Namibia, located in the south west of Africa, also previously known as South West Africa, gained its independence in March 1990. Namibia’s population is heading towards 3 million and has wide-open spaces, a rich diversity of culture, and plenty to see and do! Let’s look at the greatest wonders of Namibia…. An adventure taken on by the staff of Best Sunbeds UK:
Etosha National Park
Etosha, meaning “great white place” has a salt pan so large that it can be seen from outer space, 5000 square kilometres to be exact! It is also home to four out of the big five, with approximately 114 species of mammal, 340 bird species ranging from flamingos to eagles, and surprisingly 112 species of reptile, including the Anchieta’s Agama. If you manage to see one of these you just might catch it running fast on its hind legs. Quite a cool sight…..
Not only is Etosha known for spectacular game and wide-open land, the waterholes are also quite a hit! There are natural springs, fountains and man-made boreholes which are easily accessible, giving visitors almost guaranteed game sightings. Establishments like Okaukuejo Rest Camp offer floodlit waterholes which are perfect for after-dark game viewing.
Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei is possibly Namibia’s most spectacular and best-known attraction and is situated in the largest event centers in the big conservation area in Africa; the Namib Naukluft National Park. The oldest desert in the world can be found right here in Namibia, Sossusvlei literally translates to “dead-end marsh”, as it is the place where the dunes come together preventing the Tsauchab River to flow any further, some 60km east of the Atlantic Ocean. So, how old is the Namib Desert? It is estimated to be between 55 and 80 million years old, YIKES!
This interesting landscape provides amazing photo opportunities, so enthusiasts are spoiled with fantastic surroundings such as Deadvlei which give a contrast between pitch black and bleached white pans. Big daddy is the highest dune in the Sossusvlei area at about 365 metres, and Dune 7, located in Walvis Bay, comes in at 383 metres, which makes it the highest in Namibia! Scaling these bad boys is rather tiring and not as easy as it may look, although the views from the top of the dunes are worth every step!
Fish River Canyon
Located in the south of Namibia is the second largest canyon in the world. The Fish River Canyon is 160km long, up to 27km wide and over 500 million years old. It is one of the most impressive natural beauties in southern Namibia. The canyon is known as a major hiking destination, and thousands of tourists and locals flock to this spectacular natural wonder each year.
The canyon is part of a national nature conservation park. The gate is situated at the rest camp of Hobas. From there, you have to drive another 10 kilometres to the actual canyon which offers a stunning view of the famous “Hell’s Bend”. Lodges such as Fish River Lodge offer guided hikes into the canyon. Not for the faint hearted, you will climb down a very steep pathway to get into the canyon. This pathway is known as jelly leg gorge, and as soon as you start climbing down you will realise why!
Twyfelfontein
Twyfelfontein is officially known as IUi-IIAis which in Damara Nama means jumping waterhole. The meaning in Afrikaans is ‘uncertain spring’. Located close to a freshwater spring, in a remote semi-arid area at the head of a valley in Damaraland, north-central Namibia. This area was declared as Namibia’s first UNESCO world heritage site, and boasts ancient rock paintings and engravings. These date back thousands of years; hunting scenes show hunters pictured with bows and arrows, and there are a large number of animal engravings. These prehistoric art works have been preserved despite Namibia’s extremely dry climate, and they even survived during a time when Twyfelfontein had very high rainfall!
Twyfelfontein is an ‘open-air gallery’ with the largest single concentration of rock art engravings in Southern Africa. There are well over 2,500 rock engravings and a few rock paintings at Twyfelfontein. The rock art tells ancient stories and provides us with a brief insight into the simplicity and struggles of our ancestors. This protected area, rich in history, is truly one of the places everyone should visit at least once in their life.
Namibia is filled with magnificent places and the history behind it all is mind blowing, here at ATI Holidays we focus on you and build your trip around your personal interests. Contact us at info@ati-holidays.com for more information on the above-mentioned areas, and one of our very talented travel consultants will be more than happy to help plan your next holiday, they can also help you find the best travel health insurance, use this link to get more information. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore Namibia’s greatest wonders!
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