| Namibia means "a place of great arid plains" and lives | | | | with Angola and is Namibia's largest river. |
| up to this name. The northern parts of the country | | | | In ancient times the Kunene emptied its contents into |
| are grass covered savannah, but the lasting | | | | the Etosha Pan, much like the present day Okavango |
| impression is one of unrelenting harshness and lack of | | | | in Botswana. In former years large numbers of |
| water. | | | | elephant, rhino, impala and hippo could be found here, |
| This is one of the most sparsely populated lands on | | | | today they have largely been hunted out, but Willem |
| earth. San hunters, Khoikhoi and European renegades | | | | van der Riet, the first person to navigate the river in |
| fleeing justice in the Cape were some of the | | | | a canoe, reported that the Kunene crocodiles were |
| pioneers of the area. Restless and wild, they were | | | | the largest and most fearsome that he had ever |
| free from any government control until 1884 when | | | | seen. |
| the country was brought under the control of the | | | | The Kaokoland (or Kaokoveld) encompasses a vast |
| German Empire. Second only in size to the Grand | | | | arid area where the desert meets the sea and some |
| Canyon of the USA, the Fish River Canyon is 161 km | | | | of the most ancient desert on earth. Within the |
| long, 27 km wide and up to 549 meters deep. | | | | region the 2586 high Brandberg mountains and |
| The jagged ravine cuts deep into the arid land. | | | | plunging river gorges, such as at Tsisab where the |
| Daytime temperatures reach 48ºC and seldom drop | | | | beautiful and mysterious rock painting known as 'The |
| below 35ºC, but nights can be very cold. The | | | | White Lady of the Brandberg' can be seen. Also in |
| canyon is the scene of one of Africa's finest hiking | | | | the region are dinosaur footprints dating from over |
| trails. As you descend into the depths of the canyon | | | | 150 million years ago, the worlds largest known |
| at its northern end, civilization is left far behind, and | | | | meteorite, an ancient petrified forest and the |
| for the next four or five days you can experience | | | | spectacular natural sculpture known as "Finger Klip". |
| one of the last tracts of true wilderness on the | | | | The 120 by 50 kilometer shallow pan at Etosha is |
| African continent. | | | | believed to have been an inland lake fed by the |
| Sossusvlei is one of Namibia's most spectacular | | | | Kunene River before it changed its course to reach |
| natural wonders. It lies about 400 km northwest of | | | | the Atlantic Ocean. |
| the canyon in the heart of the Namib desert. It was | | | | The edges of the pan are typical Mopane woodland, |
| opened to the public only in 1977 and is a great | | | | and wild game abounds. Everything from the Big 5 to |
| favorite of photographers and nature lovers. The | | | | vast herds of antelope and wildebeest can be seen in |
| huge red dunes, up to 300 metres high are the | | | | the park. There are several lodges and tourist camps |
| largest in the world and are an unforgettable sight at | | | | in the area catering to every taste and budget. |
| dawn or in the late afternoon sun. | | | | Kaudom game reserve is in the more remote |
| The greatest experience of all however, is to see | | | | north-eastern corner of the country bordering the |
| the pan filled with water. This is something that | | | | Botswana border. The area is dry for most of the |
| seldom occurs and photographers from all over | | | | year but the grasslands and game flourish during the |
| Southern Africa will drop everything and head for | | | | brief summer rains. |
| Sossusvlei for a once in a lifetime picture on those | | | | Game viewing is best during the winter months when |
| rare occasions. | | | | the animals gather around the water holes. The |
| Although the Skeleton Coast can be said to | | | | routes are tough at any time of the year and are |
| encompass the entire coastline of Namibia, the | | | | suitable only for 4x4 vehicles. |
| Skeleton Coast National Park is bounded by the | | | | Extending east from Kaudom is a slender finger of |
| Kunene River in the north and the Ugab River in the | | | | land that abuts 4 neighboring countries. The Caprivi |
| south. | | | | Strip is influenced by the Kavango, Zambezi and |
| The early Portuguese explorers called it "the coast of | | | | several smaller rivers which the very essence of life |
| hell" but it became known as the Skeleton Coast | | | | for the local inhabitants. The majestic African Fish |
| largely due to the dismal fate awaiting shipwreck | | | | Eagle is a familiar presence along the waterways |
| survivors through the centuries. | | | | which team with fish and bird-life. |
| The Kunene River forms Namibia's northern border | | | | |