INTRODUCTION TO NAMIBIA

Namibia is a country of startling contrast that straddles two great deserts: the Namib (after which it is named) is the oldest desert on the planet, and its sea of red sand lies along the Atlantic coastline, while in the eastern interior lays the Kalahari, a vast and sparsely vegetated savannah that sprawls across the border into neighboring countries. Namibia is celebrated for its vast open landscapes – an abundance of space in which to inhale deeply and bask in an infinite supply of blue skies, sun-drenched weather and tranquil starry nights.

Over the years, there have been a number of cultural influences that have all added to the unique atmosphere of Namibia. At various times Germany, Great Britain and South Africa have all governed the territory, but it was with the eventual independence of Namibia in 1990 that the country was able to develop its multi-cultural character and reinvent itself. There is a rich and colorful uniquely African vigor that now freely blends in with the European influences on architecture, food, customs and art, all merging to create a distinctive Namibian character.

All this is in interesting juxtaposition with the expansive landscapes that surround the cities. The many national parks and game reserves boast a huge variety of wildlife in a kaleidoscope of differing environments: giraffes amble across the blinding white saltpans of Etosha National Park, gemsbok plunge headlong up impossible steep and red dunes at Sossusvlei, and seals in their many thousands colonise lonely beachheads along the Skeleton Coast. Astonishing contrasts are everywhere for the visitor to savor, enjoy and photograph.

Namibia has rapidly become a well-known safari destination with a difference, famed for its remote and intimate lodges, interaction with the indigenous people as well as the wildlife, and offering unique opportunities to become involved with the cultural heritage of all its peoples.