A Complete Guide for Visiting Spitzoppe Park in Namibia
Looking for one of the most photographed areas of Namibia? How about a nice desert getaway with unique landscapes? Well, Spitzkoppe Park is the place to go.
This national park is budget-friendly, easy to get around, and simply stunning to explore. It's definitely one of our favorite places in Namibia, and one we recommend all tourists to add to their Namibian bucket list.
In this guide we're going to share everything you need to know for visiting Spitzkoppe Park, so that you can incorporate this amazing place into your itinerary.
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📍 Where is Spitzkoppe, Namibia Located?
Spitzkoppe Park is located 60 km inland from both Swakopmund and Hentiesbaii. It's inside of a desert that is in Central Namibia, and takes about an hour and a half to access from either of the two towns.
How Do I Get to Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia?
The best way to get to Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia is to rent a car, preferably a high-clearance vehicle or a 4x4.
It's best to drive around Spitzkoppe Park in a high clearance vehicle.
We rented our vehicle from Johannesburg and did a big 6-week road trip through Southern Africa, but it is also very popular to hire a jeep or camper van from Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, where many tourists start their travels through Namibia.
🏘 What is the Closest Town to Spitzkoppe Park?
The closest town to Spitzkoppe Park is the village of Spitzkoppe, which is right outside the national park itself.
That being said, this is not an area that has a lot of accommodation, and the main town which is the gateway to Spitzkoppe Park is Swakopmund, a popular coastal town.
🚗 How to Get to Swakopmund, Namibia
The Most popular destinations to visit Swakopmund from are Sossusvlei (a popular park in the desert) or Windhoek (the capital city).
If you are coming from Sossusvlei, it is a 4 1/2 hour drive down a pretty straight and flat gravel road, which goes through Walvis Bay.
If you are coming from Windhoek, you can rent a car, take the bus, or take a tour to explore Spitzkoppe Park.
Here are some tours that go from Swakopmund to Spitzkoppe Park:
🚙 How Do I Get to Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia from Swakopmund?
There are two roads that lead to Spitzkoppe Park, one to the west gate, and one to the east gate.
We took the road from Hentiesbaii to get there (D1918) because we stopped at Cape Cross to see the sea lions. Then leaving we took the road (B2) from the east entrance to go straight back to Swakopmund.
Driving to Spitzkoppe Park from Hentiesbaii
Visiting Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia: What to Expect & Things to Do
Spitzkoppe Park is a simply stunning area, and it has some really unique rock formations. We were drawn to it by some of the incredible pictures we saw taken here! So we're going to share exactly what to expect, and the things to see while there.
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🚩 Entering Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia
There are two entrances for Spitzkoppe, and despite the confusion from Google Maps, we're going to clarify the best way to visit Spitzkoppe Park.
The west entrance is the one that you can take from Hentiesbaii via highway D1918. You'll drive this road for 88 km, which should take around an hour. Then you'll turn left on D1925 and in around 15 minutes you'll arrive at the West entrance of Spizkoppe Park.
The East entrance is the one you'll enter if you're driving from Swakopmund, via route B2. You'll drive east for 120 km, which should take a bit over an hour, and then turn left on D1918 for 29 km before making a right onto D3716. After 12 km take a left onto D1925, and you'll reach the East entrance of Spitzkoppe Park.
🪨 Arriving at Spitzkoppe Park
As soon as you enter Spitzkoppe park, you'll be given a slip and have to go to the reception to pay for your ticket. If you are staying the night, you will be expected to provide a campsite you'll be staying at.
We actually arrived right before they were closing, and just stayed in our van. We didn't actually use the camping facilities, and paid in the morning for our entrance, although we technically were supposed to be at a campsite.
Inside the office you'll be able to get a map, drinks, use the ATM, and you can use the bathroom across the road.
Things to Do at Spitzkoppe Park, Namibia
When we first arrived, it seemed overwhelming! You'll be greeted with various unique orange rock formations, a bunch of small side roads, and little signage. There actually are just a few areas to visit though, and it's not as confusing as it may seem by the map you'll receive.
🌁 The Bridge at Spitzkoppe Park
The bridge is the absolutely highlight of Spitzkoppe park, and is the most photographed part of the area.
Some call it the "bridge" and others call it the "rock arch". While they are two separate places on the map, don't let this confuse you to thinking that these are different places.
Actually, don't follow Google Maps at all! You'll be able to reach here by following the small road on the left after the West entrance (or on the right, right before exiting).
There is a parking lot right next to the bridge, and you can get there in just a few minutes by climbing the rocks. We loved this spot so much that we went for sunset, at night for astrophotography, and in the morning a bit after the sunrise.
We visited the rock arch for sunset, at night, and in the early morning.
Make sure to also spend some time exploring the area, as there are some excellent viewpoints, and unique landscapes surrounding the area to take advantage of.
There are some other beautiful landscapes around the arch.
🎨 The Rock Paintings of Spitzkoppe Park
The second main highlight of Spitzkoppe Park is the rock paintings, which are in two different areas, and can only be visited with a guide. The first set of rock paintings is located at Small Bushman's Paradise and Golden Snake Fossil.
In order to visit these sites, you'll have to drive to Small Bushman's Paradise, and there you'll hire a guide to take you. Payment is simply upon a tipping basis, so you can decide the amount you'd like to give after the experience.
🧫 The Cultural Village in Spitzkoppe Park
Unfortunately the cultural village was not open when we showed up, and we simply only saw one topless village woman roaming around the area.
If you'd like to experience the culture of this unique village, there is a camp site here for just 120 Namibian dollars/person, as well as a show with traditional dances at 6:30 pm daily.
🪨 The Other Rock Formations at Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia
Aside from the main attractions, make sure to leave some time to enjoy the natural beauty of Spitzkoppe Park!
There are so many incredible rock formations, and you can simply spend hours roaming around and photographing the stunning display that nature has provided here.
🛍 The Shops Inside Spitzkoppe Park
In between the East entrance and the main road to Spitzkoppe Village you'll notice that woman and their small children are lined up with their kiosks along the road selling wind chimes, stones, and other small souvenirs.
Stopping to make a little purchase is a nice way to support the locals and their families, and even if you don't want to buy anything you can show your appreciation with some snacks or water for the kids.
There are a lot of locals selling handmade souvenirs along the road.
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Amenities at Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia
Now that you know the highlights of Spitkoppe Park in Namibia, we're going to go over the amenities you can find on the premises. This way, you can fully prepare before your visit.
🏧 ATM
While the reception and restaurant accept credit card, guides and local vendors only accept cash. Due to poor service, you may also have to pay for admission in cash as the machine doesn't always work.
If you do need cash, there is an ATM right inside the reception.
🚽 Bathrooms
There are bathrooms scattered all around the park. They have normal toilets in small shacks. You'll need to have your own toilet paper, and also perhaps bring your own hand sanitizer and soap to most of them.
The only equipped toilets we visited were those at the main reception area, as well as the restaurant on site.
🚿 Showers
In order to access a shower, you'll have to stay at one of the campsites in the park. We also found showers that were right next to the restaurant, but as we did not pay for camping, we didn't use them while there.
🏕 Camp Sites/ Lodges at Spitzkoppe Park
There are quite a few camp sites inside Spitzkoppe Park, and you can also stay at Spitzkoppe Lodge if you are looking to stay in a room with a bed.
Here are the different options as far as accommodation at Spitzkoppe Park goes:
- Spitzkoppe Community Rest Camp: 210/person for toilets and braai facilities
- Spitzkoppe Hima Village: the most basic and budget-friendly option
- Spitzkoppen Lodge: the most luxury option - a lodge with a pool, Wifi, restaurant and bar
🍴 Restaurants
There is just one restaurant on site, which is just across from the main reception at Spitzkoppe Park.
It has a rather basic menu, and serves just one menu from 9 am to 7 pm. The food and drinks aren't fantastic, and prices are definitely more than they should be for the small portions, but it's a good option if you aren't keen on shopping and cooking during your stay.
There is outdoor seating, bathrooms, and you can also purchase Wifi from here.
🛒 Groceries Near Spitzkoppe Park
If you are making use of the camp grounds, you can cook your own food while on the premises. Just outside the East gate you can find a mini market, where you can find drinks, snacks, and some groceries for making food at Spitzkoppe Park.
🔌 Electricity
The camp sites at Spitzkoppe Park don't offer electricity. However, the restaurant on site does have outlets, so you can charge your electronics there. We'd recommend charging all of your devices beforehand just in case, and bringing a power bank.
📶 Wifi/Cell Service
There is hardly any cell service in Spitzkoppe Park, and even with our Namibian SIM card we only had one tiny area that we were able to get service. (This was on the road between the rock arch and the restaurant).
If you'd like Wifi, the restaurant sells 1 hour of Wifi access for 90 Namibian $.
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Spitzkoppe Park Price & Timetable
Now that you know all of the deatils for visiting Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia, let's go over how much it costs!
🎫 How Much Are the Fees for Spitzoppe Park?
The entrance to Spitzkoppe Park is 130/person for a daily visit. If you are visiting in after hours, you should pay to be at a campsite or the lodge inside the premises.
The camp sites start at 120, and the lodge is on average 9,400 for 2 people.
🕘 Hours of Spitzkoppe Park
Spitzkoppe Park is open 24/7 to those that are staying on the premises.
The gates are open from 6 AM to 8 PM for day visitors, and if you have a reservation at a camp site or the lodge and show up outside these hours, you can call the number on the photo below.
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🚗 Getting Around Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia
The easiest way to get around Spitzkoppe Park is with a car, preferably one that is high clearance. You won't really need a 4x4, but we felt much more comfortable on the gravel and sand roads with a bigger vehicle.
If you don't have a car, don't worry! The park actually isn't so massive, and you can walk around. Just remember to have sneakers and water with you!
We loved driving around Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia.
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Other Things to Keep in Mind for Visiting Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia
Now you know almost everything you need to know for visiting Spitzkoppe park in Namibia! But don't go anywhere just yet - here are a few other things you may want to keep in mind.
☀️ What is the Climate in Spitzkoppe Park?
Spitzkoppe Park has dry, desert-like weather. It's scorching hot and sunny in the summer, and winters have pleasantly sunny days, with chilly and windy nights.
Winters at Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia are sunny and dry.
📆 The Best Time to Visit Spitzkoppe Park
The best time to visit Spitzkoppe Park is in the winter time, when the weather is cooler, making it much more enjoyable to explore the area.
🧳 How to Prepare for Visiting Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia
Before visiting Spitzkoppe Park, you'll want to make sure you are prepared, especially since the amenities are limited.
- Travel toiletries (our favorites are from Sheer Alternatives because they're all natural and 100ml)
- Towel
- Sneakers (for hiking and exploring the rock formations)
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Hat to protect yourself from the sun
- Light jacket if you are visiting the winter for the night time
- Reusable water bottle (we suggest one that is insulated to hold the temperature)
- Flash light for getting around at night
- Chapstick (it's super dry there)
- Lotion
- Power Bank (we use Anker power banks as they are super long lasting and durable)
- Cash for the locals selling souvenirs
- Camera (we use the Sony A7Riii)
- Standard Lens (we use the Sony GM 24-70)
- Wide Lens to capture great panoramas and astrophotography (we use the Sony GM 14 F1.8)
- Telephoto Lens to capture the views up of the mountains from outside the West entrance (we use the Sony GM 70-200)
- Tripod to get pictures while no one is around or for astrophotorgaphy (We use the Rangepod Tripod)
- Drone - make sure to check out the rules! (We use the DJI Mavic Mini 4 Pro)
- Action Camera in replacement of a drone (we use the Insta 360 X3)
- Extra Long Selfie Stick (the accessory for the Insta 360 that gives drone-like content)
- Snacks
- Cooler with food to cook
- Toilet Paper/Tissues to use for the bathroom
- Hand Sanitizer
We recommend doing astrophotography with a wide lens that has a low aperature.
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🤔 Is Spitzkoppe Worth it?
While it's a bit of a detour from the coast, we definitely felt Spitzkoppe is worth the visit! Its unique rock formations make it one of the coolest places to check out in Namibia, and it's even more amazing for the photographers out there.
Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia is worth it for its incredible rock formations
⏳ How Long to Spend in Spitzkoppe Park
You could easily do Spitzkoppe Park on a day trip from Swakopmund and see all of the highlights.
That being said, we definitely think it's worth spending a night at Spitzkoppe Park, as the best times for photographs are around sunset and sunrise, and the sky is awesome for astrophotography.
We'd recommend visiting in the late afternoon to experience golden hour and sunset, the tribal dance in the village, and a sky full of stars. Enjoy the early morning, and then head back to Swakopmund for midday. This way you'll be able to see everything, have amazing photos, and beat the intense heat in the middle of the day.
Safety/Rules at Spitkoppe Park
Spitzkoppe Park is completely safe! The people are trustworthy, and there are no big animals to worry about in the area.
While it's certainly better to have a 4x4 or high clearance vehicle, it isn't actually necessary, and you can get around without one.
As far as rules go, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Make sure to throw trash in bins.
- Follow the speed limits.
- Rock paintings can only be visited with a guide.
- Activities are to be organized and paid at reception.
- Drones need permission - officially, you should get permission from the Namibian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), as well Spitzkoppe Rest Camp Mamagement. If you want to do professional filming, you need a permit from the Namibia Film Commission (NFC). Unofficially - they don't mind too much as long as you fly when no one is around, fly under 150 feet, and are away from camp sites.
- Rock climbers also need permission - speak with the recepetion before going on your own.
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Tips for Visiting Spitzkoppe Park, Namibia
Wake up early for nice lighting and to beat the crowds.
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So are you ready to experience the incredible Spitzkoppe Park in Namibia? Be prepared for some amazing photo opportunities and a unique experience in this beautiful desert area.
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