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On safari in Namibia – Travel planning overview PDF Print E-mail

etosha namibiaAlthough not as famous as some of its African neighbours, Namibia is a haven for those searching for the best of African wildlife and wilderness.

The arid country offers contrasting landscapes that range from thorn bush savanna and rugged mountains to open plains of the renown Etosha Pan.

Some of the main highlights of Namibia include Windhoek, Kalahari Desert, Caprivi, Damaraland, Diamond Coast, Fish River Canyon, Etosha National Park, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, Namib region and Waterberg National Park.

Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is an attractive city surrounded by hills and the impressive Auas and Eros Mountains. Highlights include three German-style castles, dating back to the early 1900's, which add a touch of romance to the city and the Daan Viljoen Game Park, set in the rolling hills of the Khomas Hochland. Assorted species of antelope, zebra, baboons and ostriches can be seen here. Bird life is abundant with about 200 species.

The Kalahari is an area well worth visiting to experience the magnificent red dunes and meet up with its traditional inhabitants, the San Bushmen. Consisting a large variety of game, bird, tree and grasses; the Kalahari red-dune ecosystem, represents the traditional Bushman hunting area. Bushman trackers often take Namibia tours enthusiasts on foot trails into the veld to show them their means and ways of endurance.

East Caprivi bordered by the Kwando, Linyanti, Chobe and Zambezi rivers is a region of swamps and flood plains and a stark contrast to the Kalahari. Deciduous woodlands are dominated by trees such as wild seringa, copalwood, Zambezi teak, wild teak and several wild raisin and bushwillow species. Many species of animals congregate in this area to drink, especially elephant, roan and kudu.

West Caprivi is famed for almost 339 bird species. Game lodges in the area offer fishing, hiking, game safaris and river trips on traditional mokoro. Be sure to pick up some world famous pottery from here.

Damaraland is a region of dramatic rolling plains and distant mountain ranges and an abundance of unique geological features. These embrace a wealth of rock paintings and engravings; populations of desert-adapted elephant and black rhino. Also in this region is the Petrified Forest, where millions of years ago a cataclysmic event deposited giant tree trunks, which afterward turned to stone.

This region consists of 26000 km of pristine Namib Desert. What must be seen in this here is Bogenfels, the 55m high rock arch which juts into the Atlantic Ocean, the modern diamond mine and ghost town at Elizabeth Bay and the seal colony at Atlas Bay. The legendary desert horses, seen when traveling between Luderitz and Keetmanshoop, are also an intriguing feature of this area.

Luderitz is also home to oyster farms, which grow in the cold unpolluted waters of the Benguela Current. It is also home to a wide range of aquatic birds. Large numbers of flamingos, cormorants and seagulls inhabit the shallow lagoon. When sailing the bay, seals and dolphins can be seen in play in the waters. This vicinity is ideal for anglers.

 



Etosha National Park, the third largest national park in Africa, is the key tourist attraction in Namibia. The 5000 km square Etosha Pan is the main feature of this setting. On the southern edge of the pan there are a numerous waterholes, which attract game and often provide impressive game viewing. In good rain years the pan fills with water and dries out in the winter months becoming a forbidding vastness of white cracked mud.

The Etosha National Park is a major sanctuary for wildlife in Africa. There are 144 mammal species in the park. This includes elephant, giraffe, blue wildebeest and black rhino; lion, cheetah, leopard and several species of wild cat. Hyena and jackal are the scavengers. There are various species of antelope but most striking of the species is the gemsbok. Some 340 species of birds have been identified here.

Eroded over millennia, the Fish River Canyon is the second largest natural ravine in Africa. Set in a harsh, stony plain dotted with the distinctive quiver tree, the canyon is a magnificent natural phenomenon, evolved over millions of years. Because the river flows intermittently, there is always water in some of the pools, except in very dry years. The pools contain yellowfish and sharptooth catfish. An interesting variety of birds, such as the Olive thrush, Cape robin and African black duck are found in the canyon. Seasoned hikers regard the 80km Fish River Canyon trail as one of Africa's major challenges.

The definitive feature of the Namib region, the Namib Desert is known for the beauty of its landscape, which changes from expansive gravel plains to undulating dune seas; rugged canyons with immense walls of volcanic rock and remote mountain ranges.

The Cape Cross Seal Reserve is well known in the region because it is the sight of the largest breeding colony of Cape Fur Seal on the southern African coast. Also the Epupa Falls and its scenically striking surroundings are one of Namibia's prime tourist destinations.

Swakopmund, Namibia's seaside resort on the west coast has a restful and relaxing ambiance with promenades, palm trees and beautifully tended gardens. From the interior, antique domes, turrets and towers on the skyline appear as a hazy desert mirage.

An angling area on the coast favoured by locals is Paaltjies. Tour operators offers ski boat trips for shark, bottom and game fishing and a scuba diving club enables diving enthusiasts to explore the marine underworld.

Waterberg Plateau Park with its flamboyant brick-red sandstone formations and lush green vegetation, presents an island of vibrant colour. Waterberg can be explored either by vehicle on a guided game-viewing tour, or on foot by means of guided wilderness trails. For any class of traveller Namibia poses endless opportunities for excitement and in every case this applies.

 

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