“It’s the light in southern Africa that attracts advertising filmmakers, animal lovers, and adventurers alike. But workation and bleisure? While South Africa has long been a hotspot for this, its northern neighbor Namibia is not yet on many digital nomads’ wish lists. That should definitely change.” Kai Böcking
I’ve been to Namibia many times, organizing and filming TV shows and vacationing. This time, I’ve planned a 12-day round trip, and I have a lot of writing and calls to make. I wonder if this can really work in a country as huge as Namibia, with hours of driving between lodges and hotels?
Nowadays, data is easily accessible via 4G or 5G connections on cell phones and hotspots on laptops. This works great in many countries that have a tightly wound wireless network and a high population density. But still, Namibia on the other hand has only 3.7 inhabitants per square kilometer. And yet, it works pretty well. Most lodges have good Wi-Fi. The extent of this connection ranges from emails to streaming and calls. And on long transfers by car? I always buy SIM cards for my cell phone or book a virtual eSIM. These are available online from many providers for Namibia. Physical SIM cards with different data volumes are available at the airport, usually inexpensive, and can be recharged over and over.
So far, so good. Let’s set off on our remote work safari through Namibia.The most important thing is an off-road vehicle. No small cars, as the rear axle will fly off on the many gravel tracks just outside Windhoek. My partner for many years has been Leander Borg with his company Nature Friend Safaris. He puts together packages with lodges, routes, and suitable vehicles, including a breakdown service (which I’ve already made use of). I’m getting a VW Amarok, a 4-wheel drive tank with plenty of space, and I feel well prepared for the thousands of kilometers ahead of me.
Working eye to eye with rhinos
The first stop takes us south to the Kalahari. Red sand, gazelles on the doorstep and a bungalow perched on a dune give a first impression of how incredibly vast Namibia is. The Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch is a real classic in Namibia and the starting point for many round trips. Bungalow tents and rooms, rustic furnishings, a large communal area with a pool, restaurant, bar, and the first curious wild animals roaming leisurely on the grounds.
The Wi-Fi also works in the bungalows – not super fast, but perfectly adequate for emails. Since Namibia has almost no time difference with Germany, I can work for a few hours with a view of grazing antelopes. 250 kilometers further north, the We Kebi Safari Lodge awaits remote workers from Germany. And this is where the real Namibia begins.
Fourteen thatched chalets, an open restaurant, and a pool meet the lodge’s own rhinos and eland antelopes, which practically stand side by side with the guests in the mornings and evenings. While I sit with my laptop on the restaurant terrace with excellent Wi-Fi, I work eye to eye with a rhino. It’s amazing and I can tick it off my “Big Five” wish list. The chalets are round and cozy in an African style, breakfast and dinner are down-to-earth with local ingredients in a dreamy setting, including a large selection of local wines.
The next stop is Swakopmund. A quick stop in the still German-influenced coastal town on the cool Atlantic Ocean before continuing north. I have an important call to make on the 400-kilometer stretch. I pull over left, (Namibia is a right-hand drive country), and thankfully, the connection is stable. My colleagues are wondering where I got such a great background image from.
Swakopmund in western Namibia is the summer (winter) retreat for Namibians. Nature Friend Safaris operates a brand new lodge here, which is furnished in a modern style, offers a magnificent breakfast, and is just a few steps away from the beach. The place to be in the evening is the Tug Restaurant on the pier: freshly caught fish and homemade bread on wooden tables overlooking Atlantik. And again, that magical light of southern Africa.
Sounds corny? It is!
On a self-drive safari through Namibia, you usually never stay longer than two days in one place or lodge. So I spend the next 400 kilometers in the car on asphalt and gravel roads, with 90% cell phone reception. Exactly what I expect from a safari location then awaits me at the Ohorongo Tented Camp. Located on a small rock massif, you stay here like Meryl Streep and Robert Redford once did in “Out of Africa”. Each luxury tent stands on stilts, has an outdoor bathroom, a free house bar, a four-poster bed with mosquito netting, and a guaranteed view of the stars from the large terrace. Dinner is simply delicious, the peace and quiet is deeply relaxing, and the grazing animals in front of the terrace are also enjoying the evening.
My work routine for safari remote work: early morning game drive to tick off the “Big Five” list, then breakfast, work, pool, and in the early evening, a sundowner somewhere in the endless expanses of Namibia. Sounds corny? It is, but thanks to perfect Wi-Fi, I can still get my work done here.
A few hundred kilometers further north is the Etosha Pan, one of the largest game reserves in Africa. Here, you drive your own car through the park and should only get out at designated, fenced rest areas! Because they are everywhere: elephants, wildebeests, giraffes, antelopes, zebras, and more. In the evening, we arrive at the Etosha Oberland Lodge. The bungalow, a few minutes from the main building, is huge – bathroom with outdoor shower, bedroom, living room. Wow! The Wi-Fi is great here too. And if I ever lose connection, I can always use my mobile phone. The next morning, we cross the Etosha Pan once more and then head to the last stop on my Namibia itinerary.
In Big Five heaven
The most elusive of the “Big Five” is the leopard. While lions, rhinos, buffalos, and elephants are quite happy to show off, leos like to hide.
At Okonjima Plains Camp, there is a certain guarantee of seeing a leopard in the wild. The big cats are protected and studied there in a fenced-in area covering hundreds of square kilometers. Many of the animals living here are fitted with radio collars to track their movements. Using a tracking device, the gamekeeper can narrow down the area where the animals are located. Nevertheless, it usually takes hours before the safari enthusiast sees it. And then, finally, it’s there, and I’m in “Big Five” heaven.
Conclusion
Jambo – hello. Remote working in Namibia is an adventure, but it is possible. And perhaps one of the most spectacular ways to combine nature, animals, and work. The minimal time difference to Europe, the good Wi-Fi in most lodges (be sure to ask in advance), and the surprisingly good mobile network with high data rates in most areas offer an extremely cool workation factor. Faktor.
Kai Böcking …
… doesn’t want to be a stressed-out remote worker in Namibia next time, but simply enjoy the country and nature. Namibia is also great for longer bleisure trips, for example after a conference in Cape Town.
info destination
Namibia is a country in southwestern Africa.
Location and population: 2.9 million. The largest cities are Windhoek and Swakopmund on the Atlantic coast. On the northern side is one of Africa’s largest national parks, Etosha with the Etosha Pan. The Kalahari Desert in the south is also spectacular.
Currency: 1 Namibian dollar = 0.048 euro
Getting to Windhoek: Discover Airlines from Frankfurt and Munich, Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa, Edelweiss Air from Zurich.
The best way to explore Namibia is by car or camper van. Lodges should be booked in advance. English or even German is spoken almost everywhere. Gas stations are not constantly available. You should always have enough gas and water with you. Namibia has good mobile coverage, and navigation systems work well. There are many providers of tours through Namibia, e.g. Nature Friend Safaris by Leander Borg, which includes its own 4×4 car rental service.
Photos:© Kai Böcking, Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch, Ohorongo Tented Camp, We Kebi Safari Lodge, Etosha Oberland Lodge
