In this weekly EXTREME NAMIBIA blog series we explore some of our country's extremes, and share with you practical information on how you can come and discover them for yourself. Something once abundant across the globe is becoming rarer and rarer. Once common enough to be revered as deities, guides or spirits by our ancestors, these things are now disappearing so fast that many city-dwellers will likely see only one or two in a night. Even in ru
Safari (noun) /səˈfɑː.ri/: a journey or expedition, for hunting, exploration, or investigation, especially in Africa. Namibia's landscapes and wildlife are like none other in Africa, and a Namibian safari reflects this. The classic image of driving round an East African game park in search of the Big Five doesn't apply here; instead visitors can track rhino on foot, ride horseback past herds of giraffes, take a hot air balloon safari abo
In this weekly EXTREME NAMIBIA blog series we explore some of our country's extremes, and share with you practical information on how you can come and discover them for yourself. The black rhino is one of the world's most endangered species. Between 1960 and 1995, numbers dropped by a horrifying 96.7%, mainly as a result of poaching for their horns. Black rhinos are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN's Red List Today, Namibia is ho
Imagine a school without desks and chairs, without walls or a blackboard. Imagine learning skills that have been learned over thousands of years, passed down through the world’s most ancient culture. Imagine being able to identify dozens of species – from an ant to elephant – without ever seeing a single one. The real-world San classroom. Photo: Friedrich Alpers of IRDNC To those of us unfamiliar with life in the bush, this seems like
In this weekly EXTREME NAMIBIA blog series we explore some of our country's extremes, and share with you practical information on how you can come and discover them for yourself. "Namib" is the Nama word for "vast" - and this desert, stretching for 1,600km along Namibia's coast, is certainly the embodiment of vastness. The most arid parts of this sandy expanse receive an average of just 2-5mm of rainfall a year, which would manke you think t
Last week, AFAR Magazine listed Namibia as one of it's top travel destinations for 2013: "In October, Namibia proudly displays its diverse landscape--as well as its deep commitment to conservation and environmental management--when the country welcomes the 2013 Adventure Travel World Summit. Situated on southern Africa's wild Atlantic coast, the country often surprises first-time visitors with its dramatic white salt plains and spectacular
A quintessential Namibian experience is the family braai or barbecue, but not just anyone can man the grill - it needs to be the braaimaster, and their skills will be on trial! If you want to make the cut with your Namibian friends, try this recipe for Kamanjab Steaks, taken from My Hungry Heart by Antoinette de Chavonnes Vrug (and published in Travel News Namibia, which you can download online thorugh our app here) You'll need 2kg of venis
Namibia is a country of almost-superlatives. The second-least densely populated country in the world is also one of the newest, and is home to some of: the largest dunes, the darkest skies, the oldest cultures, the biggest conservation areas in Africa, the world's last rhinos and the most complex languages on the planet - to name but a few! In this weekly blog series we explore some of Namibia's extremes, and share with you practical information
Many of you have been asking, “Who won the Share My Namibia Grand Prize?” Well – we’re sorry, but unfortunately it wasn’t you. Our lucky winner is Vivienne from Boston, Massachusetts. A life coach and lifelong environmental activist, she is serendipitously on a year's sabbatical. Vivienne chose her sister Jane, a potter and graphic artist, to travel with her, and the two will take a 12 day road tr
For anyone with hard-to-please relatives, in search of last-minute stocking fillers, or simply trying to shop in a more ethical way this Chrismas, a little shop in Swakopmund may just have the answer. Kubatsirana Arts and Crafts shop sells a range of unique products, including natural creams and salt scrubs made from locally-sourced !nara seeds (used by indigenous people to soothe thhe skin for generations); !nara seed cooking oil; hand-stitched
