27 awe-inspiring pictures of Namibia

written by Lottie Gross

updated 28.11.2018

Namibia has some of the world's most astonishing landscapes. It's home to the world's oldest desert, a long and undeveloped coastline and national parks that teem with wildlife. After spending ten days exploring this vast land, Lottie Gross shares some of her favourite photos from Namibia.

Namibia is such a pleasure to view through a lens, but it can be difficult to photograph. Not because it's un-photogenic – it's quite the opposite, really – but because it's so full of 'wow' moments that it's easy to forget to pick up the camera.

The squawking seal colony of Cape Cross is mesmerizing to watch. The seals are ungraceful and their stench so pungent it makes your eyes water on first whiff, but their sheer number is staggering, especially when you look further out to see even more heads bobbing in the waters.

Then there's the Namib desert: one of the world's harshest, driest environments. It's like an inland ocean of orange and red with dunes standing so tall they're almost hard to comprehend.

Over ten days, while witnessing so many starkly different sides to this extraordinary country, I took over 1000 photographs. Here is just a small selection of my favourites.

Ready to plan your trip? Don't miss our guide to the best things to do in Namibia.

The Martian landscapes of the Namib desert

Desert Namibia © Lottie Gross

An oryx grazes on shrubs in the Namib Naukluft National Park

Desert Namibia © Lottie Gross

A long road through the dry Namib Naukluft National Park

Desert Namibia © Lottie Gross

Sunrise over one of the world's tallest sand dunes in the Namib desert

Sand dune climb in Namibia © Lottie Gross

People scale the sand dunes in the Namib Naukluft National Park

Sand dune climb in Namibia © Lottie Gross

The white mineral pans of Dead Vlei

Dead Vlei Namibia © Lottie Gross

Petrified trees in Dead Vlei

Dead Vlei Namibia © Lottie Gross

A zebra on the look out in the wilderness

Zebra in Namibia © Lottie Gross

The Cape Cross seal colony

Walvis Bay seals © Lottie Gross

A baby seal at Cape Cross

Walvis Bay baby seal © Lottie Gross

Sand dunes rise from the Namib desert

Desert flight over Namibia © Lottie Gross

The Namib desert as seen from a scenic flight

Desert flight over Namibia © Lottie Gross
Desert flight over Namibia © Lottie Gross
Desert flight over Namibia © Lottie Gross
Desert flight over Namibia © Lottie Gross

Sossuvlei and Dead Vlei from above

Desert flight over Namibia © Lottie Gross

An aerial view of the coast

Coast of Namibia © Lottie Gross

Marshland on the coast

Marshland on Namibia coast © Lottie Gross

Flamingos on the coast of Namibia

Flamingos in Namibia © Lottie Gross

Flying over Swakopmund

Flying into Swakopmund, Namibia © Lottie Gross

Sunset over Swakopmund

Namibia-LG-photoblog-15

Sunset over the pier in Swakopmund

Swakopmund sunset, Namibia © Lottie Gross

A giraffe peers over trees in Etosha National Park

Giraffe in Etosha, Namibia © Lottie Gross

Animals drink from a watering hole, Etosha National Park

Animals at wateringhole, Etosha © Lottie Gross

Sunset in Etosha

Sunset in Etosha, Namibia © Lottie Gross

Etosha salt pan

Etosha salt pan, Namibia © Lottie Gross

Sunset in Etosha

Sunset in Etosha, Namibia © Lottie Gross

Explore more of Namibia with the Rough Guide to Namibia. Compare flights, find tours, book hostels and hotels for your trip, and don’t forget to buy travel insurance before you go.

Lottie Gross

written by Lottie Gross

updated 28.11.2018

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