Namibia is celebrated for its dramatic landscapes and abundant wildlife – and new hotels are making it a more attractive destination than ever. Emily Bamber reports
Sweeping landscapes, first-class wildlife viewing and new accommodation are putting Namibia firmly on the map for luxury and repeat Africa visitors.
Most are drawn by its wild open spaces – desert farms where elephant, big cats and oryx roam free, a coastline so inhospitable it has claimed the lives of countless sailors, and sand dunes believed to be the highest in the world.
Apart from the far north, visitors will find little sign of the urban chaos and congested villages seen in the rest of southern Africa – travel in Namibia is a pleasure, with clean, well-maintained roads, a good private charter network and direct flights from the UK.
Windhoek
Namibia’s small capital tumbles across a collection of green valleys in the central highlands and is surrounded by mountains.
It’s built around Independence Avenue, where the main shops, banks and hotels are found. The Bushman Art Gallery is a must for culture-lovers and shoppers will find more conventional mementos at the nearby Werne Hill shopping mall.
Etosha National Park
The 100-year-old Etosha National Park covers more than 14,000sq miles of bush in northern Namibia. At its centre is a vast salt pan that was once a lake the size of Holland and now shimmers white against the blue sky, providing a stunning backdrop for viewing wildlife.
Despite offering the big five in abundance, Etosha is much less visited than its South African and Botswana equivalents and its newly renovated camps have a quiet, colonial-style charm.
The Africat Foundation
Based in Okonjima near the Waterburg Plateau in central Namibia, the Africat Foundation exists for the welfare, rescue and rehabilitation of large cats – mostly leopards and cheetahs who have had run-ins with local farmers or are unwanted pets or orphans.
Luxury accommodation with pools and excellent cuisine helps fund the conservation work, and day visitors are welcome by arrangement.
The Skeleton Coast National Park
This stretch of coast is one of the most hostile environments on the planet, with swirling fogs and violent seas leaving skeletons of wrecked ships. Lion, leopard and desert-adapted elephant survive the harsh wilderness.
Permits are needed to stay overnight in the park and the sole concession in the restricted northern area is the Wilderness Safaris-run Skeleton Coast Camp, accessed only by air.
Namib-Naukluft Park
Covering much of the Namib Desert and the Naukluft Mountains, Namib-Naukluft Park is the largest game reserve in Africa. View Sossusvelei’s towering apricot-coloured sand dunes at dawn or sunset when they glow neon, and stay in one of the recently-opened five-star desert resorts.
Elsewhere, Sandwich Harbour is a remote outpost for bird-lovers, there are stunning river canyons on the Swakop and Kuiseb, and some four-wheel drive trails around Swakopmund.
Fish River Canyon
This 100-mile-long Fish River Canyon slices through the Koubis massif to depths of 550 metres, making it one of the world’s major canyons. The most impressive viewpoint is at Hell’s Bend, which is situated along a series of torturous corners in the cliff face.
Spend a few nights at Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort at the southern tip of the gorge. You can hike or horse ride from here into the canyon.
Accommodation
Used to be limited, but five years ago quality hotels and guesthouses began cropping up in key points of interest and the general standard has been raised.
The accommodation in Etosha National Park reopened last year after complete refurbishment, and more new options are available in the Namib-Naukluft and neighbouring reserves.
Namibia travel facts
Flying time: London to Windhoek is 10-and-a-half hours
Airlines: Air Namibia operates three flights a week (Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays) between Gatwick and Windhoek. Indirect flights are available with South African Airways via Johannesburg or Cape Town. Connections from South Africa are also operated by SAA Express and Air Namibia
Tour operators: Abercrombie and Kent, Cox and Kings, Exsus, Kirker Holidays, Kuoni, Somak, Southern Africa Travel, Thomson, Travel 2
Currency: Namibian dollar
Visa requirements: None for UK visitors staying for up to 90 days
Jabs: Malaria medication is recommended for travel to the northern third of Namibia between November and June, and around the Kavango and Kunene rivers throughout the year. A yellow fever certificate is required if travelling from an infected country or another African country to the north.
Pitfalls: Epic distances between areas of the country can mean very long journeys if clients are doing all their travel by road. Private charter flights are the best way to experience the country but they add considerable expense to the holiday
Weather: A dry, hot climate year round. Winter (May to September) temperatures reach 18-25C, while during the summer months (December to March) temperatures are well above 40C. Light rains fall in February and March
FCO advice: The FCO Namibia page states, “Avoid driving at night as wildlife and livestock pose a serious hazard. The main types of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in Namibia last year were: lost or stolen passports (35 cases); and hospitalisations or deaths (seven cases), mainly due to road accidents”
