How to Explore Windhoek in Namibia – Discover a Truly Captivating African City 

Windhoek, Namibia’s vibrant capital, offers many attractions that would capture the imagination of discerning visitors. Here, you will encounter splendid colonial period buildings, interesting cultural attractions, enticing dining options and more. You will notice that Windhoek displays a discernible German influence as it was a territory of Germany for an extended period. Provided below are some suggestions for experiencing the best of this captivating African city. 

Visit the Old Brewery Complex

An attractive place at which to commence your tour of Windhoek’s attractions would be the appealing Old Brewery Complex. Formerly the site where the city’s initial brewery was located, this group of warehouses and industrial buildings has been transformed into an attractive art, food and entertainment hub. A highlight here would be the well-known Namibian Craft Centre, an outstanding place to shop for local crafts and artworks. Additionally, this complex happens to feature appealing dining venues, an art gallery, hairdressers, a music shop and other features of interest for travellers.

Tour the museums  

History and culture lovers are sure to be enthralled by Windhoek’s engrossing museums. You may take the opportunity to visit the Independence Memorial Museum which documents the nation’s struggle against colonialism and the quest for racial equality. Next to this museum, you will find the similarly noteworthy National Museum of Namibia. This fascinating establishment features displays that narrate the history of the country and its capital city from the ancient era through the period of colonialism and onwards to independence and beyond. You may also take the opportunity to visit the Trans-Namib Railroad Museum and Windhoek City Museum each providing more fascinating insights. 

Zairon, Windhuk Christuskirche & Independence Memorial Museum 2, CC BY-SA 4.0 

Explore Katutura

For an authentic insight into the lifestyle of Namibians, you could take the chance to visit the township of Katutura. Interestingly, this township was the place where local Africans were relocated to in the apartheid era. Katutura is known for its flourishing art scene, while you would also encounter an array of unpretentious restaurants serving up the local favourite kapana, or beef barbecued with a special chilli sauce. For a respectful and memorable visit to this township, look to make your visit through a reputable tour company. 

Admire the German architecture  

With Namibia’s past as a colony of Germany, it wouldn’t be surprising that Windhoek would feature numerous appealing colonial-period structures amidst the contemporary office buildings of the city. You may take the opportunity to admire the striking Christuskirche which happens to be a cathedral of the neo-Baroque style that dates to 1907. Meanwhile, German colonialists also constructed impressive castles that resemble those built in medieval Germany. These would include Schwerinsburg, Heinitzburg and Sanderburg and these edifices were lavishly adorned with German art and furniture. 

Enjoy shopping

Windhoek offers an array of appealing shopping options as well. Irrespective of whether you seek modern shopping malls or more traditional local experiences, you won’t be disappointed in this city. If you desire to mingle with the locals whilst shopping you could make your way to the Windhoek City Market where Namibians buy supplies. On the other hand, when it comes to modern malls, you could visit such retail centres as Wernhil Park, Grove Mall, Maerua Mall and the Gustav Voigts Centre where you could shop for a range of goods. One of the Windhoek hotels to consider from which you could easily visit the Gustav Voigts Centre on shopping escapades in the city would be Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino. 

Observe wildlife at Daan Viljoen Game Park  

Naturally, your visit to Namibia wouldn’t be complete without viewing some of its exotic wildlife and a great place for this experience would be Daan Viljoen Game Park. At this site which can be reached on excursions from Windhoek, you would have the chance to spot creatures like steenboks, the oryx, klipspringers, mountain zebras, kudus, elands, springboks and so on. As there are no major predators at this park you could walk through it at your leisure. This game park also happens to be renowned for its variety of birds which adds to its appeal and makes for a memorable day out in the wilds of Namibia.