Five ideas for guided tours in Namibia

• Sesriem Canyon

  The Tsauchab River is located in the heart of the Namib Desert. Water can only be found here during the rare periods when it rains on the nearby Naukluft Mountains. The rest of the time, you can explore the large Sesriem Canyon, one kilometer long and 30 meters deep. It is near this canyon that the most fantastic landscapes of this desert appear. On each side of the canyon, you can see century-old Acacia Erioloba trees, which are still alive and well despite the fact that the land is dry most of the year. Close to the Sossusvlei salt desert arises a bewitching landscape of dead trunks, which is called Dead vlei. Overlooking these visions from another world, we discover the hallucinating red dunes. They are the highest in the world: they are more than 350 meters high. An unforgettable experience is to watch the sunset on the Elim Dune and from there admire the grandeur of the savannah.

• The Quiver Tree Forest of Keetmanshoop

  In the south of Namibia, visit the Quiver Tree or Kokerboom Tree forest, near the town of Keetmanshoop. This indigenous aloe tree, which is actually a giant plant with a large, sturdy white trunk and a tuft of leaves at the top, is found only in this part of the world. The Bushmen use its bark to carry the arrows of their bows. To see these forests peeking out from the rocky peaks, you’ll need to go to either Garas Small Farm, Gariganus Farm, or Mesosauris Camp, which has over 3,000 trees. During your outing in this park, you will come across the little damans. You would think they belong to the rodent family, but an anatomical study proves that they are closely related to elephants.

• Namibrand Nature Reserve

  This nature reserve located in the southwest of Namibia is the largest private park in Africa. It was founded in 1984 by the German-Namibian businessman Albi Brückner, who wanted to return the territory to its ecological balance by reducing the overabundant cultivation of the land, and restore it to its original state. The reserve has large dunes, mountains on both sides, and a great diversity of wildlife, including many birds, ostriches and cats, such as the cheetah, which has been reintroduced. The park also has very special circular areas called “fairy circles“, which are round shapes that take place on top of the dry vegetation and can be up to 12 meters high. No scientific explanation has been given for this strange phenomenon. The Namibrand Nature Reserve is very quiet, as nature has been given priority over mass tourism. The number of visitors is therefore limited.

• Walvis Bay

  Walvis Bay is a seaside resort located on the Atlantic coast. Its name means “Bay of Whales” in Afrikaans. It is one of the most touristic towns of the country, which benefits from a very pleasant temperature all year round, with however a fog which can fly over it from evening to midday. From the center of Walvis Bay, you can access a beautiful promenade along the ocean, where you can see many pelicans and pink flamingos. It is from this place that you will embark to observe marine animals (dolphins, seals, sea lions, and even whales). The location of the city is ideal for exploring the nearby Namib-Naukluft National Park by 4×4, mountain bike, or why not by camel. An interesting excursion is to Sandwich Harbour. Located only 50 kilometers from Walvis Bay, this beautiful place is composed of a large lagoon and a bay, all surrounded by huge dunes on which the waves crash.

• Kaokoland

  Kaokoland is a region located in the northwest of Namibia, near the border with Angola. It is on this land colonized late by the Germans, which has remained through the centuries very preserved, and therefore difficult to access, that lives the semi-nomadic people of Himbas. We visit this territory by 4×4, accompanied by a Namibian tourist guide. We will cross landscapes made of small mountain ranges, numerous waterfalls (like the succession of Epupa waterfalls, which extend over a length of 2 kilometers), and high plateaus where the Himbas come to graze their herds since centuries. The traveler who comes to discover the area must expect an extraordinary adventure, where nature is omnipresent, and where the meeting with the red people will leave unforgettable memories.