Namibia is Africa's least populated country with some of Africa's most magnificent scenery - both landscape and wildlife. We began in the capital Windhoek, picked up a rental SUV and then headed north to Etosha National Park. Etosha is a self-drive safari park. Spanning nearly 8,000 square miles, Etosha is home to an astonishing array of wildlife - elephants, lions, giraffes, rhinos, etc. And all are within easy viewing distance either from your car or by waiting patiently at the many watering holes scattered throughout the park.
From Etosha we pressed further north to Opuwo. Opuwo is Himba country. The Himba are a semi-nomadic tribe now numbering less than 50,000. They are most famous for their women who coat their skin and hair in a orange-hued mixture of ochre, butter and herbs. The mixture acts as a natural insect repellent as well as a sunblock. The women style their hair with this mud-like concoction into distinctive waves and startling peaks. As fashion dictates, no two women have the same hairstyle.
Lingering only a day in Opuwo (a town with limited charms), we drove further south - making at pit stop for the night in the town of Kamanjab. We had enough time to check out the tamed and wild cheetahs at the Otjitotongwe Cheetah Reserve. Petting a cheetah was one of the many highlights of the trip.
Next day, off we went to the coast - landing in Swakopmund for a couple of nights. Swapkopmund a German town transplanted onto the Namibian coast. Immaculate and tidy, this seasonal holiday resort (though not in June) is a great place to catch a boat ride to see dolphins and other sea life.
Still heading south, we drove through some of the most desolate regions along the Namibian coast. Few cars, straight gravel roads and plenty of desert scenery to distract. Our destination - Sossusvlei, the country's number one tourist attraction. Breathtaking orange sand dunes loom on both sides of the park's roadway. The largest dune - Dune 45 - is about 500 feet tall. But the star attraction is Dead Vlei - an eerie, white sand (former) lake dotted with withered, mummified trees.
After a few days in the desert we returned to Windhoek - clocking a couple thousand miles on our dusty SUV in just 12 days. Not hard to do in a country that has so many fantastic natural splendors spread out at such a great distance. |
June 2015Showing 1-40 of 627235 visitsAlbum by David KohlPhotos by David Kohl & Ross Rosenberg |
