Why visit Namibia?

Namibia is a place that has a lot to offer. The country is filled with natural wonders—making it a perfect place to explore. In the north, there is great diversity of grasslands studded with shrubs and hilly outcrops, offering great scenic beauty. The arid zones of the Kalahari in the south and east, though, have a rugged glory of their own. Namibia also has a rich cultural heritage. The people have their own unique customs and traditions, which are a fascinating aspect of the country's history.

Map

What is the landscape of Namibia like?

The geography of Namibia is fairly simple: a slowly rising desert coast; a high interior plateau, broken by isolated mountain ranges; and a gently falling eastern strip of sandy country that merges into the level expanse of the Kalahari Desert.

Coastal Strip

The Coastal Strip is the Namib Desert, varying from 15 to 100 miles in width, stretching the full length of the country from the Cunene to the Orange Rivers. Seen from the coast the Namib Desert has the general appearance of a vast plain with a boundless horizon, but the land ascends very gradually towards the interior. Natural harbours are very few for such a long coastline. Walvis Bay, which lies almost exactly midway along the coast is the principal habor, followed by Lüderitz Bay, some 250 miles south of Walvis Bay.

The northern desert is the infamous Skeleton Coast, so-called from the whale and seal bones that once littered the shore. These days it is dotted with shipwrecks. The desert is a stony one of gravel plains becoming high sand dunes in the north. Plants and insect species that eke out a living on the sand dunes do so from the thick sea fogs which engulf the coast providing moisture.

Brandberg Mountain, a great dome-shaped massif, is the highest mountain in Namibia, standing at 2,573 meters (8,442 feet) above sea level. It stands alone on the flat Namib gravel plains, and can be seen from a great distance. The rivers, such as the Swakop and the Kuisip are non-existent during the greater part of the year; a line of stunted acacias, or, perhaps, a few muddy pools, mark the river courses.

The southern desert consists of mile upon mile of red, yellow, and gray sand in long lines of immense dunes some of them 200 meters (600 feet) in height. Dark, rocky hills, with faces scoured into fantastic shapes, appear here and there, and heap up the sand at their base on the windward side in numerous hillocks. In some of the depressions formed by the dunes the white basins of seasonal lakes reflect the bright rays of the sun. Scattered along the coast are tiny rocky islands known as the Penguin Islands, home to the African penguins which inhabit the coast.

The North

In the far north of the country, the central plateau is separated from the coast by the rocky heights which extend into the highlands of Angola. Here the border is formed by the gorges traversed by the Cunene River. The land to the east is some of the most populated and fertile land in Namibia. In certain portions of the North there are woodlands, glades, and clearings that appear like a boundless park. Here is the dry lake bed of Etosha Pan which fills up with water in particularly rainy years and is surrounded by dense mopane woodland. In the northeast is the tongue of land known as the Caprivi Strip, an enclave that runs all the way to the Zambezi River. The Strip is rich in wildlife and is home to the endangered African wild dog (Lycaon pictus).

Further south, there are the Otavi Hills whereupon we ascend into a highland system of towering masses of table rocks and huge dome-shaped summits. Mount Omatako, with an altitude of 2,300 meters (7,500 feet), is the highest peak. Around it, but some distance from it, grouped like satellites, are numerous other imposing mountains from 1,500 to 1,800 meters (5,000 to 6,000 feet) in height. In the clear air of the uplands the granite pinnacles of these peaks are visible from a great distance. Huge valleys or gorges are a characteristic of this part of Namibia.

Between Omaruru and Okahandja the hilly country alternates with level plains, and beautiful landscape can be viewed. After the rains, the falls on some of the rivers can be enjoyed in some of the deep gorges. Further south the numerous rocky summits present a scene of extraordinary rugged grandeur. Here are rocky needles, embattled castles, lofty pinnacles, and sculptured turrets, all standing out bold and clear in the amazingly thin, translucent air, and visible from immense distances.

In the region of Windhoek several rivers have their rise, and the springs, many of which are hot, are a peculiar feature throughout the inner plateau. Further south the ridge falls again to a level of about 1,000 meters (3,000 feet), and in many places is broken into by isolated ranges of manifold forms, while the lower levels are studded with isolated rock hills. The country along the eastern border consists of undulating plains and large areas of sandy land which closely resemble the Kalahari Desert.

The South

The southern plateau stretches all the way to the Karas Mountains in the southeast, where the main ridge rises again to a height of 2,206 meters (7,237 feet) above sea-level. This is a land of rugged mountains, rocky hills, and boundless plains which are a principal feature of the country. Here is a vista of sand and stones, a thinly scattered population, and plains and hills gently baking under the scorching rays of the sun. The intermittent rivers on the east fall for the most part into the salt marshes of the Kalahari Desert. Although this portion of Namibia is regarded as semi-desert, at rare intervals after rain the plains are covered with long coarse grass and then they have the appearance of vast meadow fields.

The southern border of Namibia is formed by the Orange River which enters Namibia along a deep channel and winds its sinuous way like a giant snake between towering precipices and overhanging mountains. At intervals the stream broadens and takes on the appearance of a quiet lake reflecting the image of the trees that fringe its banks. From the north, the seasonal Fish River passes south through southern Namibia and is the site of the spectacular Fish River Canyon, a canyon 100 miles long, and as much as 550 meters (1,800 feet )deep.

What is the nature of Namibia like?

Plants

For a dry country Namibia is fairly rich in plantlife. On the coast are many specialized plants which derive moisture from the daily fog. The welwitschia, a plant with a thick stem that terminates abruptly just above the ground. Thick, leathery foliage leaves grow continuously at their base until they sometimes reach a length of 10 feet, by which time they are frayed into numerous snake-like thongs. The ǃnaras, an unusual melon, is a shrubby, leafless plant spreads over the sand dunes in dense straggling masses. Instead of tendrils it bears sharp thorns, while the fruit is about the size of a very big orange, and the skin encloses a yellow pulp of a rich flavour and a number of seeds similar in taste to almonds.

The rocky hills have a more varied vegetation. There are many species of euphorbia, so that the eastern edge of the desert is almost a euphorbia-steppe. Another conspicuous feature is the quiver tree (Aloidendron dichotomum). In the winter, it bears large clusters of bright yellow flowers, and gives quite a touch of colour to the drab landscape.

Farther inland are plants, chiefly grasses, which spring up and disappear with the rain. Trees grow in or near river-beds, camelthorns, ebony trees, wild figs. The ana tree (Faidherbia albida) is remarkable for being a legume, its beans when ripe and dry being used for fodder for cattle. On the uplands of of the north there are considerable forest tracts of acacia, with giant baobabs. The vegetation in the mountain valleys is luxuriant, and towards the north is tropical: palms and fig-trees in the more open park-like spaces.

Animals

The larger African mammals, formerly abundant, are today found mostly in the north and the northeast, where the elephant, the rhinoceros, and the hippopotamus may still be found. The leopard exists in many parts of the country, the beautifully-marked cheetah is sometimes found in the north and the east. The caracal, a medium-sized wild cat with tufted ears and short tail, is fairly common. The African wild dog, several species of jackal, and the spotted hyena all occur.

Antelopes are plentiful in parts, including the springbok, steenbok, greater kudu, southern reedbuck, impala, and the blue wildebeest. The chacma baboon, one of the largest of all monkeys, ranges across much of the country.

There are several hares. The Cape hare is found both in open and forest country, and the scrub hare keeps to the hilly country. The South African springhare, really a rodent, lives in burrows, has a kangaroo-like method of movement, using its long bushy tail with great skill. The rock hyrax inhabits the drier regions and builds dwelling holes in rock crevices. In the coast waters the brown fur seal can sometimes be found in very large numbers.

There are hundreds of species of birds. The largest bird is the common ostrich which runs wild in many parts of the country. There are several species of bustard, notable among them being the kori bustard (Ardeotis kori), arguably the largest flying bird native to Africa. Eagles and vultures are among the birds of prey, with owls and several species of the hawk family. The secretarybird with its curious quill-like crest of feathers, may sometimes be seen stalking among the low bush in search of a little animal or a young snake. Special mention must be made of the African penguins which thickly inhabit the islands off the coast.

Among the smaller birds mention can be made of the hoopoes, honey-guides, swifts, woodpeckers, hornbills, and weavers. The sociable weaver (Philetairus socius), is famous for its nest-building habits. The birds live together in colonies of several hundreds. The nest, really a bird city, is generally a huge mass of grass and sticks, arranged in a camelthorn tree, and is often as big as a small haystack.

What is the climate of Namibia like?

See our main article: The Climate of Namibia

Namibia has two seasons: summer and winter. Summer (hot and rainy) lasts from October to April, and winter (cool and dry) from May to September. In the north and northeast the climate is sub-tropical, but on the central plateau it is temperate, with great fluctuations of temperature during the day. In the Windhoek region there are hot days in the summer and the air is fresh and clear; in winter, the occasional frost is seen. The south has a hot summer and the temperature in the Orange River valley can often reach 40°C (105°F). In the winter severe frosts and snow may be experienced, and snow may be seen on the Karas Mountains.

With the exception of the northern districts, Namibia is a very dry country. Windhoek is reasonably well-watered, but the south is dry, semi-desert, and the rain comes almost invariably in the form of localized thunderstorms. Droughts of great severity continue for years together in these regions, but as soon as the rain comes, the desert blooms in a vast carpet of vivid green and brilliant hues.

The main feature of the coastal climate are the heavy fogs. These fogs veil the seaboard in a thick haze during the night and often last to noon. So even though a whole year may pass without a single shower, they supply a considerable amount of moisture to the coast border of the Namib Desert, and water will be seen dripping down the stems of shrubs into the ground.

Climate data for Windhoek
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	30.0 (86.0)	28.6 (83.5)	27.2 (81.0)	25.6 (78.1)	22.7 (72.9)	20.2 (68.4)	20.5 (68.9)	23.4 (74.1)	26.5 (79.7)	29.1 (84.4)	29.6 (85.3)	30.7 (87.3)	26.1 (79.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	23.3 (73.9)	22.1 (71.8)	21.0 (69.8)	18.9 (66.0)	15.8 (60.4)	13.2 (55.8)	13.1 (55.6)	15.8 (60.4)	19.3 (66.7)	21.7 (71.1)	22.5 (72.5)	23.5 (74.3)	19.1 (66.4)
Average low °C (°F)	17.2 (63.0)	16.5 (61.7)	15.4 (59.7)	12.8 (55.0)	9.2 (48.6)	6.7 (44.1)	6.3 (43.3)	8.6 (47.5)	11.9 (53.4)	14.6 (58.3)	15.6 (60.1)	16.9 (62.4)	12.7 (54.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	78.1 (3.07)	80.3 (3.16)	78.7 (3.10)	37.7 (1.48)	6.6 (0.26)	1.2 (0.05)	0.7 (0.03)	0.9 (0.04)	2.8 (0.11)	11.8 (0.46)	26.9 (1.06)	41.7 (1.64)	367.4 (14.46)
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst

The official websites

• Visit Namibia—Namibia Tourism Board