The Jewel of the Desert. It is a beautiful description of a country that is both serenely unspoiled and wild but also vibrant, sparse and dry, and dotted with greenbelts that play host to a variety of desert-adapted wildlife.
Namibia is a hauntingly beautiful country. Here we take a closer look at why Namibia must be your next chosen luxury safari destination and what is on offer for an unforgettable luxury desert and dunes safari.
An Endless Landscape of Discovery
Namibia is characterised by a sparse population scattered across vast open spaces, incredible scenery, and surprising contrasts. Oceans, dunes, mountains, and deserts all roll into an awe-inspiring mix of natural beauty. These endless landscapes of deserts and dunes offer the perfect canvas for a luxury safari of discovery.
A Desert Amphitheatre of Dunes
Sossusvlei is situated in the Namib-Naukluft National Park in the central Namib dunes and is always included as a highlight in your luxury safari itinerary. The spectacular height of these dunes creates a unique attraction to visitors. Travel further to the hauntingly beautiful Dead Vlei and the incredible Sesriem Canyon for an all-around immersive desert safari experience.
A Premier Conservancy for Endemic Namibian Wildlife
Etosha National Park is a renowned conservation area, acclaimed for its size and wildlife diversity, as one of Namibia’s top luxury safari destinations for game viewing. A luxury Etosha safari, with the formidable Etosha Pan lying at its center, offers you the opportunity to see up to 115 mammal species, including four of the Big Five (no buffalo) and some unusual endemics like the endangered black-faced impala, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, and the world’s tiniest antelope, the Damara dik-dik. It is also home to one of the world’s largest and most stable populations of black rhinos. The Park’s open plains and many accessible waterholes provide ideal game viewing opportunities during your luxury Namibia safari.
A Coastal Adventure with German Flair and Shipwrecks
Nestled between the cold Atlantic Ocean and the warm Namib Desert on the western coast, Swakopmund is a one-of-a-kind German-inspired town along your luxury safari journey. Namibia’s desert adventure safari capital is situated close to the moody and misty Skeleton Coast with its rich history of shipwrecks and storms, aptly named after the many ships that sank here in the past. Large seal colonies (found at Cape Cross) offer the perfect prey for desert-adapted brown hyaenas, jackals, and lions. A luxury fly-in safari to these remote areas offers dramatic aerial views of these shipwrecks and seals.
Dramatic Landscapes & Desert-Adapted Wildlife
A luxury Damaraland safari showcases pristine wilderness areas featuring Namibia’s highest mountain, unique desert-adapted wildlife, and ancient rock art. This unique region is home to an assortment of desert-adapted wildlife, such as elephant, giraffe, black rhino, zebra, and lion (extremely rare), which eke out an existence in the near-barren landscape. Visit the picturesque Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain, home to thousands of ancient rock paintings (most notably the White Lady). Travel to the nearby outcrops of Twyfelfontein for exceptional San Bushmen engravings considered some of the best-preserved etchings on the continent. A sacred secret of Damaraland is the Spitzkoppe mountains. The peaks stand out dramatically from the flat surrounding plains, and the surrounding boulders offer the most incredible photographic opportunities, especially at sunrise and sunset. Track the unique desert-adapted elephants and black rhinos found in this area. Equally nomadic but less common are giraffes, cheetah, and lion.
Remote & Tranquil Kunene – Home of the Himba
The Kaokoland area is situated in the extreme northwest of Namibia. The country’s most remote luxury safari area offers dramatic scenery, the tranquil Kunene River, Epupa Falls in the north, and a chance to meet the endemic Himba people. The river is a true oasis in this dry and sparsely populated area. Here you will find thundering waterfalls, furious white-water rapids, serene rock pools, and tranquil streams as the river meander along the surrounding landscape, attracting a range of wildlife to its banks. This is a lifeline for the Himba, a nomadic tribe that survives in this sparsely vegetated region. During your luxury Kaokoland safari, besides the genuinely remote river, dune, and quadbike safaris, specially guided cultural excursions can be arranged for you to meet a Himba tribe at their settlement and learn more about their unique way of living.
Book Your Luxury Namibia Safari for 2023
Experience the beauty of endless deserts, climb some of the world’s highest dunes and witness the most adaptable wildlife on Earth surviving in one of the harshest climates in Africa. Jewel of Africa Safaris’ expert team will assist you in experiencing a luxury Namibia safari at its finest – contact us now to book for 2023.
