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.