The country of spectacular landscapes
Namibia is a beautiful, large, but thinly populated country. Ocean, desert, vast dune landscapes, and rivers; Namibia has got it all. It is the ideal destination for your tailor made safari.
Etosha National Park is the most famous wildlife park in Namibia. It is dry and dusty and vegetation is limited. In the dry months the animals migrate to the pools, so it is there that most animals can be found.
Namibia though is much more than just another wildlife safari country; its sand dunes of the Sossusvlei at the edge of the Namib desert are impressive.
Fascinating too are the Bushmen and the Himba people that live in this desert environment
Late afternoon we wait at one of the dams. It’s a coming and going of animals; giraffes, gemsbok, springbok, and zebras. All of a sudden it becomes very quiet. In the distance, in the white dust of Etosha, we see three female lions approach. They drink at the pool and calmly turn back again. Majestic and magnificent.
Etosha National Park is the most famous wildlife park of Namibia and is not to be missed during your safari. A large part of Etosha is an enormous salt pan. Most of the time it stands dry, but for a short period, when it rains, the salt pan fills itself with water. That attracts flocks of flamingos and pods of pelicans. Both natural and man-made drinking places help the animals to survive the dry season. These are excellent spots to observe wildlife.
The winds that bring the mists are also responsible for the constantly moving, high sand dunes in the Namib Naukluft National Park. The park houses springbok, gemsbok, ostriches, hyenas, and jackals. The best known parts of the park are Sossusvlei, Deadvlei, Dune 45, and the Sesriem Canyon.
Between the twelfth and the fifteenth century large camel thorn trees grew in the Sossusvlei valley. When the climate changed, and the sand dunes cut off the water supply to the valley, it became too dry, so the trees died. Their skeletons can still be seen today as they project their warped, black silhouettes on the white clay. Although the trees are not petrified they will not perish because it is too dry
Swakopmund is a vibrant town on the west coast of Namibia. On one side it has got desert and sand dunes and ocean on the other side. Its German heritage can be recognised by the colonial buildings that are all over town. Discover the Namibian desert wildlife during a fantastic guided tour or take a relaxed boat trip looking for sea lions, dolphins and pelicans.
North of Swakopmund you’ll find Cape Cross, a reserve for a vast colony of cape fur seals. Farther up north lies the Skeleton Coast: the inhospitality of that area, contradictory as it may sound, is its main attraction.
The Himba are a native people of the Kunene region, the north-west of Namibia. They are a nomadic people and mainly rely on their cattle (cows and goats) for their livelihood. Most Himba still live their traditional lifestyle. During our tailor made safari to Namibia we offer you the opportunity to visit one of these traditional Himba families. To prevent disruption of the fragile Himba culture we have made strict agreements with the Himba guides that will accompany you during the visit. By daily rotating the families that are visited we can ensure that the impact of the visits is kept to an absolute minimum. In exchange the families will receive cornflower and other foodstuffs. In other areas one can sadly see more and more begging (for candy) with all its damaging consequences.
Damaraland is a beautiful but desolate area in the north of central Namibia. It boasts a varied landscape of open plains, mountains, and ravines. In the south west it is bordered by the Namib Desert, where small populations of desert adapted elephants live that will search for water in Damaraland as well. If you take a special safari to go in search of them you stand a good chance of encountering a few of these elephants. The black rhinos too have adapted to life in this arid area. If you want to see these rhinos you can look for them on foot accompanied by a specialist guide. A sheer unique experience!
Keetmanshoop in the south is primarily known for its Quiver Tree Forest and the Giants Playground. Quiver trees can be found all over Namibia but nowhere in the country, outside Keetmanshoop, do they grow in a complete forest. The quiver tree is a photogenic and rather special tree. The Bushmen used its hollow branches as a quiver for their arrows, hence its name.
Near Lüderitz lies the ghost town Kolmanskop; Its last inhabitants left the town in 1956. Since then the sand dunes have crept closer and closer and now nearly all buildings are half buried under the sand.
The Fish River Canyon in the deep south of Namibia is one of the largest canyons in the world; boasting a length of 161 kilometres, a width of 27 kilometres, and a depth of 500 meters.
A self-drive across the arid terrain of Namibia is the best way to discover this beautiful country. Roads are mostly unpaved but well drivable. The spectacular landscape offers a wonderful backdrop on your safari trip.
Take in some fresh air at the beach, a boat trip surrounded by pelicans, sea lions, and dolphins, or even take a refreshing canoe trip; there are scores of ways to get the sand out of your hair at Namibia’s ocean shore.
Picture yourself floating in a hot air balloon over Sossusvlei, or would you prefer taking photographs from a helicopter with an open cockpit? Do you prefer a luxurious fly-in safari because you are time restrained? One thing is for sure Namibia from the air is spectacular.
What is the best time for your safari trip to Namibia?
From June until the end of October are the ideal months for a safari trip to Namibia. The animals at Etosha can best be seen during these months at the watering places. During the day temperatures are pleasant and nights are cool. If you camp out during the months of July and August it can get rather cold in a tent. Night frosts may frequently occur. In October temperatures rise again and during the summer months (winter in the north of Europe) it can get up to 40 degrees Celsius and at times even hotter. Namibia doesn’t really have a real rain season but from January until the end of April it can get rather stormy.
Our photography trip through Namibia was so amazing. We’ve learned so much! At times it was hard work, but it paid off in the end. Namibia has a special place in my heart now.
Our Himba experience was so impressive. The women are beautiful and full of pride. It was not an act, but real life. It was an honour to be there.