In Namibia, on the parched palates of a vast and contradictory country, the realities of thirst have created a multitude of idiosyncratic societies. The Namib Desert’s shifting sand dunes are honeycomb-shaped, with the largest variety of creatures in any dune country in the world.
A monument to past maritime disasters, the desolate Skeleton Beach contrasts with the bustling holiday atmosphere of the quaint German settlement of Swakopmund. Around Etosha Pan, a mother’s tears lake, where surrounding puddles surround the salt field, large game herds are in a constant pub crawl. This provides some of the most amazing game viewing opportunities anywhere.
Inland, in surrealist Damaraland, you’ll encounter a variety of social curiosities, including the Petrified Forest; The thousand-year-old underground tree Welwitschia Mirabilis; sculptural Kökerboom; and Stare at the tiny Vein with its twitching nose.
Namibia – the land of the big sky.
A place where undulating deserts meet a meandering coastline, Namibia offers a wide variety of highlights: natural beauty including the Skeleton Beach – untouched and untamed, this desolate landscape is home to rare Brown Hyena and Desert Elephants, seal colonies. and the graveyard of many ships; Kunene River – the source of Ruacana, one of the largest waterfalls in Africa; the splendor of abundant bird and wildlife; unusual geological formations, including the unique star-shaped dune mountains at Fish River Canyon, Brandberg, Spitzkoppe, and Sossusvlei;
unspoiled wilderness including Etosha Pan, an oasis in the center of a vast semi-desert region, the Namib Desert – the only desert that is home to elephants, rhinos, lions, and giraffes; diverse and friendly nation – vibrant African cultures blended with German, British and South African architecture and traditions; Adventure opportunities – from sandboarding, canoeing, whitewater rafting to hot air ballooning and Desert Express Train.
Welcome Tourism Services offers a comprehensive range of escort tours; self-driving tours and safaris by plane; special interest and adventure packages; Tailor-made tours and safaris in this exciting and unique region. We provide services for individual travelers, groups, conferences, and incentives.
Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is located in the Central District. With its international airport, Windhoek is a convenient point to start or end your tour and provides a good base for local excursions. The northern part of the Central Region has an astonishing diversity of bird, animal life, and mineral wealth, while to the west is the Namib Desert and to the east is the Kalahari.
The majestic Auas mountains, the Eros mountains, and the rolling Khomas Hochland surround Windhoek. Mineral springs offer an oasis in this very dry region, and resorts are located close to Windhoek. National parks, charming little towns, off-road mission stations, and cattle ranches all have their own unique attractions.
The Namib Region stretches from Oranjemund in the south along the Skeleton Coast to the Angolan border in the north and consists mostly of national parks. Namib-Naukluft Park is considered the fourth largest park in the world with an area of 49,768 km². The harsh desert vegetation and diverse landscapes make this a magical place for landscape photographers.
The ancient Namib Desert is home to many of Namibia’s tourist attractions and is home to one of the world’s oldest plants – the prehistoric Welwitschia Mirabilis and numerous endemic dune-dwelling creatures.
Skeleton Coast National Park stretches from Ugab to the Kunene River. Harsh desert animals congregate around the intermittent watering points, while in the distance the steep mountains and sand dunes add to its beauty.
The popular seaside resort of Swakopmund has many buildings dating back to the turn of the century, these national monuments represent the city’s German colonial past. Swakopmund is fast becoming Namibia’s group and convention destination, with countless excursion possibilities. Walvis Bay is 31 km south of Swakopmund, another main port of entry, and has a thriving fishing industry.
Walvis Bay lagoon is one of Africa’s most important wetlands and is home to large flocks of flamingos, pelicans, and other waterfowl. To the west of the Naukluft mountains is Sesriem Canyon, which for centuries has been drowned by the Tsauchaub River. 63 km away is Sossusvlei, a dry clay basin surrounded by some of the highest sand dunes in the world. Lying between the desert and the coast, Lüderitz was the first German settlement in Namibia and the base of the South African diamond industry in 1908. This seaside resort is the center of the Namibian crawfish industry, famous for its oysters and ghost town. Kolmanskop is not far away.
The Fertile Northern Territory is Namibia’s largest region and has extensive plantations supported by underground lakes. The highlight of this region is Etosha National Park, one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in Africa and an official game reserve since 1907. This 22,270 square km park ranges from dense bush to open plains and is home to prolific birds and wildlife.
Two attractive towns at the center of a rich mining region are Otavi, guarded by the Otavi Mountains, and Tsumeb further north. Damaraland offers contrasting deserts, rugged grasslands, and high mountain ranges with unusual geological features, rock paintings, and rare animals. It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Skeleton Coast National Park.
The volcanic landscapes around Khorixas bear the footprints of dinosaurs and are scattered across the plains with the Petrified Forest (huge tree trunks up to 30 m tall), Welwitschias, and other hardy desert plants growing in between.
Twyfelfontein (Fountain of Doubt) is southwest of the Petrified Forest, which offers magnificent rock paintings and engravings dating back thousands of years. South of Twyfelfontein is a desolate landscape of volcanic rock called Burnt Mountain. Nearby are the Organ Pipes with steep basalt formations. The Brandberg Mountain Range contains the country’s highest mountain peak (Kunigstein 2 573 m) and many rock paintings, including the famous White Lady of Brandberg.
The Caprivi Strip, with its rivers, forests, swamps, and waterways, is an exciting destination for the adventurous traveler – in stark contrast to the arid splendor of the rest of Namibia. Activities in this area include hiking, fishing, game viewing, bird watching, and mokoro trails. The beautiful landscape of the Southern District is plain, desolate, hot, and dry. Earthquakes and storms turned the land into wonderful sculptures. Brukkaros, an extinct volcano, appears in the plains north of Keetmanshoop.
Fish River Canyon – a valley 161 m long, 27 km wide, and almost 550 m deep, and the Ai-Ais spa resort are popular attractions.
Kökerboom, an aloe that can withstand years of drought, and Quiver Tree Forest, a protected area 23km northeast of Keetmanshoop, are found here. Agriculture (dominated by livestock production) provides a livelihood for an estimated 70% of Namibia’s population, while mining is the backbone of the economy.
Diamond, gold, silver, uranium, copper, lead, zinc, magnesium, cadmium, and other base metals are produced. Tourism, which has developed rapidly since independence, is now the country’s third most important foreign exchange earner.
