Namibia - A.K. Taylor International

Namibia

Namibia is a country that is truly unlike any other destination one will encounter on the African continent. One is immediately enthralled by the 800,000 square kilometers of land sculpted by its harsh desert conditions, the soft beauty of rolling sand dunes, the lonely shipwrecks claimed by the infamous Benguela Current, and the surprisingly abundant wildlife populations. With only 1.5 million people in an area larger than France and Great Britain combined, it is easy to see why it is one of the few places left on earth where one feels like their footprints are some of the first.

The Skeleton Coast is an extraordinary place where one is constantly awed by the ever-changing scenery and amazed at the adaptations all living things must make in order to survive in such extreme conditions.

The sight of a rare desert elephant crossing the sands from one ephemeral water source to another, or elusive brown hyenas, lions, and black-backed jackals roaming the beach scavenging for Cape fur seals and other marine life that have washed up on shore are images that seem to defy our conventional views of African wildlife. Yet in this remote area, wildlife and people seem to be able to do anything and everything to survive the day!

The Himba people, who are semi-nomadic pastoralists, have survived in this region since at least the 1500s. It is a special treat to have the opportunity to spend time with these ochre-covered people and learn about a way of life that is still intact, yet rapidly disappearing.

In other regions of Namibia, one has the opportunity to fulfill the needs of all parts of one's personality. One can get the adrenaline rush of stalking white rhino on foot one day near the salt pans of Etosha National Park and the next day enjoy the serenity of floating in a balloon over some of the tallest dunes in the world at Sossusvlei, while watching the rising sun change the color of the dunes from one shade of red to the next.

The black and white painted face of an oryx contrasted with the subtle tan and red colors of the dunes is a sight that will be embedded in one's mind forever!

The lodges are well crafted to fit in with the surrounding environment. Some of these properties operate on extremely large private concessions, meaning one has almost exclusive use of enormous expanses to explore by Land Rover and on foot.

A TRULY UNIQUE WAY TO EXPLORE THIS DESERT COUNTRY

An ideal way to see the vastness of Namibia is by the exclusive use of one's own airplane. One will have a pilot, who in most cases will also be one's bush guide throughout the entire stay, flying from camp to camp. Traveling by air not only gives one a chance to recognize the vastness of the surrounding landscape, but it also allows one to optimize time for exploring in each local area.

POSSIBLE SAFARI COMBINATIONS AND EXTENSIONS

We highly recommend a combination trip to Botswana, as the lushness and birdlife of the Okavango Delta is a nice contrast to the dry conditions of the Namib and Kalahari Deserts of Namibia. An extension to see the Garden and Wine Routes in South Africa is also a nice contrast. For those who only have a short time, a 3-day extension to see the magnificent Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is a sight to behold.

For more information or questions, please contact us.

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