Namibia by Ian

March 2009

As Wildernesses go, Namibia is right up there. It’s a massive country and has only 2 million people, so there’s an awful lot of open spaces, which is hardly surprising when you consider it’s largely covered in the Kalahari and Namib deserts. My expectations were of red sand, dramatic sunrises and sunsets and the chance to view game animals eking out an existence in harsh conditions. To find out the reality, I’ve joined a small group 10 day camping tour, travelling in a sturdy overland vehicle and heading North of the capital Windhoek.  

What I’m experiencing is a surprise. It’s refreshing to visit a country in Southern Africa where English is not always the first language spoken – Afrikaans and Germany are often more prevalent. It’s a young country as well – only independent in 1994, they clearly have a soft spot for the ‘revolutionary brothers’ that helped in the independence struggle – Mr Castro and Mr Mugabe both have streets named after them in Windhoek.

In March, the wet season is just ending, so the desert is greening and flowers are abundant. There is a positive explosion of colour at the base of the famous Sossusvlei sand dunes. Water is abundant, so the animals have spread out across Etosha Park, and aren’t as concentrated around the famous floodlit water holes as they are in the dry winter months. It is very hot – over 40C on many days. On the Angolan border, we look out over the impressive, but largely unknown Epupa Falls – it’s now close to 50C out of the shade. Next time, I’ll go back in the Winter months – June to October is ideal.

The main roads are mostly excellent – Namibia is a great self-drive destination, just remember to take plenty of water and spares as it can be a long way between the (equally good) service stations. Most major roads cross dry river beds every few kilometres, so travelling in a vehicle with a well maintained suspension is a must. At one particularly remote point, we get bogged down in a crossing which has filled with deep sand. Our driver and guide seem relaxed, and for a reason - to our amazement, locals appear from under the shade of nearly trees to help push us out. Much good natured joking and an impromptu game of Frisbee ensues. Supermarkets are well stocked and nothing seems to be a hassle. Bizarrely, my cellphone seems to work perfectly everywhere, even in the middle of nowhere (which I admit is not necessarily a good thing when on holiday); but is indicative of the sense I had of a well-run country with excellent tourist infrastructure.

Visiting the Himba people in dramatic North Western region of Darmaraland has been a highlight. Far from being the ‘human zoo’ experience that dubious ‘cultural encounters’ can sometimes be, we were welcomed warmly into the village and invited to learn more about their customs and way of life. I came away with a feeling that this community was thriving and could teach us a lot about sustainable living!  

However, the absolute highlight for me was our quad biking excursion out of the seaside town of Swakopmund. For two hours we happily zoomed up and down the (fairly steep) faces of some of the world’s highest sand-dunes; easily the best way of exploring a landscape that could have been straight out of “Star Wars”. I’m still grinning!

Namibia would make an ideal destination for a second time visit to Africa – it’s not got quite the iconic game viewing opportunities that say Botswana or South Africa offers, but the extraordinary scenery more than makes up for this. Photographers love Namibia; now I can see why.