Outside The Square

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.

Important information:

• The gate to the camp is open from sunrise to sunset. 
• Park entrance fees (not included in the paid-up reservations) must be paid at the reception.

N$ 280.00 per adult

N$ 180.00 per child 8-17 years

Children younger than 8, free of charge.

• Day visitors have to leave the Park before sunset.
• Breakfast is served at Waterberg Camp between 06:30 and 08:30.  Tea and coffee is available in the restaurant throughout the day.  The pool bar opens from 09:00 to 18:00.  It has a short menu from which you can order soft drinks, and snacks like burgers, salads and chips.  The pool bar is also the only place for lunch.  Dinner is served between 19:00 and 21:00 and you can choose from the à la carte menu.  Please check times at reception.
• There is mobile reception at the Restcamp. There are no phones in the rooms, but the camp has a public pay phone should you need it.  You can also purchase phone cards from the small shop.  The Restcamp has email and fax facilities but only at reception; it is not for the use of guests.  There is no TV or radio in the rooms.

The Waterberg Plateau and 41,000 hectares of surrounding land was declared a Nature Reserve in 1972.  The striking sight of Waterberg Plateau's brick-red sandstone crowned with lush vegetation has supported a wide diversity of flora and fauna for thousands of years.  Rising to 420m in places and enveloped by Namibian savannah, the untouched fortifications of this unmistakable feature have provided nature with the perfect wildlife sanctuary.  It lies between 1,650 and 1,700 m above sea level and is an erosion relic of a sandstone casing which covered large parts of Namibia millions of years ago.  The sandy soils of the plateau have a low water retention capacity, and consequently rainwater flows down seams which have formed in the Etjo sandstone.  When water reaches the impermeable mudstone band of Omingonde Formation, it is forced to the surface at the base of the cliffs to emerge as springs.

The table land is largely inaccessible, enabling several of Namibia's endangered species to be relocated here to protect them from predators and illegal hunting.  The reintroduction programme was so successful that surplus species are released from Waterberg to supply other Namibian parks with rare animals.  The Park has over 200 different species of bird and some rare species of small antelope on the lower hills of the mountain.

The first human inhabitants were the San people, who left rock engravings believed to be several thousand years old.  A small tribe of the San were still living their traditional lifestyle on the plateau until the late 1960s.  The site is also home to one of the major turning points in Namibia's History.

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.

Palmwag is a nature reserve idyllically located along a palm-lined tributary of the Uniab River, halfway between Swakopmund and Etosha, providing an ideal base from which to see the sights of the Kunene region or embark on one of the many local hiking trails. Water is scarce in this area, so the river’s presence often lures elephants closer to the camps. The reserve is notable for its unusual species of palm tree, the hyphaene petersiana, and for being home to the largest population of southwestern black rhinos in Africa. Animal lovers can also get a peek at leopard, lion, cheetah, mountain zebra, Angolan giraffe, springbok, kudu, and African bush elephant.

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.

North of Karibib and Usakos, is one of Namibia's most popular tourist drawcards, the volcanic Erongo mountain range, of which the western peaks rise 2,320 m above sea level.  This roughly circular massif, dominates the flat plains west of Omaruru and gives the Erongo region its name.  The mountain is an eroded relic of a volcano that was active some 140-150 million years ago.  It collapsed in on its magma chamber, allowing the basin to fill with slow-cooling igneous material.  The resulting hard granite-like core, that withstood the erosion, washed away the surrounding rock.  This rare confluence of ecosystems are home to a vast array of plant, reptile, mammal and bird species, some endemic to Namibia.  Apart from the fantastic scenery and flora and fauna, rock paintings are also a lure for visitors to the area.  Geologists would tell you that the Erongo Mountains are rich with minerals and gemstones like aquamarine, schorl, jeremejevite, quartz, fluorite and garnets (amongst others), but we have news for you.  These mesmerizing mountains are full of magnetic rocks.  They must be magnetic because they are so awesome they draw you back to them time and again, to the sheer beauty and majesty of the dramatic granite boulders, valleys and incredible landscapes it cannot be beaten.

The Erongo Mountain Nature Sanctuary is a private nature reserve in the Erongo region of Namibia. The Erongo Mountain Nature Sanctuary (EMNS) aims to protect the region's native fauna and flora and reintroduce species that were historically part of the natural biodiversity, such as the black rhino, giraffe and black-faced impala.

The EMNS consists of numerous private landholdings whose owners have decided to make their land available for this project. This has led to the unprecedented situation that almost all internal fences and individual boundary fences have been removed to allow wildlife to roam freely. In addition, the principles of the EMNS stipulate that no livestock may be kept for commercial purposes – a further step towards restoring the Erongo Mountains to their original state.

This large area – almost 180,000 hectares – covered by the EMNS is now almost completely ‘fence-free’ and is therefore fully available for the protection and conservation of the animal and plant species found there. Within these 180,000 hectares, wildlife can roam freely. Only at the boundaries of the EMNS, where there are no mountains, is there a fence to prevent the reintroduced black rhinos from leaving the area and entering neighbouring farmland.

Set between the rolling dunes of the Namib Desert and the icy Atlantic coastline, Swakopmund is a relaxed seaside town in western Namibia known for its German colonial architecture, cool coastal climate, and adventurous spirit. Palm-lined streets, historic buildings, and ocean fog create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in the country. Travellers visit for desert activities such as quad biking, sandboarding, and scenic flights over vast dunes and shipwreck-strewn shores. Cafés, bakeries, and small museums add to the town's laid-back charm, though the Atlantic waters are brisk rather than tropical. With its striking desert-meets-ocean setting and mix of adventure and history, Swakopmund is one of Namibia's most distinctive destinations.