Namibia

Namibia is world-renowned for its breath-taking and unspoilt scenic beauty, endless horizons, towering sand dunes, the tales of survival and adventure along the wild Skeleton Coast, diverse and fascinating peoples and its desert-adapted wildlife living against a wonderfully photogenic backdrop.

At almost four times the size of Great Britain, Namibia brings to mind the vast Namib and Kalahari deserts with desert-adapted wildlife such as oryx, ostrich, desert adapted elephants and rhinoceros but, in the far north, the wetlands and lush savannah around the Kavango, Kwando, Linyanti, Chobe and Zambezi river systems provide an additional highly contrasting element to a visit with wetland species such as hippopotamus and Nile crocodiles as well as being a birding paradise.

The majority of rivers in Namibia are ephemeral and flow briefly only after heavy rain in their catchment areas. The normally dry riverbeds and some localised springs support vegetation and wildlife are attracted from miles around to these ‘linear oases’. Water may also stand for short periods in shallow clay or limestone depressions, such as the enormous Etosha Pan. Such is the attraction of those relatively wet areas, multiple species of wildlife can be seen gathered there, especially in dry season.

Namibia is home to over 250 mammals including desert-adapted endemic subspecies. Namibia is famous for its desert elephants which roam cross miles of desert to reach water and vegetation. Both black and white rhino can be found - including the largest free-ranging population of black rhino in Africa.

Hartmann’s mountain and plains (or Burchell’s) zebras thrive in Namibia, and its antelope species range from the tiny Damara dik dik, through springbok, impala and the majestic gemsbok (or oryx - Namibia’s national animal) to Africa’s largest, the eland. It is notably the only Southern African country to support two species of impala (common and black-faced).

Giraffe and blue wildebeest are common in Etosha National Park, providing prey for lion, leopard and cheetah. Wild dogs are critically endangered in Namibia and found only in the Caprivi Strip. The far north-east holds wetland and woodland species such as hippopotamus, Nile crocodile, buffalo and roan, sable, tsessebe, sitatunga and red lechwe antelopes.

Namibia is rich in bird life, with around 660 species (around 72% of all southern African species) with 16 endemic and near-endemics, mostly found in the arid highlands and in the Namib Desert, from the Naukluft mountains northwards to the Kunene River on the Angola border. The greatest variety of bird species of Namibia are found in the wetlands and woodland of the Caprivi Strip – particularly diverse in wet season with the arrival of migrants.

The marine life of Namibia is also special, with the diminutive Benguela (or Heaviside's) dolphin (endemic to southern Africa) inhabiting inshore waters along the Atlantic coast with the highest density off southern Namibia. Along with bottlenose dolphins and other cetaceans, they can be seen on cruises from Walvis Bay and Lüderitz.

Various colonies of Cape fur seals inhabit the Skeleton Coast, with the largest in Southern Africa living at Cape Cross, north of Swakopmund, with over 270,000 seals!

In addition to the fabulous wildlife, Namibia’s geological history and diverse and friendly cultural groups such as the nomadic Himba, San ‘bushmen’ and many more, with 28 indigenous languages including the Khoisan ‘click’ languages add a fascinating extra dimension to this special destination.

STYLE OF TRAVEL: GUIDED SAFARI VS SELF DRIVE VS FLY-IN SAFARI

Namibia can be visited in various different ways, depending on your time, budget, sense of adventure and thirst for knowledge. Distances by road tend to be large and, this being one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, you often find yourself in the middle of the middle of nowhere, surrounded by unspoilt wilderness and endless horizons, with no other vehicle or person in sight for hours! It is a fantastic adventure in a self-drive vehicle, but your understanding of your surroundings (and your level of relaxation) will be greatly enhanced by a qualified private driver-guide. Roads (sealed, gravel and salt) are well-maintained and directions on usual routes are quite straightforward - there may be only one junction for several hundred kilometres! The self-drive challenge primarily comes in the form of keeping ones concentration on seemingly endless straight roads, whilst resisting the temptation to speed! This is another advantage of a guided safari where your guide will be used to such driving conditions and will concentrate on the road, allowing you to fully enjoy your spectacular surroundings.

If you have limited time, or simply wish to enjoy the luxury of flying between locations (with the added benefit of sublime views!) fly-in safaris work very well indeed. Lodges often have their own air-strips, enabling you to cover great distances and experience a variety of locations in a short space of time.

The above styles can be combined within an itinerary to give the best possible experience to suit you perfectly.

PLEASE NOTE: Our guided safaris tend to include all meals, selected drinks whilst on your private vehicle, park fees and permits, fuel etc - as well as a highly qualified and informative guide who will add immeasurable value to your experience. The price paid upfront is higher than for self-drive tours but they are fantastic value and there is often very little else to pay once in Namibia.

SUGGESTED ITINERARIES

	Classic Namibia Circuit – With Private Guide A classic Namibia tour with expert driver-guide, showing off the breathtaking diversity of landscapes in Namibia and its desert-adapted animals and flora, including the Namib Desert, coast, Damaraland, central to east Etosha National Park and Okonjima / AfriCat. From £5525.

	Guided Highlights of Namibia in Comfort Highlights of Namibia with private guide. Sossusvlei, coast, Damaraland, Twyfelfontein, Himba community, west to east Etosha National Park and Okonjima / AfriCat. From £5880.

	Complete Namibia Road Trip Adventure - On a Budget A self-drive itinerary of outstanding value and breadth, including Etosha, Damaraland, Swakopmund, Namib and Kalahari deserts, and the far south: Lüderitz, Fish River Canyon. From £2820.

	Wonderful Wildlife and Nature of Namibia - Self-Drive Our most popular self-drive tour of Namibia, including the Namib Desert, Swakopmund, Damaraland, Etosha National Park and Okonjima / AfriCat. From £3155.

	Super-Scenic Namibian Wildlife Safari Deluxe An exclusive itinerary allows vistas of Namibia's immense beauty from both ground level and from the air. NamibRand, Namib Desert dune sea, desert-adapted rhinos, Damaraland, Ongava Private Game Reserve, Etosha and Okonjima / AfriCat. From £6920.

	Desert Wildlife & Wilderness of Namibia in Style This classy guided-drive / fly-in itinerary will show you the very best of Namibia's wildlife and ridiculously stunning scenery! First the Erongo Mountains, then Damaraland, Desert Rhino Camp, Skeleton Coast. Etosha and Ongava. From £8195.

	A Luxury Honeymoon in Namibia A well-deserved indulgence for honeymooners or those who simply feel they're worth it! Combining scenic flights with guided drives. Includes Wolwedans, Sossusvlei Namib Desert dune sea, Damaraland, Ongava, Etosha and Okonjima / AfriCat. From £7795.

	Namibian Wilderness Extravaganza by Air This fly-in safari exclusively using Wilderness Safaris properties will fly you to the Namib Naukluft Park, over the Namib Desert dune sea to the coast, to Damaraland, the Palmwag Concession, over the Skeleton Coast to the Kunene region, then to Ongava and Etosha. From £7460.

	A Comfortable Camping Safari in Stunning Namibia A privately guided safari using fully catered mobile camps interspersed with the occasional lodge, covering the highlights of Namibia. Okonjima and Etosha National Park, a Himba community, Damaraland, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Sossusvlei. From £5995.

	Namibia's Superlative Wildlife, Cultural & Scenic Diversity An expertly guided itinerary concentrating on Namibia's cultures as well as its wildlife and scenery. Includes Okonjima / AfriCat, Bushmanland (San), Etosha, Himba, Etendeka Plateau, Damaraland, Twyfelfontein, and scenic flight along the coast and vast dune sea to Sossusvlei. From £7115.

	Walking, Wildlife & Wilderness - Self-Drive Immerse into the Namibian natural world by exploring on foot. This active self-drive itinerary includes hiking in the Otavi and Erongo Mountains, Sossusvlei and NamibRand Nature Reserve, as well as safari in Etosha and the coast at Swakopmund. From £4030.

SMALL GROUP TOURS & SET DEPARTURES

We offer Small Group Tours / Set Departures to Namibia for those who enjoy travelling together with like-minded people.

WHEN TO GO

The Namibian climate varies from arid and semi-arid to subtropical in the far north-east, with a great variation in degree of rainfall depending on the location – however all areas experience over 300 days of sunshine per year on average (many Namibians are envious of the UK’s more unpredictable weather!).

The hottest months in Namibia are November to February when temperatures can soar over 40 degrees Celsius in the Namib Desert and extreme north and south of Namibia, but night times are pleasantly cool. Winter temperatures tend to be pleasantly warm in the day time and can drop to sub-zero at night in desert areas. Coastal temperatures are largely influenced by wind direction, with the prevailing south-westerly winds - cooled by travelling over the sea’s chilly Benguela current - often forming a thick band of coastal fog when it meets the hotter air of the Namib Desert. In contrast, easterly winds can bring dust storms and sweltering heat from the desert which, oddly, means coastal areas often experience their hottest days in mid-winter!

Namibia welcomes its limited rainfall during the summer months of October to April when humidity increases and localised evening downpours develop in the central and eastern areas. Flash floods are common, saturating the usually dry riverbeds and hamper road crossings – drivers must exercise caution during this period. Generally speaking, it rains less as one progresses from north to south and from east to west. Average annual rainfall varies from less than 50mm along the coast to 350mm in the central interior and 700mm in the Caprivi (north-east). Humidity tends to be very low throughout most of Namibia, but can reach as high as 80% in the far north during summer.

Wildlife congregates in large numbers at waterholes in the drier months (July-October) making this an extremely popular time to travel. Accommodation fills several months in advance and high season rates apply. Conversely, many lodges offer much lower ‘Green Season’ rates in the less popular summer months (January-March). Scenically, April to June are very beautiful for the flora that result from the proceeding wetter months and for the autumnal colours in some regions, and lower visitor numbers increase the sense of space and wilderness.