NAMIBIA

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All areas of Namibia are easily accessible by fly-in safari or by road. Distances can be great and many roads are gravel which makes journey times rather lengthy. The ‘Desert Express’ train operates an overnight service each week between Windhoek and Swakopmund.

The capital city of Windhoek is the gateway to the country and is a meeting place between Africa and Europe, the modern and the old. There is still a strong German influence in architecture, cuisine and language. Similarly, the coastal resort of Swakopmund has a wealth of German colonial buildings and street names serve as a reminder of former colonial rulers. Elsewhere the cultures are diverse – from San/Bushmen and Himba people still living their age-old traditional lifestyle to the Herero women with their colourful dress and hat styles.

NAMIB NAUKLUFT PARK
To the south of Windhoek is the Namib Naukluft Park and at over 80 million years is the oldest desert in the world. Another ‘first’ is that it also has the highest sand dunes in the world, rising to over 1,000ft above the desert floor at Sossusvlei. This, together with the nearby Sesriem Canyon, is a ‘Must’ on any itinerary. With such stunning scenery it is a paradise for photographers with extraordinary, ever-changing light and shadows creating a contrast of colours.

FISH RIVER CANYON
Towards the border with South Africa is Fish River Canyon. Awe-inspiring is perhaps an understatement when describing the raw beauty of this gigantic Canyon which stretches 161km and is second in size to the Grand Canyon. The most spectacular section is 65km long and reaches a depth of 549m.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK
Etosha National Park lies in northern Namibia, it is a massive shallow depression which is dry, flat and silvery white for most of the year but home to a wealth of wildlife. This massive saltpan becomes an immense shallow lake in the rainy season, attracting great numbers of flamingos and other water birds. Large herds of springbok, gemsbok, zebra, elephant and lion, can be seen.

DAMARALAND AND KAOKOLAND
These are desolate landscapes full of stark beauty and home to the rare desert elephant and rhino. An amazing sight is the early morning mist formed by the clash of icy Atlantic Ocean and warm desert air drifting inland along the dry rivers and canyons. Around Twyfelfontein are many geological sights such as the organ pipes, the petrified forest and prehistoric rock paintings.

SKELETON COAST
Along the Atlantic Ocean coast is the fabled Skeleton Coast. Many shipwrecks and mammal skeletons can be seen and due to the fragile eco system parts have restricted access. ‘Must-see’sights are the rock formations of the Hoarusib Canyon and the seal colony at Cape Frio. Fly-in safaris to the remote northern section area are available from Windhoek.

WATERBERG PLATEAU PARK
Closer to Windhoek is the Waterberg Plateau Park a unique setting where wildlife lives on an extensive elevated plateau, completely surrounded by steep cliffs rising some 200m above the surrounding sea of African bush. Walking trails and guided tours onto this plateau provide the opportunity of seeing many endangered species. Other places of interest in the southern part of the country are the coastal town of Luderitz, the eerie ghost town of Kolmanskop, the isolated and curious Duwisib Castle built by Baron Hans-Heinrich Von Wolf in 1909 and the Quiver Tree forests around Keetmanshoop.

DESERT EXPRESS
The train operates an overnight journey from Windhoek to Swakopmund on a Friday and departs for the return trip to Windhoek on a Saturday. The 24 sleeping compartments are air conditioned and have their own bathroom with toilet & shower and during the day they are converted into lounges. The restaurant car serves local specialities whilst the lounge car is an ideal place in which to relax. A stop is made in the evening for star gazing in the Namib Desert. On selected dates the train also operates four-day trips to the north and south of the country.