Namibia
Land of Sand & Sea: Extraordinary Wildlife and Landscapes
If you are seeking true solitude, silence, stars, and dramatic naturel beauty, Namibia is right up your alley. Here you will find one of Earth’s most rarified environments. The country’s otherworldly arid landscapes are its defining natural asset. The Namib Desert was formed 55 million years ago and ranks as the oldest desert on the planet (in contrast, the Sahara is just 2-3 million years old). Billions of tiny red sand particles, tumbled for hundreds of thousands of years by the winds of the Namib, have sculpted the highest dunes in the world. Mountains rise abruptly from these immense seas of red sand, and vast horizons are dotted with Shepard trees and the mysterious ‘fairy circles’, creating unforgettably striking scenery. The flight up the renowned Skeleton Coast provides further drama, with shipwrecks scattering the coastline and hyenas and jackals hunting seals and flamingos along the white sand coastline. Namibia’s rare desert animal species include the oryx and brown hyena, found only in Southern Africa’s remote deserts, while the watering holes of Etosha National Park attract a diverse array of more classic African wildlife, from elephants to lions and rhino. The Himba people of Namibia still live their traditional nomadic way of life, traversing ancient routes to find grazing for their goats and cattle. If you love desert, you can’t go wrong with Namibia, and we will help you plan carefully to avoid scalding temperatures and extreme cold.
Map of Namibia Highlights
1. Namib Rand Nature Reserve: Sossusvlei Dunes
2. Skeleton Coast
3. Damaraland
4. Etosha National Park
5. Sossusvlei Sand Dunes of the Namib-Naukluft National Park
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1. Namib Rand Nature Reserve: Sossusvlei Dunes
If you love arid landscapes and the drama of vast expanses, The Namib Rand Nature Reserve is your paradise. Mysterious fairy circles dot the terrain and, while visible during nature drives, are best viewed floating above the sands on an early morning hot air balloon ride. Though studied by hundreds of scientists worldwide for decades, the circles’ origins remain unknown, adding another element of magic to a country filled with mysteries. In the Namib you also find the stark red sand dunes of Sossusvlei, the world's tallest, which tower over 900 feet high. These ever-changing giant mounds of sand delight photographers; their shadows and colors change by the hour from the gold and apricot hues of early morning to the dark purples of sunset. Desert-adapted oryx and springbok are often seen wandering the area, grazing, and searching for water.
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2. Skeleton Coast
Once devastated by war, Gorongosa is now one of the continent’s most inspiring wildlife recovery story. You can explore it on foot, by 4x4, or by canoe, spotting lions, elephants, wild dogs, and more than 400 bird species. The scenery is just as striking as the wildlife: waterfalls, forested hills, and wide savannas stretch dramatically beneath the towering Mount Gorongosa. It is also possible to hike up the mountain, which may remind you of Scotland or New Zealand and other pristine mountain areas.
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3. Damaraland
Drenched in history and known for its beautiful scenery and wildlife, Damaraland has everything a desert fan could dream of, and no crowds. Its extraordinary landscape includes strange cone-shaped hills, kopjes, distant wild mountains, petrified forests, and wonderful rocky outcrops which form natural galleries that ancient peoples utilized as canvases for their artwork and stories. Here you will find one of Africa’s most extensive collections of prehistoric rock art and engravings. The area is famed for its population of endangered black rhino, desert elephant, desert lion, giraffe, spotted hyena, mountain zebra, gemsbok, and other desert-adapted species. Plant life is also extraordinary and found nowhere else.
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4. Etosha National Park
One of Africa’s most spectacular animal sanctuaries, Etosha National Park’s massive, silvery-white salt pans offer a stunning backdrop for an extraordinarily diverse range of wildlife. Namibia’s landscapes may be its biggest attraction but in Etosha, you have the chance to find lion, cheetah, zebra, leopard, oryx, springbok, giraffe, and many other iconic species, all gathering at the park’s numerous watering holes. You might even spot an elephant or two, which, while appearing albino, are actually bathed in white clay to shield themselves from the sun. Witnessing herds of these beautiful ivory-dusted giants is a sight you won’t forget.
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5. Sossusvlei Sand Dunes of the Namib-Naukluft National Park
There’s nothing more dramatic on the planet than the Namib Desert. Here, you find the stark red sands of Sossusvlei, home to the world's tallest dunes, which tower over 900 feet high. These undulating, ever-changing giant mounds of sand delight photographers; their shadows and colors change throughout the day, from the gold and apricot hues of early morning to the dark purples of sunset. Desert-adapted oryx and springbok are often seen wandering the area, grazing, and searching for water.
A Few of Our Favorite Experiences
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Float Above the Dunes
Drift silently above the Namib Desert’s majestic dunes and magical fairy circles below.
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Spot Shipwrecks
Hop aboard a small private plane and fly low over the Skeleton Coast, searching for whales and shipwrecks strewn across the shoreline.
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Discover Ancient Cultures
Experience the culture of the nomadic Himba and San people, two of Africa’s last indigenous peoples.
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Cruise the Dunes
Elevate your adrenaline by racing quad bikes across the desert or “sandboarding” the dunes along the coast.
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Witness Nature's Genius
In the harshest of ecosystems, discover desert adapted flora and fauna that survive solely on the moisture collected from morning dew.
Where We Stay
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Shipwreck Lodge, Natural Selection, Skeleton Coast
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&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, Namib Rand Nature Reserve
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Camp Kipwe, Ultimate Safaris, Damaraland
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Onduli Ridge, Ultimate Safaris, Damaland
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Serra Cafema, Wilderness, Hartmann Valley
