Mysterious and enigmatic, Namibia possesses a unique beauty. From the harshly inhospitable Skeleton Coast with its shipwrecks to the vast salt pans of Etosha National Park, Namibia is one of the most amazing countries in Africa. Massive, shifting sand dunes, said to be the highest in the world, form an ever changing interplay of light and shade under the hot Namib Desert sun at Sossusvlei. This area is a must for photographers. Not only are the dramatic shapes of the red sands wonderfully photogenic but here you may get a picture of the magnificent desert oryx.

Botanists and zoologists are often keen to observe the adaptation of both animal and plant species to the apparently hostile environment. Namibia offers a rare chance to see fascinating animals such as the oryx, known as "master of the desert", and the endangered desert elephant, both of which are very specialized. The Huab Valley also has rare specimens of Welwitschia mirabilis, a strange tree that has been stunted by the desert climate and is a supreme example of evolutionary adaptation. The desert is a wonderful place for those seeking solitude and the time in which to reflect, yet Namibia also offers so much more. Fascinating animals, a strange and interesting plant world, the heart-pounding thrill of adrenaline sports and some of the most strangely haunting landscapes in the world.

In Etosha National Park you will see more familiar wildlife, indeed all of the "big five" (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino and elephant) may be found here. Springbok, wildebeest, eland and zebra range the park and congregate at the water holes in far larger numbers during the dry months of June to December. There are good numbers of lion and leopard and black rhino. Ongava Game Reserve, next to the Park, even has white rhino. Swakopmund is a quiet seaside town with considerable charm. An extremely comfortable base from which to explore the desert and coast, this is a wonderful place from which to take exciting dune rides on quad bikes, to dune board at speeds of up to eighty kilometers per hour or, perhaps take a trip to the Cape Cross seal colony. There is even one of the only four desert golf courses in the world. 

In southwest Africa, is a large and mainly barren country sharing borders with Angola to the north, Botswana to the east, South Africa to the south and, in the Caprivi Strip, a narrow panhandle of Namibian territory jutting from the northeast corner of the country, with Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a country of compelling beauty, abundant sunshine, and a feeling of unconfined space. With its unspoilt landscapes, wide horizons, clear unpolluted skies and a population density which is among the lowest in the world it creates a sense of freedom in everyone. 

Along its entire length, the vast shifting sand dunes of the Namib Desert spread inland for 50 to 80 miles. In the interior one finds the vast sand basin of the Kalahari. In the far northwest the 25,500 sq miles of the Kaokoland mountains run along the coast, while further inland lies the Etosha Pan (a dried-out saline lake), surrounded by grasslands and bush which support a large and varied wildlife. To the west is 1280km (795 miles) of some of the most desolate and lonely coastline in the world. The port of Walvis Bay, situated roughly halfway down Namibia's coast, was returned by South Africa to Namibian jurisdiction in February 1994.

Namibia is the first country in the world to include protection of the environment and sustainable utilization of wildlife in its constitution. About 15,5 % of the country has been set aside as national parks. In these areas, rare and endangered species of animals, birds and plant life are preserved and protected, a living reminder to us and the future generations, of how Africa once was before man ruined it. The Etosha National Park & Game Reserve is one of the finest in Africa, in that it remains, to a large extent, free of man's influence.