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Swakopmund
Swakopmund is a city on the Atlantic coast of north-western Namibia, 280 km (175 miles) west of Windhoek, Namibia's capital. As a seaside resort, the weather
is cooler here in December to January (Namibia's summer months). The Swakopmund Hotel is situated in Swakopmund.
Swakopmund is a beach resort and an excellently preserved example of German colonial architecture. It was founded in 1892 as the main harbour for German South
West Africa. It is one of the few places anywhere outside of Europe where a sizable minority of the population speaks German and has German roots.
Buildings in the city include the Altes Gefängnis prison, designed by Heinrich Bause in 1909. The Wörmannhaus, built in 1906 with a prominent tower, is now a
public library.
Attractions in Swakopmund include a transport museum, the National Marine Aquarium, a crystal gallery and spectacular sand dunes near Langstrand south of the
Swakop River. Outside of the city, the Rossmund Desert Golf Course is one of only 5 all-grass desert golf courses in the world. The city is known for
extreme sports. Nearby lies a camel farm and the Martin Luther steam locomotive, dating from 1896 and abandoned in the desert.
Damaraland
Damaraland was a name given to the north-central part of what later became Namibia. It is inhabited by Herero-speaking people, who in the 19th century
were often referred to by outsiders as "Damaras". It was bounded roughly by Ovamboland in the north, the Namib Desert in the west, the Kalahari Desert
in the east and Windhoek in the south.
Guests can see species such as desert adapted elephants, desert black rhino, gemsbok, kudu, desert adapted giraffe, springbok, hartmann’s mountain
zebra and occasionally cheetah.
Dora Nawas Camp is situated in the Damaraland area.
NamibRand Nature Reserve
The NamibRand’s diversity of landscapes represents virtually all facets of the Namib Desert and with almost 200,000 ha it is Namibia’s largest
private conservation area. To the west it borders on Namib Naukluft Park, while the Nubib Mountain range forms the eastern boundary.
Wolwedans Boulders Camp, Wolwedans Dunes Lodge and the Wolwedans Mountain
View Suite are situated in this area.
Visitors to the reserve are more than likely to encounter gemsbok (oryx), hyena, hartebeest, zebra and some of the more than 120 different bird
species recorded.
The mysterious 'fairy circles' are a ubiquitous feature of the NamibRand.
Sossusvlei
The main attraction of the southern region is the spectacular Sossusvlei, a clay pan formed when the shifting dunes of the Namib smothered the course
of the Tsauchab River. Surrounded by majestic star-shaped dunes and curvaceous lines; the pan and surrounding dunes are especially breathtaking in
the early morning hours.
The massive Sossusvlei dunes rise dramatically, more than 300 metres above the surrounding plains and are surrounded by rugged, ancient volcanic
mountains.
The pan can be dry for up to a decade, but after heavy floods, it can hold water for almost a year. Nearby is the spectacular Dead Vlei with its
pure white clay floor and dead camel thorn tree trunks reaching skyward.
Guests can experience springbok, gemsbok, ostrich, bat-eared fox, cape fox and black-backed jackals.
Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge and Little Kulala are situated in this area.
Skeleton Coast
The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean coast of Namibia and south of Angola from the Kunene River south to the Swakop River,
although it is sometimes used to describe the entire Namib Desert coast. The Bushmen of the Namibian interior called it the region "The Land God Made
in Anger", while Portuguese sailors once referred to it as "The Gates of Hell".
The coast is named for the bleached whale and seal bones which covered the shore when the whaling industry was still active, as well as the skeletal
shipwrecks caused by rocks offshore in the fog. More than a thousand vessels of various sizes and areas litter the coast. Notable wrecks in the region
include the Eduard Bohlen, the Otavi, the Dunedin Star and Tong Taw.
The coast is generally flat, occasionally relieved by rocky outcrops. The southern section consists of gravel plains, while north of Terrace Bay the
landscape is dominated by high sand dunes.
Evidence of some human occupation, in the form of the Strandloper people in the past, is evidenced by shell middens of white mussels found in portions
of the Skeleton Coast.
Namibia has declared the 16 000 km2 (6,200 mi2) Skeleton Coast National Park over much of the area, from the Ugab River to the Kunene. The northern
half of the park is a designated wilderness area. Notable features here are the clay castles of the Hoarisib, the Agate Mountain salt pans and the
large seal colony at Cape Fria. The remainder of the coast is the National West Coast Recreation Area. The riverbeds further inland are home to
baboons, giraffes, lions, black rhinoceros and springbok.
Skeleton Coast Camp is situated in the Skeleton Coast Park.
The Kunene River
The Kunene River originates in the Angolan highlands and for 350 km forms the border between north-west Namibia and its northern neighbour. It is
one of the few perennial rivers in Namibia. In contrast to the Orange River in the south, the Kunene is still inhabited by crocodiles.
Serra Cafema is situated in this area.
The Kunene meanders through rocky terrain, is torrential in places and becomes a rather wide stream when it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Because of
its flora and fauna the estuary is strictly protected; amongst others, two rare types of turtle come ashore to deposit their eggs.
The Etosha National Park
The Etosha National Park, the third largest in Africa, owes its unique landscape to the Etosha Pan, a vast shallow depression of approximately
5 000 square kilometres. A series of waterholes along the southern edge of the pan guarantee rewarding and often spectacular game viewing. The area has
about 30 springs and waterholes that provide excellent game viewing and photographic opportunities. Ongava Lodge
and Little Ongava are situated in this area.
114 Mammal species are found in the Etosha National Park, several are rare and endangered such as the black rhinoceros and black-faced impala.
Etosha's elephants are the largest in Africa, the tallest measure up to 4 metres. Blue wildebeest, zebra, hyena, lions, cheetah, leopard, giraffe,
antelope species and about 340 bird species are also found in the area.
Namibia’s Climate
The cold Benguela current keeps the coast of the Namib Desert cool, damp and free of rain for most of the year, with a thick coastal fog. Inland,
rain falls in summer. Summer temperatures are high while the altitude means that nights are cool. Winter nights can be fairly cold, but days are
generally warm and pleasant.
During winter (May to September) the temperatures in the interior range from 18°C to 25°C during the day. Below freezing temperatures and ground
frost are common at night.
During summer (October to April) the average interior temperatures range from 20°C to 34°C during the day. Temperatures above 40°C are often
recorded in the extreme north and south of the country. The coast influenced by the cold Benguela current, boasts a relatively stable range of
15°C to 25°C. Heavy fog is fairly common at night.
Humidity is generally very low in most parts of Namibia, but can reach as high as 80% in the extreme north during summer. The rainy season is
from October to April. The average annual rainfall varies from less than 50 mm along the coast to 350 mm in the central interior and 700 mm
in the Caprivi.
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