Windhoek was my starting point in Namibia. Conference first. Road trip after. Not the ideal order, but better than flying in, talking in a meeting room, and escaping before seeing anything beyond airport lounges and bottled water.
The city is clean, orderly, and easy to deal with. Drivers seem to respect traffic lights. Streets look maintained. You still see the German colonial leftovers in the architecture, street names, food, and public buildings. After enough African capitals, that level of order can feel almost suspicious.
This short Wandering Africa video is from Windhoek: city views, German-era buildings, Post Street Mall meteorites, rooftop angles, and a quick look at Namibia’s capital before the route moved on toward Spitzkoppe, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, and Sandwich Harbour.
Windhoek is not the big reason to visit Namibia. The desert, coast, wildlife, and long roads take care of that. But it is a good place to start: get organised, eat something heavy and German if the mood strikes, look at meteorites older than nearly everything else you will ever stand next to, then point the car toward the empty bits.
See the full Windhoek page
For the full Windhoek gallery, photos, and destination notes: