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Bell Mountain
The Augustus Temple.
Temple of Augustus
Gunung Kemekus Entrance
Gunung Kemukus
BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
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BBQ shrimp braised in beer are a popular menu item.
High Hat Cafe
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Eroded rocks of the badlands in the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park.
Arizona’s Petrified Forest Is Changing What We Know About the Dawn of the Dinosaurs
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You could probably take some of that stuff out.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
3 days ago
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
4 days ago
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
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All Namibia

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Namibia

25 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Namibia

Updated February 18, 2025

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Cities

Chunks of the Gibeon Meteorite.
Windhoek
Quiver Tree Forest.
Keetmanshoop
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in Namibia

Kolmanskop Ghost Town

Namibia

Kolmanskop Ghost Town

The remains of diamond fever taken over by the desert.
The Eduard Bohlen, buried within a sea of sand.

Namibia

Eduard Bohlen Shipwreck

Far from the shore, this sandy victim of the Skeleton Coast looks like it was plopped in the middle of the desert.
Namib Sand Sea

Namibia

Namib Sand Sea

A desert that rolls right up to the ocean, where it's so dry animals live off the fog.
Dead Vlei

Sossusvlei, Namibia

Dead Vlei

This "dead marsh" sits among the largest sand dunes in the world, a forest frozen in time.
Fairy Circles in Namibia.

Namibia

Fairy Circles of Southern Africa

Unexplained bald patches in the landscape grow and recede over time, as though they are somehow alive.
Shipwreck Lodge

Namibia

Shipwreck Lodge

Ten shipwreck-shaped chalets lie along the sand dunes on Namibia’s Skeleton Coast.

Namibia

Hoba Meteorite

The largest known meteorite on Earth was too big to move.

Namibia

Welwitschia

Bizarre living fossil only grows in a small chunk of the Namib Desert.
See All 25 Things To Do in Namibia

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Namibia

Walvis Bay, Namibia

The Raft

Hitch a boat ride to dine on stilts while watching wildlife.
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Namibia

25
Natural Wonders 5
Nature 4
Geology 4
Plants 4
Animals 3
Geological Oddities 3
Africa 3
Deserts 3
Meteorites 2
Ecosystems 2
Ruins 2
Roadside Attractions 2

Namibia Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. kwinb
    3
  2. Aksel
    2
  3. daynix
    2
  4. atimian
    2
  5. jase
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Namibia.

Places Edited

  1. Ursula
    10
  2. aribrown
    8
  3. KramerMan
    6
  4. Aksel
    5
  5. Collector of Experiences
    4

Places Visited

  1. Hsc007
    21
  2. hanssterkendries
    13
  3. marcut
    12
  4. jnnlambert9
    12
  5. IndefiniteDetour
    12
Join the Ranks!
Visit a place in Namibia.

Recent Namibia Activity

  • greetdruyts

    wants to go to Shark Island

    14 days ago
  • greetdruyts

    wants to go to Elizabeth Bay Ghost Town

    14 days ago
  • f35188431

    wants to go to Garas Park Rest Camp

    12 days ago
  • hogan13m

    wants to go to Duwisib Castle

    10 days ago
  • elvenking42

    wants to go to Duwisib Castle

    4 days ago

Stories About Namibia

African penguins develop a unique arrangement of black speckles on their white bellies at around three months old.

How Polka Dots Help African Penguins Stand Out From the Crowd

A new study shows how the birds identify their mates in a sea of black and white.
by Roxanne Hoorn
November 30, 2023
Mali Mahalingam amid the dunes of Central Nambia.

Accessible Independent Travel Is for All Ages and Abilities

See the world “any which way” you can, says a seasoned traveler in her 70s.
by Gemma Tarlach
August 24, 2023

Podcast: Fairy Circles

An enchanting natural phenomenon in a daunting place.
by The Podcast Team
April 12, 2023
After nearly 40 years, desert lions are once again hunting marine prey along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, where scientists believed the knowledge had been lost.

In Namibia, Lions Are Returning to Feed on the Skeleton Coast

As the predators hunt fur seals, a new geofencing project tries to keep people out of the way.
by Ryan Truscott
March 13, 2023
Researchers found that transporting the animal upside down was easier on the creature than moving it on its side.

Why Rhinos Fly Upside Down Over Namibia

Researchers determined that the pachyderms fare just fine when they sail suspended from a helicopter.
by Ashley Stimpson
February 9, 2021
During wet periods, a thin sheen of water coats the salty expanse of the Etosha Pan.

The Transformation of Namibia's Etosha Pan, From Parched to Soaked

Satellite images track the shift from dry to wet at a vast, prehistoric lake bed in southern Africa.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
January 22, 2020
The train station, long since abandoned.

The Most Isolated War Grave of the British Commonwealth Is in the Namibian Desert

In 1915, South African forces fought Germans for control of territory in southern Africa.
by Sarah Laskow
October 23, 2018
Fog sometimes envelopes the Namib’s dunes.

The Secret World Inside Tiny Fog Droplets

From the Namib Desert to Maine, fog is teeming with life.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
August 30, 2018

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