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I could extoll the virtues of Namibia forever. Scenically spectacular and as varied as anywhere. This is a country of endless vistas; barren deserts with the most beautiful sand dunes you’re ever likely to see; fertile swamps and grasslands, cute little towns with a distinct German air and, best of all, some of the most impressive wildlife viewing on the continent.
What makes Namibia so special though is how easy it is to take all this in on a self-drive, fully independent, safari that won’t break anyone’s bank account. Distances in Namibia might be long but the roads are generally in reasonable shape meaning a 4x4 is rarely needed for much of the country. It’s also a very safe country with crime against tourists very rare indeed even in the bigger towns (which frankly are still virtual villages). It’s true that you don’t get the sheer density of wildlife here that you might find in some other African countries, but the variety of species and relative lack of
If you’re looking for that perfect ‘first-time’ Africa experience but one that still holds a sense of the unexpected then Namibia is unbeatable.
What makes Namibia so special though is how easy it is to take all this in on a self-drive, fully independent, safari that won’t break anyone’s bank account. Distances in Namibia might be long but the roads are generally in reasonable shape meaning a 4x4 is rarely needed for much of the country. It’s also a very safe country with crime against tourists very rare indeed even in the bigger towns (which frankly are still virtual villages). It’s true that you don’t get the sheer density of wildlife here that you might find in some other African countries, but the variety of species and relative lack of
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crowds make Namibia one of the best safari destinations in Africa. On one day you can be viewing a smelly, noisy colony of thousands of Southern Cape seals and on the next watching elephants amble out of the dry woodlands to a water hole. There are abandoned mining towns half-buried under sand dunes, a fascinating tribal culture and buffalo hiding in waterweed covered swamps.If you’re looking for that perfect ‘first-time’ Africa experience but one that still holds a sense of the unexpected then Namibia is unbeatable.
The Sheltering Desert
‘The Sheltering Desert’ is the title of a wonderful book by Henno Martin, describing how he hid out in the Namib Desert during the Second World War. Read it and you will discover why so many visitors fall under the spell of this extraordinary country.
Namibia is four times the size of Britain, with a population of fewer than 3 million people. Most of it is desert. Some of its rivers do not flow for years. In some places, rain falls perhaps once a century. The result is a land more like Mars than our own blue planet, but with a life of its own. In Damaraland you can track desert-dwelling elephants and rare black rhinos. In Etosha National Park you can find all the Big Five, and you’ll never get closer to cheetahs than you can at Okonjima. But in Namibia it is the land itself that grabs the eye. At Sossusvlei you’ll marvel at brick-red dunes as high as the Sussex Downs. On the Skeleton Coast you’ll stroll through the sea fog on beaches strewn with shipwrecks, whalebones and
Namibia is four times the size of Britain, with a population of fewer than 3 million people. Most of it is desert. Some of its rivers do not flow for years. In some places, rain falls perhaps once a century. The result is a land more like Mars than our own blue planet, but with a life of its own. In Damaraland you can track desert-dwelling elephants and rare black rhinos. In Etosha National Park you can find all the Big Five, and you’ll never get closer to cheetahs than you can at Okonjima. But in Namibia it is the land itself that grabs the eye. At Sossusvlei you’ll marvel at brick-red dunes as high as the Sussex Downs. On the Skeleton Coast you’ll stroll through the sea fog on beaches strewn with shipwrecks, whalebones and
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brown hyena tracks. And in the burnt-out badlands and stony valleys of the Namib-Naukluft National Park you’ll find the weird welwitschia, one of the world’s oldest, most primitive plants. Some are said to have been growing there for 1,500 years. Fly-in safaris are the way to go, providing sensational views and allowing you to reach the most inaccessible locations. Or drive yourself. Namibia has miles of good roads and very little traffic.On Safari in Namibia
With South Africa, Botswana and Zambia among the countries abutting its borders, Namibia often flies under the radar of safari-seekers, but it shouldn’t. Etosha stands as one of the great wildlife-viewing venues of the continent. From here it’s true that no other park is snapping at its heels, in terms of wildlife possibilities, but the Namibian landscape, often captured within the boundaries of its protected areas, is out of this world...literally. The landscape in places lends itself to a more lunar feel or at least something otherworldly. If you are on a self-drive safari, stop the vehicle every now and then and just get outside (in parks such as Khaudum, this is allowed): savour the silence, the swirling desert sands, the towering dunes, the granite slabs rising out of constantly changing sands and the snaking desert roads disappearing into an endless horizon. It’s an unforgettable place.
Even on a wildlife safari it sometimes seems as though spotting animals is just
Even on a wildlife safari it sometimes seems as though spotting animals is just
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a bonus: the real privilege is immersing yourself in the ancient fabric of this glorious landscape. That said, there are plenty of possibilities for those who, in particular, get their kicks from seeing herd animals such as antelope, and, of course, elephants whose booming population makes them a relatively easy spot. It doesn’t mean you won’t catch the rest of the Big Five – it’s one of the best places in southern Africa to see black rhino, lions are a chance, where there is water there are sometimes herds of buffalo, and leopards are difficult to spot but never far away. And as for elephants – just head for the Zambezi Region...Natural Wonders of Namibia
If you love dune-scapes and deserts, then Namibia is the place for you. The iconic views of Dune 45 and Deadvlei at Sossusvlei certainly live up to even the highest of expectations, particularly in the early morning light. Taking a helicopter flight or a hot-air balloon trip over the desert puts into perspective its sheer vastness, with nothing but a sea of sand as far as the eye can see. There is life in the desert though – the dunes themselves are slowly moving with the winds, and clever wildlife has adapted to survive the parched conditions. It’s worth hiring a guide for a desert walk, to really understand the complexities of life and survival here.
But if wildlife is your passion, head to Etosha, particularly in the dry season when all sizes of animals from antelope to elephants head to the shimmering Etosha Pan followed closely by hungry predators – at 5000 sq km it covers almost a quarter of the entire national park. For a different perspective of Namibia’s wildlife,
If you enjoy walking, the Fish River Canyon and surrounding farmlands offer glorious but challenging trekking through one of the world’s most dramatic gorges – with nothing around you for miles and miles other than the spectacular scenery, the region offers wild camping in its truest sense. Be prepared for the heat and dryness here – at one point after a long day’s walk, we threw ourselves fully clothed into the river, desperate to cool down. The Naukluft mountains offer gentler day walks or another tough 8-day trek, the Naukluft Hiking Trail, which I haven’t yet summoned up the courage to attempt.
With all these natural wonders, it’s easy to overlook Windhoek, Namibia’s capital city, which is a shame because its center is a pleasant, pretty area in which to wander. A township tour of Katutura helps to unravel the history of this vast yet sparsely populated country, which only achieved independence in 1990, and provides an insight into the lives of the locals here.
But if wildlife is your passion, head to Etosha, particularly in the dry season when all sizes of animals from antelope to elephants head to the shimmering Etosha Pan followed closely by hungry predators – at 5000 sq km it covers almost a quarter of the entire national park. For a different perspective of Namibia’s wildlife,
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head to the Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi Strip), that odd streak of land jutting out into Zambia, Angola and Botswana, which is dominated by huge rivers and lush floodplains. The wildlife isn’t as prolific as in Etosha but there are far fewer tourists and the change of scenery into a watery wonderland is stunning.If you enjoy walking, the Fish River Canyon and surrounding farmlands offer glorious but challenging trekking through one of the world’s most dramatic gorges – with nothing around you for miles and miles other than the spectacular scenery, the region offers wild camping in its truest sense. Be prepared for the heat and dryness here – at one point after a long day’s walk, we threw ourselves fully clothed into the river, desperate to cool down. The Naukluft mountains offer gentler day walks or another tough 8-day trek, the Naukluft Hiking Trail, which I haven’t yet summoned up the courage to attempt.
With all these natural wonders, it’s easy to overlook Windhoek, Namibia’s capital city, which is a shame because its center is a pleasant, pretty area in which to wander. A township tour of Katutura helps to unravel the history of this vast yet sparsely populated country, which only achieved independence in 1990, and provides an insight into the lives of the locals here.
Land of Open Spaces
Namibia is one of the world’s driest and most thinly inhabited countries, supporting a population of two million spread across an area thrice that of the UK. It is a land of lonely, sun-baked roads that run like monochrome ribbons below a cloudless blue sky, a land of terrible thirsty plains and rocky mountains too ravaged and desiccated to be described as pretty, a land of great wide open spaces whose sheer scope – like the glittering night sky above them – is at once humbling, breathtaking and liberating.
For me, if any one landscape evokes Namibia as a whole, it is majestic Sossusvlei, where a series of normally dry pans, lined with spectral dead trees, shimmers below the rippled apricot dunes of the incomprehensibly large Namib-Naukluft National Park. Elsewhere, there is the gaping Fish River Canyon, one of the world’s largest ravines, as well as the quaint and fabulously isolated Germanic seaside resort towns of Swakopmund and Lüderitz, and the superlative prehistoric
Although Namibia is more about spectacular desert scenery – truly a photographer’s dream – than a conventional safari experience, it does offer some great wildlife viewing in places. Tracking the desert-adapted elephants and black rhinos of Damaraland is an unforgettable adventure, as is visiting the region’s largest colony of Cape fur seals at Cape Cross, in the aptly named Skeleton Coast National Park. Best of all, however, is the vast Etosha National Park, named after a vast seasonal pan that attracts game concentrations that compare favourable with any African reserve.
For me, if any one landscape evokes Namibia as a whole, it is majestic Sossusvlei, where a series of normally dry pans, lined with spectral dead trees, shimmers below the rippled apricot dunes of the incomprehensibly large Namib-Naukluft National Park. Elsewhere, there is the gaping Fish River Canyon, one of the world’s largest ravines, as well as the quaint and fabulously isolated Germanic seaside resort towns of Swakopmund and Lüderitz, and the superlative prehistoric
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rock art of the Brandberg and Twyfelfontein regions.Although Namibia is more about spectacular desert scenery – truly a photographer’s dream – than a conventional safari experience, it does offer some great wildlife viewing in places. Tracking the desert-adapted elephants and black rhinos of Damaraland is an unforgettable adventure, as is visiting the region’s largest colony of Cape fur seals at Cape Cross, in the aptly named Skeleton Coast National Park. Best of all, however, is the vast Etosha National Park, named after a vast seasonal pan that attracts game concentrations that compare favourable with any African reserve.
Dunes, Deserts and Scenic Splendour
At first glance ‘the land God made in anger’ appears to be an inhospitable wasteland of sand and rock where only the hardiest plants, animals and indigenous people eke out an existence. But, safari-goers who scratch a little deeper will find that the country is actually a diverse and rewarding land, perfectly suited to independent travellers wanting to explore and experience a unique, desolate and predominantly arid wilderness where gobsmacking scenery often overshadows wildlife. Dominated by the arid Namib and Kalahari deserts, this thirsty realm is home to some of the most bizarre and beautiful landscapes on earth.
The world-renowned red dunes of Sossusvlei are probably the most photographed and recognisable landscape in all of Africa. The arid Kunene region with its desert-adapted elephants, rhinos and lions makes for an unrivalled safari experience, especially when combined with the cultural experience of interacting with the fiercely traditional Himba villagers in
Etosha, boasting the Big 5 and all of Africa’s big cats, is undoubtedly Namibia’s premier park and top wildlife-viewing area, while Khaudum is wild and full of cantankerous elephants. Jutting out east towards the Zambezi, the Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi Strip) gives Namibia its own little slice of lush, watery wilderness and provides an excellent opportunity for safari aficionados to combine little-known wetland parks like Nkasa Rupara with the country’s jaw-dropping desert landscapes and the wildlife abundance of arid Etosha.
If that’s not enough to entice you to visit, Namibia has excellent tourist infrastructure, plenty of self-drive safari options, and there is no malaria outside of the Zambezi region. These factors combine to make Namibia quite likely the most affordable and family-friendly safari destination on the continent. No matter which season you choose to visit in, or which regions of this sparsely populated country you choose to visit, Namibia is a place of solitude, magnificent terrain, wide-open spaces and deafening silence that inevitably leaves safari-goers speechless at its incredible wealth and diversity of natural beauty.
The world-renowned red dunes of Sossusvlei are probably the most photographed and recognisable landscape in all of Africa. The arid Kunene region with its desert-adapted elephants, rhinos and lions makes for an unrivalled safari experience, especially when combined with the cultural experience of interacting with the fiercely traditional Himba villagers in
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this remote region.Etosha, boasting the Big 5 and all of Africa’s big cats, is undoubtedly Namibia’s premier park and top wildlife-viewing area, while Khaudum is wild and full of cantankerous elephants. Jutting out east towards the Zambezi, the Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi Strip) gives Namibia its own little slice of lush, watery wilderness and provides an excellent opportunity for safari aficionados to combine little-known wetland parks like Nkasa Rupara with the country’s jaw-dropping desert landscapes and the wildlife abundance of arid Etosha.
If that’s not enough to entice you to visit, Namibia has excellent tourist infrastructure, plenty of self-drive safari options, and there is no malaria outside of the Zambezi region. These factors combine to make Namibia quite likely the most affordable and family-friendly safari destination on the continent. No matter which season you choose to visit in, or which regions of this sparsely populated country you choose to visit, Namibia is a place of solitude, magnificent terrain, wide-open spaces and deafening silence that inevitably leaves safari-goers speechless at its incredible wealth and diversity of natural beauty.
An Unrivalled Canvas for Your Photos
Namibia is oft-overlooked as a safari spot, but this largely desert-like country harbours some striking animal encounters. The sandy landscape of Etosha National Park provides an unusual backdrop to your animal images, setting them instantly apart from photos with more familiar greenery and savannah settings. The often arid park's many waterholes are the perfect place to picnic, offering sightings of varied species at the same time. For me though, a trip around Namibia is as much about the landscape as the animals that inhabit it. Sand plays a large part in the set design, be it the white sand of the Skeleton Coast or the shifting russet-coloured dunes of striking Sossusvlei. Further south, there's the Fish River Canyon, a sight that will keep you staring for hours, while the crashing waves of the icy Atlantic seem to provide some refreshment in this scorched but beautiful land.
So Many Different Types of Desert!
Three times bigger than the UK, but with a population of only 2.5 million, there is a lot of space and wilderness in Namibia. Much of it is desert, comprising the Namib Naukluft in the west and the Kalahari in the east. The landscapes are astonishing with rocky mountains, moon-like gravel plains and of course the spectacular red sand dunes at Sossusvlei.
From a safari point of view, Etosha is Namibia’s jewel in the crown, and if you go in the dry season there is a non-stop procession of game at the water holes. Etosha is one of the best places in all of Africa to see black rhino. Other highlights in Namibia include the spectacular Fish River Canyon, the quirky Germanic town of Swakopmund, the misty coast of shipwrecks, the deserted ghost town of Kolmanskop, and my favourite place of all, Damaraland in the far north, with its desert elephants and Himba people.
And for something completely different, there is the Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi Strip) in the north
Namibia is a safe, easy country to travel around and is well geared for tourism. Just don’t underestimate the distances, how far apart petrol and water supplies are, and always treat the gravel roads with respect.
Best of all, enjoy the wide, empty spaces, spectacular scenery, starry skies and silence. Namibia is a landscape photographer’s dream and will draw you back for a return visit.
From a safari point of view, Etosha is Namibia’s jewel in the crown, and if you go in the dry season there is a non-stop procession of game at the water holes. Etosha is one of the best places in all of Africa to see black rhino. Other highlights in Namibia include the spectacular Fish River Canyon, the quirky Germanic town of Swakopmund, the misty coast of shipwrecks, the deserted ghost town of Kolmanskop, and my favourite place of all, Damaraland in the far north, with its desert elephants and Himba people.
And for something completely different, there is the Zambezi Region (formerly Caprivi Strip) in the north
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west, which is lush green with a little-visited cluster of game reserves.Namibia is a safe, easy country to travel around and is well geared for tourism. Just don’t underestimate the distances, how far apart petrol and water supplies are, and always treat the gravel roads with respect.
Best of all, enjoy the wide, empty spaces, spectacular scenery, starry skies and silence. Namibia is a landscape photographer’s dream and will draw you back for a return visit.
From the Sublime to the Surreal
The number one reason most people visit Africa is for the wildlife, but in a country like Namibia the landscape is equally, if not more, enthralling. A country of stark extremes, Namibia should be at the top of any serious traveller’s wish list. From the towering rust-red undulating dunes at Sossusvlei and the gravity-defying rock formations and Petrified Forest of Damaraland to the endless golden grassy plains of the Kalahari and verdant river ways and wetlands of the Zambezi Region (formerly known as the Caprivi Strip), the landscapes of Namibia are unlike anywhere else on the continent. What’s more, these strikingly beautiful ecosystems support a myriad of wildlife. Lion, elephant, rhino, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest – you’ll find them all here and more. This is truly the place for a safari with a difference. Yet for all its wild, wide-open spaces, Namibia still retains much of its old colonial charm. Sea-mist-shrouded towns like Lüderitz and Swakopmund with their ornate
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Wilhelminische-style architecture will have you questioning whether you’re still in Africa or if you’ve been magically transported to Bavaria. That is, until you step back in the interior and come face to face with the country’s nomadic Bushman and Khoi-speaking people. While there are a number of African countries I’d be wary of exploring on my own, Namibia isn’t one of them. Paved highways may be few and far between, but the gravel roads are generally well maintained and suitable for even a two-wheel drive. So do yourself a favour and plan a self-driving trip to Namibia.The Stark Beauty of Namibia
Most of Namibia’s environment is arid and harsh, and yet there are few people who wouldn’t call this country beautiful. The desolate landscapes of the Namib Desert are picture perfect. Photographers, myself included, love to get creative here. I would be happy to come back to Namibia over and over again for the scenery alone. I love driving along the empty roads, with not a soul in sight, just emptiness. A lot of the country is very monotonous, but at the end of a long dusty journey there is usually another natural wonder. Namibia is also an amazing wildlife destination. The Skeleton Coast is a great place to see marine wildlife including the Cape fur seal. Etosha National Park, with its pans of water attracting a big variety of animals, is one of the great parks in Africa. But it was some of the more remote places that really captured my heart. Tracking desert elephants in Damaraland has been a highlight in my African travels. A place that really impressed me with its isolation was