Namibia Explored in Style

A November 2004 trip to Namibia by Carey Graeff

Quote: Namibia is still relatively unexplored and offers varied landscapes, wildlife, and culture. It's those stunning sunsets that will pull you in though!

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Namibia Explored in Style

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Overview

Quote:

Namibia is unique in my mind for its vast desertscapes, its rolling hills which turn to flat land with acacias and bush scattered over iodine red ground. It is a place where insects, frogs and sporadic wildlife calls become your soundtrack. It is full of history not only for the German colonies and the dress of the Herero people, but for the Bushmen paintings which marked their territory and passed vital information from generation to generation centuries ago.

Throughout Namibia accommodation options are varied and unique in settings and warm hospitality, which allows for a pleasant nest from which to explore your surrounds. One such option is Okonjima where I enjoyed taking an active part in wildlife conservation and in turn, intimate encounters with cheetah, lion and leopard at the Africat Foundation. This unique and wonderful project contributes to rehabilitating injured cats and educating the public.

I must admit though, ultimately it was those sundowners that truly made me fall in love with this country, sunsets which reveal hues of pinks and purples cast against warm red rocks; when the soundtrack of the day shifts to that of the night.

Quick Tips:

Namibia is not necessarily a wildlife destination. If you're looking for a once in a lifetime safari, this probably isn't the destination for you. With that said, one can see a decent amount of wildlife in the northern Etosha National Park. And those lucky ones may even have the chance to see the desert elephants of Damaraland. Namibia is more of a "wilderness" destination....enjoy the vastness of the Skeleton Coast, the stunning red Sossusvlei dunes, the plunging Fish River Canyon, the rock paintings of Twyfelfontein, etc.

As Namibia is more of a desert, travel from November through February can be HOT. Rather travel at other times. Namibia is a malarial destination and I've see the effects first hand. Prophylaxis is recommended!

Best Way To Get Around:

Distances are great in Namibia, so if you opt to self drive or travel overland, don't try to rush it with a couple of nights here and there.....you will be exhausted! Seeing Namibia with a charter aircraft is ideal....you get to see all the beautiful bits and you can spend more time relaxing. In truth, Namibia does offer stunning scenery, but it also doesn't change up very quickly....you can drive an entire day with the same flat lands surrounding you, simply passing a village here and there. Read Less