Silhouette Island
Located 15 Minutes Northwest Of Mahe By Helicopter, Thu Unspoiled Granite Island Is The Third Largest Island In The Seychelles And Can Be Seen From The North Coast Of Mahe Mountains Rise To 2427 Feet (740 M) On This Thickly Forested Round Island That Is Approximately Three Miles (5 Km) Jn Diameter.
Accommodation - Tourist Class: * Silhouette Island Lodge, The Only Lodge On The Island, Has 12 Bungalows With Ensuite Facilities. Activities Include Nature Walks, Snorkeling And Diving.
Fish River Canyon
Fish River Canyon
Second In Size Only To The Grand Canyon, Fish River Canyon Is 100 Miles (161 Km) In Length, Up To 17 Miles (27 Km) In Width, And Up To 1800 Feet (550 M) Deep. The Fish River Cuts Its Way Through The Canyon To The Orange River, Which Empties Into The Atlantic Ocean.
The Vegetation And Wildlife Are Very Interesting. Many Red Aloes Make The Area Appear Like One Imagines The Planet Mars. Baboons, Mountain Zebra, Rock Rabbits, Ground Squirrels And Klipspringer Are Often Seen, While Kudu And Leopard Remain Elusive. The River Water Is Cold And Deep Enough In Areas To Swim.
There Is A Well-Marked Path Into The Canyon In The North Of The Park Where The Four-Day Hike Begins. For Those Hiking Into The Canyon For The Day, Allow 45-60 Minutes Down, And Iv2 Hours Back Up. Permission To Walk Down To The Canyon Floor Must First Be Obtained From The Ranger At Hobas.
The Main Hiking Trail Is 53 Miles (86 Km) In Length And Is Open May-August. The Going Is Tough Since Much Of The Walking Is On The Sandy, Rock-Strewn Floor. No Facilities Exist En Route, So This Hike Is Not For The Tenderfoot. Water Is Readily Available From The Many Pools That Join To Become A River During The Rainy Summers. Hot Sulphur Springs Are Located About Halfway Through The Hike.
A Maximum Group Of 40 People Is Allowed Per Day. Permits Must Be Obtained In Advance From The Directorate Of Tourism And Resorts. A Medical Certificate Of Fitness Is Also Required.
Accommodation - Class C: * Ai-Ais Hot Springs, Located At The Southern End Of The Canyon At The End Of The Hiking Trail, Has Rooms With Private Facilities, Refrigerators And Hot Plates, Large Thermally Heated Swimming Pool And Mineral Baths. Ai-Ais Is Open From The Second Friday In March Until The 31st Of October.
Camping: * Ai-Ais Campsites Have Hot Showers. * Hobas Campsite, Located At The Trailhead In The North Of The Park, Has Hot Showers And A Swimming Pool.
Namib-Naukluft National Park
Namib-Naukluft National Park
The Consolidation Of The Namib Desert Park And The Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park Along With The Incorporation Of Other Lands, Including Most Of What Was Called “Diamond Area #2″, Created The Largest Park In Namibia And One Of The Largest In The World. Namib-Naukluft National Park Covers 19,215 Square Miles (49,768 Km2) Of Desert Savannah Grasslands, Gypsum And Quartz Plains, Granite Mountains, An Estuarine Lagoon, A Canyon And Huge Drifting Apricot-Colored Dunes.
The Kuiseb River Runs Through The Center Of The Park From East To West And Acts As A Natural Boundary Separating The Northern Grayish-White Gravel Plains From The Southern Deserts.
Herds Of Mountain Zebra, Gemsbok, Springbok And Flocks Of Ostrich Roam The Region. The Dunes Are Home To Numerous Unique Creatures Such As The Translucent Palmato Gecko, The Shovel-Nosed Lizard And The Golden Mole.
The Five Main Regions Of The Park Are The Namib, Sandvis, Naukluft, Sesriem And Sossusvlei Areas.
The Namib May Well Be The World’s Oldest Desert. The Welwitschia Flats Region Lies On A Dirt Road About 22 Miles (35 Km) North Of The Swakopmund-Windhoek Road And Is The Best Area To See The Prehistoric Welwitschia Mirabilis Plants. Actu¬ally Classified As Trees, Many Welwitschia Are Thousands Of Years Old And Are Perfect Examples Of Adaptation To An Ex¬tremely Hostile Environment. The Water Holes At Hotsas And Ganab Are Good Locations To Spot Game; Ganab And Aruvlei Are Known For Mountain Zebra.
If You Plan To Deviate From The Main Road Through The Park, A Permit Is Required And Is Obtainable Weekdays Only At The Nature Conservation Office In Swakopmund Or The Nature Conservation Reservation Office Windhoek.
The Sandvis Area Includes Sandwich Harbour, 26 Miles (42 Km) South Of Walvis Bay, And Is Accessible Only By Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles. Fresh Water Seeps From Under The Dunes Into The Salt-Water Lagoon, Resulting In A Unique Environment.
Bird Watching Is Excellent September-March, And At Times Over Half A Million Birds Are Present. Only Day Trips Are Allowed To The Harbor And The Area Is Closed On Sundays. Permits Are Required And May Be Obtained From Department Of Nature Conservation Or From Service Stations In Walvis Bay.
The Naukluft Region Is An Important Watershed Charac¬terized By Dolomitic Mountains Over 6445 Feet (1965 M) In Height With Massive Picturesque Rock Formations And Thickly Foliated River Beds. Large Numbers Of Mountain Zebra, Along With Springbok, Kudu, Klipspringer, Rock Rabbits, Baboons And Black Eagles Are Frequently Sighted. Also Present Are Cheetah And Leopard.
There Are Several Hiking Trails From Which To Choose. One °F The More Interesting Trails Is The Naukluft Trail, 10 ¥T Miles (Iv Km) In Length, Requiring Six To Seven Hours Of Hiking. A 75 Mile (120 Km) Trail Which Takes Eight Days May Also Be Hiked April-October With Prior Permission.
Sesriem Canyon Is About 0.6 Of A Mile (1 Km) Long And Is As Narrow As Six Feet (2 M) Wide With Walls About 100 Feet (30 M) High. When The River Is High, One Can Swim Upstream Where The Canyon Takes On A Cave Or Tunnel-Like Appearance. The Canyon Is Only A Few Minutes Drive From Sesriem Camp.
Sossusvlei Is Located In The Extreme Southern Part Of The Park And Has The Highest Sand Dunes In The World, Exceeding 1000 Feet (300 M). The Base Of The Second Highest Sand Dune In The World Can Be Fairly Closely Approached By Vehicle.
The Hike Along The Knife-Edge Rim To The Top Is Strenuous, Requiring 1-1 V% Hours Of Taking Two Steps Up And Sliding One Step Down. The View From The Top Into Other Valleys And Of The Mountains Beyond Is Marvelous. Even Up Here, Colorful Beetles, Ants, And Other Desert Critters Roam About.
Driving Back To Camp From Sossusvlei, A Gemsbok Ran Full Speed Beside Our Vehicle For Several Minutes, Proving The Strength And Resiliency Of These Majestic Animals.
Plan On Leaving Camp At Sesriem Early To See A Spectacular Sunrise On These Magnificent And Colorful Dunes.
At Sossusvlei Camping Is Not Allowed And There Is No Accommodation.
Accommodation - Camping: Campsites With Ablution Facilities Are Available In The Namib, Naukluft And Sesriem Regions Of The Park. * Namib Campsites Have No Firewood Or Water. * Naukluft Campsites Have Water, Firewood And Ablution Facilities. * Sesriem Campsite Has Two Ablution Blocks With Hot And Cold Water; Firewood And Fuel Are Available.
Accommodation Near Sesriem - Class B: * Camp Mwisho Has Three Large Tents With Ensuite Facilities, And Small Swimming Pool. Balloon Safaris Over The Namib Desert Followed By A Champagne Breakfast, And Day And Night Nature Drives Are Offered.
Class C: * Namib-Naukluft Lodge Is A New Lodge (24 Beds) With Ensuite Facilities. * Namib Rest Camp Has Rooms With Nsuite Facilities And Is Located About 37 Miles (60 Km) From Sesriem.
Swakopmund
Swakopmund
The Resort Town Of Swakopmund, Located On The Coast And Surrounded By The Namib Desert, Has Many Fine Examples Of German Colonial Architecture.
Accommodation - Tourist Class: * The Hansa Hotel Is An Attractive Hotel With 34 Rooms With Private Facilities. * The Strand Hotel Is Located On The Beach Front And Has 42 Rooms With Private Facilities.
Cape Cross Seal Reserve
Cape Cross Seal Reserve, Home Of Over 200,000 Seals, Is Open Daily Except Fridays From 10:00 A.M. To 5:00 P.M.
Skeleton Coast Park
Skeleton Coast Park
Skeletons Of Shipwrecks And Whales Dot The Treacherous Coast Of This Park Which Stretches Along The Seashore And Covers Over 2000 Square Miles (5000 Km2) Of Wind-Sculpted Dunes, Canyons And Jagged Peaks Of The Namib.
Skeleton Coast By Amy Schoeman (Souther Book Publishers) Is A Superb Pictorial And Factual Representation Of This Fascinating Region.
Fog Penetrates Inland For Over 20 Miles (32 Km) Almost Every Day And Often Lingers Until The Desert Sun Burns It Off At 9:00-10:00 A.M. When The Wind Blows From The East, There Is Instant Sunshine.
The Park Is Divided Into Southern And Northern Sections. The Southern Section Is More Accessible And Lies Between The Ugab And Hoanib Rivers. Permits And Reservations (Paid In Advance) Must Be Made With The Directorate Of Tourism And Resorts For Stays At Either Torra Bay Or Terrace Bay.
The Northern Part Of The Park Has Been Designated As A Wilderness Area And Can Only Be Visited With Fly-In Safaris.
This Exclusive Northern Region Has Many Unusual And Fascinating Attractions. One Such Attraction Is The Cape Frio Seal Colony, Which Has Grown To About 40,000 Seals. A Walk Down The Roaring Dunes Will Give You The Sur¬prise Of Your Life. Suddenly Everyone Is Looking Up To Spot The B-52 Bomber That Must Be Overhead. Apparently The Sand Is Just The Right Diameter And Consistency To Create A Loud Noise When Millions Of Its Granules Slide Down The Steep Dune. Incredible!
Driving Through Hoarusib Canyon, One Witnesses Strik¬ing Contrasts Of Dark-Green Grasses Against Verdite Canyon Walls And Near-Vertical White Dunes. Small Fish Dart About In Shallow Ponds As Lizards Make Their Way Along The Rocky Walls. One Then Passes A Fairy-Tale Land Of Castles And Other Dynamic Water-Sculptured Figures Of Sand Created Over Eons By This Stream. A Rising Moon, Though, Places A Soft Loving Spell Over This Merciless Landscape. From February-April, Many Colorful Desert Flowers Are In Bloom.
Large Game Is Sparse, However, Many Small, But Just As Fascinating Creatures Have Uniquely Adapted To This Environ¬ment And Help Make This One Of The Most Interesting Deserts In The World. Larger Wildlife Includes Black Rhino, Desert El¬ephant, Lion, Leopard, And Baboon. Brown Hyena Are Plentiful But Rarely Seen. Black-Backed Jackal, Springbok And Gemsbok Are Often Sighted.
The East Wind Brings Detritus (Small Bits Of Plant Matter) Providing Much Needed Compost For Plants And Food For Lizards And Beetles. The West Wind Brings Moisture On Which Most Life Depends In This Desert, Which Is Almost Completely Devoid Of Water. The Ancient “Fossil” Plant, Welwitschia Mirabilis, Is Also Found In The Region.
Accommodation-Northern Skeleton Coast (Fly-In Safaris) - Class C: * Suiderkus Camp Is Composed Of Wooden Igloos Set On The Beach Near The The Wreck Of The Suiderkus. In Addition, There Are Three Fixed Tented Camps With Chemical Toilets - One More Within The Park And Two In Kaokoland, One Of Which Is On The Banks Of The Kunene River.
Accommodation - Southern Skeleton Coast -Class D: * Terrace Bay Is Open Year-Round And Offers Full Board And Lodging In Basic Bungalows With Private Facilities. There Is A Landing Strip For Light Aircraft.
Camping: * Torra Bay Has Campsites And Caravan Sites And Is Open Only Over The Holidays December 1-January 31.
The Coast
The Coast
The Freezing Benguela Current Of The Atlantic Flows From Antarctica Northward Along The Namibian Coastline And Meets The Hot, Dry Air Of The Namib Desert, Forming A Thick Fog Bank Which Often Penetrates Inland Up To 55 Miles (90 Km). The Best Time To Visit The Coast For Sunbathing, Fishing, And Surfing Is From December-February; June-July Is Cold And Rainy.
Mamili National Park
Mamili National Park
This Newly Proclaimed Park Is Predominately Floodplain And Has Similar Wildlife As Mudumu National Park. The Linyanti River Flows Along Its Southeastern Border Which It Shares With Botswana. Wildlife Is Increasing In This Park Quite Rapidly, And Plenty Of Game Is Seen On The Botswana Side Of The River.
Accommodation: None. See “Mudumu Reserve” Above. Camping: Campsites With No Facilities Are Available.
Mudumu National Park
Mudumu National Park
This Newly Proclaimed Park Of Floodplains, Islands And Bush Is Similar To The Okavango Delta (Botswana), But With Not Quite As Much Game. The Kwando River Runs Along The Park’s Western Border. On A Recent Visit While On Walks We Encoun¬tered Elephant, Impala And A Number Of Other Species. Other Wildlife Includes Lion, Hippo, Crocs, Roan Antelope And Sitatunga.
Game Viewing By Open Vehicle And Walks Are Allowed. Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicles Are Recommended.
Accommodation - Class A/B: * Lianshulu Lodge Is Located On The Banks Of The Kwando River And Has Eight Thatched Chalets (Doubles) With Ensuite Facilities, And Swimming Pool. Activities Include Game Drives, Walks, Game Viewing By Boat, Sunset Cruises On A Double-Decker Barge, And Excursions To Mamili National Park. Access Is By Air Charter And By Road.
Caprivi Game Reserve
Caprivi Game Reserve
Wildlife In This Park Includes Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Crocs, Roan Antelope, Sable Antelope, Lechwe And Plenty Of Waterfowl.
An All-Weather Gravel Road Runs Through The Park. Trav¬elers Are Not Allowed To Leave The Main Road Without Permis¬sion. Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles Are Necessary Off The Main Road.
Accommodation: None.
Class D: See “Popa Falls” Above.
Camping: Campsites With No Facilities Are Available.
Popa Falls Game Reserve
Popa Falls Game Reserve
This Small Park Features Rapids (More So Than “Falls") Of The Kavango River, Which Has Numerous Hippo And Crocs. This Is A Good Base From Which To Explore The Mahango Game Reserve And Caprivi Game Reserve.
Accommodation - Class D: * Popa Falls Government Camp, Located About Ten Miles North Of The Mahango Game Reserve Entrance, Has Thatched Bungalows And Ablution Facilities.
Camping: Campsites With Ablution Facilities Are Available.