etosha / namib naukluft / sossusvlei / swakop / damaraland / kaokoland / Skeleton coast / luderitz / fish river / kalahari / waterberg plateau / bushmanland / caprivi / windhoek
MAP OF these AREAS

Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park is one of Africa's great parks, at one time the largest in the world, due to political reasons the size was reduced in the 1960’s.  With a size of 22,270sq km, which is larger than Switzerland, it is most probably Namibia’s premier destination.  Part of Etosha’s unique landscape is the 5,000sq km shallow depression known as Etosha Pan, formed when the Kunene River was diverted to the sea during a great continental upheaval around 2 million years ago.  During a good rainy season the pan fills with water, which drains from Angola via a delta like network of oshanas and shallow riverbeds, and once again the pan becomes a vast lake for a short space of time.  Once winter arrives the pan dries up again leaving white cracked mud as far as the eye can see. 
There are a series of waterholes along the edge of the pan which guarantee amazing game viewing, spending time just relaxing at a waterhole can lead to some of the most spectacular concentrations of every imaginable species you could hope to see.  The park has over 100 species of mammal, 340 species of birds and, of course, a multitude of smaller reptiles, invertebrates and bugs, all of which contribute to this place we call Etosha.  The most important thing you need to bring with you to this wonderful place is patience, great rewards will come to those who are prepared to wait patiently. 
Etosha, by comparison to the other great parks of Africa, is an undiscovered gem. There are several private reserves bordering on the park’s boundaries, most have comfortable accommodation and offer game drives into the park as well as on their own land. There are only three places to stay inside the park, the Namutoni, Okaukuejo and Halali resorts, run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts, each site overlooks a waterhole and the pan.  Next to Etosha Pan is Fischer's Pan, during the rainy season it is often filled with water and is an excellent bird watching site. To the west of Okaukuejo is an unusual stand of Moringa trees called The Phantom Forest, Moringa trees are usually found on rocky hillsides, hence the name for the inexplicable presence of the trees on a sandy plain.
If you spend some time at the waterholes the game you are likely to see, at close quarters, includes rhino, black-faced impala and Damara dik-dik, you will also see fairly large numbers of gemsbok and springbok.  In addition species that will also be spotted include elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, caracal, brown and spotted hyena, eland, roan, kudu, wildebeest, red hartebeest, Burchell's plains zebra, and black-backed jackal. Hartman's mountain zebra can be seen in the west.
If you are more interested in bird life the park is an excellent place to spend some time, particularly after good rains when up to a million flamingos may congregate in the pan. Etosha is one of only two places in southern Africa where blue cranes and greater and lesser flamingos breed. Ostriches, kori bustards, black korhaans and secretary birds are easily spotted around the pan.  For the more dedicated bird watcher there several special species including Rüppell's bustard, Caspian plover, violet wood-hoopoe, pygmy and red-necked falcons and the pink-billed lark. Raptors are common with many species recorded including the Bateleur, martial, Wahlberg's and tawny eagles; and Egyptian, African white-backed and lappet-faced vultures.
Etosha National Park is an exceptional setting, the waterholes allow for magnificent but unobtrusive close-ups and dramatic wide angles of many species in the same location.  The saltpan lends itself to an incredible backdrop of shimmering white beneath a parched blue sky.
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Namib-Naukluft Park

People encountering a desert for the first time have very varied reactions, many find it threatening, some try to like it but find nothing of interest.  These are the ones who miss out on a fascinating experience.  Look beyond the surface of the desert and see more than just a sandy, arid stretch of land.  Covering around 50,000sq km the Namib-Naukluft Park is one of the largest conservancies in Africa, protecting one of the world’s oldest deserts, South America is the only other country to have a desert of a similar age.  The scenery here is stunning, take time to see and experience the stillness, the stark beauty and spectacular changing patterns.  Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon are well known but they are only a fraction of what the Namib Naukluft offers.  The Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park was proclaimed in 1968 to protect a rare breeding herd of endemic Hartmann's mountain zebra and then in 1979 additional land was purchased forming a corridor, which allowed gemsbok, zebra and other game to migrate into the Namib National Park.  The two reserves were then amalgamated into the Namib Naukluft Park.  Covering approx 2,100sq km, the NamibRand reserve south of Sesriem is one of the largest private reserves in Africa.  It shares a border of about 100km with the Namib Naukluft on the west and runs east to the Nubib Mountains.  This is a spectacular area of desert with a variety of landscapes and environments.

The Namib Desert supports around 650 plant species, a quarter of all Namibian flora, the welwitschia is an ancient tree that is a family, genus and species combined. Discover beetles, dancing lizards, burrowing geckos, desert adders, wild ostriches, water-carrying Namaqua sand grouse and golden moles.   Mammals in the park include Hartmann's mountain zebra, gemsbok, klipspringer, leopard, baboon, African wildcat, caracal and aardwolf, all of these species have adapted to the conditions in which they live.  In the northern most section of the park you will come across the Welwitschia Drive, this follows a circular route with beacons signalling where you will find specimens of this fascinating plant.  There you will also see lichen fields, dollar bushes, the moonscape and some interesting historical and geological sites.
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Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei the entrance to the great sea of sand with its outstanding dunes, some of which are among the largest in the world.  This is where the Namib Desert looks like most people’s image of a desert.  Star dunes with up to five crests can rise to 300m, the valleys between are marked by vast clay pans where the Tsauchab River used to flow, over 60,000 years ago, the encroaching dunes prevented the ephemeral river from reaching the sea just 50km from the coast.
Sossusvlei is just one of four pans in among the dunes, the others are Dead Vlei, named for the petrified camel thorn trees that survived for a few hundred years after the dunes blocked the river, Hidden Vlei a barren amphitheatre some distance beyond Dead vlei and !Nara Vlei, where endemic !Nara bushes eke an existence from the scarce water that occasionally makes it down from the Naukluft Mountains. To protect this fragile wilderness, only day trips are allowed into Sossusvlei.  The best time to visit the dunes is early morning, getting there at sunrise when the dunes are showing so many colours and the sky so blue you will think it a mirage.  At sunset allow yourself time to climb Elim dune to appreciate the difference in perspective.
Situated at the entrance to Sossusvlei, Sesriem Canyon is a narrow gorge created by erosion, about 1km in length and 30-40m deep, it gets it’s name from early explorers who tied together 6 (ses) lengths of leather thongs, known as riems, to draw water from the bottom of the gorge. The canyon is usually filled with pools of water and is much cooler than the heat of the dunes. 
Make sure that you allow time for photography, avoid the mid-day haze by getting an early start and go out again at sunset to make the most of the surreal shapes, colours, textures and landscapes that are accentuated by the ancient trees and desert-adapted wildlife like gemsbok, springbok and ostrich. Plants and birds are the dominant life form in this desiccated realm and they support a tiny world of mammals, reptiles and insects that, in the absence of coastal fog, seldom wander far from the river course and its pans.
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Swakopmund and Walvis Bay

When the British annexed the natural harbour of Walvis Bay, Germany was left with no option but to find a new port. They chose an area north of the Swakop River for want of a better location and set to work building a port.  The jetty they built still remains a Swakopmund landmark although major renovation has been necessary for it’s survival.  As a port, however, it was a failure and luckily so for Swakopmund development into the charming town that it is today.
With the failure of the port, the town's early growth spurt, with typically German art nouveau and neo-Gothic styles, faltered early in the 20th century.  With the completion of a tar road connecting it to the highlands of Namibia and thousands of affluent Windhoek residents the town has developed into a delightful seaside resort. The old parts still remain a charming relic of times gone by, despite modern buildings and houses being erected at a tremendous pace. Swakopmund has many interesting German-influenced buildings from the early 1900s in a variety of styles: Kaiserliches Bezirksgericht, or State House, Woermann Haus and Damara Tower, the Kaserne, the neo-baroque Lutheran Church and Haus Hohnezollern - reputedly a brothel in its hey day.  The old Bahnhof still remains although it has been converted into a hotel, fortunately retaining the original style.  The Swakopmund Museum has displays of archaeology, ethnology, flora, fauna, history and mining and the Marine Museum with its underwater tunnel, is an incredible display of inshore reef marine life, coastal birds and a cross-section of the Benguela Current.
Just 35km from Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, on the other hand, is one of only two natural harbours on a coastline almost 1600km long, the other is Lüderitz.  This has guaranteed the bustling town a steady maritime trade and a host of industrial offshoots.  Despite the industrialisation of the town there is still the beautiful lagoon area with a massive population of seabirds and shorebirds.
Walvis Bay is famous for its wetland birds, the greater wetlands area consists of the tidal lagoon, man-made saltpans and an arm of sand that ends at Pelican Point. The Walvis Bay lagoon has been recognised by the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. The bay supports over 40 species of bird and its population exceeds 150,000 - the greatest concentration of shorebirds and seabirds in southern Africa. Half are intra-African migrants, just under half are Palearctic migrants and the remainder coastal residents.  South of the town and virtually inaccessible is the impressive Sandwich Bay, which also has a massive population of wetland birds.  Inland from Walvis Bay you will find the Namib-Naukluft Park where the main local attractions are the Kuiseb Delta, its river course and canyon.
Swakopmund and Walvis Bay have very many adventure activities available, suited for families, sedate older visitors and the adrenalin junkie.  Among the many activities available, marine cruises, desert tours, quad biking, sand boarding and skydiving.
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Damaraland

Southern Damaraland covers the area from Swakopmund to the Huab River and has many geological and historical attractions. The land rises slowly up towards the great escarpment and volcanic peaks break up the endless plains.  The area is divided into several concessions, that support most species of Namibia's large game and provide some of the best birding and wildlife experiences in the country.
Rising sheer and jagged from the barren plains of the inner Namib Desert are giant inselbergs (from the German for island mountain) that were formed millions of years ago.  Surrounded by gravel plains these isolated mountains have their own flora and fauna.  Many of these inselbergs are high enough to collect moisture from fog which sustains succulents and aloes and whole communities of invertebrates. Spitzkoppe and the Brandberg Massif are the most impressive of these, in addition to being the highest peak in the country, the Brandberg has the allure of ancient rock paintings and the well documented White Lady of Brandberg.  You will also find two large volcanic craters, again millions of years old and, at 22km across, Messum Crater is an astonishing sight. Most of its outer ring has eroded away but you will find fascinating rock formations and ancient plants such as the welwitschia, a variety of lichens, lithops and other desert-adapted flora.  The Doros crater, northwest of Brandberg, has interesting geology and shows signs of early inhabitants.  Vingerklip, a well known landmark in the area, is a striking pinnacle of rock in an area of flat topped mountains, reminiscent of Arizona.  These are the remains of an ancient lava flow which has now been much eroded.
The slopes above Twyfelfontein, which means Fountain of Doubt, contain the most impressive collection of Stone Age petroglyphs in Namibia. The engravings have not been dated but occupation of the area goes back at least 6000 years.  The Organ Pipes, near Twyfelfontein, are a series of dolerite pipes, formed many millions of years ago, that actually do resemble organs pipes, hence the name.  Near to the Organ Pipes you will find   Burnt Mountain, during the day this is just a dull grey piece of rock but be there early in the morning for sunrise or late in the day when the sun is setting the mountain glows and appears to be on fire.  Over 200 million years ago, a great flood swept enormous trees into the desert. These trees were fossilised by the sand and formed what is now a Petrified Forest.
Northern Damaraland up to the Hoanib River and rising to the Etendeka Plateau has the greatest concentration of game; the ground becomes more vegetated as you move northeast towards the Etosha National Park. The famous desert elephants traverse this vast dry land in search of water, you will also, if you are very lucky, find rhino.  Several species of mammal thrive here, as do many species of bird. Northern Damaraland's hilly savannah supports a large number of species including lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, eland, kudu, giraffe, klipspringer, steenbok, gemsbok and springbok. Bird life is prolific with over 33 raptors recorded including cuckoo hawks, Egyptian vultures and peregrine falcons.
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 Kaokoland

The Kaokoveld is probably Namibia’s least inhabited area, stretching from the coastal desert plain and rising into a wild and rugged landscape Kaokoland is a succession of hills and mountains punctuated by endless plains. Very few people live in this harsh land, the Himba people, who continue to live in this area, remain largely unchanged and continue with their traditions of centuries.  They are a very proud people, traditional pastoralists who rely on their hardy cattle and goats for survival and are one of the few peoples that have retained their fascinating traditional garb for every day living.  A coating of goat fat and red mud, ostensibly as protection from the fierce heat of the sun, ensure that this is a people who are noticed. Their cultures, lifestyle and dress have been well documented and they live side by side with the wildlife in the region much like the proud Masai people of Masai Mara in Kenya.
The Kunene is a perennial river that rises in the highlands of Angola and carves its way to the Atlantic along the Namibian\Angola border.  The river course winds between arid hills and wild mountains on both sides, as it meanders along a narrow strip, perhaps only 30m wide, of verdant palm forest lines its path.  At Epupa the river widens before plunging some 35m into a geographical fault, as the river is quite sizeable at this point there is a fair amount of noise as it tumbles down.  Although you cannot compare the falls, in scale, to others in the world, the arid setting in which you find Epupa falls and the sentinel Baobabs, perched precariously atop the chasms, add so much to the surreal aspects of the beauty that you will find this one of the most magical spots in Namibia.  120km east of Epupa are the Ruacana falls, due to the hydroelectric dam further upriver the falls here have been greatly reduced in power, although the area remains a wonderful bird watching spot.
The western valleys, Hartmanns and Marienfluss, are vast wilderness areas, both run north\south bordering on the Kunene in the north.  Marienfluss is more easterly of the two making it less arid than Hartmann’s valley and also more accessible.  Here you will also find Himba settlements and during early morning and evening will probably see many Himbas going about their day to days lives.
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Skeleton Coast

The Skeleton Coast is the northern part of the Namib running from the Swakop River in the south and the Kunene in the north.  Many use the name to describe the entire Namibian coastline that runs the 1,500km from the Orange River in the south to the Kunene River and Angolan Border in the north. The San called the area “The Land God Made in Anger”.  The turbulent Benguela Current causes strong winds, shifting sandbanks and powerful undertows that have led to many a sailor's demise. The shipwrecks along the coast are an eerie testament to the humbling power of nature's force.  Despite its ominous name, given due to the preponderance of bleached bones, in addition to the skeletal shipwrecks that litter the coast, the northern section of the great Namib Desert is full of life and a fascinating place to see.  A coastal road runs through desert like a tightrope, from Swakopmund through the Recreation Area and into the Skeleton Coast Park as far as Terrace Bay, the southern section consists mainly of gravel plains while the northern section is dominated by high sand dunes.  There are a few roads leading inland through the multi-coloured gravel plains, shifting barchans and occasional inselbergs. Beyond Terrace Bay, lies the Skeleton Coast Park, an area of 16,000sq km which covers much of the area from the Ugab river to the Kunene.
Cape Cross, north of Henties Bay, where the first European ‘intentionally’ landed on Namibian soil, is one of the major coastal attractions of the Skeleton Coast. As many as 300,000 seals live and breed here, Fishing along the coast is excellent and there are many fishing camps along the coast, as far as the Ugab River, which marks the southern boundary of the Skeleton Coast Park.  Desert adapted flora and fauna is plentiful, lichens, which are actually a symbiotic relationship of fungi and algae, the unique welwitschia, dollar bushes and whole ecosystems in the linear oases along the dry river courses.  Jackals and brown hyena prey on the seals at Cape Cross and elephant and rhino traverse the eastern parts in search of food and water while giraffe, springbok, baboons and lions may also be found along the riverbeds further inland.
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Luderitz

The only rocky part of the 1,500km Namib coastline and poised between sand and sea, is where you will find Lüderitz, a remote frontier at the very end or the very beginning depending on which way you look at it.  The tarred road to Lüderitz leads through the Koichab Pan to the north and the diamond fields in the south.  This German town of about 25,000 inhabitants was born in 1487 when Bartholemu Dias sailed his little flotilla into the natural bay created by the rocky peninsula. The region fell into German hands after a merchant named Adolf Lüderitz bought the bay and the coastline down to Orange River in 1883. The subsequent discovery of diamonds transformed this German enclave into a thriving port, which was promptly forgotten when richer bounty was discovered way down south in Oranjemund and yet, Lüderitz is a thriving town, an anachronism of 19th century Germany. Its older buildings have towers, turrets, bay windows, gables and steep roofs Goerke Haus, a restored palace, Felsenkirche, a Victorian-Gothic church and the Lüderitz Museum are all beautiful examples.
The ghost town of Kolmanskop is the perfect example of ‘Ghost Town’, an eerie remnant of the diamond era, this sand-filled skeleton of a town about 10km from Lüderitz was once a prosperous community. The alluring Sperrgebiet, or forbidden zone, Agate Beach is about 5km north of Lüderitz and its black sand sparkles with mica and the occasional agate, Elizabeth Bay, 40km south of Lüderitz, with it’s band of diamond-bearing coarse grits and sand, Bogenfels a magnificent rock arch rising 55m above the sea and more ghost towns and abandoned diamond mines.  Feral horses, numbering around 150, have settled near the waterhole at Garub Pan, they have adapted to the harsh climate and roam at will across this awesome landscape.
From Lüderitz, the road to Keetmanshoop has many attractions along the way, not least of which is the Koichab Pan.  Near Aus is the site of flower explosions after the erratic Cape-influenced winter rains, with the timing less predictable than the Namaqualand phenomenon in South Africa, it makes for a far more exciting experience should you be one of the lucky ones.  A similar phenomenon occurs in the lilyveld valley near Maltahöhe, the lilies are endemic to the valley and they bloom for about a week after good rains. February and March are the best times to catch this sight.  Yet another oddity and most likely the explanation, although never accurately proven, as to the origin of the desert horses, is a sandstone fortress called Duwisib Castle.  Built in 1908 by Baron Captain Hans Heinrich von Wolf and designed by Willi Sander the majestic castle, complete with turrets and battlements perches among the rugged hills as if, it were created by the land itself.
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Fish River Canyon

The second largest canyon in the world and the largest in Africa, the Fish River Canyon features a ravine of 160km long, up to 27km wide, and 550m at its deepest.  The ephemeral Fish River, one of a handful that rise in Namibia, began its work creating the canyon million of years ago when tectonic rumblings increased the gradient of the river.  Situated in a very dry and arid region of the country the canyon surprisingly still has pools of water in its depths during the dry season, because of this numerous early signs of inhabitants have been found within the canyon. Hardy wildlife thrives in the unspoilt wilderness of two adjacent nature reserves, Fish River Canyon National Park and the Gondwana Cañon Park.  The Orange River which rises in the highlands of Lesotho and flows all year round into the Atlantic at Oranjemund, forms the southern border with South Africa and flows through the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Peace Park, which joins South Africa's Richtersveld with Ai Ais National Park.  Early this century Ai Ais was used as a base of operations for German forces during their war with the Namas, it became a national monument in 1962.
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Kalahari

Approx 900,000 sq km in size, the Kalahari Desert and surrounding basin of an additional 2,500,000 sq km covers almost the whole of Botswana, a large part of Namibia and reaches into Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa.  An arid to semi arid sandy area, part desert and part plateau although, the Kalahari is not considered to be a true desert.  In the southern Kalahari, attractions are few and very far between, large camel-thorns and shepherd's trees dot the grassy plains with enormous skies and silence your only companions.
The semi-arid plains and dunes support diverse and fascinating plants, birds and animals that have adapted to life in a virtually water-free world. The gemsbok can go for months on end without water and have special blood-cooling systems at the base of their brains. The camel thorn is a large and hardy acacia tree that thrives in sandy soils thanks to a taproot that can extend to three times the tree's height.
The quiver tree, so named after San hunters were observed using its branches to make quivers, is an endemic giant aloe and the quintessential tree of Namibia.  A visit to the Quiver Tree Forestoutside Keetmanshoop will enable you to see these interesting specimens clearly. Near to the forest is the Giants' Playground, an outcrop of balancing Basalt Rocks rising out of the level plains, the Mesosaurus Fossil and Brukkaros, an enormous extinct volcanic crater once home to a heliograph and a Smithsonian observatory.
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Waterberg Plateau

Often missed as people head for the more, well known Etosha National Park, the Waterberg was one of the major turning points in Namibia’s history.  It was here that the Herero lost their last battle with the German forces and they were forced to flee, many lost their lives in the Kalahari as the German army pursued them.  It has been estimated that nearly two thirds of the Herero population died during this period of history. has many game farms and lodges that warrant a visit.  The plateau, a remnant of an enormous ancient plateau, rises 200m above the surrounding plains and creates a diversity of habitats. The Waterberg Plateau Park was declared a reserve in 1972, this area of 405sq km is ecologically diverse and has proved to be a safe environment for some of Namibia’s, once endangered species, so much so that Waterberg is able to supply other Namibian parks with rare animals. The plateau supports open grassland and broad-leafed woodland, several springs provide lush undergrowth and yet another wildlife habitat.  Rare species including white rhino, buffalo, and sable and roan antelope have been introduced to the Waterberg Plateau Park and the existing game includes giraffe, kudu, leopard, hyena and cheetah. 
Several excellent game farms have developed over the years and offer exceptional private safaris, the Cheetah Conservation Fund is an amalgamation of several farms on the western side of the Waterberg Plateau Park. The AfriCat Foundation at Okonjima near Otjiwarongo is part of a luxury lodge/game farm combination where they rehabilitate animals such as cheetah to be re-released into the wild.  60km south of Otjiwarongo, is a series of fossilised dinosaur footprints estimated to be between 150 and 200 million years old and further north, near Grootfontein, is the Hoba Meteorite, the largest meteorite ever found and a huge hunk of metal 1m high and nearly 3m across.
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Bushmanland

The San (Bushmen) are the oldest ethnic group in Namibia having inhabited Southern Africa for an estimated 20.000 years.  Over the years, with the influx of other ethnic groups the San have been forced to move throughout the country, finally settling in Bushmanland, though harsh and inhospitable, this expanse of uncharted wilderness in the northern Kalahari supports communities of San hunter-gatherers and a high concentration of wild animals and birds.  Bushmanland spans 200km between the towns of Tsumeb, Grootfontein and Otavi to the border of Botswana in the east.
The landscape includes open grasslands, pans, dry riverbeds and dense woodlands, moving east, the bush becomes thick and impenetrable with large stands of teak, mopane and leadwood, with a dense ground cover of shrubs.
The San people still live a traditional life as hunters and gatherers, the women collect wild fruits, berries and wild onions rich in starch and the men pursue hunting. The San have a deep understanding of nature and ecology, hey are able to identify hundreds of plant species and are known to be excellent animal trackers.   The San are expert archers, although their bows are relatively small and the range of an arrow tends to be below 25 metres.  The San have to approach their quarry at very close range, a skill that requires the greatest patience and skill.  Once hit by an arrow the prey has no chance of escape, the tips of the reed-shafted arrows are coated with a highly toxic poison, obtained from the larvae of a certain beetle. Great care is taken in the handling of these arrows as the poison is fatal to humans, currently, no one has found an antidote against the San's arrow poison.
The area around Tsumeb, Grootfontein and Otavi has many caves and underground lakes, Lake Otjikoto was one such underground lake many years ago until it's cave in, now it is a spectacular drum-shaped lake with a unique species of fish.  Near Grootfontein is the Hoba Meteorite, a huge hunk of metal weighing about 55 tons, 1m high and nearly 3m across, which remains the largest meteorite ever found.
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Caprivi

The finger of land that slices between Botswana and Zambia to touch Zimbabwe is a sub-tropical paradise of perennial rivers, marshes and woodlands at odds with the parched country to the west.  Attaining its odd shape from the time when borders were allocated during colonial rule, this strip of land covers about 20,000sq km between the Zambezi and Okavango Rivers. A single perennial river alternately named the Kwando, the Linyanti and Chobe also passes through the Caprivi. The Caprivi records the highest rainfall in Namibia - up to 700mm - making this strip of land more like the southern parts of central Africa.
There are three game parks in the Caprivi region, the largest, the Caprivi Game Park covers 5715sq km and extends from the Kavango River in the west to the Kwando River in the east. Trees such as wild seringa, copalwood and Zambezi teak dominate the landscape and while the park is sanctuary to 35 large and numerous small game species, the only animals likely to be seen are elephant, roan and kudu, buffalo. Many bird species have been recorded in west Caprivi numbering over 300, this makes this a perfect place for bird watching. The little visited Mamili National Park is Namibia's equivalent of the Okavango Delta, a watery wonderland of wildlife rich islands, river channels and wetlands, covering approx 320sq km.  Focal points here are Nkasa and Lupala, two large islands in the Kwando/Linyati River. The islands can be reached by road during the dry season but are cut off once the rains arrive.  Mudumu National Park is a 100,959 hectare expanse of dense savannah and mopane woodland with the Kwando River at its western border. 
Wildlife is mostly riverine, with large herds of elephant, buffalo, sable, hippo, impala, red lechwe and tsessebe with occasional sightings of sitatunga, reedbuck, waterbuck and puku. Wild dog roam the area and lion, leopard and hyena can be found on the drier flood plains and savannah woodlands.  The combination of wetlands, flood plains and savannah woodlands supports the greatest diversity of birds in Namibia. Over 430 species have been recorded and the wetlands are a spectacular and scenic birding hotspot.
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Windhoek

The capitol city of Namibia, surrounded by the Auas Mountains and the endless Khomas Hochland, Windhoek spreads out in a wide valley fed by ancient hot springs in the central highlands of Namibia.  The Khoisan used the springs for many years but the first recorded settlement was that of Jan Jonker around 1840. With his death during a cattle raid on the Herero’s to the north the settlement was largely abandoned.  Then in 1890 came the arrival of the Germans, under Major Kurt von Francis they completed the building of their fort the beautiful Alte Feste, Windhoek’s oldest building.  Growth accelerated with the completion of the railway line to Swakopmund in 1902 and Windhoek became a municipality in 1909.  The early years of the century saw many beautiful building constructed, among the building are the Clock Tower, War Memorial, Christus Kirche and of course the Ink Palace (Tintenpalast) now Parliament.  In Windhoek there are many interesting historical buildings, museums, galleries and craft shops, other interesting places to visit are the National Botanical Garden and Meteorite Fountain.  Windhoek’s international airport, Hosea Kutako Airport, has excellent links and regular flights to Europe, South Africa and other African countries.
In the rumpled Khomas Hochland Mountains, 20km outside of Windhoek, is the Daan Viljoen Game Park, a small reserve with thorn trees and dry scrub vegetation it is typical of the central highland area around Windhoek.   Over 200 bird species have been recorded including the white tailed shrike, Damara rockjumper, Montiero’s hornbill and rosy-faced lovebirds.    There are three laid out trails from 3km for the easiest to 32km for a two day hiking trail, you can follow one of three trails through the park looking out for eland, gemsbok, kudu, red hartebeest, impala, mountain zebra, springbok, klipspringer and steenbok.
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