Namibia
Giants collide in Namibia as the mighty Atlantic ocean crashes against the world’s most ancient desert, the Namib. A country known for its incredibly diverse and beautiful landscapes, Namibia will never cease to surprise its visitors. From sandy desert and the world-famous Sossusvlei to rocky deserts home to desert-adapted rhinos, elephants, lions and giraffes, to the mysterious Skeleton coastline enshrouded with mist and shipwrecked ghosts, to the red dust of the Kalahari and the white salt pans of Etosha, eyes will always wander in wonder amongst its stellar landscapes. Perhaps one of the best places in the world to view the Milky Way, Namibia is also a conservation star, becoming the first country in Africa to enshrine the preservation of ecosystems in its constitution dating back to 1997.
A few of our favourite places in Namibia...
Sossusvlei
Wander around the Ancient Sands of Time
In the Southern parts of the Namib desert – rumoured to be the world’s most ancient desert – a curious formation of salt and clay, surrounded by orange and red dunes, contrasts with the never-ending blue sky spanning the horizon. Sossusvlei means ‘the dead-end marsh’, a mix of Afrikaans and Nama language to designate the area where the ephemeral Tsauchab River has formed an endorheic drainage basin – in other words, a closed basin with no connection to other bodies of water. The vibrant pink, orange and red dunes of the Sossusvlei area tell their story – and their age. The redder and darker, the older the dune- some of which are the highest in the world. An obligatory stop to salute Big Daddy, the tallest of them all at 325m high, is a must, though the famous Dune 45 is perhaps easier to climb. But dunes are far from being the ‘only’ wonder of Nature to pay your tribute to – the Sesriem Canyon, the Deadlvlei and Hiddenvlei, as well as the Petrified Dunes are just as deserving. We might add that the Sossusvlei area is an absolute dream for any creative, from writers to painters to photographers and sculptors alike. Watch out for the many springbok and oryx that will roam around the ancient sands, dwarfed by true giants.
Skeleton Coast
From Eerie Reality to Pure Beauty
Namibia’s vast Skeleton Coast is all but infamous. Sometimes used to refer to the entire Namib coast, the Skeleton Coast usually refers to the 500km or so stretch of mysterious shoreline ranging from the Swakop River to Southern Angola. It is an eerie place, hostile and hauntingly beautiful, often enshrouded in mist that dissipates only to reveal imposing shipwrecks, most probably stranded due to the heavy fog, contrasting winds and capricious currents that are synonymous to that part of the world. But ships were not the only victims of these hostile waters. Whales have often ended up beached in huge numbers, a phenomenon that is most probably what gave the Skeleton Coast its name and reputation. A tribe in the far north, the Ovahimba, constructed their huts out of the stranded cetaceans’ bones. More than ghost stories, however, the Skeleton Coast is a mystic place filled with life – though one must perhaps search for it a little more. Desert-adapted wildlife of all sorts, from lions to elephants, rhinos to giraffes, seals, jackals, and herbivores have miraculously acclimated to areas that seldom receive rain. Moisture from the constant Atlantic fog has brought life to a place where death seems to reign in appearance only – a place like no other.
Damaraland
A Desert of Rock and Rugged Light
Beauty is synonymous with Namibia’s great landscapes. Rough around the edges in some places perhaps, but always filled with life, despite the harsh environment. As we turn inland from the Skeleton Coast, the Kunene Region captivates with its fascinating and rough landscapes of red dust and rocks that turn ablaze in the golden hour light. Home to the Damara people, this part of Namibia sees very little rainfall, if any, in the dry season. It is the perfect location to track desert-dwelling mammals, which have physically adapted to arid conditions. Elephants with long, graceful elongated legs can travel long distances across rocky expanses, and lions have learnt to hunt in this atypical terrain. The Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain, and the Petrified Forest are fascinating landscapes that will transport travellers to other times. And for more of a cultural stop, the carved engravings in the red rock of Twyfelfontein is a humbling experience, and the Living Museum the perfect place to understand and learn the traditions of the Damara.
Etosha
The White Spectacle
Namibia is a country of red, white, yellow and blue. The red sands in the south are a stark contrast with Etosha National Park’s dazzlingly chalk-white lunarscapes, in the far north. And yet both ecosystems share the endless, deep, blue sky that is so synonymous with Namibia. Etosha National Park is Namibia’s greatest wildlife sanctuary, named after the vast Etosha salt pan that traverses it, covering almost a quarter of the National Park. In the summer, flamingos and pelicans flock to the hyper-saline pan as it briefly fills with water. During winter (dry season), the wind spreads saline dust across the country, which delivers mineral enrichment to the soil. This also highlights the fascinating interactions between mineral, floral and faunal components of the ecosystem. The dry season provides wonderful game viewing opportunities as vast numbers of animals, such as zebras and springbok, white rhinos, elephants, lions, jackals and hyenas of all sorts congregate at the waterhole.
Kalahari
A Semi-Desert Paradise
Derived from the Tswana word kgala meaning ‘the great thirst’ or kgalagadi meaning ‘a waterless place’, the Kalahari could be mistaken as a place one should avoid in their travels. Yet in this mythical place, sizing almost 900 000 km² lies a solace of peace and quiet that only a desert or semi-arid savannah can provide. A place where wind can blow dust for hundreds of kilometres before it settles. Where life springs from the sand in every direction. Elephants, cheetahs, brown hyenas and the famed Kalahari black-maned lions are amongst the creatures that will surprise you around each thicket or behind each dune. The Kalahari is also a stronghold for populations of meerkats, aardwolves, pangolins and aardvarks, making it the go-to destination in Africa to witness these rare and wonderful creatures. There’s room for everyone in the vastness of this place: the safari-goers, the explorers, the adventure seekers and those who just want to feel the silent energy of the Kalahari, those who want to feel the desert wind on their skin and stare into an endless starry sky.
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