VACATION DETAILS

A haven of rugged beauty, Damaraland is most often visited for its fascinating flora and fauna. Spectacular desert views abound, and desert-adapted elephant, black rhino, zebra and southern giraffe can be found on the vast planes. Safaris, game drives and nature walks are popular activities in the area. Burnt Mountain, Rock Art at Twyfelfontein and the Petrified Forest are popular tourist destinations when visiting Damaraland. Camps and luxury wilderness lodges are the accommodation of choice in the region, providing rustic comforts in the unspoilt wilderness.

Located about 250 mi/400 km north of Windhoek, Etosha Park is Namibia's best-known tourist attraction and one of the most interesting game reserves in the world because of its unusual terrain. Etosha is a combination of dried lake (salt pan) in the north and grasslands, dense brush and open plains in the south.

Etosha means “great white place,” so named because 25% of the country is covered by a huge salt basin that was an inland lake 12 million years ago.

The sun glints off the 6,500-sq-mi/16,835-sq-km salt pan—a dry, flat, shallow, silvery-white depression—providing an eerie backdrop for wild animals moving through the shimmering haze. Dust in the air adds to the mystery: Everything is slightly indistinct, and since mirages are common, we occasionally found ourselves questioning what we'd really seen. It's widely regarded to be a photographer's paradise, especially during the dry winter months, when wildlife congregates around the artificial waterholes that line the pan, allowing for excellent close-up sightings.

Etosha is home to around 100 large mammal species, among them the elephant, giraffe, zebra, leopard, cheetah, lion, kudu, spotted hyena and black-backed jackal. It is the only reserve where you are likely to see the range-restricted black-faced impala (distinguished from the normal impala by the black blaze on its face) and is also an important stronghold for black rhino.

A checklist of 340 bird species found in Etosha includes local specialties such as white-tailed shrike, and an impressive selection of raptors and ground birds such as bustards.

The prime watering holes are on the southern side of the park, but they're only full after the rainy season (December-March). The Kuvelai River, which feeds Etosha, either floods or dries up completely, vanishing into the sand.

The park is open year-round, but the best time to visit, for both climate and the best photos, is August and September. There are three camping/self-catering rest camps with facilities inside the park (Halali, Namutoni and Okaukuejo) and several private lodges just outside. Okaukuejo has a floodlit water hole for nocturnal viewing.

Swakopmund is a city located in the western coast of Namibia.  The town is the fourth largest in Nambia, with a population of 44,725 inhabitants.  There are so many activities and tours available to those looking to visit the city, there are attractions ranging from skydiving, desert safari tours to sandboarding and even hot air balloon adventures.  There are plenty of accommodations around town and you will find a wide range of restaurants serving one of a kind cuisine.

This breathtaking park in southern Namibia near the border with South Africa boasts a 100-mi-/160-km-long canyon (17 mi/27 km across at its widest point) reminiscent of the Grand Canyon in the U.S. Most budget travelers stay at the Al-Ais resort (pleasant hot springs), which is closed October-March because of the heat, but there are also many private midrange and upscale lodges in the area.

Camping is available in nearby Hobas, and there are accommodations in Keetmanshoop, a two-hour drive north. A four-day hiking trail is open May-August for groups of at least three people, but trips must be booked in advance. You can experience the splendid view over the canyon any time of year, but walking to the base is explicitly forbidden unless you are signed up for the full hike. Spend two nights to be sure of a full day's look at the park. 360 mi/580 km south of Windhoek.