Windhoek
Introduction
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of Namibia, set in the geographical centre of the country on the Khomas Highland plateau. At roughly 1,700 metres above sea level, it sits high enough that the climate and landscape may feel different from what you might expect of southern Africa.
The city is home to a growing population, swelled by migration from other regions of Namibia, which gives it a lively, changing character. As both the capital and the country's largest urban centre, it makes a natural starting point for understanding Namibia before you travel onward.
Before you go
Windhoek was spelled Windhuk in German colonial times and is still sometimes called that in German. The name is pronounced wind-hook. English is Namibia's official language and is spoken throughout the country, and it is the medium of instruction in most schools; radio and television are predominantly in English too. In many urban areas, though, Afrikaans (similar to Dutch) serves as a lingua franca, and German is widely used in tourism. Oshiwambo is spoken by many Namibians as a mother tongue, and other languages you may hear include Otjiherero, Damara/Nama, Setswana, SiLozi and Rukwangali.
The city is generally safe for tourists, but take the usual precautions. Don't walk around displaying jewellery or electronics, and take a radio taxi at night. Don't visit the townships unaccompanied or after dark. The city centre isn't very big, and newly arriving tourists are quickly spotted by aggressive beggars who may open with a line like "Kommen Sie aus Deutschland?" to target German visitors by surprise; just ignore them. Be careful with traffic as well: many drivers ignore red lights and zebra crossings, a green pedestrian light means nothing to a car that wants to turn, and people in cars are generally treated as more important than people on foot and given the right of way.
Getting there
If you are arriving by air, you will most likely land at Hosea Kutako International Airport, a relatively small airport with a handful of gates and no aerobridges, roughly 45 km from the city centre. Landside there is an official taxi booth in arrivals, car hire from all the majors, and a cafe outside departures serving good coffee, burgers and toasties. Queues for security and immigration can be long in both directions; if you arrive with an e-visa, make sure you join the correct line, as the signage can be misleading. Windhoek Eros Airport, south of the city centre, handles regional flights, and transferring between the two airports can take about half a day, with luggage not routed from one to the other. Overland, the B1 runs north–south and the B2 (Trans-Kalahari) east–west, linking Windhoek with northern towns such as Oshakati, Otjiwarongo and Okahandja, southern towns including Rehoboth, Keetmanshoop and Lüderitz, Swakopmund to the west and Gobabis to the east. Minibus taxis are the easiest option without a car: they run from everywhere in Namibia, and some combination of routes will always get you to Windhoek. The Engen petrol station north of downtown (Rhino Park) is the rank for southern and western destinations, while northern destinations leave from Hakahana Service Station in Katutura; you can also arrange a minibus opposite SAA on Independence Avenue. TransNamib's StarLine passenger service runs trains to Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb, Gobabis, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, and Keetmanshoop, departing in the late afternoon or early evening two to five times per week. These are passenger coaches hooked onto freight trains, so they are slow, and most travel at night — bring a sleeping bag against the cold. Intercape buses connect to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Livingstone, and other operators run to Livingstone, Cape Town and Gaborone; book at least a few days ahead.Getting around
Most hotels and hostels sit close to the city centre, so you can comfortably walk to most shops, restaurants, clubs and sights during the day. After dark, though, walking is not safe, so plan on a taxi or a car for evening trips.
There is no scheduled public transport in Windhoek, so you have three main options. Shared taxis have no fixed routes: everyone is driven to their destination in whatever order the driver decides, and drivers looking for passengers hoot. To catch one, point your hand in the direction you want to travel and tell the driver your destination when he stops; he may refuse if it is not on his route. These taxis mostly run between the townships and the industrial and commercial areas, so they can be hard to find in upmarket suburbs at night. The vehicles are generally in poor condition and the driving is famously aggressive. If that does not appeal, radio taxis are on-demand and do not pick up other passengers; most must be pre-booked by telephone and will collect you wherever you are, and they also gather at popular restaurants and nightspots. Agree on the price before you get in. Internet-based ride-hailing is available too, with Yango the most popular, though many of its cars do not meet the licensing requirements for public transport in Namibia; they are nonetheless a good choice at night, when roaming the streets looking for a taxi can be dangerous and frustrating.
Driving yourself is straightforward: traffic generally flows freely and driving is generally well ordered. Parking garages are located in the shopping centres, and some street parking is available. Car rental agencies operate in the city and at the airport, including Okavango Car Hire, Adozu Car Hire, African Car Hire, Avis, Budget and Imperial, with city and airport branches for several of the majors. A rental car gives you the most flexibility if you plan to explore beyond the capital.
Where to stay
Windhoek's sleeping options cluster in and around the city centre, with a handful of backpacker places within walking distance of downtown and the mall. Chameleon Backpackers & Guesthouse on Voight Street mixes dorms, private rooms and tents, and has a bar, a small pool, a booking desk for safaris, and security via CCTV and keycards. ParadiseGarden Backpackers on Roentgen Street, run by a German owner, offers a travel information desk, free WiFi, secure parking, a well-equipped kitchen, laundry service and a large swimming pool, about a 15-minute walk from the centre, with English, Spanish and German spoken. Rivendell Backpackers on Beethoven Street has single and double rooms plus dorm beds and a swimming pool, while Backpackers Unite on Grieg Street provides dorm beds, camping, a pool, free breakfast and WiFi.
For mid-range stays, look to Jan Jonker Accommodation on Jan Jonker Road, Okavango Guesthouse on Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo Street, Hotel Casa Blanca in Pioneers Park, Klein Windhoek Guest House in Klein Windhoek, or Jordani Bed and Breakfast on Hamutenya Wanehepo Ndadi Street. At the top end, the Protea Hotel Furstenhof is a luxury city-centre hotel with a pool and views over the city, and the Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino sits downtown on Independence Avenue with a shopping centre and cafe attached. The Hilton Hotel on Rev. Michael Scott Street is the country's only five-star property, with a city-centre location, a conference area that serves as a hub for business activity, and a pool bar popular with residents and visitors. Also worth noting are the Windhoek Country Club, a luxury resort and conference centre at the south end of the city, and Heinitzburg, a boutique hotel in an old castle above the city.
Food & drink
For a crash course in Namibian cooking, head to Joe's Beer House on Nelson Mandela Avenue. It's a huge, perpetually busy place where you'll sit among tour groups, loud families and local regulars of every age and background. The kitchen leans on typical Namibian cuisine: plenty of tasty meat, few vegetables, and portions so large that a bar snack can leave you full. The decor is a collection of odds and ends, from old bottles and farming equipment to a Mini Cooper that crossed Africa. Service can feel chaotic and a little impersonal given the scale, and tipping is expected here even if you're only at the bar.
For something more rooted in local life, try Old Location Ohungi and Restaurant in Windhoek West, a student-favourite spot near the university with outside tables and a food stall in front of the bar. This is where you can try matangara (tripe), smilie (goat head), mopane (caterpillars) and kapana (grilled beef), with mahangu (pearl millet) as a side; fish, pizza and stew are there for the less adventurous. Elsewhere, La Marmite Royale – Café Zoo on Independence Avenue serves dishes from across Africa, including Cameroonian curry, oryx meat and couscous, with evening events and karaoke upstairs. Old Continental Cafe, tucked in the pedestrian passage between Lüderitz Street and Independence Avenue, is a small city-centre spot for breakfast and lunch with Lebanese-style cooking and somewhat spicy dishes. Italian cravings are covered at Sardinia on Independence Avenue, known for pizzas, hot dishes and ice cream, while Taste of India on the same avenue serves Indian food that's tastier and cheaper than elsewhere in the city. Luigi and the Fish in Klein Windhoek claims the biggest menu in Namibia, mixing game, beef, pork, seafood, pizza and vegetarian dishes, and gets busy enough on Fridays and Saturdays that you should book ahead. The Stellenbosch Wine Bar & Bistro on Sam Nujoma Drive shares its address with the adjacent Stellenbosch Tasting Room and pairs good food with good wine in a lovely setting.
When it comes to drinking, Chez Ntemba on Dr Kenneth Kaunda Street is popular with locals and is the only real option on Sundays, when much of the city is closed or dead quiet. J&J Gambling House on Luther Street is a central bar that can get rough, with security on hand. The Boiler Room at the corner of Tal Street and Sam Nujoma Drive draws tourists and the local art scene with live rock and jazz of varying but often good quality, karaoke on Tuesdays, and the occasional ticketed rock concert in a separate hall. Bump, in the Southern Industrial section, has a spacious outdoor area, a mid-sized dance floor and a large bar, with friendly service and a house-and-rave soundtrack. For a quieter evening, The Wine Bar sits on a hill overlooking the city with sunsets made for a romantic occasion, and staff who know the wines they pour.
What to see and do
Windhoek's political history is written into its streets and buildings. The Parliament of Namibia, once the legislative assembly during the Apartheid era and now home to the National Assembly, sits alongside a newer building for the National Council, with grounds containing a garden of olive trees and bougainvilleas and bronze statues of independence freedom fighters. Nearby, where Robert Mugabe Avenue and Fidel Castro Street meet at the gates of the Parliamentary compound, stands the Christuskirche, an old Lutheran church whose stained-glass windows, including the circular one in the facade, were donated by Kaiser Wilhelm II. The Independence Museum showcases the local history of resistance to colonialism across three floors of dramatic artwork, and its rooftop restaurant offers panoramic views over the city and surrounding mountains. You can also walk downtown and note the dictator street names, reminders of the first president's friendships during the independence struggle. For outdoor activity, several options lie within or just beyond the city. The AJ du Plooy Sports Fields in Academia, roughly opposite the University of Namibia, offer football and rugby fields, tennis courts and a basketball court, and are suitable for a picnic, though not all amenities are in good shape and the area is not safe after dark. Daan Viljoen Nature Reserve, on the C28, has hiking trails and plenty of ungulates across rolling savannah, with giraffes, ostrich and thorny acacia-like plants, plus 4x4 riding, a pool and camping. Avis Dam Nature Reserve is good for hiking, biking, birding and wildlife viewing, with security present during the day but no reason to linger after dark. North of town, Archer's Land on farm Monte Christo offers two hunting trails for rubber animals, a camp site and fishing on the Otjiseru river, though the fish come from the polluted Goreangab Dam and should be thrown back. Cats Unlimited guides conservation expeditions focusing on big cats just outside Windhoek, and Heroes' Acre, some distance south along the B1, is a war memorial with graves and a giant statue to the unknown soldier, built by a North Korean firm with a visible Soviet aesthetic.When to go
Windhoek is mild, sunny and semi-arid, so the main decision is whether you want the rainy season or the dry one. Rain concentrates in the southern summer, and February is the wettest month on average. That stretch is also the hottest of the year, with December the highest average temperature, so expect afternoon heat and the chance of heavy downpours.
Winter is the driest part of the year, with July averaging no measurable precipitation. July is also the coldest month, and nights can be chilly at this altitude, though clear, sunny days are typical. Around that dry core sit two transitions: in autumn, rainfall drops off after the summer peak and temperatures ease from the December highs while days stay generally sunny and mild; in spring, the dry winter gives way to the build-up of the rainy season, temperatures climb toward the December peak and the first rains can arrive.
Three days in Windhoek
Day one: Arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport and make your way into Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, set in the Khomas Highland. Settle into a neighbourhood and get your bearings on foot, listening for the mix of languages you will hear around you — German, English, Afrikaans, Dutch, Oshiwambo, Otjiherero, Damara, Nama, Setswana, SiLozi and Rukwangali among them. Namibians you meet may greet you in German with "Don, Kommen Sie" or speak of Deutschland, a reminder of the city's layered past.
Day two: Explore Windhoek's centre and its neighbourhoods, noting the German colonial architecture and the ways Afrikaans, English and Oshiwambo shape daily life. If you prefer to fly into the city rather than drive, Windhoek Eros Airport sits closer in than Hosea Kutako International Airport. Landside at the larger airport you may face queues, so allow time. Overland travel from here connects to Trans-Kalahari routes and onward to Oshakati, Otjiwarongo, Okahandja, Rehoboth, Keetmanshoop, Lüderitz and Swakopmund.
Day three: Use your last day to slow down and take in the city's character before departing. Windhoek, also written Windhuk, sits at the heart of Namibia and the Khomas Highland, and its streets reflect At once African and European influences. As you leave, you carry the sounds of many languages and the easy blend of old and new that defines the capital.