Safaris & Vacation Packages To Namibia

Namibia is considered one of the most beautiful names in the world. It is mysterious and lyric - a perfect description of this southern country in Africa. The paradox of this name is the fact that it is actually derived from the desert that makes up a large part of Namibia. Although deserts have an exotic beauty, their climatic extremes and inhospitable environment are a cruel reality. Even if most of the country is covered by desert, there are available plenty of vacation packages to Namibia including cost-effective safari deals and wildlife park tours.

At the end of the 19^th century Germany colonized Namibia, calling it Southwest Africa. In the southern part of the country, close to the border with South Africa, the strategic port of Walvis Bay remained under British control. At the end of the First World War, as effect of defeating Germany, South Africa administered the country legally until the Second World War, when the apartheid government unilaterally annexed the territory, yet without international recognition. Namibia gained complete independence only in 1990.

The capital city is Windhoek (which means "windy corner"), a very well developed and modern city. Many capital cities in Africa are pretty dirty and not very well maintained, with dusty roads full of holes, but in Windhoek the things are very different. The architecture of the capital city is impressive - there are a few very modern buildings, many occupied by South African companies and banks. The German influence is still strong and a number of older edifices and churches reflect the German style. Windhoek is also one of the main vacation spots in the country and therefore most safari packages to Namibia feature departure in this town. Due to the charming architecture, some tourists decide to stay in the city more days and even take pleasure in longer vacations in order to see more attractions and get into a closer touch with local people.

The coastal town of Swakopmund is the second largest city in Namibia. Most safari vacation packages to Namibia include this city in the itinerary because travelers have the opportunity to take day trips from there to the Namib Desert. This is considered the oldest desert in the world, with an estimated age of 80 million years. The annual rainfall average is 10 millimeters (0,25 inches), and as a result there is virtually no vegetation! The sands seem to be endless - a vast golden "ocean" stretching in all directions beyond the horizon... However, the contrast between the golden sand and the azure sky is magnificent! The overwhelming power of nature is incredible and most vacationers feel how small and insignificant can be the human life.

The world's largest sand dune is located in the Namib Desert, being known as Dune Number Seven and having a height of 1,256 feet (almost 390 meters). Dune Number Seven is part of a range of sand dunes located in a region called Sossusvlei. On these hills the vegetation is very poor and everything looks very arid, still a couple settlements were developed in the area. Foreign voyagers can visit the dunes by taking local safaris, yet they are warned about the fact that there cannot be found hotels with too many facilities.

Swakopmund appears from desert like a mirage and has a "classic" charm, making some people thinking it is a town from Europe transferred in Africa! The German influence is very evident and is not limited only to architecture. The German language is widely spoken everywhere and the restaurants are full of delicious Bavarian foods and beer! People who live there are a mix of fishermen, tour operators and miners, many of them being descendants of the German settlers or belonging to African peoples.

On the beaches from nearby sightseer can try out some shark fishing, but the shore is very inhospitable because there are more stones and rocks than sand. Also, the wind blows hard from the Atlantic Ocean and usually is icy cold. This part of Namibia is also called The Skeleton Coast and this nickname is several hundred years old, from the age when Portuguese seafarer and spice traders belonging to the "Dutch East India Company" sailed around the Cape to India. Many ships were destroyed along the Skeleton Coast - victims of the huge waves of Atlantic Ocean, submerged rocks and foggy weather. Several shipwrecks have been found even a few hundreds meters inland, dropped there by the strong waves and winds.