What to do in Namibia

Etosha has a unique drawcard...more than 40 waterholes which are a magnet for thirsty wildlife. And you'll be waiting nearby in an open 4x4 to watch the residents of Etosha drink at the water's edge, predator and prey alike. Families of elephant sidle up to bathe in the mud, giraffe swoop in a yoga-like pose to take a sip, warthog trot to the water's edge and lions sit side-by-side with an eye always on the plains game. Most camps have a spotlight on nearby waterholes where you can spy on the secretive black rhino or shaggy hyena. The crusted salt pan becomes a giant waterhole after the rainy season ends in March, where flamingos and pelicans land in their hundreds.

Like a scene from a National Geographic doc, the terracotta landscape of Sossusvlei must be seen to be believed. It's here that towering dunes stop the barely-flowing Tsauchab River and hide a world of desert-adapted wildlife from the coast. Depart from the lodge in a 4x4 and let your breath be well and truly taken away by the star-shaped monoliths that are constantly shifted by the wind. Brave a trek to the peak of 'Big Daddy' for the ultimate snap of an oryx strolling in its shadow or walk amongst the dunes as your guide tells you how this place came to be. Stop for a chilled drink and, if you choose an afternoon excursion, catch the sunset before returning to home base.

With its red boulders and cliffs, Twyfelfontein is one of Africa's richest rock art sites. A Unesco World Heritage Site, it has thousands of engravings dating back to the early Stone Age, and hundreds of paintings. From them you'll learn about Namibia's earliest inhabitants, their spiritual beliefs and the wildlife they knew.

Depart from your lodge, led by your all-knowing guide, to see for yourself why it's called the Skeleton Coast. Drive along the craggy coastline where the remains of boats tell the story of seafarers who lost their battle with the ocean and the bleached skeletons of whales stand eerily among them. Hear the legends and truths of these shipwrecks from your guide and stop to capture the most photographed wrecks in Namibia. As the fog rolls off the Atlantic Ocean, the surreal landscape becomes even more so!

A number of lodges and camps in the Kaokoland offer a chance to meet the Himba people, a fascinating and disappearing culture who adorn themselves in bright red ochre pigments. The Himba are a proud people, living a unique existence and finding ways to adapt despite modern-day vices, and the increase in tourism. If you do visit the Himba on a guided trip, make sure the settlement gains some benefit from the experience, and most of all, be sensitive to their unique way of life.

Head out sightseeing in Windhoek for a comprehensive look at the capital's history from the colonial era to modern times, as well as taking you to other places of interest like Christuskirche, Alte Feste Museum, Heroes Acre, Gibeon Meteorite Fountain, The Old Location, The Station.

The Spitzkoppe is best seen at dawn or dusk when the light paints the granite in soft colours of pink and crimson. Photograph the main peak, which is 1784m high and some 700 million years old, and enjoy a nature walk or climb among the intriguing rocks and arches.

One third of wild cheetahs live in Southern Africa and you'll have the chance to visit the centre working hard to protect these fast and fierce cats. Spend a few hours at the Cheetah Conservation Centre where you'll see the big cats at feeding time and on the 'hunt' for specially made lure. Learn about the history and promising future of cheetah conservation at the museum before heading out on a game drive to spot the rehabilitated cats on their own turf - cameras at the ready!

In Namibia's far north, you don't have to look far for the wildlife. In the early morning light or once the midday heat subsides, head out on a game drive where your seasoned guide will share the headline and low-key creatures of Etosha. Zig-zag between nearby waterholes where the big cats stop for a drink as herds of zebra and antelope gather in herds on opposite banks. Let your eyes wander across the plains where tall giraffes and tiny Damara dik-diks graze, and families of elephant stroll among the mopane trees. Not to mention the chance of spotting the endangered white rhino! Stop for a steaming cuppa or sundowner before returning to camp.

It doesn't get dreamier than gazing over Sossusvlei's surreal landscape of high-rise dunes and desert-adapted wildlife from a hot air balloon. After a strong coffee under the early-morning moonlight, depart from camp and head to the launch site. Watch as the balloon comes to life with a burst of heat before lifting into the air as dawn breaks. Float above the rust-coloured desert as solo oryx become pinpricks and spot the surreal 'fairy circles' - ask your pilot about that one! Let the wind be your guide as you sink lower to see ostriches sprinting across the sand, before rising again for the ultimate snap. Your pilot will set the balloon down for a scenic champagne breakfast before you return to camp.

Damaraland is a starkly beautiful place of mountains and red-rocked desert vistas. It's in this arid environment that the elephant has learned to thrive with as little as 100mm of rain each year. Join your expert guide on a 4x4 drive into the desert to track these incredible animals as they trek along the parched riverbeds between scarce water sources and feeding grounds.

Depart from the jetty to sail down Swakopmund's coast in a catamaran. This double-hulled vessel is steady with plenty of space to scan the waves from the stern. Your ocean adventure will be led by top sea-going guides and an expert skipper who share the secrets of the deep with you. Keep your eyes wide open to spot the lithe dolphins as they swim beside the boat, docile Leatherback Turtles and sunfish that emerge from the depths. Not to mention the flurry of pelicans and diving birds! If you're in town between July and November, you may even spot Humpback or Southern Right Whales who emerge to sun their bellies. Your guides will point out the highlights of Namibia's western coastline, from the Pelican Point lighthouse to the standout ships anchored in the bay. Before heading back to shore, enjoy a tasty lunch of freshly-shucked oysters, sweet treats and champagne.

There’s nowhere on Earth quite like the Skeleton Coast: a ghostly stretch of deserted beach backed by high, wind-rippled dunes, the listing hulks of ancient whaling ships decaying forlornly in the sand, and the vast sun-bleached bones of their prey visible, semi-buried beside them. The best way to grasp the true scale of this unique landscape is undoubtedly with a bird’s-eye view.

One of the most popular activities in Nambia is a five-day hike from Hobas to Ai-Ais through the Fish River Canyon. The magical 85km route, which follows the sandy riverbed past a series of ephemeral pools, is open from 15 April to 15 September, though you will have to book in advance.

Visit the 'The Christus Kirche (Christ's Church) in Windhoek, which was officially consecrated on 16th October 1910 and is the oldest Evangelical Lutheran church in Namibia. A beautiful church, the walls were constructed from Windhoek sandstone and the portal of Italian Carrarian marble, features that complement the neo-Romanic style, combined with an art nouveau influence.

In Otijawarongo, conservation is king and you'll delve right in with a visit to the Africat Foundation. Their mission is to understand the lives of leopard and brown hyena, and how to assist their survival. On a tour of the centre, learn how local children are introduced to wildlife conservation and communities are involved in important initiatives. Plus, you'll get the low down on protecting pangolins from climate change. Return to camp with a new zest for conservation!

Within the great, red desert of Sossusvlei, Dead Vlei has lured photographers and nature lovers for years. Join your desert-adapted guide on an excursion to this lunar clay pan where fossilised camel thorn trees form ghostly silhouettes against the amphitheatre of dunes. Your guide will share the 600-year-old story of how these petrified trees came to be. For any shutterbugs amongst you, sunset or sunrise makes for the best photos of this surreal fluke of nature.

Depart from camp with your expert guide and tracker in tow to follow the trail of the rare black rhino. Venture out in a 4x4 as your tracker susses out the location of these tough-skinned beauties, where you'll continue on foot. Learn the ropes of rhino tracking from the best and experience the thrill of seeing these secretive creatures in the wild and up-close. Watch in wonderment as they trundle amongst the boulders and nibble on a euphorbia plant as your guide fills you in on the hard-won conservation efforts in Damaraland.

Take a full day's drive exploring the canyon, the many viewpoints and spectacular pools on the canyon floor, and end it off the old fashioned way - an epic sunset over the red dusty horizon, glass of champagne in hand.

When you hear Sossusvlei, we'd bet there's one word in your mind, dunes! Meet your expert guide in the early morning (when the heat is still bareable) to explore Dune Alley where ridges of rust-coloured dunes rise above the stark landscape. Summit to the peak of millenia-old dunes that rise to over 200 metres. Quest to the top of Dune 45, Sossusvlei's most photographed dune or conquer Big Daddy where you'll be rewarded with views over surreal Deadvlei. Spot the tracks of a tiny toktokkie beetle on your way up and don't worry, any footprints you leave behind will be swept away by noon. After much-deserved refreshments, head back to camp.

Depart from camp as the dawn breaks or after the midday heat subsides for a game drive across bold and rugged Damaraland. Amongst the volcanic mountains and forests of petrified trees, your expert guide will lead you on a search for desert-adapted elephant, quietly grazing black rhino and herds of mountain zebra (plus the pint-sized Damara dik-dik). You'll explore the designated concession areas (much of Damaraland is left for nature to enjoy) with a pitstop for snacks and a cooling drink. As is the case for much of Southern Africa, the dry season months of May to October provides the best wildlife-spotting.

The hot springs at Ai-Ais are the perfect remedy after a long hike or dusty drive in the canyon, where you can relax in the thermal baths and heated swimming pool, which makes perfect sense as the name '/ai-/ais' means 'burning water' in the local Nama language.

Join your expert guide on a foray into Damaraland's epic landscape, where time seems to have stopped. Drive across the rugged terrain to reach the Petrified Forest where hundreds of trees were deposited by a flood 260 million years ago and now form a fossilised thicket, with some reaching heights of 30m. Learn all you can about the flora and non-living and living fauna from your guide and keep a lookout for the Welwitschia Mirabilis, an ancient plant that only grows in the Namib Desert.

Game drive into interiors as dry as the skeletons along the coast in search of the lush desert oases. Your knowledgable guide will share the secrets of the desert-adapted creatures who come from miles to drink at the springs. Pull up to watch as stately oryx and ambling elephant arrive at the oasis, and the ever-present flurry of birdlife swoops overhead. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the shade with a glass of something cool before returning to your lodge.

On this remote and rugged coast, you'll find a battalion of Cape fur seals - one of the largest in the world! On a drive down Skeleton Coast, marvel at the sheer numbers (over 200 000) of seals barking and calling to one another. Shielded from the world by sea and sand (and a wall to make sure no one bothers them), the seals feast on fish brought in by the Benguela current. November marks the beginning of mating season and if you're in the vicinity by December, the rolling pups make for quite a sight! Orcas lurk beyond the surf and hyenas wait on the rocky outskirts at dusk and dawn, so you may witness a hunt.

Head inland from the coast where you'll be kitted out for a day of exploring the dunes by quad bike. Your seasoned guide will lead you through the arid Swakopmund River mouth and into the vast, red world of shifting dunes. Zoom through the desert in search of heavyweights like 'Big Billy' (a cooling drink is your reward) and blast down the adrenaline-pumping 'Devil's Dip' before tackling the corkscrew trails to reach the 'Table Top' where spectacular sea views await. This is an all-in and all-adventure way to see the Namib Desert and you can choose to make a few pitstops along the way to see the smaller creatures of the dunes. You'll be returned to your hotel in Swakopmund a little dusty but with wonderful memories.

Sandwiched between the glorious Atlantic coast and the sweltering dunes of the Namib, Swakopmund is a small town with a lot of history. With an expert to offer the 411 on all things Swakopmund, you'll explore the palm-lined lanes and seaside promenades. Take in the Germanic architecture alongside the vibrant flea market where you'll find handcrafted items galore. Delve into the history of the town and its people at the Swakopmund Museum, see the fascinating Martin Luther Road Locomotive and eyeball gemstones bigger than you at the Kristalle Galarie.

The name may not give it away but Sandwhich Harbour is one of the most stunning spots on Namibia's west coast. Leave Swakopmund on a 4x4 drive to explore the wetlands that form part of Namib Naukluft Park, which has become a sanctuary for birdlife, from guzzling pelican to Cape Cormorants. See the rose-hued flamingos of Walvis Bay before cruising past the lagoon, shimmering salt pans and marshes to spy on spectacular feathered wildlife. Finish off your morning in Sandwich Harbour with a picnic amongst the dunes.