Visitors to the African continent have plenty of unique places to explore in Windhoek. Namibia’s capital is rich in culture and is an international gateway. If you’re planning a trip to Namibia, most likely your vacation will begin and end in Windhoek. The city is home to Hosea Kutako International Airport.
Windhoek is a small capital, and relatively safe and quiet for an African city. The city streets are clean, free of chaotic traffic and honking horns. Those familiar with some of Africa’s boisterous areas will understand why Namibia is often dubbed ‘Africa for beginners’.
How to Spend the First 24 hours in Windhoek
For many tourists, Windhoek is simply a point of entry. It is a place to meet up with your tour guide or pick up your rental car. However, it is worth planning for an extra night or two to explore Windhoek and its unique places.
The city is home to some interesting unique places, such as the historical church and an artisan’s marketplace. Start your city tour at the Christuskirche church built in 1907. Next to the church is the Independence Memorial Museum, which tells the story of Namibia’s struggle for independence in 1990.
If you’re short on time, a three-hour city tour will give a great overview of Namibia’s fascinating history. After exploring the ‘Ink Palace’ and Parliament Gardens in the city center, visit the market in the Single Quarters to learn about–and try–the staple foods.
The Namibia Craft Centre is filled with small stalls such as ostrich egg jewellery, baskets and more. If you’re still strong, Equitrails offer horse riding in the scenic Eros Mountains, just 15km north of Windhoek. And for dinner, try Joe’s Beerhouse, one of the city’s top restaurants and beer gardens, with local meat and game and vegetarian options.
Windhoek may be short on major sights. However, with comfortable guesthouses and extraordinary dining options, it makes the city a pleasant place to spend time. Start off a trip, stock up on souvenirs before driving on, or relax in Windhoek before your flight home.
6 Unique Places to Explore in Windhoek
- The Old Brewery Complex
The Old Brewery Complex. Photo/travelnewsnamibia.com
Once the site of Windhoek’s very first brewery, the old industrial buildings and warehouses have been turned into a thriving food centre, art, and entertainment in the city. It is at The Old Brewery Complex that you’ll find the famous Namibian Craft Centre. This authentic arts and crafts Center has over 40 stalls selling items produced by local artists and craftsmen. If it’s traditional Namibian pottery, painting, carving or jewellery you’re looking for, The Old Brewery Complex is where you’ll find it.
The complex is also home to Chopsi’s Bar. This is Windhoek’s most famous nightspot, and a popular spot for both tourists and locals.
Other exciting unique places to explore are JoJo’s, the city’s best restaurant, and the Craft Cafe, serving the best coffee in Windhoek. There are also the Omba Art Gallery, and The Diamond Works, which have a display showing the history of diamond mining in Namibia.
- The museums that illustrate the country’s road to freedom
The Independence Memorial Museum Namibia. Photo/MoMAA
Discover Namibia’s history of resistance to colonialism and the struggle for racial equality at the remarkable Independence Memorial Museum. The museum is another unique place that features informative displays, paintings and artefacts from the struggle. Outside the museum stands a statue of a revolutionary and Namibia’s first-ever President, Sam Nujoma. There is also a Genocide Memorial statue, a sobering reminder of torture against citizens by German troops during colonial times.
Right next door to the Independence Memorial Museum, there is an equally impressive National Museum of Namibia. The museum traces Namibia’s history from colonialism to Independence. The Windhoek City Museum and the Trans-Namib Railroad Museum are also extraordinary museums worth a visit.
- Sip a Drink on the Balcony of Love
Balcony of love Windhoek. Photo/traveltomtom.net.
At the top of the Independence Memorial Museum sits the “Balcony of Love.” It’s a great place to go for a bird’s eye view of the city’s iconic German Lutheran Church. From the balcony, you can also view the Alte Feste, the oldest standing building in the city that once served as a German Fort. In the courtyard of Alte Feste sits a controversial statue of a German corporal on a horse which can only be viewed from the Balcony of Love.
- Feed the Giraffes at Voigtland Guesthouse
A guest Feeding the Giraffes at Voigtland Guesthouse. Photo/traveltomtom.net
Between Windhoek and the airport, is Voigtland Guesthouse. The guest house is another unique place to explore in Windhoek. Seated on the hillside, gardens, trees, and vast lawns surround the guesthouse. The activities at Voigtland make the place unique. Enjoy a high tea with giraffes sitting just feet away. You can also book to feed the on-site giraffes, tour the cattle farm, hike and mountain bike the guest house’s extensive trail system.
The luxurious rooms at the guesthouse have en suite bathrooms, complete with modern African decor. There’s an on-site spa that offers a menu of massage options.
- The gingerbread house-esque German architecture
The gingerbread house, German architecture. Photo/ Pinterest.
As a former German colony, Windhoek is full of reminders of its past. Take a stroll through the city and you’ll spot plenty of German architecture amongst the modern office buildings. The most striking example is the Neo-Baroque cathedral, Christuskirche, built in 1907 at the height of German colony control. The unofficial symbol of the city is reminiscent of a gingerbread house.
Germans also built castles to cope with their homesickness. Schwerinsburg, Sanderburg, and Heinitzburg are some castles in the city. Each castle is odd and quirky and lavishly decorated with furniture and art shipped out from Germany.
- Go Birding at the National Botanic Garden of Namibia
National Botanic Garden of Namibia. Photo/ tripadvisor.com.
Located off Sam Nujoma Avenue, the National Botanic Garden is another Unique place to explore in Windhoek. The garden gives you a good introduction to Namibia’s natural beauty. These aren’t your ordinary botanical garden, though. Instead of landscaped gardens and exotic flower beds, the garden is natural. The garden also showcases Namibia’s amazing flora. Keep an eye out for desert-adapted species, such as aloe, succulents, acacias, and quiver tree forest.
This site is a great destination for birders. It provides a home to 75 bird species, many of which are attracted by the garden’s dam.
