      Walking



      Guided

  • About
    • About Us
    • FAQs
    • Reviews
    • Jobs
    • Team
  • Gallery
  • Blog
  • Specials
HomeSafari BlogAn Intrepid Camping Escape into the Namibian Wilds

An Intrepid Camping Escape into the Namibian Wilds

By Angie Khoeseb, December 6, 2020 Posted in: Safari Blog, Tips & Tricks, Wildlife

We had the chance to have a long overdue catch up (and by this of course I mean a 12,000km distanced video call) with two of, not only our truly good friends, but also a pair of the most intrepid travellers we have had the pleasure to help plan faraway African escapes for! Aside from their camping prowess, Bruce is also a fantastic photographer, with all of the photos used in this post (and countless ones throughout our site) courtesy of him.

Get out your trip planner and map as Bruce & Marianne share a few of their ideal ‘becoming one with the Namibian bushveld’ spots & tricks below;

A good starting point might be how you both ended up in our little corner of South western Africa?

After spending some time in South Africa, we honestly just stumbled upon Namibia. Having the reputation of being a true safari destination while still remaining safe & self-drive friendly, it was exactly where we wanted to explore next.

It’s been almost a decade since you first visited if I’m not mistaken, what kept you coming back?

It was undoubtedly the encompassing freedom & wilderness we found here. The ability to self-drive all over the country & be completely immersed in the surrounding landscape when camping was unbelievable. With nothing separating you from nature, the bush noises that permeate your evenings & the entire dazzling night sky that hangs overhead, almost seemingly within your reach – this is what camping allows.

Another aspect of camping that’s unparalleled is the unexpected community of like minded travellers & guileless locals you find yourself apart of. Whether it be lending out an extra blow-up mattress, helping out with a charge or changing a tyre on a long, deserted road – something about the openness of the veld translates into an ingenuous nature in those who explore it.

And now to pick your brain for your top 5 camping spots!

In no real order but perhaps starting South to North, here you go;

  1. Kalahari Anib Campsite or camping-to-go : Venturing into the Kalahari (and a great stopover when travelling to the Kgalagadi!) this is a great option with either the usual, well equipped campsites or take a break from camp set up and try out one of their preset tents with all your usual creature comforts included.
  2. Sekereti Campsite : For real wild bush camping, this is a singular, almost abandoned campsite, located in the Khaudum National Park in North eastern Namibia. Just about as rustic as it gets!
  3. Palmwag Campsite : Definitely one of our favourites, this little oasis of a campsite allows you to spend time in the wildlife rich Palmwag concession.
  4. Hoada Campsite : Hidden between the boulders of Great Kaokoland, another unmissable campsite that also has a glamping option (and perhaps the coldest pool in Namibia, a poll anyone?)
  5. Kunene River Campsite : Who doesn’t want to laze along a lush river in Northern Namibia with perfectly set up campsite?

Lastly, completely ignoring the requested numerical count – Halali & Namutoni campsites are our go to’s when it comes to Etosha National Park.

Great, and what are some must-have items for a camping trip?

Aside from the obvious, a large supply of water is imperative (it’s warmer than you think & water points are unreliable when out in the bush), good torches, a compressor & a few good tools go a long way.

Bruce’s must haves : camera (shocker), ample charged batteries & a trusty knife

Marianne’s must haves : exercise/yoga mat (I concur!), first aid kit & a sensible amount of good books

Let’s end with a humorous memory from one of your trips…

While there are probably countless to recall, here are two that come to mind;

We were in the middle of nowhere in Sossusvlei, when nature called. Mari quickly ducked behind a dune after making sure the coast was clear. We’d like to emphasize the point ‘middle of nowhere’. Just as she almost makes it scot free, with only clear skies & red, rolling dunes as witnesses, a low flying plane appears overhead moving at a speed that feels incredibly slow. Again we’d like to emphasize the word ‘low’.

Another one would have to be when we happened to be driving along an unending deserted road on a day when the heat simmered visibly above the ground. After rolling down the windows fully for some much needed respite, a truck appeared our of nowhere and before there was time to react, came careening past spitting perfectly timed mud & dirt through the car at an impossible speed. Mud soaked & incredulous, we were cleaning the car for days to come.

Our impromptu chat ends off with a quick introduction of feline friends, a desktop set with a slideshow of their favourite safari memories keeping them sane & a dream, nay, plan of once again returning to an untamed land where sun & sky beckon.

Related Posts

An EXCLUSIVE Sneak Peek

An EXCLUSIVE Sneak Peek

By Nicole Brendell, July 15, 2015
Posted in: Safari Blog

The ATI Holidays’ staff members consider themselves a bunch of foodies; David (our Big, Bad boss and managing director) is known as the curry King of Windhoek. He is English after all! So when The Olive Exclusive informed us that Chef Anthony was joining the team, we immediately offered our…

Read More

An EXCLUSIVE Sneak Peek
The Skeleton Coast

The Skeleton Coast

By Nicole Brendell, August 18, 2014
Posted in: Safari Blog

Anyone who has heard of Namibia has undoubtedly heard of her rugged and often deadly coastline - the eerily named Skeleton Coast. Unsurprisingly the name derives from the fact that this inaccessible stretch of coast was littered with skeletons, ship and whale alike! Two of the most famous shipwrecks along…

Read More

The Skeleton Coast
Namibia: Caprivi’s Secrets

Namibia: Caprivi’s Secrets

By Nicole Brendell, January 9, 2012
Posted in: Safari Blog

[caption id="attachment_102" align="alignnone" width="300"] Hakusembe River Lodge[/caption] Trip report from a recent educational to the Caprivi Strip by one of our senior consultants: The Caprivi Strip is a largely unexplored part of Namibia and fairly unfamiliar to tourists.  Your average tourist visiting Namibia will concentrate on the more well known…

Read More

Namibia: Caprivi’s Secrets

Previous Post

Namibian Tourism and what the industry is asking of the Government

Next Post

On Covid-19 and Conservation

Newsletter

  • About ATI Holidays
  • Our Destinations
  • Our Tours
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • info@ati-holidays.com
  • +264 (0) 61 228 717
  • UK Toll Free 0808-234-9378
  • US Toll Free 1-888-333-3876
  • /atiholidays

© 2025 ATI Holidays All Rights Reserved

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT