Namibia is a destination in a million, with giant, star-studded skies, honey-coloured dunes disappearing into the distance, a ghost town partially reclaimed by the desert, and magnificent, stark desert scenes. The combination of a vast country, largely untouched by man, and a relatively tiny population, makes Namibia the ultimate land of discovery and soul-searching. This is a land of wide horizons, endless stretches of golden desert dunes, surreal rock formations and rocky plains. Namibia is home to a wealth of birds and animals, many of them rare, and exquisite plant life found nowhere else in the world. With a wealth of unique sights and scenes. From the charm of the capital city of Windhoek, to the wild extremes of the Etosha National Park, a huge oasis in the midst of a semi-desert, providing one of the most extraordinary game viewing experiences in the region – contrast that with the lush Caprivi Strip, a network of rivers, forests, swamps and waterways. Take to the skies in a hot air balloon over the towering sand dunes of Sossusvlei, a photographer’s dream backdrop to the dead pan of bleached, cracked mud, dotted by skeletons of ancient thorn trees. For surreal desolation, the Skeleton Coast is a graveyard coastline of huge, rusting shipwrecks, while the vast Fish River Canyon – second only in size to the Grand Canyon – is equally challenging, and similarly imposing.

Extraordinary scenery and wildlife are undoubtedly hallmarks of a Namibian trip, yet the fascination extends beyond that to the country’s traditional tribes like the Herero and the nomadic desert Himba. From the charm of a Cape fur seal colony, to the quaint, lively German town of Swakopmund, to bushman paintings in Damaraland; go quad biking on dunes, and indulge in oysters and champagne as the sunset streaks the sand with rich golds and reds. Namibia is the quiet land of scenic drama and contrast.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the oldest desert in the world, with some of the highest sand dunes colouring from pale apricot to deepest red.
• Watch springbuck dance across the shimmering Etosha Pan.
• Explore the quaint seaside town of Swakopmund - the adventure capital of Namibia.
• Spend the day viewing the awesome Fish River Canyon - the second largest canyon in the world.
• See impressive Bushman/San paintings at Twyfelfontein.
• View the rare desert adapted elephant and rhino in Damaraland.