Wildlife: Seeing huge herds of Elephant (over 300 strong) on the move through open grassland was a real highlight. At the time we visited there were only small groups of other game, but these were very rewarding viewings.
Scenic beauty: Beautiful grassland, ant mounds, the clear Kwando River and sunsets are all to be highly recommended.
Bush vibe: Highly recommended on this basis. The camping along the river really puts you amongst the game. A lot of the best viewing is right from the camping areas. The relative lack of tourists also creates a real bush vibe.
Birding: Great bird watching in general – numerous species (possibly due to such a diversity of habitats in a small area). Highlights from our trip include different species of bee-eaters, Malachite Kingfishers, Fish Eagles, Bateleur Eagles and many types of waterbirds.
Endless desert to endless sea
After driving for days through beautiful but scorching desert-scapes, we crested a dune and were chilled by a breeze coming off the dark blue Atlantic. This is an isolated, beautiful, and rarely-visited part of the world. In Namibia you can see big game as in other African countries, but also explore the desert and drive for miles up the Skeleton coast without seeing another person. They also have the best steaks--wild game or beef--of any other safari destination.
A destination with many different landscapes
For a country that is predominantly desert Namibia is surprisingly well covered with good bush. It is also one of the cleanest countries in Africa with excellent roads. We started our trip in the capital,Windhoek, and first went north to Okonjima near Otjiwarongo. Run by the Hanssen family, this private reserve is home to the Africat Foundation, who specialise in cheetah and leopard conservation. The accommodation is excellent, as is the wildlife viewing albeit in a slightly artificial situation. All the cats are radio collared which makes finding them easier, and it is one of the few places where you can walk close to cheetah.
We then spent a week in Etosha, staying in all three camps inside the park all of which had both good and bad points, but overall were of reasonable standard if quite expensive. But what an experience! Etosha is everything you have ever heard about this world famous park and more. Huge herds of plains animals, and of course their predators, excellent bird life especially raptors, and some special sightings of the beautiful, elusive African wildcat. Each camp has a floodlit waterhole with good viewing offering a very different view of animal behaviour.
From there we moved to Walvis Bay, an unlovely town, for a disappointing sea safari. But the landscape along the coast is breathtaking.
Memories of Namibia: Stunning sunsets, alien landscapes, friendly locals, a wonderful holiday.
Namibia was the first third of a 2 week safari I did in 2009, which also included Botswana (Zambezi Region, Okavango Swamps, Chobe) and Zambia (Victoria Falls).
I began the safari in Swakopmund, spending three days there before meeting up with my minibus and travelling companions who were on their way up from Cape Town. I spent the time doing a morning desert safari, horseriding on a wide plain of sandstone hills that stretched for miles. The food at Swakopmund's abundant restaurants are of international standard, and are as varied as game pot roast to crayfish thermidor. The town itself is quaint and interesting, a remnant of its German ex-colonial history as a beach resort.
Having hooked up with my ride, we headed 120 km noth along the coast to Cape Cross, one of the largest colonies of Fur Seals in the world. The smell of 500 seals and their pups packed along a beach is something to be experienced. We then headed inland further north, to look at Bushman paintings and visit the village of one of the indigenous tribes, the Himba. We continued north and came into contact with another of the native Namibian peoples, the Ovambo with their brightly coloured European-style farm dresses and scarf hats folded in the shape of a buffalo's horns. Finally, we entered the gates of the Etosha Game Reserve, and were immediately greeted by the sight of a herd of zebra drinking from a waterhole. I have travelled the Kruger National Park several times, but game watch in Etosha is a totally different experience. Because the land is semi-arid or scrubland, animals cannot hide behing tall grass and so are much more visible. Etosha also boasts the springbok and gemsbok, majestic animals not common to the wilderness in South Africa. In the rivers, frequent sightings of crocodile and hippos can be made. And the birdlife is astounding too. Accomodation at the different campsites are well maintained and managed. There are options to stay at the comfortable bush cabins, or to pitch tent at the multiple campsites available, with easy access to hot water and other facilities.
Our guide was wonderful and highly knowledgable, as were the local guides throughout the tour who showed me the desert, the bushman paintings and the landscape. I thoroughly enjoyed this safari and wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in going.
IL
Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Our trip to Namibia
After visiting a few countries in Africa, I was wondering if Namibia could offer the tourist anything new, but after reading comments and seeing pictures in the internet; I realized how wrong I was. Later I spent time with a tour organizer, experienced in Namibia. He gave me a lot of information and together with a Namibian tour guide, prepared our ten days itinerary.
The tour was organized for four people, my wife, me, and a couple of friends, in the tour guide's well equipped VW van.
It was planned to July and we were really lucky, as it was not too hot and it did not rain at all. During the days it was quite warm, but the evenings were a bit chilly, needing a sweater or a light coat.
Our tour driver/guide named Phillip, besides being an excellent driver, is a local born person, who grew up there. He knows every tree, animal, road or dune, almost personally. He also owns a small farm and speaks fluent English, German and Afrikaans.
In many aspects, Namibia has a lot of unique things to offer, landscapes, tribes and an atmosphere, that can not be found elswhere, as I will describe later on. Namibia's population includes 6% white people, mostly of German origin, a small "baster" community of mixed "Afrikaaners" with women from "kikuyu Nama" tribe, and ten more native tribes who marry mostly within the tribe, while intermarriage is not common.
After arriving Windhoek in the evening, Phillip took us straight to the nice "Safari" hotel, where we spent the night before leaving early in the next day.
That day was dedicated to showing and explaining Namibia generally, and the area around Hammerstein, the landscape, the fauna and flora, the ranch system, the water sources, and hardly any agriculture.
In the late afternoon, we arrived at the Hammerstein lodge, where we could also watch a few wild animals behind a fence, including a pair of tame cheetahs, who let us caress them, without grabbing a leg or an arm. This lodge, was a really nice place to stay in. We were served with real hearty dinner and breakfast, as in some other lodges and hotels.
The next day, had to be a really long one, so we started very early. We went by the 'Tsauchab' that once was a river, lost in the dunes, then through the 'Sesriem' park, where we entered the 'Sossuvlie' reserve. This is a wide long valley, with huge sand dunes towering on both sides, a real breath taking view. Most dunes have a sharp twisting edge, therefore when the sun is low, the contrast between the lit area and the shaded area creates a very dramatic scenery. The sand color, changes between yellow to light orange, depending on the time of the day, and the content of iron oxide in it. The dunes estimated age, is about 5000 million years.
They are numbered from 1 to 49, and dune 45 is the only one allowed to climb on, which is a very hard task for normal people. Some of them have even names, and one of the greater ones is called: 'Big Daddy'. We drove to the western edge of the valley, to the 'Sossuvlei flat', and walked to the near 'Dead vlei', with its dramatic view of the dark dead tree trunks, on a flat, almost white sand surface. Then it was already time to start heading back. We took a short side trip, to look at the unique small and deep 'Sesriem' canyon, dug in the "Conglomerate" stone by a prehistoric river. From there we drove to the 'Namib Desert Lodge', situated near the 'petrified dunes' site.
These dunes are not moving by the wind. Millions of years ago, because of heavy rains and water lodging, the sand particles clamped together, and formed a kind of sandstone, colored brown red. More sand was drifted by the wind to cover them, therefore their tops are rounded.
The dune tops are a popular site to watch colorful sun sets. The lodge teem drives you to the top, and sets a table with refreshments, to make your time more enjoyable.
During the next days we met many animals, Oryxes, ostriches, springboks, zebras, jackals, and a bird named: Ruppill's Korhanes, found only in Namibia. We drove to 'Solitaire', an ex farm turned to a gas station, garage and an apple cake bakery. Then we continued north, along the 'Naukluft' reserve and entered a vast flat area, with many strange looking plants, named: 'Welvitchia Mirabilis'. The older one's age is estimated as 500 to 800 years and they exist as male and female plants. In the afternoon we arrived to 'Swakopmund' town, where most people are of German origin. We visited the local small museum, presenting stuffed local animals, old tools, local history, the tribes, and many artifacts.
Next morning we drove to 'Walvis Bay', a small township with a fishermen's port. There special boats take tourist for a sail in the neighborhood, to watch sea gals, pelicans, seal colonies, flamingoes and dolphins. We continued north to the 'Skeleton coast', to see the skeletons of grounded and abandoned ships, slowly rotting in the salty mist.
Then we continued to 'Hentieabaai', a small place making a living from local tourism that comes to stay a while, during December and January.
From there we turned north east on C35 road towards 'Uis' and 'Khorixas', a long drive through a flat wilderness. There we could see the highest mountain in Namibia, 'Mt. Brandberg', towering to 2573 meters, on our left. This region is 'Damaraland', where most of the 'Damara', considered as the poorest tribe, is living. 'Uis' used to be a small miners' town, until the zinc mine was closed. Vegetation is very scarce but one cactus like, huge plant named: 'Euphorbia Virosa', is growing there, in big numbers. It is a dangerously poisonous plant, that one should not ever touch its sap.
Many 'Herreru' tribe women moved to Damaraland because they realized that tourism is a source of income. They sew their clothes with hand operated sewing machines, and sell dolls and clothing to tourists driving by. They wear hats with hornlike edges, to show that they are married to a herdsman. Actually the Herreru and the Himba tribes, are from the same origin, but the Herrera have learnt and adopted many things from the whites, while the Himbas, prefer to stay away and continue their old traditional way of life.
After crossing the dry 'Aba-Huab' river, we arrived at the 'Bushmen rock engraving site', near 'Twifelfontain'. There one can watch dozens of animals engraved on the rocks, and admire the talent of the artists and the beauty of the animals there.
We spent the night in the 'Camp xaragu', which I have to describe as our disappointment. It was a tent camp without electric power to the tents, a poor hot water system and restaurant. From there we went to the 'petrified forest' site. There you can see thousands of broken big tree trunks, scattered around the site. They were buried in mud for millions of years, integrated slowly and different minerals replaced the wood, to form a stone tree trunk. (The "Petrified forest" national park in Arizona USA, is a similar site, but much larger and has many more huge petrified trees).
There we also saw two types of "The tree that never dies". It looks very dead indeed, but as rain comes it suddenly blooms.
'Khorixas', is the 'Damara county town, which includes a hospital, a boarding school and the local administration offices. There you can buy food and gas. We spent a pleasant evening and night, in the nice and cozy 'Gelbingen lodge', near the c35 and c40 junction. A 'Himba village is situated close, and we were very welcome to visit it. Of course we could not understand their language, but our interpreter enabled us to get answers to our questions and supply us with the knowledge about their habits, beliefs and way of living. It was a very impressive and educational visit. I do not intend to describe the Himba, and otheir culture and habits in detail, as these things can be widely found in all tour books.
In that region, we could see a rich wildlife, including giraffes, zebras, elephants, jackals, springboks, lions, ostriches, kudu, springbok herds, impalas, oryxes, wild dogs, wild donkeys, weavers and hornbills.
At this point I would take liberty to advise wildlife lovers and photographers. Unlike other safari countries like Kenya, where one can drive close to the animals roaming around, in Namibia, you are often limited to stay in the parking lots, near the water holes. This closeness, may be many dozen of meters, therefore good binoculars and long Zoom cameras, with image stabilizers or tripods. are essential gear.
We found the 'Etosha Safari Camp', as quite a nice place, and stayed there two nights, as next days were dedicated to 'Etosha national park', with its basin, and rich wildlife near the water holes.
In the "Etosha" reservation, we met a vast array of animals. Except those mentioned above, we saw warthogs, herds of wildebeest, impalas, a leopard, many birds such as Marabous, francolins, kori- busters, eagles, secretary birds and many other birds, that I can not name.
The water holes have names such as: 'Elephant bath', 'Moringa', 'Aus', or 'Rietfontain'. If you arrive at the right time, you can see many animals coming to drink, and often even a predator, trying to catch a meal. Near one water hole, we saw a group of giraffes, taking control over the water from impalas. Shortly afterwards, a herd of about fifty elephants, took complete control of the water hole. The other animals waited patiently for the elephants to finish and leave, but just as they started leaving a second herd arrived, and then a third herd came, drank, sprinkled themselves with water and left. Only then, could the other thirsty animals, return to the water.
It is a rare sight to see as many as fifty or more elephant together, and the reason is that in the absence of a river, or a lake, where they can separate; here they have to gather in one spot.
'Namutony', used to be the garrison fortress, for the German, and later English army, guarding the area. Today shops and restaurants are found between its inner walls, and stairs lead to the roof, where you can see a close waterhole.
In 'Hoba', we stopped to see the biggest meteorite ever found in the world. It is a huge chunk of iron, with diameter of about 5 meters. It is definitely a rare sight.
After world war one, Germany and England signed In 'Otavi' a treaty, handing Namibia over to England.
In the afternoon we arrived in 'Waterberg Lodge', and climbed the steep path, leading up to the top of the plateau rim. It is not an easy climb for the average elderly person, but it is certainly worth the effort. The vast view of the endless desert, from the plateau edge, is priceless. Just make sure to leave before dusk, as the way down in the dark, may be quite dangerous.
The drive south to Windhoek was long, and did not offer much to admire. In Windhoek, we drove through its suburbs, the rich neighborhoods, the poor slums in the outskirts, and the downtown. We spent the night in the formerly mentioned "Safari hotel", and in the early morning we left to the airport.
To conclude, it was a bit tiring, but a very interesting and educating trip. We now have a lot of memories to recall, and pictures to view again and again.
LU
20-35 years of age
Harsh landscapes that represent the beauty of Africa with its endlessly vast plains.
Itinerary : Windhoek - Kalahari desert - Keetmanshoop - Fish river canyon - Lüderitz - Sossusvlei - Namib Naukluft - Swakopmund - Damaraland - Etosha - Okahandja - Windhoek.
We used to be a party of 25 people driving in a tour bus with one tour guide who also used to be the driver. Our guide told us a lot of the country and the people itself and did a great job. Considering the accommodations, Namibia is a country with a great price / quality ratio, similar to South Africa in fact and better as Kenya / Tanzania, countries we visited the year before. When it comes to landscapes, Namibia is a real treasure for the adventurer; endless landscapes in the middle of nowhere, beautiful colors (especially in the Namib desert) and harsh vast plains are just among a few things to highlight. Wildlife is great too, especially in the Etosha national park where we unfortunately just stayed one and a half day. We would recommend to go for a jeep with a private guide (as we did) and not to ride with the tour bus through the park as it is done by many tourists, ...this is no real safari feeling watching animals through windows in a sticky tour bus. By the way, the Etosha national park is well known for its bird watching possibilities. Besides Etosha, the Namib desert with Sossusvlei / Deadvlei (something not to miss) was our second highlight. The colors during sunrise / sundown are among the most beautiful things you can see, especially for photographers. Weather was great during our 2 week trip through Namibia (no rain in fact). Only two things we would change when returning again to Namibia : 1) Looking for a tour operator who travels in smaller groups, in fact 25 people per bus is above average and a bit too much. 2) Trying to expand the trip to the Zambezi Region who touches Botswana and is well known for its incredible wildlife.
