About Us

Welcome to Sossusvlei & South Namibia! Meet Rachael and her team at The Cardboard Box Travel Shop, your local connection in gorgeous Sossusvlei & South Namibia!

Because we are local, we have a solid knowledge of Sossusvlei & South Namibia, as well as the support of an experienced team of professionals working on the ground in Namibia to provide you with the best eco-friendly travel available in Etosha & Northern Namibia. By booking with us, you will be receiving expert advice as well as personalised service ensuring your holiday in Sossusvlei & South Namibia will be incredible!

The Cardboard Box Travel Shop came into being through running both a backpackers hostel and then a guest house in Windhoek. We have over 15 years experience in the travel business and only cater for inbound Namibian tourists, allowing us to concentrate on providing the best possible information for our clients. Although we started with the budget market, nowadays we can help with anything from basic camping to real luxury. Namibia is an extraordinary country with some of the most stunning scenery in the world. We hope to tailor-make your trip to suit all of your requirements and provide unforgettable memories to take home with you.

"We have always tried to involve ourselves in projects that help out smaller companies and establishments, particularly if they are being started up by Namibians and are from a previously disadvantaged background."

Meet the Team

Although initially from the UK, Rachael visited Namibia in 1994 and fell in love with the country, making it home ever since. She and her Namibian husband ran The Cardboard Box Backpackers for over 10 years and then Rivendell Guest House. From these 2 businesses and after years of providing travel advice as well as helping to set up several safari companies, grew The Cardboard Box Travel Shop - a bit of a mouthful but hard to change after being the core business that started the ball rolling!

For Rachael, Namibia's greatest pull is its amazing scenery and wide open spaces. Once a keen sailor in the UK, she now loves the desert because of the affinity between the sea and the desert. Ever since giving up the backpackers and having more spare time, Rachael tries to go camping in the bush whenever possible.

Aside from Rachael, The Cardboard Box Travel Shop team is made up of 14 Namibians working in the office. They recycle as much as they can and do so in the most efficient manner. For example, the team does not send paper to be recycled until it has been used on both sides. They have also started their own composting system using worms to breakdown organic matter from the office garden and other decomposing material such as tea bags and cardboard.

Their new offices, bought in 2007, are located in a heritage building that they have been restoring in a sympathetic manner. They have worked hard to remove the concrete wall that was hiding the house along with the rotting wooden windows and gables that have been replaced with new replicas and suitable wooden windows where applicable. Internally, The Cardboard Box Travel Shop worked with local artisans and artists to give the space a unique Namibian ambience with a modern twist. Each room was designed to have a different feel and embrace a different region of Namibia. This was done through photography, Oshiwambo sayings, sand colours, sculptures and shells. Most artists and artisans involved in this project were from the Katututa Community Art Centre. A local carpenter was employed to make the desks. Stop by The Cardboard Box Travel Shop and see the changes made to the heritage house and  some of the team's favourite pieces of art that include animal heads made from tissue, newspaper and beads as well as the scrap metal chandelier.

"We at The Cardboard Box Travel Shop completely back the idea of more eco friendly and socially aware travel and have found an excellent partner in whl.travel. We don't want sustainability to simply be a gimmick and are working hard to choose partners with similar points of view."

The team at The Cardboard Box Travel Shop is ready to help you plan your trip to Sossusvlei & South Namibia! Contact us for all your travel needs!