
Kristin’s Journey Around Namibia
Beautiful and brazen, wild and whimsical
Choosing the most scenic area of this stunning country is near impossible, but we think Damaraland might just edge the title. This is Africa at its unlimited, rugged best; a place where mysterious flat-topped lava mountains and eerie petrified trees cast shadows across the blood red terrain and where colossal granite boulders, covered in hundreds of ancient drawings, stand like proud sentinels. And in the heart of this seemingly inhospitable landscape are herds of mountain zebra and gemsbok, black rhino and the remarkable desert elephants. Although parts of the land have been designated ‘concession areas’ tourism is still limited, making a visit to this unspoiled corner even more spectacular.
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This vast expanse of desert is one of Africa’s last unofficial wildernesses and the landscape is so colossal and so completely, eerily different to anything else, it’s hard to imagine until you’ve visited. A unique feature are the rocky outcrops, which are often home to exceptional San paintings. Twyfelfontein has some of the best and most well-preserved, but the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain, also has beautiful examples. Why choose, both are certainly worth a trip. When you’re not ogling the scenery, keep your eyes peeled for desert-adapted wildlife. Gemsbok and oryx are common, as are zebra and elephant, but black rhino are the stars of the show and with Save the Rhino Trust based in the area, sightings are excellent. Game drives are key for wildlife-spotting (you’ll cover larger distances) but walking safaris are also a must to discover the finer details of the desert and even track these rare rhino and elephant on foot. In some areas, horseback safaris are possible, as are trips to see the fascinating Petrified Forest, a 260-million-year-old phenomena.
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