You can visit the Cape Cross Seal Reserve run by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) every day. The fame of this reserve has spread because it is a refuge for the largest breeding colony of Cape fur seals along the coast of Southern Africa. If you visit this site in November and December when the breeding season is in full swing, you are likely to see an astounding 200,000 seals here.

Namibia's Caprivi Strip is a long narrow extension of land, running about 450 km from the north-east corner of the main body of the country to the flood-plains and islands of the Zambezi River. It is an unspoilt wilderness where rugged game-viewing and excellent fishing can be undertaken. The Caprivi Strip's parks and reserves have the highest concentration of birds in Namibia, including some near-endemic species. The Caprivi Strip is considered by experts to be one of Africa's top 10 birding destinations.

The Epupa Falls is one of the finest tourist destinations in Namibia. Its spectacular cascades are created by the Kunene River dropping 60 metres across a distance of about 1.5 km. The falls divide into a multitude of gushing streams, forming beautiful rock pools. You can swim in these rock pools, but you may find yourself in the company of crocodiles!

The Erongo Mountain Nature Conservancy includes the Erongo Mountains and western escarpment and covers about 200,000 ha. The conservancy encompasses some of the most diverse sites in the country, featuring cultural artefacts such as rock engravings, rock paintings, as well as prehistoric settlements. This area is one of the most prized in Namibia due to the vast array of endemic and near-endemic species it shelters. You’ll find various types of plant, bird, reptile and mammal species here. The Erongo Region also has a dense population of brown hyena and leopard.

Etosha National Park is one of the world's best wildlife sanctuaries, and an excellent place for wildlife-watching. In a huge salt pan surrounded by over 22,000 sq km (over 8,500 sq miles) of grasslands and bush, encounter vast stocks of elephants, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest and antelopes plus hyenas and big cats.

Be amazed by the Fish River Canyon, the world's largest after the Grand Canyon. Situated along the lower reaches of the Fish River, it is one of the most impressive natural beauties in the southern part of Namibia.

The Spitzkoppe Rest Camp, which is managed by a community, is approximately 60 km northwest of Usakos. Some of the sites worth visiting here are the Groot and Klein Spitzkoppe – two unique inselbergs, and Bushman’s Paradise for rock paintings, the Golden Snake and Small Bushman’s Paradise. The camp provides jobs for nineteen people and its four bungalows are designed for B&B accommodation. It also has campsites with bathrooms, a craft shop and kiosk.

Home to a number of unusual species of plants and animals and the highest sand dunes in the world, the Namib Desert is believed to be the oldest desert in the world. Stretching 1,200 miles in length, but averaging a width of only 70 miles it is extremely impressive. Visit Namib Naukluft Park, the fourth-largest conservation area in the world, where wild oryx stroll over apricot, ochre and fawn coloured dunes tufted with grasses.

You will find some of Namibia’s top tourist destinations such as Sossusvlei in the Namib-Naukluft Park, which is a huge wilderness reserve stretching across almost 50,000 square km. The reserve is truly a wilderness reserve, with no recreational resorts or rest camps, except basic camping sites in the Naukluft and Namib sections.

In the northern Namib, the Skeleton Coast Park is also built on wilderness principles. It extends about 500 km northwards from the Ugab River to the Kunene River. Two favourite haunts for coastal anglers are the fishing resorts of Torra Bay (a basic campsite) and Terrace Bay, a rest camp. If you’d like to explore the wilderness area in the northern section of the park, you’ll have to accompany a private concessionaire who can fly you in on a safari.

The highest elevation in Namibia is Königstein at 2574 m, one of the peaks of the grand Brandberg massif. The mountain (especially the peak) challenges rock climbers. The Brandberg valley is filled with Acacia montis-usti trees, which are unique to this area. The Brandberg is well known for The White Lady, a rock painting that graces an overhang in Maack's Shelter. The shelter bears the name of the surveyor who found it in 1917.

If you’re looking for a great day excursion or a longer camping expedition, try climbing the mountain in the company of Dâureb Mountain Guides. Apart from seeing the scenic splendour of Namibia’s tallest mountain, you will also see the rock art, and the flora and fauna of this remarkable region. Raleigh International has built a new reception area here, where guides welcome you. It offers refreshments, an information centre and toilet facilities.

Popular places to visit in the Brandberg area are the Twyfelfontein rock engravings, Dâureb Crafts at Uis, the Messum Crater and the Ugab River. Rock art is Namibia’s natural heritage, and you will be expected to observe certain rules when you visit these sites. Avoid touching the paintings; don’t use a flash when you photograph them; or pour/spray liquid on them; and never light a fire beneath them. You are required to hire an experienced guide for these visits.

The Hippo Pools Campsite, once called Otjipahuriro Community Campsite, may be reached from the Ruacana-Oshakati main road. It is near Ruacana and the landscape is enchanting, for this is where the flat plains and dry savannahs of Owambo connect with the Kunene River. Here, the mountainous terrain of Namibia’s north-western regions begins to show itself. The campsite is managed by community members who use the earnings from the site to supplement their meagre income as well as conserve their natural surroundings.

The most scenic place in the Walvis Bay area is the lagoon. More than 3000 years old, this serene stretch of water is the rich feeding ground for thousands of flamingos. To prevent it from being completed silted over (due in part to human activity), this internationally well-known wetland area was declared a RAMSAR site. (RAMSAR – a convention on wetlands held in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971).

Namibia's capital city of Windhoek is the travel hub of Namibia and offers good nightlife, restaurants and sights. With 250 000 inhabitants Windhoek is the biggest city in the country. The attractive town lies at an altitude of 1650 metres in a beautiful valley bordered by the Eros Mountains in the north and the Auas mountains in the south. Towards the west, stretches the Khomas Highland to the Namib and the coast.


Places worth visiting in Wondhoek include the "Tintenpalast" ("Ink Palace"), which houses Namibia's parliament, the Christuskirche (Christ Church) of the Lutheran parish from the year 1896, the "Reiterdenkmal" from 1912 and the "Alte Feste" (Old Fort); former headquarters of the Schutztruppe and today, Namibia's National Museum. Since 1997, the historical buildings of Windhoek are overshadowed by the monumental Supreme Court building.