Situated in Central Namibia, the cosmopolitan city of Windhoek serves as the capital of the country. It is home to an international airport and a plethora of restaurants, shops, entertainment venues and accommodation options. The city is clean, safe and well-organised, with a colonial legacy that is reflected in its many German eateries and shops, and the widespread use of the German language. Windhoek has an interesting mix of historical architecture and modern buildings, many of which are worth a look, including the Alte Feste an old fort, the 1896 Christuskirche Christ Church, and the more contemporary Supreme Court.
Set just 250 kilometres from the bustling capital of Namibia, the 10,000-hectare Intu Afrika Kalahari Game Reserve presents a landscape of unparalleled natural splendour. Deep red and clay-coloured dunes fan into the distance, decorated with areas of grasslands, shrubs, and trees. The park is home to an impressive array of wildlife, including black wildebeest, springbok, oryx, giraffe, and a large population of meerkats. This is the perfect place to learn about the ancient way of life; visitors can follow a !Kung guide through the desert and learn survival techniques. Make sure to take a look at the exquisite handmade crafts in the village. Hiking, 4x4 excursions, and quad-biking will appeal to adrenaline seekers.
Carving out an epic rocky wonderland in the south of Namibia, the Fish River has created Africa’s largest and the world’s second-largest canyon. Hot, dry and stony, the Fish River Canyon measures a whopping 160 kilometres in length, at times 27 kilometres in width and 550 metres in depth. The awe-inspiring natural beauty of this ancient geological marvel draws visitors from around the globe. For those looking for adventure, the intense 85 kilometre Fish River Hiking Trail through1.5 billion years of geological history will definitely thrill avid adventure enthusiasts, and for visitors looking to relax, head over to the canyon's southern end to enjoy a soak in the mineral waters of the renowned hot springs of Ai-Ais, or take in the spectacularly scenic views from Hobas Restcamp as well as numerous other viewpoints along its rim. Other popular activities include: scenic chartered flights, horse riding, nature drives and seasonal kayaking.
Perched above the plains of the Namib Desert in the rocky Aus Mountains, the small village of Aus lies at the heart of phenomenal botanic diversity. Aus serves as an excellent base from which to see the area’s major attraction: the feral horses of the Namib Desert, which run wild and free in the sparsely vegetated plains. The best place for viewings is at the water trough at Garub, which lies just twenty kilometres away from Aus. Visitors can gain insight into the Succulent Karoo by visiting beautiful Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park, home to the most biodiverse desert in the world. Don't miss the opportunity to camp under the famously clear Namibian night sky and experience the desert landscape on horseback.
As there is no accommodation at Sossusvlei, visitors to this desert wilderness are likely to end up staying at Sesriem, 65 kilometres away, where camps and lodges serve as a base from which to explore the dunes. Sesriem Canyon, a deep chasm carved through the rocks by water, is a striking natural feature of the area that is best explored on foot. Stony walls rise up sharply on both sides of the canyon, while birds roost in its crags and lizards dart along the ledges. The canyon’s name was coined when early settlers used it as a water source, using six lengths of leather (‘ses riem – six thongs) tied together to lower buckets into the water at the base of canyon.)
Set along Namibia's spectacularly scenic coast, the seaside town of Swakopmund is known for its wide-open avenues, colonial architecture, and its surrounding otherworldly desert terrain. Founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South-West Africa, Swakopmund is often described as being more German than Germany. Now a seaside resort town, Swakopmund is the capital of the Skeleton Coast tourism area and has plenty to keep visitors happy. The quirky mix of German and Namibian influences, adventure options, laid-back atmosphere and cool sea breeze make it a very popular Namibian destination. Visitors can look forward to a number of exciting activities including: quad biking, horse riding, paragliding, fishing, sightseeing and fascinating desert tours.
Conveniently located only a few hour’s drive from Namibia’s capital city of Windhoek, the Erongo Mountain Range stretches across the plains between the towns of Omaruru and Karibib, and is home to a remarkably rich natural heritage. This expanse of rugged wilderness serves as one of Namibia’s most popular tourist drawcards, attracting visitors with its spectacularly scenic landscapes, magnificent caves and rock painting sites, and its impressive array of wildlife species. These include, among others: rhino, elephant, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, wildebeest, impala, blesbok, waterbuck, kudu, warthog, mountain zebra, oryx, eland, springbok and over 200 species of bird. Visitors can look forward to enjoying a variety of adventurous activities such as hiking, rock climbing, games drives, horse riding safaris and mountain biking.
Set in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia, Twyfelfontein is a spectacularly scenic area, featuring one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock art in Africa. The name ‘Twyfelfontein’ translates to ‘Fountain of Doubt’, which refers to the perennial spring situated in the impressive Huab Valley flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain. It was this spring that attracted Stone Age hunters over six thousand years ago, and it was during this time that the extensive group of rock engravings and paintings were produced. Visitors can look forward to basing themselves at some wonderfully shady campsites along the Aba-Huab riverbed, while exploring over thirty different sacred ritual sites of the traditional hunter-gatherer communities.
As previously described
This vast desert landscape is known as one of the most beautiful regions in Namibia. Huge, untamed and ruggedly beautiful, Damaraland is an exceptionally scenic landscape featuring open plains, ancient valleys and spectacular rock formations. The major attractions are the sacred Spitzkoppe, the Brandberg, Twyfelfontein, Vingerklip and the otherworldly Petrified Forest. Visitors can take in the dramatic vistas, catch a glimpse of the rare desert-adapted elephant, and enjoy spectacular stargazing in crystal-clear night skies from one of the many safari camps dotting Damaraland. Other popular activities include: guided drives, nature walks and visiting the local communities. Don’t miss the opportunity to view Damaraland's world-famous ancient rock art.
Located just south of the boundary of Etosha National Park in northwestern Namibia, Etosha South makes up the southern region of this wild paradise. The area is comprised of a collection of world class private game reserves. The national park can be accessed via the southern entrance at Andersson’s Gate. Visitors can catch a glimpse of a variety of wildlife including: lion, giraffe, elephant, white and black rhino, and a multitude of plains game. Popular activities include: enjoying an open 4x4 safari with an expert guide, half day or full day drives with the option of a picnic lunch with wine on the full day game drive.
Situated east of Etosha, bordering Fisher's Pan, Onguma Game Reserve is one of Namibia's best-kept secrets. The reserve offers visitors the opportunity to experience Africa in all her beauty and diversity. Onguma Game Reserve features over 34000 hectares of protected land scattered with a variety of wildlife including plains game, black rhino, kudu, giraffe, zebra, lion, cheetah, leopard and more than 300 bird species. The seasonal rains attract thousands of migrating birds to the Fisher’s Pan wetland area. The neighbouring Etosha National Park is home to a rich array of wildlife, including four of the Big 5. Visitors can enjoy game drives, guided walks and rhino research drives within the private reserve as well as wildlife safaris into Etosha National Park to view abundant game in the largest national park in Namibia.
Midway between the spectacular Etosha National Park and the capital city of Windhoek, lies the well-known Okonjima Nature Reserve. The 22 000 hectare nature reserve is home to AfriCAT, a carnivore sanctuary, which gives the captive cats a second chance to be released back into the wild and become completely independent hunters in a protected area right in the middle of commercial cattle farmland. Visitors can enjoy a stay at a variety of excellent accommodation options including everything from luxury villas to secluded camping. Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy thrilling cat-tracking guided safaris, leopard-spotting, off-road night drives and learn about local San culture along the Bushmen trail.
Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, lies at the heart of the country, encircled by magnificent mountains, expansive valleys, and fertile farmlands. The landscape of the Greater Windhoek area surrounding this bustling city is characterised by vast valleys, thick scrub, rocky hills, and covered in golden savannah. Visitors can explore the dry river beds and mountainous scrublands, as well as enjoy birding, leopard-spotting and view large quantities of wildlife in the north; visit the more arid eastern part with its olive, potato, and date plantations; explore the rolling hills of the Khomas Hochland Mountains in the west of the Greater Windhoek area and soak up the epic views along a number of scenic passes leading off the high plateau, including Bosua Pass, Gamsberg Pass, and Spreetshoogte Pass.
