By air
Hosea Kutako International (WDH), ~45 km by road
Africa · Namibia
Windhoek, Namibia
Namibia's highland capital with colonial landmarks
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — dry and mild
Don't miss
The Christuskirche
The Independence Memorial Museum
The Tintenpalast
The Alte Feste
Things to do
Walking the city centre
Museum visits
Game farm drives nearby
Tasting local craft beer
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Warm layers for the evenings, sunscreen, hat
A quieter corner
The kapana grill stalls at Katutura's market
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Windhoek?
May to September — dry and mild. What to pack: Warm layers for the evenings, sunscreen, hat.
How do I get to Windhoek?
Fly into Hosea Kutako International (WDH), ~45 km by road.
What is there to do in Windhoek?
Walking the city centre, museum visits, game farm drives nearby, tasting local craft beer. A quieter find: The kapana grill stalls at Katutura's market.
What should I eat in Windhoek?
Kapana grilled beef, game such as oryx and kudu, and German-style breads and pastries.
About Windhoek
- Hills
Where it is
Windhoek is the capital of Namibia, set in a highland basin between hills at about 1,650 metres in the centre of the country.
History
Nama and Herero communities used the hot springs here before Jonker Afrikaner settled in the 1840s. German forces built the Alte Feste fort in 1890 and the town became the capital of German South West Africa. It was later under South African rule until Namibia became independent in 1990.
People
Windhoek is home to people from all of Namibia's communities, so Oshiwambo, Afrikaans, Otjiherero, Nama, German and English are all heard around the city.
Known for
- German colonial buildings
- The Christuskirche church
- Kapana street food
- A gateway for safaris
Did you know?
The parliament building, the Tintenpalast, is nicknamed the ink palace after the paperwork produced by its early administrators.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.