A few facts about Namibia

1.THE COASTAL STRIP goes from South of Walvis Bay to North of Mowe Bay. The weather can be very changeable and really cold at times. The cold Benguela current from Antartica brings much plankton and fish to the region.

The Skeleton Coast is pretty flat and deserted. Beautiful specimens of lichens, welwitschias (plants estimated at over 1000 years old) can be seen near the Messum Crater and close to Swakopmund.

Swakopmund is a “German” trendy touristic town.

Walvis Bay is a cosmopolitan, industrial town (mostly marine and fishing). Many touristic activities and excursions start from here. Walvis Bay’s lagoon is a Ramsar site (wetland site of international importance) and is a bird watchers’ paradise with its many pelicans and flamingos.

2.KAOKOLAND is North West of the country. It is a very remote and scarcely populated area.

This is the home of the attractive Himba tribe. The Epupa Falls are still virgin and little commercialized waterfalls. The Ruacana Falls power station produces a large amount of electricity for the country in the rainy season.

If you like solitude, remote areas and wilderness, this is a beautiful part of the country.

Be well prepared before you start your journey.

3.ETOSHA, in the Northern region, is the biggest national park in Namibia. It is about the size of Belgium. You can see many animals including lions, leopards cheetahs, rhinos, giraffes, elephants, buffalos, zebras, and about 350 bird species.

North of Etosha you have the very populated areas of Oshakati and Ondangwa, mostly home of the Owambo tribe.

Tsumeb museum is worth visiting for its rich history.

The Otjikoto lake North West of Tsumeb is unusual for its depth (55m), dolomite and limestone formation,for its large underground tunnels and interesting history.

4.KAVANGO-CAPRIVI-ZAMBEZI. It is the Northeast region respectively running from West to East . The whole area is lush tropical vegetation, abundance of game and wild birds,

500km of tarred road, the Trans Caprivi Highway starting from Rundu all the way to Katima Mulillo. Thereafter it is the gateway to Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and also to Victoria Falls.

The Okavango River forms a natural boundary between Namibia and Angola for more that 400km and the Kavango people and Caprivians make a living from fishing, tending cattle and cultivating sorghum, millet and maize.

There are many rural areas in between Rundu and Katima Mullilo. It is a very nice and green landscape, where you feel that time has stopped through the slower pace of life and the gentleness of its people.

5. DAMARALAND. Twyfelfontein was declared a World Heritage site in 2007. There are more than 2000 rock engravings estimated to be 6000 years old.

Brandberg is the highest mountain in Namibia (2606m), and there are many other attractive areas including the unusual granite rock formation at Spitzkoppe.

It is the land of the Damara tribe, with their lovely “click-clicks”.

6. WATERBERG-KHAUDUM area. Near Grootfontein you find the biggest meteorite in the world.

Tsumkwe, in the Khaudum, which is a remote area, is the home of the San people, also known as the bushmen, true hunters and gatherers. They make up only about 2% of the Namibia’s population. They are said to be the original inhabitants of Namibia.

Like many other tribes in the country, the San endeavour to keep their beliefs and traditions but western culture is catching up quickly.

There is the Waterberg red rock and flat top Plateau, rising from the surrounding Kalahari Desert. It is an isolated area, home of many animals and also endangered species, including white rhino, roan, sable antilopes, and a paradise for birds.

It is a remote and wild area. Be well prepared and self sufficient.

7.NAMIB NAUKLUFT PARK, in the West of the country, includes :

The Namib Desert. It is said to be the oldest desert in the world and includes the whole of Western Namibia.

The Naukluft Mountains : Nearly 2000m high, form the eastern extent of the park.

Sandwich Harbour : About 45km South of Walvis Bay. 4×4 only. It is a beautiful spot where the lagoon is circled by high dunes, reeds, the sea, and birds.

Sossusvlei area : with its beautiful tall and carved orange dunes. Big Daddy is said to be the highest dune in the world (you can climb it) ; Deadvlei pan, where skeleton trees are still standing up on dried white clay after 500 years. It is a very touristic area. ; Further South, the NamibRand nature reserve is also a paradise for photographers and the romantic majestic beauty of the orange sand gets under your skin.

8.WINDHOEK-KALAHARI DESERT area, on the Central and East side of the Country.

Windhoek is the Capital of Namibia, with a population of about 326,000 people. It is a growing cosmopolitan city with a mix of historical architecture and modern buildings. Okahandja is the home of the Herero tribe and there is a large open air woodcarvers’market. Rehoboth is the home of the Basters’ community, descendants of Dutch and French men and indigenous Nama women from Southwest Africa.

The Kalahari Desert, on the East, is said to be between 55 and 80 million years old. It overlaps onto Botswana and South Africa. It is a semi-arid, sandy savanna, where you can see lions, leopards, wild dogs, etc. It is also the home of the San people. Temperature can rise to 45C in the summer whereas in winter, the night temperature can drop below 0C,

9.LUDERITZ is a coastal small fishing town in the South West of Namibia and there are a few historical places to visit.

What is quite fascinating is Kolmanskop, the “ghost town“, a disused diamond mine settlement, where the Germans lived a “grand” life at the beginning of the 20th Century. Today the sand is the guest in many houses.

The coastal zone South of Luderitz to Oranjemund is a diamond area, prohibited to the public.

FISH RIVER CANYON is the second largest canyon in the world. It is 160km long x 27km wide and 550m deep. Guided hiking is highly recommended.

A few facts about Namibia

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