Skeleton Coast is located towards the northern part of the Namibian Coast along the Atlantic Ocean. The entire region consisting of the Namib Desert is also referred by this name. For centuries, the Skeleton Coast has maintained its reputation of being a dreaded place which has witnessed the end of several thousand people, whales and ships. In fact in Namibia, the reputation enjoyed by this place is nothing less of a graveyard. Despite of its scary past and spooky tales, the Skeleton Coast has become one among the most mysterious places in the country with tourists and explorers spending their time in unearthing the reason behind the mysterious wreckage of lives here.
This coast is mostly soft with the appearance of occasional rocks and outcrops at some places. People visiting the Skeleton Coast also have extensive opportunities of wildlife sighting since the northern part of this extended land has already been declared as a wilderness area.
Caprivi Strip is a must- visit destination in Namibia which showcases the national parks, wildlife reserves and a variety of other natural wonders all at one place. The Caprivi Strip is located towards Zambezi and there are several tropical rivers which add to the beauty and natural essence of this region. The thick vegetation cover and surrounding beauty of this strip makes it a very unique as well as picturesque corner in Namibia. Perfect for family vacation, wildlife safaris and camping trips, Caprivi Strip comprises of 5 different protected areas and all these areas are the natural habitat for both water as well as land animal species.
The 5 protected areas which add to the charm and beauty of the Caprivi Strip are Popa Falls Reserve, the Mahango National Park, the Mudumu National Park, the Mamili National Park as well as the Bwabwata National Park. Waterfalls and exclusive wildlife makes the Caprivi Strip one of the most- visited camping destinations in Namibia.
A popular attraction located between the Usakos as well as Swakopmund regions of the Namib Desert, Spitzkoppe is basically a collection of granite peaks which are bald in nature. The name Spitzkoppe is German term for Pointed Dome and it is also known as Spitzkop, Groot Spitxkop as well as the Matterhorn of Namibia. The granites that form a part of Spitzkoppe are more than 120 million years old and its highest point rises about 1784 meters above the sea level. The dry flat surroundings as well as occasional outcrops of granite provide Spitzkoppe with a dramatic look and feel.
There are a number of other prominent granite structures spread across similar stretches in the Namib Desert. One among such popular ranges is known as Pontok Mountains. Another peculiar feature of the region engrossed by Spitzkoppe is the Bushmen artwork which is exclusively found across rocks here. Travelers can see several such examples of Bushmen art and culture here, which have also made Spitzkoppe feature in several movies and documentaries.
Cape Cross is located at a distance of 120 kilometers towards the north of Swakopmund and 60 kilometers towards the north of Hentiesbaai on the C34 Highway. It is basically a medium- sized headland located in the South Atlantic region in the Skeleton Coast. This place is popular for being the largest colony of Cape Fur Seals across the globe. The surrounding region of Cape Cross was declared a reserve in the year 1968 in an attempt to protect as well as nurture the most renowned and largest of the 23 colonies of Cape Fur Seals. These seals are breeding across the coast of Namibia as well as South Africa.
The best time to visit Cape Cross is during the months of November and December. This is the breeding season for these creatures and about 150,000 Cape Fur Seals gather at the Cape Cross every year during this time. This place gets its name from the large 15th century stone cross which was erected here by Portuguese explorers.
Etosha National Park is the largest national park located towards the north- western region in Namibia. It is situated on the Etosha salt pan and it is basically a dry land which only fills with water during the summers. The blue- green algae formation here lures thousands of birds including flamingos. There is a plethora of wildlife species found in this national park including zebra, antelope as well as wildebeest among others. The Etosha National Park offers all tourists with extensive scope for self- drive wildlife safaris and there are three well- established resting camps here which make stay comfortable at this national park.
This park was declared as a game reserve in the year 1907 and it today boasts of 22,921 km square of landscape which is enriched with extensive variety of wildlife with more than 31 vegetation zones included. There are more than 114 mammal species here such as white rhino, elephants, black rhino, and lion apart from a comprehensive collection of bird species.
Located towards the south of Namibia, Fish River Canyon is not only the largest canyon in the country; rather it is also the second most- visited attraction here. The immensity of this canyon makes it one of the most breathtaking and picturesque places in the country. It is second only to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States. The vastness of this canyon consists of a larger than life ravine and its is about 160 km long, 550 meters deep as well as 27 km wide in totality. Due to the damming of the Fish River Canyon, it features only a small quantity of running water these days.
This canyon in Namibia is known for dissecting the Namibian southern plains and there are several interesting activities here which both leisure and business travelers can enjoy. Its challenging hiking trails, picturesque geology and incredible canyon ridges are certainly worth exploring. There are also several flora as well as wildlife species bursting to life out of the folds of the Fish River Canyon.
Swakopmund is the largest coastal town in Namibia and it is one of the most popular beach resorts for all leisure travelers in the country. The existence of old crafted German colonial buildings here pronounce the German origin of this place and the presence of the Namib Desert towards the edge of this town strikes a beautiful contrast. There are several activities offered by the sand beaches here, such as horse riding, sand boarding and quad biking. The beaches in Swakopmund also offer plenty of surfing activities to all tourists.
The picturesque German architecture along with the quaint shops here provides Swakopmund with a much- needed German look and feel. The guest houses and holiday homes here are a great place for all tourists to stay while also embarking on their fun journey in Swakopmund. This Namibian town is considered to be a dream destination for leisure tourists since they can experience a plethora of activities here ranging from quad biking to skydiving. The beautiful sand beaches and dunes here attract tourists from all parts of the world.
Twyfelfontein is located towards the north- western region in Namibia and it is the largest concentration of exclusive primitive rock engravings in entire Africa. Most of the engravings here date back to more than 6000 years and it is believed to be engraved by the ancient Bushmen. These carvings were made as a result of cutting hard through large layers of sandstone and these represent various different animal species, such as elephants, giraffes, ostriches as well as rhinoceroses. Some of the engravings here also consist of footprints of animal and human beings.
The carvings of Twyfelfontein are the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Namibia and it is also an art exhibition with major contribution from San people during ancient times. A visit to the Twyfelfontein is essential for viewing these intricate carvings as well as beautiful paintings which also depict the skills as well as rich medieval history of its creators. This is a truly captivating place in Namibia with more than 2000 rock paintings as well as engravings dating back to more than 6000 years.
Sossusvlei is a gigantic clay pan located in the Namib Desert which is surrounded by enormous red sand dunes and mountains. The rare floods through this desert due to the occasional overflowing of the Tsauchab River provide water to the vegetation here, hence also making the soil clayey. Sossusvlei is a great place to visit during the sunrise and sunset as the sand dunes here constantly change their colors. This phenomenon also makes it the perfect tourist attraction in Namibia for photographers. The shape of the sand dunes here also changes with the fierce winds, which makes way for an ever- changing landscape in the Namib Desert.
Undoubtedly, one of the most spectacular places on earth, the Sossusvlei is a part of both business as well as leisure traveler’s itineraries in Namibia. Visitors here make it a point to take a good walk on the gold, red, white as well as brown- colored sand here, hence leaving their footprints. The popularity of this picturesque destination has made it one of the most photogenic places in the world.
Namib Naukluft National Park is located towards the centre of the Namib Desert in Namibia. Picturesque sand dunes and constantly changing landscapes of the desert attract tourists from all over the world. The tallest of the sand dunes are to be found in Sossusvlei and if you are lucky enough to receive any rainfall, the salt pans here fill with water and makes way for some exotic bird- watching with flocks of birds reaching these salt pans.
For visitors who have enough time to explore the Namib Naukluft Park, they can move to the Sesriem Canyon here for catching a glimpse of the random zebra as well as springboks giving appearances in the golden landscape here. Who could imagine that a simple plant can live up to 1500 years that too in the Namib Desert? The ancient Welwitschia plant is one of the prominent attractions found in the Namib Naukluft Park. Wondrous lodges, hot air- ballooning, safaris and hiking are few of the most popular activities in this region.