Windhoek, Namibia

Windhoek, capital city of Namibia, is one of the most appealing of capitals in Africa, surrounded by the Central Highlands with its rolling hills, acacia trees and dramatic ridges. You’ll almost certainly need one overnight stop here, as Windhoek is the starting point for most tours and charter fights in Namibia, so we’ve outlined a selection of Windhoek accommodation with hotels and country lodges to choose from.

A spare afternoon of browsing the friendly street markets, considering jewellery, leather goods and crafts, yields an insight into the cultural diversity of Namibia. As you walk the city streets, the different dress of passers-by gives a clue to the origins of each person. Windhoek is a curious mix of Africa – with its street vendors selling all manner of goods – and Europe with pavement cafes, wide streets and good quality shops on offer.

The other attraction is enjoying the rather quirky colonial German architecture on a walking tour of Windhoek. In the 1840's the fledgling trading post was named Winterhoek. The Germans shortened this to Windhoek in 1890 when they arrived in Namibia. The Germanic roots of the city are still much in evidence with examples of late 19th/early 20th century High Germanic architecture such as the Christuskirche, the Tintenpalast and the three castles of Schwerinburg, Sanderburg and Heinitzburg, which is now a five star hotel.
 
Windhoek has several pleasant hotels and lodges on offer such as the Olive Grove and some welcoming restaurants serving good German beer. Perhaps stay overnight at the indulgent Gocheganas Nature Reserve & Spa for a night of two - a great way to end your Namibia safari holiday.

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