Namibia

Namibia, for a long time a relatively undiscovered African country, is becoming an increasingly popular backpacker destination. Namibia boasts a diverse range of beautiful landscapes, fantastic wildlife and a fascinating culture.

Namibia - Windhoek

Namibia is uniquely sandwiched between the contrasting landscapes of the Kalahari Desert and the South Atlantic Sea. The capital of Namibia, Windhoek, is situated in Namibia's Central Highlands. As well as being the capital, Windhoek is the business and commercial centre of Namibia and its 160,000 population reflects Namibia's strong ethnic mix. Windhoek is also where Namibia's international airport is situated. Travellers arriving in to Namibia might be surprised by Windhoek's climate, which, because of its highland position, is generally quite refreshing. This climate also blesses Namibia's capital with substantial annual rainfall and, consequently, some beautifully lush tropical gardens.

Namibia - Fish River Canyon

A highlight for any visitor to Namibia is the Fish River Canyon in southern Namibia. The huge canyon is 99 miles long and 17 miles wide. Most of the canyon falls within Fish River National Park and the scenery here is amongst Namibia's most spectacular.

Namibia - Etosha National Park

Namibia's Etosha Park, northwest of Windhoek, is one of Southern Africa's finest game reserves and is a wonderful place to view wildlife. Covering nearly 8000 square miles, Etosha is home to a wide range of Namibia's wildlife. It is home to 114 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species and, surprisingly, just one species of fish! Travellers in Namibia who visit Etosha can expect to see elephant, giraffe, rhino and lions relatively frequently and also - if they're lucky - leopard and cheetah.

Namibia - Sossusvlei

A huge area of sand dunes, in excess of 12,000 square miles, covers much of western Namibia. Sossusvlei is a huge pan in the middle of these towering red sand dunes that can reach heights of up to 325 metres. This area of Namibia is one of the oldest and driest ecosystems on earth and the beautifully mysterious landscape constantly alters its shape and colour with the changes in wind direction and position of the sun.

Namibia - Noah's Ark If you'd like to get involved with a rewarding volunteer project during your time in Namibia, then the Noah's Ark Wildlife Conservation Namibia is an ideal option. Located in Namibia's Omaheke region 250km from Windhoek, Noah's Ark is a family-run animal sanctuary for injured or orphaned wildlife. The project offers the chance to get some hands-on experience helping many different species of Namibia's wildlife. Noah's Ark operates a policy of never turning an animal away and, if you want to put ‘something back' during your stay in Namibia, this is an ideal project with which to get involved.