5 reasons why you should visit Namibia

Namibia, a country in southwest Africa, is distinguished by the Namib Desert along its Atlantic Ocean coast. The country is home to diverse wildlife, including a significant cheetah population.

The capital, Windhoek, and coastal town Swakopmund contain German colonial-era buildings such as Windhoek's Christuskirche, built in 1907. The country is a beautiful Wild West land that holsters in the hip of Africa and strung on the studded belt of Capricorn.

Here are 5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Namibia

1. Visit a Traditional and Authentic Himba Village – The Himba people with an estimated population of 50,000 people can be found in the northern parts of Namibia.

They are a semi-nomadic tribe and one of the most recognisable and traditional tribes in all of Africa, due to the dress of the female tribe members and by the fact that they cover their skin and hair with ochre, butter and herbs known as otijize.

The otijize gives their skin and hair an orange/red tint. The Himba idea of beauty is inspired by mud.

2. Experience the Beauty of Epupa Falls – According to Wikipedia, “the Epupa Falls which is also known as Monte Negro Falls in Angola are created by the Kunene River on the border of Angola and Namibia, in the Kaokoland area of the Kunene Region. The river is 0.5 km wide and drops in a series of waterfalls spread over 1.5 km, with the greatest single drop being 37 m. The name "Epupa" is a Herero word for "foam", in reference to the foam created by the falling water”.

The Epupa Falls is a beautiful waterfall in an otherwise dry, but stunning region. The falls are best visited just after the rainy season when the roads are less difficult to navigate and the water level is still high, around April/May.

The water levels drop dramatically later in the year and similar to Victoria Falls, they are almost dried up by September/October.

3. Climb the Mountains of Damaraland – Damaraland is said to be one of Namibia’s most dramatic collection of landscapes. The area is known for amazing for wildlife, sunsets, rock art and stargazing, however, one of the major draws here is hiking and rock climbing.

This region contains both the Spitzkoppe, one of the country’s most famous landmarks, a group of peaks, often called ‘the Matterhorn of Africa’ due to their shape and the Brandberg, known as the ‘Fire Mountain’, the tallest mountain in Namibia.

Both have incredible trails that attract climbers from all over the world. These are not easy hikes/climbs and you will need a guide, so do your research before you attempt either of these! Also, being one of Namibia's last ‘unofficial’ wildlife regions, it's home to critically endangered black rhinos, desert-adapted lions and elephants, as well as the full range of Namibia specialties such as gemsbok, zebra, giraffe and spotted hyena.

4. See the Ancient Rock Engravings at Twyfelfontein – It is thought that the ancient rock engravings at Twyfelfontein are the work of early hunter gatherers, dating back around 6000 years. It consists of a spring in a valley flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain that receives very little rainfall and has a wide range of diurnal temperatures.

The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 and is definitely worth a visit on your trip to Namibia.

5. Photograph 900-Year-Old Dead Trees in Deadvlei – This is a clay pan characterized by dark, dead camel thorn trees contrasted against the white pan floor. It is one of the most famous, alluring and photographed spots in Namibia and it lies around 6km away from Sossusvlei. The 900-year-old blackened trees are dead but the air is so hot and dry that they do not decompose making it one of Namibia’s most iconic sights.

Article by Titi Dokubo