---
type: "Article"
title: "Roads in Namibia – and filling stations for a carefree circle tour"
description: "The roads in Namibias countryside are mainly gravel roads of varying quality. So, here are a few tips for planning your trip:"
resource: "https://travelmemo.com/namibia/roadtrip-roads-filling-stations"
author: "Walter Schaerer"
publisher: "Travelmemo"
photo_count: 26
tags: ["Road Trip", "Namibia"]
entities:
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/places/namibia"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/road-trip"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/itinerary"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/air-travel"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/nature-tourism"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/vehicle-rental"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/lodge"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/safari"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/ontology/topics/landscape"
  - "https://travelmemo.com/author/walter-schaerer"
timestamp: 2026-07-04T14:30:23+00:00
---

# Roads in Namibia – and filling stations for a carefree circle tour

> Namibia is an ideal self-driving destination, but its vast distances and mostly gravel roads require careful planning around fuel stops and vehicle choice. This article provides a practical, route-by-route guide to filling stations and road conditions for a circle tour through Etosha National Park and Damaraland.

## Destination
Namibia, covering a clockwise or counterclockwise circle tour from Swakopmund through Damaraland and Etosha National Park to Windhoek.

## Getting there
The authors flew the southern segment from Windhoek to Swakopmund and picked up a rental car in Swakopmund for the overland portion. Hosea Kutako International Airport serves Windhoek, and a Puma filling station is located at the airport for returning rental cars.

## When to go
The article notes noontime temperatures around 35°C and fuel prices as of October 2021, implying the trip took place in the Namibian dry/warm season.

## Why visit
Namibia offers dramatic, rapidly changing landscapes across desert savanna and wildlife-rich national parks, and a self-driving circle tour is highly recommended as a comfortable and rewarding way to experience it.

## What to see
- **Etosha National Park** — Core stop on the circuit; wildlife including lions, elephants, cheetahs, and zebras frequently block the main road; park fee of 350 NAD per two people for 24 hours paid at Okaukuejo.
- **Damaraland (Mowani Mountain Camp area)** — First major stop after Swakopmund, roughly 329 km into the route.
- **Okonjima Nature Reserve** — Stopover between Etosha and Windhoek, featuring cheetahs and an inclined scree road.
- **Ongava Private Game Reserve** — Mentioned for its scenic sunset views along the route.
- **Sossusvlei / Wolwedans Dune Lodge** — Visited by aerial safari from Windhoek Eros Airport as the opening segment of the full trip.

## What to do
- **Self-driving circle tour** — Recommended by the authors; covers roughly 1,500 km from Swakopmund through Etosha to Windhoek, mostly on gravel roads.
- **Airborne safari combination** — Authors combined the overland circuit with a small-plane safari from Windhoek to Sossusvlei and back to Swakopmund.
- **Wildlife spotting from the car** — Lions, elephants, cheetahs, mountain zebras, and other animals encountered directly on park roads.

## Good to know
Rent a large SUV such as a Toyota Fortuner 4x4 for comfort on gravel; diesel consumption was 8.1 l/100 km on asphalt and 8.6 l/100 km on gravel. Namibia drives on the left and the turn-signal lever is on the right. Google Maps is more reliable than Garmin for navigation; download maps offline due to patchy mobile coverage. A local prepaid SIM costs about €8.50. Most filling stations accept credit cards except the state-owned station at Namutomi inside Etosha. Key fuel stops include Uis (Engen), Khorixas (Engen), Etosha Trading Post near Anderson Gate, Tsumeb (Puma), and Otjiwarongo (Shell). Ask the rental agency to demonstrate how to access the spare wheel before departing.

## Photos

```yaml
photos:
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-onguma-the-fort-namibia-travelmemo.jpg"
    caption: "Asphaltierte Zufahrt zum Etosha Nationalpark in der Morgendämmerung"
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/route-namibia-tour.gif"
    caption: "Route unserer Rundreise. Den südlichen Teil ab Windhoek nach Sossusvlei bis Swakopmund sind wir geflogen."
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-movani-namibia-travelmemo-4.jpg"
    caption: "Für die mehr oder weniger guten Schotterpisten eignen sich grosse SUVs wie der Toyota Fortuner"
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-movani-namibia-travelmemo.jpg"
    caption: "Asphaltierte Strasse bei Swakopmund in Richtung Norden. Verbrauch: 8.1 Liter Diesel pro 100 km"
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-movani-namibia-travelmemo-2.jpg"
    caption: "Schnellstrasse als Schotterpiste.Verbrauch: 8.6 l/100 km"
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-movani-namibia-travelmemo-3.jpg"
    caption: "Auf Schotterpisten sind bis zu 100 km/h erlaubt (und problemlos möglich)"
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-onguma-the-fort-namibia-travelmemo-3.jpg"
    caption: "\"Staatlich\" funktioniert in Namibia nicht so besonders gut: Man beachte die Arbeitshaltung des Tankwarts..."
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-etosha-namibia-travelmemo.jpg"
    caption: "Moderne Tankstelle Etosha Trading Post 5 Minuten vor dem westlichen Anderson's Gate des Etosha Nationalparks"
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gas-stations-swakopmund-uis-scaled.gif"
    caption: "Tankstellen zwischen Swakopmund und Damaraland"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-etosha-namibia-travelmemo-2.jpg"
    caption: "Etosha Trading Post"
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/streets-etosha-namibia-travelmemo-3.jpg"
    caption: "Shop des Etosha Trading Posts"
    credit: "Walter Schärer"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gas-stations-khorixas-outjo-scaled.gif"
    caption: "Tankstelle in Khorixas zwischen Damaraland und Etosha-Nationalpark"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gas-stations-etosha-nationalpark-scaled.gif"
    caption: "Tankstellen im Etosha Nationalpark"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gas-stations-tsumeb-otjiwarongo-namibia-scaled.gif"
    caption: "Tankstellen bei Tsumeb und in Otjiwarongo"
  - url: "https://travelmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/gas-stations-okahandja-windhoek-airport-scaled.gif"
    caption: "Tankstellen in Okahandja, in Windhoek und am Flughafen Hosea Kutako"
```