Introduction

Namibia has been called many names – Thirstland Wilderness, The Land God Made in Anger and Land of Contrasts, to name a few. It is indeed a land of contrasts, with much of it wedged between two enormous deserts, the Kalahari in the east and the Namib in the west, and its north-eastern extremity, the Caprivi Strip, penetrating the tropical riverine swamplands and floodplains of Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

With its surface area of 824 268 square kilometres, Namibia is a vast country, even by African standards. Southern Namibia is characterised by extensive grassy plains punctuated with the occasional windmill, flocks of karakul sheep and the prehistoric-looking quiver tree. Its major features are Sossusvlei in the Namib-Naukluft Park, the majestic Fish River Canyon further south, the desert horses of Garub, the quaint harbour town of Luderitz and the former diamond settlement, Kol manskop. The central region is dominated by Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, with the rolling hills of the Khomas Hochland to the west.

On the Namib coast are many points of interest for the visitor, including Namibia’s top seaside resort, Swakopmund, the legendary Sandwich Harbour, and the Cape Cross Seal Reserve and its affiliated lichen fields. Further north is the mysterious Skeleton Coast with its hinterland, Damaraland, a region rich in geological phenomena, and the remote expanses of Kaokoland, the land of the ochre people and desert-adapted elephant and rhino. It is in this north-western section of the country that many of the top tourist destinations are found: Twyfelfontein with its rock engravings, the monumental Brandberg famous for the White Lady rock painting and Epupa Falls on the Kunene River.

Namibia’s top tourism draw card, however, is the Etosha National Park, situated in central northern Namibia, where large herds of game are seen against the ghostly white expanses of the Etosha Pan. To the east are the water-rich areas of Kavango and Caprivi, a bird-watcher’s paradise and a place for complete peace and relaxation.

Supported by a good road network and an interesting mix of accommodation establishments ranging from luxury lodges and hotels to basic community campsites, Namibia has something to offer every tourist, whether a nature lover, specialist tourist, an adventure traveller, a four-wheel drive enthusiast or a person interested in local people and their different customs and traditions.

The People

Namibians are a melting pot of different population groups and cultures, united by a turbulent history, a large number of traditions that permeate the Namibian nation on many different fronts and the official language, English. The indigenous peoples have retained their mother tongues, with the result that bilingualism and even trilingual ism is a common factor among Namibians. While Christianity has been widely embraced by indigenous Namibians, several cultural traditions are still cherished and practised, albeit often in a more contemporary form.

Travel Safety

In Namibia, you drive on the left side of the road. You need to have a valid driver’s licence (get your international licence before leaving home) and ensure you have it on you at all times when driving. Always ensure you have a thorough check done on your entire vehicle – tyres, brakes & spare (perhaps even two spare tyres). A good idea is to hand your itinerary to someone so that your intended route is known to others. An updated map of the area you plan to visit is always helpful. A First Aid kit is advisable, especially when travelling through remote areas. 4 x 4 Vehicles are recommended when driving through rugged terrain. Please do not lit­ter, but dispose of your litter when facilities are available to you.

Take the same precautions you would when in any other country. Ensure your valuables are locked away when possible. Ensure that your hotel room/ car is locked when leaving. Avoid flashing your expensive jewellery. Do not pick up hitch-hikers. The wearing of safety belts is compulsory in Namibia and it is forbidden to use one’s cell phone whilst driving.

Gravel Roads

60 – 80 km/h is believed to be a safe speed on gravel roads. If abiding by this, you will most likely be able to control your vehicle when in a dangerous situation. Plan your daily route to be no further than 500km per day since this distance should take approximately 8 hours to complete by gravel road. It often happens that gravel roads change rapidly from a hard surface to soft sand, on which it becomes very difficult to control a vehicle that is travelling at a higher speed.

Tarred Roads

120 km/h is the speed limit on tarred open roads, however, 100 km/h is advisable until you are familiar with the tarred roads and conditions of the area. When approaching a town , the speed limit is reduced to 60 km/h. Distances are great and traffic is minimal, thus drivers are easily tempted to exceed the speed limit. Please do not exceed these limits for your own safety and that of others. Please note that not all sharp turns have roads signs indicating this and therefore it is vital that you remain alert and take regular breaks when driving long distances.

Animals

If you see animals, slow down and be cautious. Do not swerve to avoid the animal as rollovers often occur when drivers are trying to avoid animals. Enjoy the sight of animals in their surroundings. Try to avoid traveling at night as certain animals are more active and thus the risk of a possible collision is greater. Therefore, always try to be at your destination by 17:00 or before dark.

Fuel

As distances can be great when travelling across Namibia, ensure that you fill up as often as possible even though you may not be in need of it immediately. Make sure you have some cash on you si nee not al I petrol stations have card facilities (normally in remote areas).

Water & Food

A good suggestion is to ensure you have sufficient water and some food in case of a breakdown in a remote area where you would then need to wait for assistance.

Health

The North of Namibia is a malaria-endemic area and travellers are advised to use insect repellents and prophylactics to be safe when travelling through these areas; a medical doctor or pharmacist will be able to advise you accordingly. The main concern is to sleep under a net and to use insect repellent spray and long sleeved tops and trousers/socks to prevent mosquito bites.

Emergency numbers

Police: 10 111
Ambulance & Fire Brigade: 211 11

Demographics

General

Surface Area: 825,000 km²
Capital: Windhoek
Independence: 21 March 1990
Political System: Democracy; Leading party: SWAPO
President: Hage Geingob
Freedom of religion: 90% Christian

Population

2.1 million people
240 000 inhabitants in Windhoek (15% of the population)
Population density: 2 .2 people /km²
Language: English is the official language of Namibia. Afrikaans and German are also widely spoken. In total 16 lan­guages and dialects are spoken by 13 ethnic cultures.

Climate

Namibia is one of the driest countries south of the Sahara. 70% of the country’s rainfall occurs between December and March. Temperatures reach above 35°C in the summer months (October -April). During winter (May -September), days are warm but nights are very cold, often below 0°C. The country is wedged between the Namib Desert in the west and the Kalahari Desert in the East.

Money

Currency: The Namibian Dollar (N$) is fixed to the value of the South African Rand (ZAR/R) which can also be used as legal tender. All major credit cards are accepted.
Banking hours: Mon – Fri: 09:00 – 15:30 | Sat: 08:30 – 11 :00
VAT Refunds: For purchases exceeding N$ 250, foreign tourists can obtain a VAT refund (15%) at their port of exit, provided that all cash slips have been kept.

Tourism Levy: All accommodation establishments are obliged by law to charge a tourism levy of either 1 % (all inclusive rate) or 2% (BED or B&B rate).

Telephone / Communication

Namibia has direct dialing facilities to 221 countries. Mobile communication is well supported by various service providers with international roaming agreements in place with over 100 countries.

Dialling codes:

Calls from outside Namibia:
Country code: ++264 plus Area code (without the “0”) plus telephone number (usually 6 digits) eg: ++264 61 123456
Calls from inside Namibia:
Area code (eg: 061 or 067, or 064 etc) plus telephone num­ber, eg: 061 123456

Transport

Only about 12% of all roads are tarred; within the country gravel roads are predominant.
Harbours: Luderitz and Walvis Bay
Main Airports: Hosea Kutako International Airport (40 km outside Windhoek) and Eros Airport (within Windhoek) mainly domestic charters. Ondangwa Airport. Otherwise, many airstrips (approx. 45)are available Extensive network of regional and international flights to Windhoek; domestic charters to all destinations.
Public transport: Very limited
Bus service: Whk-Cape Town-Johannesburg-Vic Falls-Swakopmund.

Travel by train: operates between Karasburg in the south, Windhoek in the central, Swakopmund in the West, Gababis in the east and Ondangwa in the north.

Flora & Fauna

Namibia boasts 120 different species of trees, 200 endemic plant species and more than 100 lichen species. The Welwitschia Mirabilis is Namibia’s living fossil plant. On the Fauna front Namibia offers the big 5: Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhino, plus Cheetah and Giraffe and about 20 antelope species and hundreds of mammal and reptile species, not to forget over 670 bird species.

Nature reserves cover 15% of the entire surface area. Perennial rivers run only in the south (Orange River) and the north (Kunene, Okavango, Zambezi and the Kwando/Lynianti/ Chobe) whereas ephemeral rivers run only during the rainy season (i.e. December to March), amongst those are the Fish River, the Kuiseb, the Ugab and the Swakop Rivers.

Stories

The African elephant lies close to our heart and this year we felt that the time had come to feature the biggest mammals of the African Continent on our front cover. Dave took the cover photo at Camp Kwando, which is situated in the North-East of Namibia, now referred to as Zambezi (previously Caprivi). The lush Zambezi region is a haven for elephants and every time we witness another herd of a few hundred elephants splashing about in the water, quenching their thirst, we consider ourselves the luckiest people on the planet.

Elephants are considered a symbol of wisdom, luck, loyalty and strength. Of all animals, their behavioural patterns are maybe the closest to the human species, especially when dealing with grief, loss and communication of emotions.They show immense compassion towards other species and have the capacity to perlorm sacred rituals similar to humankind. They weigh a ton or more, yet move about quietly in nature, their rumbling tummies communicate across miles and even though they seem heavy and slow, they can run like the wind.

If you would like to learn more about Elephants, we would like to recommend a book by Jodi Picoult, called “Leaving Time”. A perfect holiday read with so much more than just a good storyline. Here is an extract from a conversation with Jodi about “Leaving Time”.

“I started to write Leaving Time when I was in the process of becoming an empty-nester. My daughter Sammy was headed off to school. I was thinking a lot of how we humans raise our kids to be self sufficient enough to leave us – and how depressing it was for those who were left behind. That theme – of what happens to the people who are left behind – became what I wanted to write about. Then I was reading something and learned that in the wild, an elephant mother and daughter stay together their whole lives until one of them dies. Given my frame of mind, it seemed so much more pleasant to do things the way elephants do. I began to dig a bit more about elephants and their reaction to death, and what I uncovered became a metaphor for the novel.” (www.jodipicoult.com/leaving-time.html)

In her Author’s Note of September 2013, Jodi’s ending remarks read as follows:

“There were many moments during the writing of this book when I thought that elephants may be even more evolved than humans – when I studied their grieving habits, their motoring skills, and their memories. If you take away anything from this novel, I hope it is an
awareness of the cognitive and emotional intelligence of these beautiful animals – and the understanding that it is up to all of us to protect them.” (Leaving Time, Jodi Picou It – Author’s Note)

The story of Alice, Jenna and the elephants is the perfect accompaniment on your African holiday. It is so much more than just a story. It sets the scene for a better understanding of these formidable animals. It will give you insight into their behavioural patterns and it will deepen your respect for these gentle giants that seem to have a human soul, especially when it comes to saying goodbye to those they loved. After reading “Leaving Time”, you will never look at an elephant quite the same way again.

History

A history shaped by the land

Situated in south-western Africa on the Atlantic seaboard and bisected by the Tropic of Capricorn, Namibia with its surface area of 824 268 square kilometres is a vast country, even by African standards. Bordered in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north by Angola and Zambia, in the south by South Africa and in the east by Botswana, the country can be divided into four separate topographical regions.

The most distinctive of these, the Namib Desert, is a long narrow strip of moist coastal desert between 50-140 kilometres in width and 1 350 kilometres in length, bordered by the Kunene River in the north and the Orange River in the south. Also running from north to south is the central plateau with an average altitude of between 1 000-2 000 metres and ranging from rugged mountain ranges interspersed with endless valleys and sandy plains. The plateau falls away to the east to merge with the legendary Kalahari Desert, typified by long, vegetated dunes of deep, red sand. In the far north-east are the high rainfall areas of Kavango and Caprivi, characterised by perennial rivers, tropical forests and woodland savannahs.

Namibia’s climate, too, is one of contrasts, with regular droughts and periods of intense water scarcity, which occur cyclically, as in any semi-desert country. It is primarily these topographical and climatic features that have shaped the history of Namibia and its people.

Early history

The historian Herodotus wrote that the Phoenicians were the first seafarers to sail down Namibia’s coast on their quest to circumnavigate the continent of Africa. This was 2 000 years before attempts were made by Portuguese navigators to find a sea route around Africa. The first was Diego Cao, who planted his stone cross or padrao at Cape Cross in 1486, some 150 kilometres north of Swakopmund. The second padrao was planted by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488 at Dias Point in the bay of Angra Pequena, or Little Bay, laying the foundation for the Luderitz of today.

The first white man to reach Namibia overland was the Afrikaner Jacobus Coetse, who crossed the Orange River in 1760 to reach what was then called Transgarieb, the Garieb being the Orange. The first missionaries established mission stations at Warmbad and Blydeverdacht in 1805. Thomas Baines described his travels through Damaraland and Kaokoland in his book Explorations in South West Africa, published in 1864, while the Swedish adventurer and explorer, Charles John Andersson, who travelled through Namibia in the mid-1800s, was reputedly the first to refer to the territory as South West Africa.

Geological history

When flying over Namibia, the imprints of the geological forces that moulded and shaped the landscape are especially evident. About 600 million years ago notable rock forms accumulated, the remains of which consolidated, transformed and eroded. Today their remains, as the Damara system in the north and the Nama system in the south – blanket much of the land. Other sedimentary formations such as the Karoo and Kalahari systems subsequently added to the landscape.

Prior to the onset of continental drift, Namibia lay land­locked in the hinterland of the gigantic supercontinent, Gondwanaland. As the continental plates drifted across the mantel of the earth they entered new latitudes and were metamorphosed by different climatic forces. In periods of prolonged cold, massive sheets of ice built up and planed vast sections of the countryside. At other times what is Namibia today lay submerged under primeval oceans that laid down extensive layers of sedimentary deposits as the foundations of today’s mountains.

Some 120 million years ago when Gondwanaland began to drift apart and the African and South American continents came into being, Namibia acquired its western border in the shape of the Atlantic Ocean and its defining characteristic, the Namib Desert – the feature from which the country derived its name.

Earliest inhabitants

The earliest known inhabitants of Namibia’s southern and central areas were the San/Bushmen, who were hunter-gatherers; the Nama, who were nomadic cattle farmers; and the Damara, about whose origin little is known other than that they were hunters and to a lesser extent pastoralists.

The relatively stable water supply and well-wooded terrain in the northern and north-eastern regions encouraged cattle-farming and agricultural practices by the Owambo, who moved down from the Great Lakes of East Africa to settle between the Kunene and Okavango rivers in about 1550, and by the Caprivians, Tswana and Kavango, who moved to the water-rich north-east in the 1700s and 1800s.

The Herera, believed to have lived in ancient times in the legendary African marshland of Roruu, moved southwards from the Great Lakes of East Africa and crossed the Kunene River into Kaokoland in the mid-1550s. Here they stayed for about 200 years, then moved further southwards to settle in the central and eastern regions of the country, leaving the Himba and Tjimba tribes behind in Kaokoland.

Political history

The German Chancellor Prince Otto von Bismarck proclaimed Namibia (excluding the Walvis Bay enclave, which was under British occupation) as a German protectorate in 1884. In 1915 the peace of Khorab was concluded on the farm Khorab near Otavi, following the defeat of the German forces by the South African forces. Thus the South African forces were now in control of German South West Africa, and in 1920, in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations confirmed South Africa’s mandate over Namibia.

The League of Nations dissolved in 1946, to be replaced by the United Nations (UN). In 1950 the World Court pronounced its first advisory opinion on the legal status of Namibia, namely that South Africa was still to take care of the interests of the inhabitants of the country under UN supervision. The Odendaal Commission of 1964, the implementation of which involved establishing different ‘homelands’ for Namibia’s indigenous population groups, had far-reaching effects on the social, cultural, economic and political future of the country.

A protracted war between the occupying South African forces and the Swapo (South West African People’s Organisation) liberation movement started in 1966. The next year saw the institution of the Council for South West Af­rica, subsequently the Council for Namibia, and in 1970, in accordance with Resolution 284, for the first time, the Security Council asked the International Court for a consultative opinion on the legal consequences of the contin­ued South African presence in Namibia, which was found illegal in 1971.

The implementation of United Nations Resolution 435 for free and fair elections in 1989 resulted in Swapo com­ing to power. Thus, after 106 years of colonial rule, on 21 March 1990, Namibia achieved independence. Swapo co-founder and leader Sam Nujoma was instated as Namibia’s first president. Fifteen years and three terms later – the first as incoming, the subsequent two as elected president – Nujoma stepped down, to be succeeded by Hifikepunye Pohamba, former Minister of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation.