Throughout the year I spent living in Southern Africa, I was constantly struck by the disparity between the continent’s luxurious hotels and the living conditions of the local population. I began to question the efficacy of tourism in Africa as a vehicle of providing upward mobility to the continent’s residents. I’d seen the failure of international aid time and time again. And when travelers to Africa passed out candies to children and brought ‘gifts’ for their host communities, I often found myself often questioning whether international visitors—while well-intentioned—were truly helping.

But I truly believe that there are countless wonderful development initiatives around Africa and that tourism, if executed correctly, can have positive impacts.

Malealea Lodge in Lesotho provides the perfect example of how tourism and charity can truly benefit a community in a sustainable way.

Malealea Lodge in Lesotho

Malealea is a small, environmentally friendly, no-frills lodge, tucked away amongst Lesotho’s tallest peaks. The lodge is a destination in its own right, and a gateway to the beautiful hiking trails in Africa’s Kingdom in the Sky. It is a blissful place to stay, and a cornerstone of the Malealea village community.

The owners of the Malealea Lodge have created a development trust that works closely with the local community to assess areas of need.

Malealea is a shining example of a well-orchestrated interplay between development and tourism. It represents what the travel industry could do.

Malealea works closely with the local village to expand employment opportunities in the community and give back in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Proceeds from the lodge have funded schools, land reclamation projects, recycling initiatives and orphan care. The lodge seeks to promote sustainability both among its visitors and in the surrounding community. It employs many local individuals as hiking and pony trekking guides.

Malealea Lodge Tours and Activities

Mariella and I fell in love with Malealea the moment we arrived at the lodge and absorbed the sweeping views around us. We had five days in the village and immediately sat down to map them out, agreeing that the plethora of activities would likely keep our days occupied to maximum capacity.

During our five day stay at Malealea Lodge, Mariella and I signed up for an overnight pony trekking excursion into the surrounding villages and participated in many hikes around the area.

We filled our agenda to the brim partly because the activities were of such great value and partly because we felt good about where our tourist dollars would be going.

Sustainable Tourism in Africa

I visited Malealea Lodge in Lesotho with Mariella shortly after the close of my volunteer service in Namibia. It was at a time in which I began to really start thinking about the interplay between tourism, volunteerism and development. As a backpacker and avid explorer of the world, I like to think that there is a big distinction between tourists and travelers. I like to think that by traveling on public transport, eating in local establishments and purchasing goods directly from street vendors, I am impacting my host community in a positive way.

And I truly do believe that travel can be beneficial in many ways–both to the individual explorer and to his or her host community. Tourism has extraordinary potential in Africa. The continent’s abundance of wonderful destinations has the potential to draw millions of vacationers who could bring valuable dollars to local economies.

But the tourist dollars that enter the country rarely fall into the right hands.

I think tourism in many parts of Africa provides a perfect example of how the travel industry can take strides toward advancing the well-being of the host country. When I traveled around parts of Namibia and Botswana, it saddened me to see how many luxury resorts coexisted with destitute poverty and how little this high-end tourism really benefitted locals.

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Academic sources would have us believe that Earth is approximately 510,072,000 square kilometers and that thousands of ethnic groups speaking millions of languages inhabit its surface.

Growing up, we learn that there are seven continents, six of which support human life and five of which consist of multiple countries. We are told that the world’s people live in a wide variety of different habitats; from the polar regions blanketed in ice to the steamy rainforests near the equator and from remote atolls in the turquoise seas of the Pacific to the concrete jungles of the world’s greatest megalopolises.

These facts suggest that the world is so big and so diverse that it would take many lifetimes to adequately explore its surfaces.

Yet, while facts point to these statistics and books reveal depictions of life around the world through words and images, for millions of people, including the majority of my students in Onantsi village, the world is much, much, smaller.

For my students, the world is their village. It is what they know. It is all they’ve ever known.

And aside from the abstract words in their textbooks, the world beyond Ovamboland remains largely a mystery.

The few lucky learners that have made the journey to Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, can tell me of a place where mountains surround multi-story buildings, grassy parks and German architecture. Yet the vast majority of them have little to say about their own country, let alone the world.

On a daily basis, kids come up to me, asking me “Miss, is it true that in Windhoek there are big malls with an upstairs? Miss, are there black people in America? Miss, how many cows do people have where you live? Miss, what does pizza taste like?”

The questions are endless. And I do my best to answer each and every one of them.

I explain to them that I do not know Barak Obama simply because I am American—that my country is so large that it would take 180 times the population of Namibia to equal just one America. When they see my backpack and assume that I am heading back to the United States for the weekend, I explain that I cannot just take a taxi home, because there is a massive ocean and thousands of kilometers standing in my way. I explain to them that there arepoor people in America, contrary to what most of them believe and that the poorest face may of the same problems that they face here in Namibia—lack of jobs, opportunities, healthcare and poor access to quality education.

But I have found myself faltering on numerous occasions—attempting to explain things about the world in a way that my students will understand. Sometimes my explanations are successful; sometimes they are not.

Perhaps my struggles with communicating ideas about the world with my students are best encapsulated in an interaction I had with them a few weeks ago while reading “Holes.”

In our reading, we came across the vocabulary word mud.

Simple, I thought, when one of my top learners asked me what the word meant.

“It’s when the dirt is wet and slimy,” I told him. “Like after it rains.”

All eyes in the classroom stared at me blankly.

I fumbled for words. I tried to explain again, using other vocabulary. “It’s wet soil. When it rains and the soil mixes with water.”

Still blank stares.

Then it dawned on me. They didn’t know what dirt was. They had never even seen dirt before. To them, soil is a synonym for sand. Of course they would not be able to comprehend the word mud.  Though the rainy season brings an abundance of swampy sand, in Ovamboland, mud doesn’t exist.

But it is not only vocabulary that stands in their way. When I asked my students the most spoken language in the world, most replied Oshiwambo. When I asked them to identify the continents on a map, the only one they new was Africa. For a geography lover like me, the realization of how small their world is, was a slap in the face.

I knew that one of my jobs would be to expose them to the world to the best of my abilities through books, videos and images.

In term three, I finally felt that was able to make tangible progress with my students. I integrated as many cross-cultural issues as possible into my English and computer lessons and even gave them projects where I taught them to use the internet, atlases and encyclopedias to conduct independent research on countries around the world. I showed them episodes of Planet Earth, the glossy photos of National Geographic and Google Maps of my home town.

I could see the palpable excitement in their expressions when they saw the footage of Africa’s Great Migration or images of the forests and mountains that surround my house.

I wish I could have taken them outside their realities so that they could have seen these things with their own eyes. I wish I could have shown them what else is out there and that, if they work hard, they might even have the chance to discover it themselves.

While I may not have had the opportunity to bring them to the world, I realized that the least I could do was try to bring the world to them.

Though I worked on a few different projects throughout my time in the country, including the expansion of my school’s library and the acquisition of netball equipment, I wanted to leave the school with something else—something that would act as a symbol for the work I tried to do to broaden the horizons of my students during my service. I decided to paint a map of the world, visible from nearly every angle of the school grounds.

I don’t know if it is merely my idealism, but I hope that the map is a reminder that if my students have the ambition and curiosity to venture beyond their realities, education can truly be their window to the world. I hope that when my students look at the map, they think of their crazy American teacher who journeyed to a rural African village to push them to discover and learn about the world with open eyes and minds.

Yes, the world is large. I realize just how lucky I am to be fully aware of its diversity and immensity.

Most people in the world are not so lucky. While they may have heard mention of foreign cultures, customs and countries, their notions of the world are still quite small. And the world they see, the world they know, does not extend beyond their immediate realities.

I hope that, by my being here, I was able to help satiate my students’ desire to learn about the peoples, cultures, landscapes and animals from different corners of the globe and, in some way, make their worlds just a tiny bit larger.

The post How Big is the World? appeared first on Erika's Travels .

The dusty, concrete cities of Ovamboland surely aren’t on many travelers’ lists of must-see places. And, aside from the odd Peace Corps volunteer or independent traveler en-route the Kunene Region from Etosha National Park, the endless floodplains of Namibia’s northern region fly largely under the radar.

Granted, there is not much in the country’s northern cities to keep travelers entertained. The area has next to nothing in terms of historical monuments and its geology and topography are justifiably overshadowed by those of its neighboring regions.

Aside from strip malls, abundant shebeens and take-out joints selling an assortment of hot dogs and soggy fries, there is little reason to keep any passerby lingering.

And while it may seem as though I have spent this year sauntering off between the beautiful national parks of Southern Africa, the truth is that my reality has centered around this largely neglected area of the country.

Ondangwa—along with nearby Oshakati and Ongwediva—is one of Namibia’s premier transportation hubs and houses many of the country’s industries. It is one of the largest urban centers of northern Namibia, boasting a population of roughly ten thousand.

To someone merely driving through, the city would appear much larger than it is, for nearly all the buildings are spread far apart and run parallel to the main road for several miles.  Along the road, formal and informal settlements spring up and support a majority of Namibia’s population who live in corrugated metal shacks or concrete slabs of grey, rectangular housing.

Of course, for a country renowned for its wide open spaces and abundance of land, positioning buildings far from one another poses little concern.

Except to people like me who are too stubborn to take cabs around the city, but are unaccustomed to walking long distances under the sweltering African sun.

For us, navigating the three largest cities in Ovamboland is always a strenuous ordeal.

Over the course of the year, I have done my best to become accustomed to walking in the country’s hostile climate. Prior to coming to Namibia, I refused to wear sunglasses on the account that they give me an uncanny resemblance to the beetles that swarm around my house every evening. I often forewent applying sunscreen because my Mediterranean skin rarely incurred sunburns.

Here, however, things are different.

Here, the sun is too piercing to ignore. I have only to walk a few feet in the sun before rivulets of sweat cascade down my back and neck and before my shoulders and face adopt a fuchsia hue.

So, before walking to the bank or grocery store, I lather on my sunscreen and prepare for an exhausting and sweaty journey around town.

A walk down main street in Ondangwa will take you past many cement strip malls and houses. It will take you past bars thumping popular Namibian and American songs–bars with names like “Facebook #2” “The Place to Be” and “Fly Emirates.”

On your walk, you will notice that trash is everywhere. It litters the ground and is strewn about the streets. You will likely pass heaps of rubbish, broken glass bottles and cell phone recharge scratch-it cards. You will likely pass hungry goats scavenging through dustbins and pigs rolling in the heaps of trash. You will likely walk under the searing sun, dripping in sweat from head to toe and dodging into every shop to pick up another bottle of water or juice.

The Oshana region is hot. It is dusty, it is grey. In the rainy season, a layer of green blankets the otherwise tawny landscape and breathes life and vitality into the natural environment. At all other times of the year, the endless sea of beige reaches outward to infinity, interrupted by pockets of thorny brush and clusters of Makalani palms.

And the sand. The sand is everywhere. It permeates everything. It clings to the rivulets of perspiration that trickle down your face and back. It seeps through your shoes. It is embedded in your hair, your teeth and your nails.

Ondangwa may not encapsulate the idyllic image of Africa that is often romanticized by those wishing to foray into an exotic land. It doesn’t have the natural splendor of Southern Namibia, or the rugged beauty of the country’s red heart. Yet, this is Africa. It pulses with life. It is alive with smells of women cooking meat, aromas of cow dung and the scent of urine. It is alive with images of children frolicking about in their matching school uniforms, elderly men and women sitting under the shade of a baobab tree and young women strutting about in high heels and trendy outfits. It is alive with the sound of honking cars and crying babies and bleating goats.

As uninspiring and drab as they appear, Namibia’s northern cities have a unique appeal–an appeal that perhaps takes some time (in my case, months) to understand. They are quirky and have their own character or, dare I say, charm. This character and charm lies beneath a grungy and largely unpolished exterior.

In more than eleven months of experiencing the southern tip of the continent, I have passed through places that many deem quintessentially “African.” Yet, I can’t help but feel that this is where the real Africa lies. The “real” Africa, like my tiny microcosm in Ondangwa, is a cultural crossroads–a crossroads of modernity, tradition, ancestral cultures, western influences, cosmopolitan cities and rural villages

Though its climate is less than ideal, the natural and man-made wonders are few and far between and the lack of greenery and pervasiveness of sand could not be more antithetical to my notion of home, when I think of all the places in this country where I could have served my year abroad, there is no place I think I’d rather be.

The post A Walk around Ondangwa appeared first on Erika's Travels .

In the indigenous Nama Language, the word Namibia means “land of nothing.” The vast country in southwestern Africa received its name because of its seemingly infinite landscapes that extend toward the sky, as far as the eye can see. Yet, amidst this nothingness, in the heart of southern Namibia’s sprawling |Ai-|Ais National Park, lie some of Africa’s most impressive natural wonders.

The otherworldly landscapes of |Ai-|Ais—part of the greater |Ai-|Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park—showcase the grandeur of Namibia’s geologic features. Highlights of the area include the Quivertree Forest, the Giant’s Playground and, most notably, the extraordinary Fish River Canyon.

After an unforgettable experience amid the blood-red dunes of the Namib desert, our Namibia itinerary brought us southward, toward the Fish River Canyon in the |Ai-|Ais Transfrontier National Park.

Along the way, we passed some of Namibia’s most colorful desertscapes—marveling at the pastel hues of the windswept dunes, the fields of rippling golden grasses and the jagged purple mountains mountains in the distance.

In our compact car, we braved the isolated dirt roads that crisscross Namibia’s scorched terrain. A few hours and a flat tire later, we rejoiced as the wheels of our little car finally kissed the pavement.

From there, it was smooth sailing all the way to Keetmanshoop.

The |Ai-|Ais Hot Springs and Fish River Canyon

The |Ai-|Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a transnational peace park that straddles the border of Namibia and South Africa. Formed in 2003 by conjoining Namibia’s Ai-Ais Game Park and South Africa’s Richtersveld National Park, the large swathe of land in southwestern Africa is home to some of the continent’s wildest scenery.

• Fish River Canyon 

After nearly two weeks visiting many of the country’s primary attractions, we headed southward for the last leg of our journey, toward the chiseled Fish River Canyon in |Ai-|Ais National Park. Over millions of years, Southern Africa’s Fish River has cut through the surface of a rocky and rugged plateau, forming a geological masterpiece second only to Arizona’s Grand Canyon.

We visited the canyon in the dry season, when the river was little more than a few stagnant pools at the canyon’s base. It was difficult to imagine the canyon–550 meters deep and 27 km wide in some places–could have been crafted by such a seemingly small and insignificant river. Yet, apparently, in the height of the rainy season, the canyon is prone to severe flooding, which prompted the National Park Service to forbid hiking without valid permits.

Tourists who opt out of the five day hike through the canyon, are relegated to marveling at the splendid views from the lip of the ravine. Though it would have been wonderful to descend into the canyon for a short day hike, we contented ourselves with a short walk to different viewpoints along the canyon’s edge.

From the moment we peered down at the canyon, we knew the long drive was worth it. Despite visiting on an overcast day when the clouds blocked the sun’s rays from painting the canyon walls with color, the view was magnificent.

• |Ai-|Ais Hot Springs

That night, we decided to venture to the |Ai-|Ais Hot Springs nestled at the southern end of the Fish River Canyon.

At the |Ai-|Ais Hot Springs, we crossed paths with some of my friends from WorldTeach and spent an evening enjoying a wonderful dinner of oryx steak, relaxing in the spring’s therapeutic waters and recounting adventures from our respective term holidays.

An evening at the hot springs was just what our bodies craved after two weeks of camping and driving along endless, bumpy roads in the unrelenting heat.

And it was just what my mind needed before returning to village life and beginning another hectic term of teaching.

The Quivertree Forest National Monument

The Quivertree Forest National Monument lies northeast of Keetmanshoop, on the privately-owned Gariganus Farm. Though it does not fall within the borders of the |Ai-|Ais Richtersveld Park, the forest is a must-see highlight of Southern Namibia and only a slight detour from the Fish River Canyon.

The Quivertree Forest is a privately owned national monument that contains two unique places of interest for tourists–the world’s largest collection of quivertrees and the bizarre geological landscape known as the Giant’s Playground.

• Quivertree Forest

A quivertree is a type of aloe plant that is known for its ability to survive in one of the world’s most unforgiving environments. The Quiver Tree takes its name from the Kokerboom—an Afrikaans name for the practice of hollowing out the tubular branches to make quivers for arrows

The San population of Namibia allegedly used the branches of the trees as quivers while hunting.

The trees  are ubiquitous to the landscape of Southern Namibia, but they are rarely seen in large concentrations like those found in the Quivertree Forest.

We spent a bit of time hiking around the cluster of trees as the sun illuminated the sky with fiery colors. The black silhouettes of the trees in the foreground painted a majestic picture.

• The Giant’s Playground

The Giant’s Playground is a name given to the unique geological environment near the Quivertree Forest. We agreed immediately that the name could not have been more fitting.

All around, piles of boulders balanced precariously and towered over our heads. It looked as though the whole area formed part of a giant castle made of building blocks.

The groupings of boulders were formed millions of years ago when hot magma built up just below the earth’s surface. Over time, the top layer of the earth’s surface eroded and left the dolerite rocks exposed to the elements.

• Cheetah Conservation 

In addition to housing two of the most impressive tourist attractions in southern Namibia, the Gariganus Farm houses wild cheetahs that have been rescued from the surrounding bush. It is common for farmers in Namibia to take part in the effort of preserving Namibia’s dwindling cheetah population. While Namibia contains the world’s largest population of cheetahs in the wild, the animals are constantly under threat due to hunting. These big cats are often killed for fear that they will eat livestock. As a result, farmers around the country have sought to take the preservation of the world’s fastest animals into their own hands.

Unlike a zoo, the cheetah enclosure at the Gariganus Farm provides the animals with plenty of space to run. In fact, the area is so big that I had spent some of the evening and early morning attempting to spot the animals to no avail.

Guests of the Gariganus Farm are privy to watching the cheetah feedings that take place in the afternoons. When we attended a feeding, I was expecting to watch the animals eat from behind the safety of the chain-link fence. Instead, we walked inside the pen and stood in silence as two beautiful cats emerged from the brush, driven by the scent of meat.

I feel fortunate to have been able to stand so close to these beautiful animals and to watch them interact with my own eyes. While it did not give me the same sensation as spotting them in the wild, our encounter with the animals was thrilling nonetheless.

Standing fully exposed, merely a few feet away from the cheetahs as they gnawed on fresh meat, was an adrenaline-pumping experience to say the least.

****

Namibia is breathtaking destination, defined by its lonely roads and wide open landscapes.

Yes, the country is barren. Yes, it sometimes seems as though nothing can survive in such a harsh and unforgiving place. But, I am reluctant to say that the country is empty. It’s name might allude to a “land of nothing” but we found Namibia to be a land of full of many surprises–the Himba settlements in the middle of the desolate and water-deprived Kaokaveld, the red rock landscapes of Damaraland, the thrilling wildlife sightings at Etosha, the much-needed spring of warm water in the middle of the vast and arid plateau, or the unexpected snow flurry that baffled us on our drive back to Windhoek.

This thrill; this adventure; this presence of the unknown, is precisely what makes Namibia such a unique and exciting place to explore.

____

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Sossusvlei is a place where the vastness of Namibia’s desert is both overwhelming and achingly beautiful. It is a hyperbole of nature. One of my favorite places in the world.

In writing this guide to Sossusvlei, I wanted to convey the sensation of standing amid waves of rust-colored sand. I wanted to memorialize my experience and imprint it in my memory.

But—despite having put my thoughts and images to paper—I failed to find the perfect words or snap the perfect photo.

I can’t possibly do justice to the Namib Desert’s epic scenery. It’s just a place that you’ll have to see with your own eyes.

THE NAMIB-NAUKLUFT NATIONAL PARK

The Namib-Naukluft Park in Namibia is home to the world’s oldest desert. The park encompasses nearly 50,000 square kilometers of vast nothingness. Amongst this nothingness, lies some of the most beautiful scenery in Africa.

As journalist Elinor Burkett describes, “those naive enough to believe that a dune is a dune is a dune are faced with a dizzying array of sand configurations.” These sand configurations have been chiseled over the course of centuries by the Kalahari and Atlantic winds. They have been beautifully sculpted by the elements and stand as a testament to nature’s sometimes raw and unforgiving power.

The Namib-Naukluft Park features orange dunes and purple mountains. Its vast sand sea probably originated in the Kalahari, between three and five million years ago. The older the dunes, the more intense their reddish hue.

At the heart of the park lies Sossusvlei—a photogenic clay pan surrounded by some of the tallest sand dunes in the world.

THINGS TO DO IN THE NAMIB-NAUKLUFT NATIONAL PARK

The Namib-Naukluft Park is, without a doubt, one of Namibia’s premier tourist destinations. It vies with Etosha National Park for the top spot on Namibia’s must-see list.

The vast sand sea is a wonderland for lovers of solitude and otherworldly scenery. Though it is the mainstay of many Namibia itineraries, visiting Sossusvlei can make you feel like you are the only person in the world. Its dunes are sweeping and immense.

It is truly one of the world’s most spectacular desert landscapes.

• CATCH THE SUNRISE AT SOSSUSVLEI

For many, watching the sunrise above the blood-red dunes of Sossusvlei is a Namibia travel highlight. And, had I reserved a campsite within the boundaries of the national park, I would have certainly taken the opportunity to witness the morning sun paint the desert dunes.

Unfortunately, the main gates at Sossusvlei open at 6:00am September-April and 6:45am October-May—making sunrise-viewing challenging for those unable to secure accommodation within the park.

• LOOK OUT FOR FAIRY CIRCLES

The rippling yellow grasses in Sossusvlei conceal a host of wildlife.

But as you keep your eyes peeled for ostriches and antelope, be sure not to miss the mysterious fairy circles—rings of barren land that have baffled scientists due to their unexplained origins.

Namibia’s fairy circles maintain almost perfect circular form, as if someone methodically took a cookie cutter to the ground. The polka-dotted patches of bare earth are pretty unique to the area.

• HIKE DUNE 45

Dune 45 is one of the most photographed dunes in the world. It offers stunning views of the parched earth from its summit. Though not the tallest dune in Sossusvlei, many tourists opt to climb it due to its proximity to the road, its relatively gentle grade and its beautiful vistas.

I sat at the top of Dune 45 for a while, looking out over the sinuous ridges of the surrounding sand sea.

I still remember the sensation of awe that flooded every bone in my body when I gazed out at Sossusvlei from atop Dune 45.

• PHOTOGRAPH THE DEADVLEI PAN

Deadvlei, a large pan of cracked dry clay, lies cradled between some of the world’s tallest dunes. It was formed when the Tchauseb river temporarily flooded and created an environment where Namibia’s desert-adapted Camelthorn Trees could thrive. Shifting sand and dry temperatures, however, cut the pan from the course of the river.

As a result, the area has long since dried up.

Over the course of approximately 900 years, the unrelenting sun charred the tree bark and painted it a deep black.

Today, Deadvlei’s trapped acacia treesare a photographer’s dream and a symbol of Namibia. The area’s black trees, white clay, red earth and deep blue sky combine to create a dazzling and otherworldly sight.

• HIKE THE BIG DADDY SAND DUNE

Big Daddy, the world’s tallest dune, lies just behind Deadvlei. Soaring 325 meters above the surrounding landscape, it it is one of Namibia’s most popular hiking destinations.

I began hiking Big Daddy sometime around midday, but the scorching afternoon sun forced me to turn back before I reached the summit.

Nonetheless, by making it halfway up the dune, I was able to witness aerial views of the skeleton trees that litter Deadvlei’s clay pan.

• WALK THROUGH THE SESRIEM CANYON

The Sesriem Canyon is one of the top attractions in the Namib-Naukluft National Park. A narrow gorge carved millions of years ago by the mighty Tsauchab River, its towering sandstone walls provide respite from the burning sun.

We spent about an hour meandering through the walls of the narrow gorge.

Though the Sesriem Canyon does not boast the grandeur of Sossusvlei or the country’s awe-inspiring Fish River Canyon, it is nonetheless worthy of a visit.

• CHECK OUT HIDDENVLEI

Hiddenvlei is one of the more accessible places to visit within the Namib-Naukluft National Park.

Yet despite its proximity to the Sesriem Gate, it remains mostly off the beaten path.

We didn’t prioritize Hiddenvlei during our trip to Namibia’s sand dunes and omitted the area from our itinerary.

The hike to Hiddenvlei takes around 1.5 hours in total.

• WATCH SUNSET AT THE ELIM DUNE

We ended our day in Sossusvlei with a pit-stop at the Elim dune around sunset. Unlike the other highlights of the Namib-Naukluft Park, Elim is not known for its immensity or grandeur.

Rather, tourists visit it for the beautiful display of pastel colors.

Tufts of green grass spring from the orange sand, in contrast to the yellow grasses and purple mountains. The area reminded me of Coral Pink Sands State Park in Utah.

We climbed the Elim dune as golden hour painted our surroundings in stunning light.

I would have loved to stay at the Elim Dune until sundown, but we had to race out of the Park’s gates before the sun dipped below the horizon.

GETTING TO SOSSUSVLEI

Namibia is the second most sparsely populated country on Earth. And sometimes, traveling along its roads can make you feel as though you’re the only person in the world. In order to reach Sossusvlei, we drove for hours without passing cars or signs of civilization.

The gravel road to Sossusvlei took us past golden coastal dunes near Walvis Bay, along endless plains, twisting canyons and pastel landscapes.

We passed the Tropic of Capricorn, stopped for lunch at the tiny outpost of Solitaire, and reached our campsite by nightfall.

Unless you’re traveling North to Sossusvlei from Cape Town, chances are that you will be traveling to Sossusvlei from Windhoek or Swakopmund along the same route that we took. The soaring dunes of the Namib Desert lie roughly five hours from both cities, though it is a good idea to allot extra time due to road conditions.

If coming from the north, head south on the C14 toward Solitaire. In Solitaire, turn onto the C19. The C19 will take you close to Sesriem and the gates of the national park.

WHERE TO STAY NEAR SOSSUSVLEI

Accommodation in Sossusvlei falls into two main categories: luxurious wilderness lodges, and self-catered tent camping. Both options allow you to feel immersed in the immense beauty of Namibia’s desert. The best option just depends on your budget and travel style.

• INSIDE THE PARK

Sesriem Camp lies within the gates of the Namib-Naukluft Reserve. Those staying at the cap have the advantage of being able to drive to the dunes for sunrise and sunset. Sossusvlei and Deadvlei are 60 km from the campsite.

There are no lodges or guesthouses within the park’s boundaries.

• OUTSIDE THE PARK

We stayed at the Sossus Oasis Campsite during our visit to Sossusvlei, since we couldn’t secure a spot within the park’s boundaries. The site offers 12 luxury camping spots just outside the Sesriem gate. We had a great stay at the Sossus Oasis, though we regretted not being able to access the park for sunrise.

Outside the park boundaries, you’ll also find a handful of lodges and guesthouses. The Sossusveli Lodge in Sesriem is a beautiful 4* accommodation near the park’s entrance gates. It boasts an outdoor pool and patio and views of the Namib-Naukluft’s purple mountains. At a slightly lower price point, you’ll find the nearby Desert Camp.

If you want to splurge, the highly-rated Hoodia Desert Camp is among the top places to stay in the area. The camp requires a two night minimum. Room prices include a full-day excursion to Sossusvlei.

SOSSUSVLEI WILDLIFE

Sossusvlei might appear inhospitable, but its ochre sands house a surprising array of animals and plants. The animals of the Namib Desert have adapted to survive in their extreme environment—withstanding temperatures that breach 40 degrees Celsius during the day and then plummet to below freezing at night.

Along the park’s roads, springbok, oryx and ostriches dot the fields of rippling yellow grass. Each of these animals has adapted to live in a dry and largely inhospitable environment.

Beneath the sand live beetles, spiders and reptiles.

Two small mammals are endemic to the Namib Sand Sea: the golden mole and the dune gerbil.

SOSSUSVLEI HOURS AND PERMITS

The Sossusvlei Dunes are accessible daily, during opening hours. The outer gate (or Sesriem Gate) opens at sunrise and closes at sunset. This is the gate you’ll use if you’re staying in Sesriem or beyond.

The inner gate opens one hour before sunset and closes one hour after sunset. For travelers camping inside of the Sesriem Gate, they provide the opportunity to access the dunes for sunrise and sunset.

Entrance tickets to Sossusvlei ($N80 per person) can be purchased at the inner gate.

BEST TIME TO VISIT SOSSUSVLEI NAMIBIA

Sossusvlei is blessed with around 300 days of sunshine, so you aren’t likely to encounter much rainfall during your visit. However, scorching temperatures mean that the area is best to explore during the dry season, between May and October.

The best time to visit Sossusvlei coincides with prime animal-viewing times for Etosha, Chobe and the Okavango Delta. So, if you’re itinerary includes more than just the Sossusvlei Dunes, the best time of year for seeing wildlife might be something to consider.

****

There are some places that are too beautiful for words or photos. I could post hundreds of pictures of my day in Sossusvlei, but they would not accurately depict the mesmerizing landscapes I saw with my own eyes.

While I apologize that I was not able to do justice to the beauty of the Namib Desert, I hope that I can somehow inspire you to add the natural wonder to your bucket list.

I promise you will not be disappointed.

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Some refer to Namibia as ‘The Land God Created in Anger’.

And after a year of traveling extensively around the country, I find it easy to see why.

Namibia is a place where desolation manifests in exquisite beauty. It is a wild frontier, with unforgiving landscapes that seem virtually incompatible with life. The landscapes of Namibia are bleak, harsh, and foreboding.

Nowhere does this ring more true than along the otherworldly stretch of shoreline known as the Skeleton Coast.

THE SKELETON COAST IN NAMIBIA

Like a massive graveyard, the Skeleton Coast gets its forbidding name from the animal carcasses and shipwrecks that have washed up on its shores.

The Skeleton Coast’s topography consists of gravel plains, lichen fields and dunes that roll out toward endless horizons. The area encompasses two national parks and over 500 miles of coastline.

The Dorob National Park begins south of Walvis Bay and ends at the mouth of the Ugab River. The Skeleton Coast National Park picks up on the north side of the Ugab River and extends across the wild and remote Kunene Region near Angola.

Most tourists (including us) stick to the area within Dorob National Park.

While driving along the Skeleton Coast National Park, it is easy to see how this otherworldly and barren landscape has been both revered and feared by intrepid travelers and explorers throughout history.

Portuguese explorers once called the Skeleton Coast the “Gates of Hell.” Get caught in the area’s waters, they soon learned, and your fate was all but sealed.

PLACES TO VISIT ALONG THE SKELETON COAST

Namibia’s Skeleton Coast contains few must-see destinations per se. Driving along the route is more about the experience as a whole. Photos of the landscape do not do justice to the area’s vast and endless nothingness.

That being said, there are a few noteworthy places to see along the lonely stretch of road. I’ve listed them below, from south to north.

Due to time restraints and vehicle limitations (we foolishly rented a 2WD car for our Namibia road trip), our Skeleton Coast itinerary did not allow us to go as far north as Mowe Bay.

• WALVIS BAY LAGOON

The Walvis Bay Lagoon sits at the southern end of Dorob National Park, between the raging Atlantic Ocean and the golden dunes of the Namib Desert. The lagoon is among the most important coastal wetlands in southern Africa. Over 150,000 migratory birds spend their summer months in Walvis Bay.

The Walvis Bay Lagoon contains about 150 recorded bird species, though flamingos are by far the most prominent.

The flamingo-speckled lagoon is one of the most remarkable places to visit along Namibia’s wild and scenic coastline.

• SWAKOPMUND

Swakopmund is a pleasant city that lies sandwiched between Namibia’s coastal dunes and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a fairly westernized town, with colonial German architecture and tasty food offerings.

Swakopmund is one of Namibia’s largest cities and a popular tourist destination. Its position at the southern end of the Skeleton Coast makes it an ideal place to fuel up before your journey.

If you are looking to travel along Namibia’s wild coastline as a day trip, Swakopmund will likely be your beginning and end point.

• WLOTZKASBAKEN

Wlotzkasbaken is a small collection of homes situated approximately halfway between Swakopmund and Henties Bay.

Founded as a holiday spot for anglers in the 1930s, Wlotzkasbaken developed into an unusual settlement. Its dispersed dwellings do not have fences or boundary walls. Instead, they rely on their distance from one another for privacy.

There isn’t really anything specific to do in Wlotzkasbaken, but it is an interesting place to get out of the car and stretch your legs.

With its stark yet colorful architecture, it is unlike any vacation spot I’ve ever seen.

Wlotzkasbaken’s colorful houses are particularly intriguing because of how much they contrast with their bleak and monochrome surroundings.

• SKELETON COAST SHIPWRECKS

For much of the year, a dense fog blankets the Skeleton Coast. This fog—coupled with rough seas that are a result of cold ocean currents mixing with stifling desert air—is challenging to navigate.

As a result, the coastline has become a magnet for shipwrecks. Throughout history, more than a thousand vessels have washed up along Namibia’s coastline.

The Zeila Shipwreck is the most accessible ruined vessel along the Skeleton Coast. An Angolan fishing trawler that was being pulled to India for scrap, it ran aground in 2008. It lies wedged in the sand, tousled continuously by the rough waves of the Atlantic.

Other noteworthy shipwrecks along the Skeleton Coast include the Eduard Bohlen, the Benguela Eagle, the Dunedin Star and the Tong Taw.

Some of the shipwrecks are difficult to reach and require straying off the main road. GPS locations are notoriously inaccurate and location information is often contradictory.

I suggest you do adequate research beforehand if there’s a shipwreck that you’re intent on seeing.

• CAPE CROSS SEAL COLONY

The Cape Cross Seal Colony is among the most remarkable places to visit along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast. Home to one of the largest Cape Fur colonies in the world, it is a testament to the resilient wildlife that thrives in this inhospitable part of Africa.

Cape Cross marks the point where Portuguese explorer Diego Cão landed on the Namibian coast and raised a giant cross in the 1600s.

Today, hundreds of thousands of Cape Fur Seals breed along its rocky shores.

The stench at Cape Cross is nauseating and the sound almost deafening, but the sight is so incredible that we lingered on the area’s boardwalks for a while.

• SKELETON COAST NATIONAL PARK

The Skeleton Coast National Park occupies the northern section of Namibia’s famed coastline. It includes the road from the Ugab Gate to Mowe Bay, as well as the inaccessible portion of coastline near the Angola border.

Though there aren’t many things to see in this vast and desolate wasteland, there are a couple fishing “villages” along the way that are worth noting. Blink once, and you’ll miss them.

These settlements include Torra Bay, Terrace Bay, and Mowe Bay.

Terrace Bay Resort is has some basic facilities, including a lodge and a petrol station. It’s a desolate place, popular with fishermen.

Mowe Bay marks the end of the road. Beyond, you’ll find a swath of coastline that is completely inaccessible by private vehicle.

DRIVING ALONG NAMIBIA’S SKELETON COAST

The road along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast consists of salt, sand and gravel that changes colors in continuum. Known as the C34, it extends nearly 300 miles, from Walvis Bay to Mowe Bay.

While much of the unpaved road is in relatively good condition, I highly recommend a 4WD vehicle. If your budget allows, don’t make our mistake of renting a small sedan in Namibia. You’ll have so much more freedom and flexibility with a car that can handle rough terrain and poor roads.

Petrol stations are rare sightings along the Skeleton Coast road, so it is best to fill up with fuel whenever possible. With that in mind, we filled our car’s gas tank in Henties Bay, and headed northward. Travelers who wish to spend a few days along Namibia’s C34, should consider carrying along extra fuel.

Petrol is available at Henties Bay, mile 108, and Terrace Bay (though it is best to carry your own fuel in case of emergencies).

SKELETON COAST PERMITS

While you’re free to explore the lower portion of the Skeleton Coast without a permit, you’ll need to obtain paperwork if you want to travel beyond the Ugab River into the Skeleton Coast National Park.

Permits are obtainable at the Ugab and Springbokwasser entrance gates.

WHERE TO STAY ALONG THE SKELETON COAST

Terrace Bay Resort offers basic accommodation and is run by the government-owned NWR (Namibia Wildlife Resorts). It is the only established year-round place to stay along the Skeleton Coast road. The vast majority of the people who stay at Terrace Bay are fishermen.

In Torra Bay, you’ll find a NWR campsite that is only open in December and January, during peak fishing season.

Located north of Mowe Bay, the Shipwreck Lodge is the most exclusive accommodation option along the Skeleton Coast. The shipwreck-shaped chalets offer unparalleled seclusion and views of the Atlantic Ocean. The lodge offers daily transfers from Mowe Bay for its guests.

If you’re planning on traveling along the Skeleton Coast as a day trip, you’ll find plenty of accommodation options in Swakopmund. We stayed at the Skeleton Beach Backpackers.

Other options include the Rustic Inn (budget), the Atlantic Garden Boutique Hotel (midrange) and the Strand Hotel (high end).

GETTING TO THE SKELETON COAST

There are two ways to enter the Skeleton Coast National Park: via the Ugab River Gate or via the Springbokwasser Gate.

Travelers from Windhoek, Sossusvlei or Swakopmund will likely access the park through the former, while those coming from Etosha or Kunene will likely utilize the latter.

We joined up with the Skeleton Coast road near Henties Bay, after a few days of exploring Damaraland‘s rust-colored landscapes. During our road trip, we never traveled north of the national park entrance gates.

As we neared the Skeleton Coast, Damaraland’s red rock outcrops softened into a monochrome moonscape of grays and browns.

Moisture from the Atlantic layered our surroundings in an opalescent haze. On this long and lonely stretch of road, the pavement rolled outward uninterrupted, extending into mist and fog.

It was lunar and otherworldly. A place where “getting there” was all part of the fun.

****

Driving the Skeleton Coast road in Namibia made us feel as though we were venturing into nothingness, skimming the surface of the moon, and bracing to drop off the edge of the planet.

The landscape along Namibia’s coast is vast and forsaken: a place where the riverbeds have been thirst-quenched for centuries and the dunes have shifted restlessly for millennia.

Along this wild and dramatic road, there are no towns to break up the emptiness. No signs of life to relieve the feeling of loneliness and desolation.

But it is precisely this nothingness that makes this austere and desolate wasteland such an intriguing place to visit.

_____________________________

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This evening, when the sun began to set and the temperature dipped below 100 degrees, I decided to take a break from sitting in front of the fan and mustered my energy to step outside for a run. I figured that with the increasingly sedentary lifestyle I was beginning to acquire as a result of the soaring temperatures, a bit of physical activity would probably do me good. Besides, I was already dripping in sweat so profusely, that a run would hardly change anything.

I set off down the sand tracks behind my house and decided to explore the far reaches of the village. I didn’t get far, however, before I heard distant voices yelling “Miss Erika, wait for me! Wait for me!” It was the children from a nearby homestead and they were eager to join me on my afternoon adventure.

I waited for them to catch up to me and heard little Thomas crying “run!” as he zoomed past, ready to race. We raced a few times to various trees and homesteads and, when I could see that everyone was tired, we practiced cartwheels and handstands.

Suddenly, a well-spoken little thirteen year old boy named Embara, who I had befriended a few days earlier while tossing a Frisbee, looked at me and asked “can we go visit my father?”

I was a bit taken aback and I didn’t quite know what to say, so I answered “why not? Where is he?”

Embara pointed toward a nearby homestead.

“Okay, let’s race there” I said.

The five primary school learners and I sprinted in the direction of the homestead. Yet, before I reached it, I heard Embara shout
“no Miss! This way!”

I changed courses and followed Embara on a path to the left of the homestead. I was expecting him to lead me to a house but, instead, he directed me straight to a cemetery that I never knew existed.

He walked to his father’s grave and pointed to the tombstone. Embara’s father had died this past summer and left him an orphan.

My heart sank. I was at a loss for words. All I could say was “I’m so sorry to hear
that.”

The children all led me around the cemetery. They pointed out the graves of their aunts, uncles, grandparents and neighbors. Many of the tombstones contained the surnames of my learners and I could only guess that they were the names of their deceased
parents and relatives.

I don’t know why hearing about the loss of these children came at such a surprise to me, or why it affected me so deeply. I know that Embara’s experience is not unique. I know full well that many of the children I teach every day are orphans and vulnerable children. I know that nearly half have been raised in child-headed households or by single grandmothers.

Earlier this term, when I was grading papers in the main office building at night, I was made fully aware of the severity of Namibia’s “orphan crisis.” I had walked into the counselor’s office to borrow a pair of scissors and, laying on her desk, I saw a file labeled “OVC register”—a registry of orphans and vulnerable children.

Out of curiosity, I flipped through the pages. What I witnessed hit me like a punch in the face.

Perhaps it is putting these experiences to the names and faces of learners I see every day, but it never ceases to break my heart when I find out that yet another one of my learners has experienced the trauma of losing a close family member.

When I scanned the list of my grade 8 students on the register, I saw that over half of them lost at least one parent. Many of them lost both.

I thought back to my own life and to how very little I really know about loss. My brain was swimming for answers and explanations. I was supposed to be the teacher, but I really had no valuable information to impart on my learners. I really do not understand
the meaning of loss–at least not to the extent that these children do.

As I stood next to Embara’s father’s grave, I tried to give the children comforting words, but I’m sure I offered little more than an incoherent jumble.

Finally, I was able to string together a sentence and asked “can we bring him flowers? Maybe
we can find some pretty leaves to decorate the tombstone?”

The children all laughed. Apparently I had made the silly mistake of forgetting that the goats and cows would eat all the living
plants.

The plastic flowers that had been carried away from other tombstones by the wind and by hungry goats would have to do.

We spent the next few minutes in silence, gathering the remnants of plastic flowers that littered the area and positioning them
neatly on his father’s grave. Finally, Embara said somberly “We are having a problem. Too much people die here.”

I nodded. What could I say?

HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death in Namibia. Yet, common “western” illnesses like cancer, heart disease and diabetes are also
taking their toll. Ill health and road deaths have combined to deplete much of middle-aged population in the country and, as a result, working-age people are few and far between. It is their children that must somehow rise to the occasion and pull themselves up from the straps of their tattered shoes. They must find the intrinsic motivation to continue their studies and seek out opportunities.

Unfortunately, this is something that I am not qualified to teach them. I have never been in their shoes. I don’t really know
what they are going through and, as much as I try to convince them that learning to write sentences in the passive voice is an essential skill in their lives, I know that it is not.

I can do my best, but I know that for most children my words of encouragement will not be enough.

Yet, children like Embara give me hope for the next generation. He is an orphan, raised by distant family members in a corrugated metal shack. But he is bright, motivated and eager to learn. Embara proudly proclaimed that he had finished term two with the second highest marks in his grade five class. He is curious and inquisitive and his English rivals that of many of my eighth graders. He might not have people to push him, but he somehow found that inner drive within himself.

And while I failed to give Embara the encouragement I was hoping to provide during our evening run, I’m pretty sure he somehow inadvertently reciprocated the favor.

I have recently been experiencing one of the low-points in my service—frustrated by the intermittent internet access in the computer lab, the promised funding for my school mural that recently fell through, the chaos of grade ten exams and end-of-year-itis that I am beginning to see in many of my learners. Embara reminded me that I need to finish strong.

He shed light on the trivial nature of the obstacles standing in the way of my success and once again reminded me to keep looking
forward.

I spent all year trying to teach my learners the importance of motivation and overcoming challenges, and yet my learners already know how to win these battles.

While I fumbled and stumbled, trying to muster up an explanation on the importance of staying strong and moving on, I didn’t realize that these were precisely the most important lessons that my learners have so effortlessly been teaching me.

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Summer has arrived in Namibia and with it, soaring temperatures.

The days here are excruciatingly hot and the sun shines with such ferocity that it seems to drain every ounce of my energy. When I walk around, I am perpetually dripping in sweat, my eyes are blinded by the brilliant sun that reflects light off of the endless sea of white sand and the swarms of flies and mosquitoes have found their way back into my bedroom.

You see, in Namibia, summer brings fierce sun, pesky insects and debilitating heat.

It also brings rains.

Yet, this year has been different.

This year, as my Namibian learners remind me on a daily basis “the rain has not rained.”

And so, as my hometown in Oregon is set to break rainfall records this year, my Namibian home is currently facing the opposite problem–its worst drought in thirty years.

Namibia is already one of the driest countries in the world. The barren landscape is home to both the Kalahari and Namib deserts and its unforgiving landscapes are susceptible to droughts. This year in particular, the severity of the drought has taken a devastating toll on the daily lives of most Namibians.

The majority of Namibians in the villages of the North are subsistence farmers.They rely on the Earth to provide their everyday needs and nourishment.

Yet, this year, the fields of millet encircling many of the homesteads in Onantsi have yellowed under the hot sun. The guava and mango trees have failed to bear fruit. The fields of crops have shriveled up and turned to dust.

When I arrived in my village last January, I remember seeing a soft dusting of green grass scattered across the endless sand sea. I remember watching the cows and goats as they munched on the shrubbery around my house. I remember standing in awe as I witnessed the dancing colors of the sunset as they painted their reflections on the seasonal lakes that mushroom with the yearly rains.

It all seems like such a distant memory to me now.

When I walk the sand tracks to my village these days, I see that the dusting of green grass has withered. The cows wander aimlessly around as though chasing a mirage. The seasonal lakes sit hollowed out and dry.

All around, livestock is dying, which means that many families are losing important sources of food. As a result, children often walk to school with little more than a bottle of water and, on a daily basis, I hear my learners shake their heads sorrowfully as they tell me that it has been a hungry year.

While I know I complain about Oregon’s abundant rain at times and while I acknowledge the inconvenience it often brings, I don’t think I’ll ever take the Oregon showers for granted again.

After spending nine months in one of the world’s driest countries, I have a new-found appreciation for rain.

With every cloud that graces the Namibian sky, my colleagues, learners and I hold our breaths, praying for the rains. But even the clouds seem to dry up and disintegrate in the presence of the African sun, as though they do not have the energy to put up a strong enough fight.

For my last two months in Namibia, all I can do is look to the skies and hope that the clouds will ultimately win the battle and that,for the first time in months, “the rain will finally rain again.”

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Throughout history, humans have used the land to plant crops, chiseled it away at it to make homes and extracted its resources to fill their greatest desires. By using Earth’s resources to construct man-made realities, they have achieved great feats of engineering and controlled empires that expand the borders of many modern nations. It is these great feats and architectural masterpieces that have left many tourists awestruck and intrigued by the incredible craftsmanship and ingenuity of their forefathers. And it is sites like these that tourists flock to year after year when designing their perfect vacation.

Yet, Namibia’s Damaraland is a different type of destination.

Namibia is a place that may lack some of the amenities and historical relics that have put other countries on the tourist trail, but it is striking nonetheless–striking precisely because of its desolation, isolation and nothingness. It is dusty, it is sandy, it is empty. Yet, from this alien landscape, arises a feeling of immensity that is often overwhelming. These bleak landscapes evoke a sense of beauty and inspiration.

What is most awe-inspiring about Namibia is its consuming vastness. And nowhere is this more apparent than Damaraland.

The Herero of Damaraland

The Herero are one of the eleven main ethnic groups that form part of Namibia’s colorful cultural ensemble. The Herero migrated into what is now Namibia’s Kaokoveld, from areas in Central and Eastern Africa. In the 1800’s, the group splintered. The Herero settled in Damaraland and became pastoralists and farmers. Their offshoot—the Himba—clustered around the Kunene region in the country’s northwest and have maintained a largely nomadic lifestyle.

The traditional Herero garb is a fusion of traditional and European styles. The Herero style is heavily influenced by Victorian-era German missionaries and consists of layers upon layers of petticoats, voluminous skirts and shawls. However, the most distinct feature of Herero attire is undoubtedly the headdress–a horn-shaped hat that symbolizes the importance of cattle in Herero culture.

Namibia’s Herero history is a tragic one. In 1907, the Herero staged a rebellion against the colonizing Germans. The rebellion backfired and resulted in the first genocide of the 20th century. The German forces squandered the Herero Rebellion and nearly extinguished the Herero ethnic group.

Today, descendants of the surviving Herero number in the 200,000s, but estimates predict that if it had not been for the genocide, their population would be closer to one million–meaning they would have overtaken the Owambos as the predominant ethnic group in Namibia.

Traveling to Damaraland, Namibia

During the year I spent living in Namibia, I was fortunate to have visited many of the country’s top highlights. On weekends and between semesters teaching, I took every opportunity possible to visit the country’s stunning natural wonders–from Etosha National Park’s animal-studded plains, to the towering dunes of Sossusvlei.

The landscapes in west-central Namibia elicit feelings of driving the empty roads of America’s wild west. We drove for miles, seemingly in the middle of nowhere and often in silence. At times, hours would pass before another car crossed our path.

Throughout the drive, we would find ourselves marveling at the expanses of red rock or pointing at the outline of pastel-colored mountains in the distance.

• Petrified forest in Damaraland

Our first stop in Damaraland was the Petrified Forest that lies to the West of Khorixas. The petrified forest sits in the heart of a dry, rugged hills of Damaraland. It contains the remains of hundreds of trees, estimated to be around 280 million years old. These trees are thought to  have originated in Zambia’s Copperbelt Region. Many scientists believe that they were washed into west-central Namibia by the floods after an ice age. The moving floodwaters carried sand and mud, which covered the trees, preserving them and preventing their decay. Over time, the wood has been replaced by quartz and has resulted in trees that, aside from their physical appearance, resemble rocks in many ways.

At the Petrified Forest, we were also able to see the famous Welwitchia Mirabilis–a plant species endemic to the Namib desert that is perfectly adapted to life in the arid environment. Welwitchia plants can live up to 2,000 years.

• Twefylfontein UNESCO World Heritage Site

From the Petrified Forest, we continued onward to Twyfelfontein, Namibia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site and the highlight of our trip into Damaraland. Twyfelfontein is a site that contains one of the largest conglomerations of petroglyphs in Africa. The artists of the engravings are widely believed to be the ancestors of the San hunter-gatherers that have inhabited the region for thousands of years. The engravings are estimated to be around 2,500 years old and depict many of the animal species that were found in the region, including elephants, giraffes, rhinos and lions. In total, the number of engravings exceeds 2,000.

Some of the pictorial illustrations are of animals found in other areas, such as seals and penguins. This reveals that the inhabitants of the Twyfelfontein area likely had contact with the coastal region of the country, more than 100km away.

The area of the Huab Valley near Twyfelfontein was sacred to the early inhabitants of the area and held ritualistic significance. Many of the engravings, including the “lion man” portray the transformation between man and animal.

• Spitzkoppe Mountain

Spitzkoppe is a highlight of traveling to Damaraland and a place that I regrettably skipped during my year of traveling and volunteering in Namibia.

The 1728 meter rocky massif rises above the dusty plains of southern Damaraland and has become a symbol of the region and of Namibia as a whole.

Next time I travel to Namibia, visiting the Spitzkoppe will be my top priority.

Why Travel to Namibia’s Damaraland?

While Damaraland certainly has beautiful tourist highlights, much of the region’s appeal lies in its empty spaces–spaces that are vast, endless and ever-changing in their geological characteristics and color schemes. They are spaces where barren lands are home to a resilient and resourceful population that is struggling to survive in one of the world’s harshest environments.

As with all living organisms in the region, the people of the Namib Desert have adapted to survive in this uncompromising part of the world. They have learned to work the land, to reap its fruits and to find their basic needs for survival in a place that most humans would deem unfit for habitation.

There are some environments that allow themselves to be transformed and still others so uncompromising that they have yet to be controlled. Instead, they transform the ways of life of those who live there and give them the strength and resilience to forge a life against all odds.

In many ways, Damaraland defines Namibia as a whole. Few places in Namibia—save perhaps the Skeleton Coast and the Kunene Region—offer a better window into the harsh realities of life in one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries. Damaraland is vast. It is uncompromising. It is challenging. And it is starkly beautiful.

For these reasons, the region should be a top priority when traveling  to Namibia.

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Etosha National Park reigns supreme as Namibia’s top safari destination. Covering a large and dusty floodplain in the country’s northern reaches, it is among the top wildlife-viewing destinations in Africa.

The park is an enchanting place to visit. While its scenery may be stark and inhospitable, it comes to life with dazzling wildlife displays that are among the best on the planet.

The sheer number of animals that wander the floodplains of Etosha is astounding. Along the park’s dusty roads, giraffes move gracefully through the trees, oryx stand regally before the salt flats of the Etosha Pan, and dozens of zebra, springbok, impala and heartebeest dart off into the distant plains.

Even casual self-drive safaris provide wildlife shows that rival any you might see on TV.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK SAFARI

Etosha National Park is an undeniable highlight of any Namibia itinerary. The park is famous for housing four of Africa’s Big 5, and for its isolated watering holes that attract animals in droves.

Etosha is an unforgettable safari destination and one of the best budget options in Africa. Even if you’ve experienced some of southern Africa’s other great parks—Kruger and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi in South Africa, the Okavango Delta in Botswana, South Luangwa in Zambia, for example—you’ll likely be astounded by the quality and quantity of Etosha’s wildlife sightings.

Yet despite Etosha’s accessibility and the ease of its self-drive safaris, visiting the park requires a bit of advanced planning. Campsites in Etosha fill up quickly. Some seasons provide better wildlife-viewing than others. The park can take time to traverse.

Researching an itinerary, booking accommodation in advance, and traveling during peak season (even though it does mean larger crowds) will ensure an absolutely incredible and unforgettable African safari experience.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK MAP

Etosha National Park covers over 22,000 square kilometers. A majority of the park’s camps, lodges and watering holes lie on the eastern part of the park, below the vast Etosha Pan.

The entire western part of the park is remote and seldom-visited. Access used to be blocked off and restricted to those staying in the Dolomite Camp, but it has since been open to the public.

I have not personally explored the western reaches of Etosha National Park, despite my multiple trips to the park.

Etosha National Park has four entrance gates. Coming from the north, is the Nehale ly Mpingana Gate. This is the gate that I used to enter the park both times, since I was coming from Ondangwa.

On the east side, near Tsumeb, lies the Von Lindequist Gate. It is the most popular among visitors.

The Anderson Gate is located just south of Okaukuejo. If you’re traveling to or from Sossusvlei or the Skeleton Coast, it is the gate that you’ll probably use.

And on the far western side of the park lies the Galton Gate. It is the most seldom used of Etosha’s Gates, though it is no longer restricted.

THE ETOSHA PAN

Etosha means “Great White Place” in Oshindonga. The name refers to the Etosha Pan—an endorhaic basin that takes up a large swath of the park. The Etosha Pan covers almost a quarter of the park. It is its most distinctive geographical feature.

The 120-kilometer-long pan is a dry salty lakebed. During the rainy season, it becomes a muddy expanse that attracts thousands of migrating birds.

Prevailing theories suggest that the pan was originally a lake fed by the Kunene River. As climate began to shift, so too did the river. It now flows north of the national park and forms Namibia’s border with Angola.

BEST WATERHOLES AT ETOSHA

Etosha National Park’s waterholes each have their own character. Some occur naturally, others are fed artificially from boreholes. Due to the park’s limited water sources, animals frequent these waterholes on a regular basis.

It is important to remember that the water levels of the holes can vary, as can the number of animals. Depending on the rainfall and the migration of the animals, some wateringholes can be teeming with wildlife during your visit and others can be completely deserted.

But that’s precisely why safari-going is so much fun. It is totally unexpected and unpredictable.

• KING NEHALE WATERHOLE

The flood-lit King Nehale waterhole lies adjacent to the Namutoni Camp. It is Etosha’s largest waterhole.

While we didn’t have much luck with animal-spotting from King Nehale’s  platforms, we did enjoy the cacophony of song that acted as our soundtrack. The watering hole’s tall reeds and lush vegetation attract flocks of birds at sunrise and sunset.

Nearby, you’ll also want to check out Klein Namutoni for an opportunity to see herds of elephants, giraffes, and springbok.

• KALKEUHEL WATERHOLE

The Kalkeuhel Waterhole is among the most impressive in eastern Etosha.

During my first visit to Kalkeuhel, I saw a kudu being encircled by a pack of hyenas.

It was one of the most dramatic encounters I’ve witnessed on a safari to date.

We sat in front of the waterhole for what must have been two hours, watching the scene unfold.

I still don’t know if the kudu got away.

• MORINGA WATERHOLE

The Moringa waterhole lies adjacent to the Halali Camp. Like Namutoni’s waterhole, it remains lit past sunset and campers can watch the animals come and go at night.

We had fantastic luck at Moringa.

During the evening we spent at Halali, five black rhinos–one of the most endangered animal species in Africa–appeared just moments after we arrived.

We quickly understood why Etosha National Park is regarded by many as one of the best wildlife sanctuaries on Earth.

• GOAS WATERHOLE

Goas is among the best places in Etosha to see leopards. We didn’t see any elusive leopards during our Etosha safari, but we enjoyed seeing the dozens of wildebeest, zebra and impala who frequented Goas during our visit.

• RIETSFONTEIN

• OKONDEKA

I had fantastic luck spotting plains animals at Okondeka. The watering hole’s wide open spaces and position at the edge of the Etosha Pan provided fantastic zebra, wildebeest and antelope sightings.

I also witnessed lions resting in the shade of the trees.

HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD YOU SPEND IN ETOSHA?

On my first visit to Etosha, I spent three days in the park, following a visit to the Kunene Region in northwestern Namibia.

During our three days in Etosha, we spent one night at the Namutoni Camp, one night in Halali and the final night at Okaukejo.

Our itinerary allowed us to enter at the park’s main gate (King Nehale), experience all the main areas of the park, and exit at the Anderson Gate en-route to the red-rock landscapes of Damaraland.

Namibia’s top safari destination is vast and varied. While you can certainly have a memorable day trip to the area, I would recommend spending at least three days in Etosha.

ETOSHA SELF-DRIVE SAFARI

Namibia is not an easy country to get around without a car. It is one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries and a difficult place to navigate using public transport.

Thus, unless you’re traveling to Etosha as part of a tour from Windhoek or Swakopmund, renting a car and driving to the park will be your best and most logical option.

Though the unpaved roads in Etosha are suitable for most cars, you’ll definitely benefit from having a 4WD vehicle.

TOURS OF ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

Organized tours can be a convenient way of visiting Etosha.

Chameleon backpackers in Windhoek advertises Namibia tours that include Etosha. The tours are affordable and perfect for budget travelers who don’t have their own cars.

Additional safari tours of Etosha can be found online. They range from half-day trips to multi-day excursions.

ETOSHA ENTRANCE FEES AND HOURS

The fee to enter Etosha National Park is roughly NAD150 ($8USD) per 24 hour period.  Cars cost an additional NAD50 ($2.50). The affordable entrance price and ability to self-drive makes Etosha one of the best budget national parks in Africa.

The park’s hours change weekly, as the entrance gates are open from sunrise to sunset. Each campground operates from dawn to dusk as well, though you can often view animals from the floodlit waterholes during afterhours.

Beware that driving around Etosha can be dangerous in the dark. You will face a fine if you attempt to explore the park outside the designated hours.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK ACOMMODATIONS

The beauty of traveling to Etosha is that there is a little something for everyone. Many of Africa’s wildlife parks cater to wealthy travelers who are willing to spend thousands of dollars on luxurious game lodges. But Etosha’s six camps offer a wide range of accommodation options—from basic campsites, to glamping, to upscale resorts.

I recommend staying at one of the six lodges that lie within the park’s boundaries during your visit to Etosha. Spending a night at one of the six camps will ensure that you have plenty of opportunities for wildlife-spotting at dawn and dusk.

Just outside the park’s entrance gates, private accommodation options offer alternative places to stay.

ETOSHA CAMPS AND LODGES

While in Namibia, I had the opportunity to stay at three of the four main campsites in the national park—Okaukejo, Halali and Namutoni. Exploring Etosha National Park over the course of a few days and staying at each campsite provides the best opportunity to experience all that the park has to offer.

• OKAUKEJO CAMP

Of the campsites in Etosha, the Okaukejo Camp is the busiest by far. The campground’s proximity to the Anderson Gate (and Windhoek) means that it fills up quickly and is best booked in advance.

• HALALI CAMP

The Halali Campsite is the park’s most central accommodation option. It is the largest campground in Etosha. Due to its location, Halali provides quick access to many of the parks most popular waterholes.

• NAMUTONI CAMP

On the eastern side of the Etosha National Park near the Von Lindequist Gate, Namutoni centers around a beautiful old German Fort.

The Namutoni Camp features shaded grassy areas. It is a pleasant place to spend a night or two.

• OLIFANTSRUS CAMP

The newest camp in Etosha, Olifantsrus is a camping-only location in the remote western reaches of the park. It is surrounded by waterholes and is a fantastic spot for those who wish to camp in relative seclusion, away from the crowds.

It is the sole camping-only spot within Etosha.

• DOLOMITE CAMP

The Dolomite Camp features 20 chalets built on elevated wooden decks. The camp lies on the remote western edge of Etosha and only hosts about 40 people at any given time. It does not have any spots for camping.

The most accessible access to Dolomite is via the Galton Gate.

• ONKOSHI CAMP

Onkoshi Camp lies along the eastern rim of the Etosha Pan, on a secluded peninsula.

The camp, located away from the tourist routes, offers 14 chalets and one honeymoon suite. There are no designated camping spaces.

Housing a maximum of 30 guests at any given time, it is the quietest camp at Etosha National Park.

LODGING OUTSIDE OF ETOSHA’S GATES

In addition to the park lodges and campsites, there are a handful of fantastic accommodation options outside of Etosha’s gates.

Near the Von Lindequist entrance, Mushara Bush Camp and Mokuti Etosha boast excellent reviews.

Outside of the Anderson Gate, the Etosha Oberland Lodge offers a tranquil retreat with active waterholes nearby.

BEST TIME TO VISIT ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

Etosha has two seasons: the wet season, and the dry season. The wet season runs from November to May and the dry season from June to October.

During the wet season, the land is green and lush, with dense foliage and plump grasses. Abundant water sources mean that animals spread out over the wide plains and disappear into the thickets of trees. Some roads are closed and driving becomes trickier.

The dry season in Namibia (April to October) is the best time to visit Etosha. During these cooler winter months, the park’s water sources dry up–leaving the animals to concentrate around the few waterholes that are scattered about the park’s vast plains.

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