| Namibia is a largely arid country of
| |
| | population of the Nama diminished by
|
| stark rough-hewn beauty. The most vivid
| |
| | 35-50%.
|
| images are those of a haunting
| |
| | Windhoek, the capital of 165,000 people
|
| technicolor landscape of swirling orange
| |
| | is the only true city in the country. For
|
| dunes, shimmering mirages and treacherous
| |
| | those traveling to more remote regions,
|
| dust devils. The apparent desolation is
| |
| | this is where you settle practical
|
| deceptive and plant and animal life and
| |
| | matters. The positive aspects of the
|
| even man has adapted to this environment.
| |
| | German period can be seen in the charming
|
| The country is designed almost specially
| |
| | style of older buildings in the city.
|
| with the active and adventure seeker in
| |
| | Places of interest in the city include
|
| mind. Timeless deserts, thorn bush
| |
| | the State Museum, State Archives, and the
|
| savanna, desolate wind ravaged
| |
| | Namibia Crafts Centre. The Dan Viljoen
|
| coastlines, majestic canyons, and
| |
| | Game Park lies 24 Km west of Windhoek on
|
| sun-baked saltpans are the bounty that
| |
| | the gentle hills of Khoma Hochland. In
|
| awaits the traveler.
| |
| | this resort you find ostriches, baboons,
|
| Namibia's top draw is the Etosha National
| |
| | zebras and over 200 species of birds. The
|
| Park, rated as one of Africa's finest
| |
| | Waterburg Plateau Park, located 230 km
|
| game sanctuaries. The birding experience
| |
| | from Windhoek is popular with weekenders.
|
| in the country is truly superior. The
| |
| | This extensive mountain wilderness is
|
| range of activities you can indulge in
| |
| | home to cheetah, leopard, kudu, giraffe,
|
| the unsurpassable physical environment is
| |
| | and white rhino.
|
| truly impressive. Ballooning over the
| |
| | Etosha National Park is what brings
|
| desert, skydiving over land and sea,
| |
| | wildlife lovers to Namibia. The park is
|
| paragliding, whitewater rafting and sand
| |
| | comparable in size and diversity of
|
| skiing along coastal dunes are good
| |
| | species with the best in Africa. The
|
| activities for starters. More fun games
| |
| | unusual terrain of Etosha holds savanna
|
| to pick from include abseiling - that
| |
| | grassland, dense brush and woodland. But
|
| most spectacular of rock sports, coastal
| |
| | it is the Etosha Pan, a depression that
|
| and fresh water angling, desert camel
| |
| | sometimes holds water and covers 5,000 sq
|
| riding, scuba diving, 4x4 desert runs,
| |
| | km, that is the heart of park. The
|
| hiking and mountaineering.
| |
| | perennial springs around the pan, attract
|
| Namibia has four distinct geographical
| |
| | many birds and land animals in the dry
|
| regions. In the north is Etosha Pan, a
| |
| | winter months. The effect of this
|
| great area for wildlife and heart of
| |
| | background is magical and some of the
|
| Etosha National Park. The slender Caprivi
| |
| | best wildlife photographs have been taken
|
| Strip is nested between Zambia and
| |
| | here.
|
| Botswana and is a wet area of woodland
| |
| | There are 144 mammal species in the park
|
| blessed with a few rivers. Along the
| |
| | and elephants are particularly abundant.
|
| coast is the Namib Desert, which at the
| |
| | Some other interesting wildlife here
|
| age of 80 million years old, is said to
| |
| | includes giraffe, leopard, cheetah,
|
| be the world's oldest desert. At the
| |
| | jackal, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and
|
| coast, the icy cold Atlantic meets the
| |
| | black rhino. The birding is great at
|
| blazing African desert, resulting in
| |
| | Etosha and over 300 bird species have
|
| dense fogs. The well-watered central
| |
| | been recorded. You will get best value by
|
| plateau runs north to south, and carries
| |
| | spending at least three days here. There
|
| rugged mountains, magnificent canyons,
| |
| | are excellent accommodation facilities at
|
| rocky outcrops and expansive plains.
| |
| | the three rest camps of Namutoni, Halali
|
| Namibia, one and half times the size of
| |
| | and Okaukuejo. The best time to see
|
| France, is very sparsely inhabited and
| |
| | animals is between May and September,
|
| carries only 1.8 million souls. The
| |
| | when water draws them in huge numbers to
|
| people are as unique as the land they
| |
| | the edge of the pan. Etosha is 400 km to
|
| live on. The most intriguing are the San,
| |
| | the north of Windhoek by road.
|
| otherwise known as Bushmen. These most
| |
| | The Fish River Canyon is unrivalled in
|
| hardy of people have a highly advanced
| |
| | Africa and only the Grand Canyon in the
|
| knowledge of their environment. It is a
| |
| | U.S in larger. The Canyon runs for 160 km
|
| marvelous thing how well they are adapted
| |
| | and reaches a width of 27 km and depth of
|
| to their difficult habitat. Just pause
| |
| | 550 m. But size alone does not explain
|
| and think that these are the only people
| |
| | the appeal of the canyon. You experience
|
| in the world who live with no permanent
| |
| | incredible views at various points along
|
| access to water. In the Kalahari Desert,
| |
| | the rim. Adventure lovers do not merely
|
| one of their domiciles, surface water is
| |
| | come for the views. Hiking through the
|
| not to be found. Tubers, melons, and
| |
| | canyon is the ultimate endurance
|
| other water bearing plants as well as
| |
| | adventure for hikers. There is an
|
| underground sip wells supply their water
| |
| | established 90 km hiking trail that will
|
| requirements.
| |
| | take you 4-5 days to cover.
|
| In Namibia today, Bushmen number about
| |
| | The trail ends at Ai-Ais hot spring
|
| 50,000. Historians estimate that they
| |
| | resort where you can unwind. You are
|
| have lived, mostly as hunters and
| |
| | allowed to hike between early May and end
|
| gatherers, for at least 25,000 years in
| |
| | of September. The hike is quite strenuous
|
| these parts of the world. Bushmen speak
| |
| | and needless to say, you must be
|
| in a peculiar click language and are very
| |
| | physically fit. The authorities
|
| gifted in the arts of storytelling,
| |
| | disbelieve the capacity of most people to
|
| mimicry, and dance. Namibia's other
| |
| | undertake the hike and will actually
|
| people, who are indigenous to the
| |
| | insist on seeing a medical certificate of
|
| continent, are mostly of Bantu origin.
| |
| | fitness before allowing you to start off.
|
| They are thought to have arrived from
| |
| | Fish River Canyon is 580 km to the south
|
| western Africa from about 2,400 years
| |
| | of Windhoek.
|
| ago. The African groups include the
| |
| | The Skeleton Coast has been the graveyard
|
| Owambo, Kavango, Caprivians, Herero,
| |
| | of seafarers and whales and deserves that
|
| Himba, Damara, Nama and Tswana.
| |
| | morbid name. The problem is the dense
|
| The Africans aside, other groups comprise
| |
| | fogs. And woe to the ship wreck survivor
|
| about 15% of the population and have
| |
| | who expects respite onshore! Ahead is the
|
| played an important role in the emergence
| |
| | Namib Desert, one of the driest and most
|
| of the modern nation. White Namibians
| |
| | unwelcoming places. Adventure travelers
|
| amount to about 120,00 and are mainly of
| |
| | love trekking along the coastline as they
|
| German and Afrikaner heritage. Germans
| |
| | enjoy the stark beauty of the area. To
|
| arrived in significant numbers after 1884
| |
| | the south at Cape Cross, you find a seal
|
| when Bismarck declared the country a
| |
| | colony carrying tens of thousands of
|
| German Protectorate. Afrikaners, white
| |
| | seals. The Skeleton Coast Park covers
|
| farmers of Dutch origin, moved north from
| |
| | 16,400 sq km and begins at 355 km
|
| their Cape settlements, especially after
| |
| | northwest of Windhoek.
|
| the Dutch Cape Colony was ceded to the
| |
| | The Portuguese explorer Diego Cao reached
|
| British in 1806. This strongly
| |
| | this part of the world in the year 1486.
|
| independent people, whose ancestors had
| |
| | He is probably one of the people whose
|
| lived in the Cape from 1652 resented
| |
| | experiences discouraged Europeans from
|
| British control.
| |
| | venturing ashore until the arrival of the
|
| Two other distinct groups complete the
| |
| | Germans 400 years later. Further south is
|
| spectrum of Namibia's people - Basters
| |
| | the Namib-Naukluft National Park, a vast
|
| and Coloureds. Coloured in Namibia and
| |
| | wilderness covering 50,000 sq km. The
|
| southern Africa refers to people of mixed
| |
| | landscape is very diverse and covers
|
| racial heritage, black- white for
| |
| | mountain outcrops, majestic sand dunes,
|
| example. They have a separate identity
| |
| | and deep cut gorges. For really
|
| and culture. This makes sense considering
| |
| | spectacular dunes, the Sossusvlei area is
|
| that Namibia was run by South Africa
| |
| | unsurpassed. Here you have dunes rising
|
| after the First World War. Even in
| |
| | to 300 m! The orange tint giants extend
|
| pre-Apartheid South Africa, racial
| |
| | as far as the horizon and the area has an
|
| classification was a fine art. The
| |
| | unreal, unforgettable atmosphere.
|
| Afrikaans-speaking Basters, descended
| |
| | To the northeast of the country, the
|
| from Hottentot women and Dutch settlers
| |
| | well-watered Kavango and Caprivi Strip
|
| of the Cape. Alienated from both white
| |
| | region offers an unspoilt wilderness
|
| and black communities, they trekked
| |
| | suitable for rugged game viewing and
|
| northwards, finally founding their own
| |
| | camping. The area also promises a feast
|
| town Rehoboth, in 1871. Baster is
| |
| | for bird lovers. Game reserves in the
|
| actually derived from "bastard", but it
| |
| | area include: Kaudom, Caprivi, Mahango,
|
| is not derogatory, and the Basters are
| |
| | Mudumu and Mamili. Poachers did great
|
| indeed proud of it.
| |
| | damage to wildlife during the years of
|
| Namibia's barren and unwelcoming
| |
| | the civil war in neighbouring Angola.
|
| coastlines served as a natural deterrent
| |
| | Animal numbers are however building up
|
| to the ambitions of European explorers.
| |
| | rapidly. Some of the wildlife in the
|
| That was until 1884 when the German
| |
| | region includes leopard, elephant,
|
| merchant Adolf Luderitz established a
| |
| | buffalo, cheetah, lion and various
|
| permanent settlement between the Namib
| |
| | antelope species. The Caprivi Reserve
|
| Desert and the Atlantic seaboard that
| |
| | falls in an area of swamps and flood
|
| afterwards took his name. Bismarck
| |
| | plains. Here you have an opportunity to
|
| subsequently declared the territory
| |
| | partake fishing, hiking, game viewing
|
| covered by Namibia a German colony and
| |
| | safaris and river trips in traditional
|
| named it Südwestafrika or South West
| |
| | mokoro boats.
|
| Africa. As German settlers moved into the
| |
| | In Namibia you can enjoy up to 300 days
|
| interior, conflict was inevitable with
| |
| | of sunshine. The coast is temperate and
|
| the inheritors of the land.
| |
| | thermometers run between 5C-25C. Inland,
|
| The German occupation was a particularly
| |
| | daytime temperatures range from 20C-34C,
|
| unhappy experience for the Herero. The
| |
| | but can rise to 40C in the north and
|
| Herero resented the German's harsh and
| |
| | south of the country. Winter nights can
|
| racist rule and the effect of the
| |
| | be quite cold and frost occurs over large
|
| encroachment on their lands on their
| |
| | parts of the country. The rains inland
|
| livelihood and way of life. On the first
| |
| | fall in summer (November-April) and are
|
| day of the year 1904, the Herero led by
| |
| | heaviest in the Caprivi region. Rains do
|
| Chief Samuel Maharero, rose suddenly and
| |
| | not much affect travel, but beware of
|
| unexpectedly in arms against their
| |
| | flash floods in the vicinity of
|
| colonial overlords. The Nama joined the
| |
| | riverbeds. The best time to travel is
|
| insurrection and the authorities did not
| |
| | over the dry months of March to October,
|
| regain control even after six months of
| |
| | when it is easier to see animals at
|
| trying. Over 100 German settlers and
| |
| | waterholes. It is best to avoid the Namib
|
| soldiers died in the uprising. Historians
| |
| | Desert and Etosha between December and
|
| now consider events that followed to
| |
| | March when it can get unbearably hot.
|
| constitute the first genocide of the
| |
| | Before you travel to this country, make
|
| twentieth century.
| |
| | sure you review our Namibia safari and
|
| Lieutenant General Lothar von Trotha was
| |
| | tour offers.
|
| furnished with a contingent of 14,000
| |
| | You can get by wearing light cottons and
|
| soldiers and tasked to put down the
| |
| | linens in summer. Over winter nights and
|
| rebellion. The governor general of the
| |
| | mornings, you need heavier cottons,
|
| territory was then Rudolph Goering -the
| |
| | warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable
|
| father of Herman Goering, Hitler's right
| |
| | walking shoes are essential, as the
|
| hand man. Lothar von Trotha was a
| |
| | ground gets very hot. Some useful stuff
|
| generation ahead of his time and his kind
| |
| | to pack includes: camera, binoculars,
|
| of thinking was to become government
| |
| | sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen and
|
| policy under the Third Reich. He argued
| |
| | mosquito repellant. Be ready for dusty
|
| that the Herero must be destroyed as a
| |
| | conditions and carry your clothing,
|
| people and he did not wince at the murder
| |
| | equipment and supplies in dust proof
|
| of women or children. At the end of it
| |
| | bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made
|
| all, 100,000 Nama and Herero were killed.
| |
| | of ivory. You may not be allowed to carry
|
| The survivors were herded in
| |
| | them through customs at home. And it also
|
| concentration camps where unspeakable
| |
| | good that you do not encourage the trade
|
| things happened. The Herero fared very
| |
| | in ivory products that keeps poachers
|
| badly and 80% of her people perished. The
| |
| | busy.
|
