Hi, so one guy said "I Camp outside, 20 km South, next to the road, in the wild, no fees. No Stress."on a FB post and then someone said "which is irresponsible, dangerous, illegal and definitely NOT what a Namibian should be promoting to our foreign visitors to do - the garbage, the urine, the faecal waste, the toilet paper at picnic spots is already bad, and now you want to promote illegal camping too? What a great way to r@ape and show direspect to those of us who for decades try so hard to promote responsible ethical and SAFE tourism You should be ashamed of yourself" Then the original commenter said: "ja en nou wie is alles teen die wet?" So I don't want to copy all the comments but what is the Law regarding setting up camp anywhere on the road in Namibia? If I have a rooftop tent and all my facilities in the car, can I park anywhere and camp?

The supplied sources do not establish a single nationwide rule that lets a person camp anywhere beside a road in Namibia. Whether roadside camping is lawful depends at least on where the road and land are located, and these sources address game parks and tourist recreation areas, not all public roads or private land. 136

In a game park, the regulations expressly prohibit staying overnight anywhere in the park other than an officially designated camping site. They also prohibit relieving oneself except in provided sanitary facilities, making fires except at designated fireplaces, and leaving refuse except in the containers provided. 13

The regulations also provide for permission and fees to stay overnight in one’s own tent or caravan at a camping site in a game park, and for tent or caravan camping sites in tourist recreation areas. A rooftop tent is not specifically mentioned in the supplied extracts, so the sources do not say that it creates an exception to the designated-site and permission requirements. 256

Accordingly, for the stated example, “20 km south next to the road, in the wild,” the sources support no conclusion that camping is lawful merely because the camper has a rooftop tent, vehicle facilities, or does not pay fees. If that place is within a game park, overnight camping outside an officially designated site is prohibited under the regulations. 3

The supplied sources do not expressly state whether one-night camping beside an ordinary public road amounts to “live or squat” in the road reserve. Section 50(2) of the Roads Act 4 of 2025 prohibits a person from living or squatting in a road reserve, and contravention is an offence punishable by a fine of up to N$50,000, imprisonment up to five years, or both. 3

Therefore, these sources do not support a definite “yes” that you may park beside any normal public road and camp overnight. They also do not define the road-reserve boundary or clarify whether temporary vehicle-based camping falls within “live or squat.” 3

If the roadside is within a game park, the position is clearer: overnight stays are allowed only at officially designated camping sites, subject to the applicable regulations. 56