Namibia is home to the well-known Etosha Pan, the remains of an ancient lake that is now home to a wide variety of wildlife. When, or rather if, the annual rains fall between January and March, this seemingly dead stretch of land comes to life, flamingos come, sometimes literally in the millions, to feed on the algae and insects that the muddy mud attracts. The pan itself is under the protection of Etosha National Park, one of the largest game reserves in Namibia. The vast area is home to the Big Five and is a prime destination for anyone wanting to experience some good game viewing.
Etosha National Park offers several camps for tourists to stay with the most popular being Okakuyu, Namatoni and Halalli. Within these there are a variety of accommodation options, from camping to bed and breakfast. What makes these camps so special are the water holes around which each one is built. While daytime safaris are obviously recommended, camps have curfews unless it’s an organized overnight game drive with an experienced ranger. However, inside the camp, at night, game can be seen reaching the watering hole less than 100m from where it sleeps. It truly is one of the best vacation experiences you can have. While Etosha National Park is almost certainly the jewel in the crown, it is by no means the beginning and end of all tourist destinations in Namibia.
If you cross the border from South Africa, your first stop should be the Ai-Aisthis Transfrontier Park, which offers a natural hot spring that has become a very popular spa. Wildlife is limited, but if you’re planning a long camping trip, it’s a good way to relax in what could be a hot and dusty few weeks. The accommodation is comfortable and the warm pools are welcome after a long day of driving. Even if you leave early in the morning, when traveling from Cape Town, Ai-Ais is as far as you can cross the border before running out of sunlight.
If Namibia were known for one element, it would certainly be sand, and the most famous icon of sand is the spectacularly red sand dunes. The sand dunes at Sossusvlei have been called the tallest in the world. There are arguments against this, however due to the mobile nature of sand dunes it seems like a moot point to argue. The best time to visit these natural wonders is at sunset and sunrise, this is partly due to the unbearable heat that is experienced in the area at noon, but above all because of the spectacle that occurs when the sun sets and rises against deep red sand. The area’s deep red sand complements the spectacular oranges and reds of the African sunset and provides a photo opportunity like no other in the world.
The Namibian coastline is uniquely beautiful as its rugged and unappealing appearance is what makes it so appealing to so many. Known as the Skeleton Coast, named for the whale bones that used to litter the shoreline when the whaling industry was in full swing, this stretch of coastline is unforgiving and in parts inaccessible. For the dedicated fisherman though this coast offers many rewards. Some of the best sport fishing in the world can be found here. If you’re willing to put in the effort to get there, you’ll have some of the best shore fishing almost to yourself.
