I look at Namibia and i see a country giving you the best of both world’s. Its a country that is timeless and yet modern.

The arid and desolate coastal Namib Desert is in stark contrast with the fertile wildlife pasture of inland Namibia.

Its no wonder then that the raw beauty of the surrounding landscape teaming with wildlife surrounds Africa’s most modern metropolis next to South Africa.

With its German architecture and contemporary highway systems, it almost seems out of place with the rest of the landscape.

Trophy hunters prize Namibia for being the hunter’s paradise’ best kept secret. In my country Kenya trophy hunting is banned and Namibia is one of Africa’s few countries that allow hunting. Namibia also enjoys a relatively stable political government unlike other African countries.

Barely 17 years old, the Namibian government had to focus on a sustainable livelihood using natural resources. Local governance encouraged tourism and what better way to take advantage of their abundance of wildlife but through promotion of trophy hunting, African safari style.

For those of you interested in hunting in this country, the season opens February 1st and closes on November 30th. Having only two seasons, the potential hunter has to be prepared for the unique Namibian climate. There are two rainy seasons: the shorter season is from October until December, while the longer rainy season is from January until April.

Being located in the southern hemisphere, the summer months of October until April is also the rainy season. The weather can get intolerably hot during the summer months, and prolonged exposure to the sun can be fatal for some. The cool respite of summer rains is no match to the searing heat of the summer sun. Trophy hunting season in Namibia is closed during summer months precisely for this reason.

Visa for tourists are usually not required for a 90 day visit. Permits may be issued upon arrival in Namibia for other tourists who plan on a longer stay, but as always, check with your travel agent for visa requirements.

You can get here through weekly flights from Frankfurt or London direct to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Or, you can go through a two hour flight from South Africa where daily flights to Windhoek are available. If you are bringing your own firearms, direct travel to Windhoek are highly advisable.

This could save you the hassle of having to go through customs in South Africa and other connecting cities which may have stringent rules on carrying hunting rifles. Once in Namibia, you will still have to apply for temporary firearm import permits. But since this is just a formality, it is all relatively hassle free.

Speaking of firearms, no handguns or automatic weapons are allowed for trophy hunting. You have to play fair. If you are aiming for a more authentic experience, try bow hunting.

Archery hunting will have to be done on specified areas with a duly registered bow hunting guide.

Large game is prohibited to be hunted with bow hunting. First of all, a single bow could not possibly take down an elephant, lion or hippopotamus humanely.

Unless you are aiming for “vegetable strainer”, leave the large game hunting for the appropriate hunting rifle. No import permits are usually required for bows.

As with all other types of hunting, no more than two animals per specie will be allowed for hunting. All hunters will have to be accompanied by a duly registered hunter guide. It is illegal to hunt with dogs in Namibia. Where’s the fair play in that? This isn’t fox hunting. Besides, all you would really achieve is spooking a herd and causing a stampede. Remember, trophy hunting is anchored in the principle of fair chase. Otherwise, you might as well walk into a mall and purchase an animal print rug if you want to get it the easy way.

Most hunting lodges have their own game reserve where sustainable wildlife hunting is strictly regulated by the Namibian government. Hunts for each kind of animal is strictly limited. They also may reserve the right to ban hunting on any kind of specie, until it has repopulated sufficiently to sustain all future hunting.

Likewise, the hunter is discouraged to hunt female animals, especially with young offspring.

Make sure you have prior arrangements with a licensed hunting lodge in Namibia. Hunting packages average $5,000 and cover all necessities like lodging for 7-10 days, food, water, transportation to and from hunting locations, internet and computer accessibility and other pre arranged needs you may require.

Additional cost like taxidermy and shipment of trophies are excluded from most package costs. You would also be charged for any additional kill you may incur which are not included from the pre arranged agreement.

Make sure you pack everything you need for the trip. Long sleeves are a smart choice even during summer months in Namibia. The sleeves will help protect you from the heat of the sun as well as mosquitoes. Don’t forget to bring your camera. This once in a lifetime experience will be worth every Kodak moment you can capture.

Video showing hunting of Oryx in Namibia

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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 4th, 2007 at 8:44 am and is filed under Hunting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.