The country is very sparsely populated. Over 85 percent of it's inhabitants are black, and most live in the north, which has more water. Much of the coast was known as German Southwest Africa during the colonial area, until it became a South African mandate after WWI. Namibia gained independence in 1990. The country is the world’s largest producer of diamonds. Most of Namibia has well-kept roads and services. Namibia is the first country in the world to include environmental and wildlife protection in its constitution.

The number of fixed departure tours attest to the fact that Namibia is extremely popular as a destination.

WINDHOEK

Windhoek, the charming capital of Namibia, is found in the central highlands. The city is tranquil and scenic. Its atmosphere blends the flavors of German, English and Dutch colonists with the native African cultures. Windhoek’s streets are alive with the color of Namibia’s people and cultures. Its sights include the three Windhoek castles, built between 1913 and 1918, and the State Museum at the Alte Feste. The government seat is the beautiful and historic "Ink Palace". Windhoek’s city center also has the sprawling gardens of Zoo Park.

ETOSHA

Etosha National Park is one of Africa’s premier reserves. This large park covers over 8500 sq. mi. of the northern landscape that contains dry woodland, mixed scrub and mopane savanna around the central feature, the Etosha Pan. This pan is a silvery depression, remnants of an ancient lake, with the full effect of mirages and dust devils. The edges have springs that attract animals during the dry season. The eastern region experiences more rainfall, and has denser brush than the northeastern grasslands. The park has a concentrated and diverse wildlife population. Etosha’s center is known for a huge elephant population. Zebra, blue wildebeest, springbok and gemsbok roam the plains. Lion are also common. The Black-faced impala and Damara dikdik are distinctive to the area. Black rhino can be found in the western regions of the park.

DAMARALAND

Damaraland is the large region east of Skeleton Coast named for the Damara herders who inhabit the region. The Damaraland Wilderness Reserve is a privately operated area full of beautiful, arid and mountainous scenery. Wildlife can be sparse, but is uniquely adapted to the arid landscape. Desert elephant, black rhino, lion, desert-dwelling giraffe and Hartmann’s mountain zebra inhabit some of the reserve.

FISH RIVER CANYON

Fish River Canyon is a huge landmark whose size and grandeur is exceeded only by the Grand Canyon. The canyon follows the Fish River to the Orange River, which flows to the Atlantic. Varied and unusual wildlife and vegetation complement the spectacular scenery. An abundance of red aloe gives an otherworldly feel to the landscape. Rock dwellers like mountain zebra, rock rabbits, baboon, klipspringer and ground squirrels inhabit the area. Kudu and leopard are also present, but are more elusive.

There is a main hiking trail that is relatively strenuous, taking about four days and covering 53 miles. It covers rocky, desert terrain and passes pools and sulfur springs.

NORTHEASTERN RESERVES

The Caprivi Strip is the region of Namibia bordered by Botswana to the south and Angola and Zimbabwe in the north. The area has three reserves: Mudumu, Caprivi and Mamili. Mudumu and Mamili reserves are very similar to Botswana’s Okavango Delta. Unlike many other Namibian parks, these allow open vehicles and walking safaris.

Mahango Game Reserve is a scenic landscape of floodplain and savanna with lush vegetation, dotted with striking, majestic baobob trees. The park surrounds the Kavango River and is adjacent to the Caprivi Reserve. The wildlife has adapted to the relatively moist surroundings and includes elephant, bushbuck, reedbuck, impala, tsessebe, kudu and the rare sitatunga. There are also spectacular birds like the fish eagle, and wattled and crowned cranes. The Caprivi Game Reserve features lechwe, sable antelope, hippo, roan antelope, buffalo and crocodile, as well as a variety of waterfowl. Mudumu National Park contains floodplains, bush and islands similar to the Okavango. Wildlife includes a variety of the species also seen in the other northeastern parks. Mamili has similar terrain and animals.

NAMIB-NAUKLUFT

Southern Namibia has a beautiful region that combines the former Namib Desert and Naukluft Mountain Zebra parks. This is one of the world’s largest parks, and is also known for diamonds. The Namib-Naukluft National Park contains a diverse landscape including desert savanna grassland, mountains, lagoons and sand dunes. The park surrounds the Kuiseb River, which naturally separates the lower gravel plains from the southern deserts. Mountain Zebra, gemsbok, springbok and ostrich roam the region. The dunes house unique creatures like the shovel-nosed lizard, the golden mole and the translucent Palmato gecko.

The Namib is one of the world’s oldest and most spectacular deserts. The hostile environment still has the prehistoric Welwitschia mirabilis plant, which can be two thousand years old. The Sandavis area includes the coastline and bays where fresh water seeps under the dunes and runs into a saltwater lagoon. The mountainous landscape of the Naukluft region has many picturesque rock formations and a variety of beautiful hiking trails. Mountain zebra, rock rabbits, klipspringer, black eagles, baboon, cheetah and many other creatures inhabit the area.

SWAKOPMUND

Swakopmund is the resort town that is in the center of Namibia’s coastal region. The town is located between the Skeleton Coast and Namib-Naukluft parks and surrounded by the spectacular Namib Desert. It has some beautiful German colonial architecture, and is lined with greenery and colorful flowerbeds.

SKELETON COAST

This spectacular and treacherous coastline is dotted with the skeletons of shipwrecks and beached whales. The Skeleton Coast Park covers the seashore as well as the wind-sculpted sand dunes and canyons of the Namib. The icy Benguela Current flows from the Antarctic and encounters the dry desert air off this coast, creating a thick fog bank that penetrates inland.