Namibia - Untouched beauty

The Kalahari evokes a picture of never ending red sand dunes, big, blue skies and a scorching sun that shimmers unrelentingly on ancient dry riverbeds, known as omuramba.

The Kalahari is both deceptive and alluring. Deceptive because beneath the surface of apparent desert lies an incredible wealth of iron, manganese and other precious ores, which explains the mining towns, and alluring for visitors because of the many game farms and nature reserves to which the Kalahari is home.

Etosha National Park ranks as one of the world’s great wildlife-viewing venues. Its unique nature is encapsulated by the vast Etosha pan – an immense, flat, saline desert that, for a few days each year, is converted by the rains into a shallow lagoon teeming with flamingos and pelicans. In contrast, the surrounding bush and grasslands provide habitat for Etosha’s diverse wildlife.

 

After the world's oldest desert in the south, the Caprivi wetlands come as a bit of surprise. The finger of land that slices between Botswana and Zambia to touch Zimbabwe is a sub-tropical paradise of perennial rivers, sodden marshes and verdant woodlands at odds with the parched country to the west. 

 

No words can describe Namibia...

It has to be experienced!

 

Explore Namibia

Random Places in Namibia......

Boating trips on the Kunene River (water levels permitting) provides our guests with the opportunity to venture through the lush riverside oases.

The Twyfelfontein area

The hotel’s locally acclaimed Penguin Restaurant with outside terraces is open 7 days a week and serves a wide ranging menu including fresh Lüderitz lobster.  

Wolwedans Dune Camp

Brandberg Rest Camp is located in Uis, a once booming little mining town in the heart of Damaraland  

Etosha

Discover Namibia through Namibia Reservations

Let us make your Namibia Holiday special!

Choose one of many Tour and Safari packages on offer. You will find a number of Self Drive Tours, Group Tours or Fly In Safaris to choose from. Most packages are easy to change should you have some special requests and cater from budget to luxury accommodation for your Namibia travels.

Various Packages offered that include the flights from South Africa and Namibia, accommodation, activities and car rental. Should you want a special package that suits your needs we can assist you......  

 Namibia Package Deals

The perfect get away enjoying the sights and taking part in activities. Whether you are a honeymooner, business traveler or self drive traveler, we have a package deal ready for you.

Windhoek Package
2 Persons - Double Room at Villia Violet (BB) for 2 Nights,
Car Rental - Group B
including return flight on Air Namibia (CPT/JNB-WHK-CPT/JNB) 

Swakopmund Package
2 Persons - Double Room at Namib Guesthouse (BB) for 3 Nights,
1 Mola Mola Marine Dune Day
Car Rental - Group B
including return flight on Air Namibia (CPT/JNB-WHK-CPT/JNB) 

 

SPECIAL FOR OVERNIGHTS DONE BEFORE - 31.10.2015

Mokuti Etosha Lodge
(Etosha Area)

Lapa Lange Game Lodge
(Mariental Area)

Damara Mopane Lodge
(Damaraland)   

For more information please contact us at 

info@namibiareservations.com

www.namibiareservations.com 

!Uris Safari Lodge - A discovery not to be missed

!Uris Safari Lodge is located 20 kilometres west of the town of Tsumeb - a legacy of being a mineral fascination...
Surrounded by the ancient Lake Otjikoto and the famous wildlife conservation area, Etosha National Park, !Uris Safari Lodge also attracts tourists en-route to the Kunene-, Kaokoland . For visitors with an interest in gemstones and minerals !Uris Safari Lodge borders a number of historic German and Artesian mines namely Alt Bobos, Karavatu, Omeg II and Uris. They resemble trails "in the footsteps of the diggers" who, over one hundred and twenty years ago spent their days in the relentless Namibian sunshine exploring the possibilities of mining precious minerals to satisfy the needs of Europe. As one drives through this raw and unspoiled land one can see the remains of stripped mine headgear and other remnants relating to the old mining operations on lime rock and dolomite formations, established in days gone by. Modern day Bushmen will greet you from their homes, inquisitive of intruders in their quiet lives.

As evident in the Tsumeb history and tribal background, Uris is a Heikom/Bushmen word, meaning, "head lice" and with the addition of the "!" refers to a small white hill containing metal.

                                                         

 

For more information please contact us at 

info@namibiareservations.com

www.namibiareservations.com

Andersson’s Camp - wildlife destination

Situated in close proximity of Etosha National Park, the atmosphere of Andersson’s Camp makes for a comfortable modern-day base for exploring this world-class wildlife destination.

 The camp is an exciting example of sustainable construction and is named after a famed Swedish explorer, Charles Andersson, one of the first Europeans to describe Etosha. Andersson’s Camp is ideally situated for independent exploration of neighbouring Etosha, game drives taking in the plethora of game found here. 

This Eco-sensitive camp provides an authentic, safe and down-to-earth experience for small groups, families and independent travelers to the Etosha region and is easily accessible by either road or air to a nearby private airstrip.

Canvas-style tents raised on wooden decks with double doors to allow for pleasant views of the bush with covered small veranda.Certain tents overlook the waterhole.Each tent has natural stone en-suite bathroom facilities, with a unique open-air private shower.Basic amenities are supplied in each tent.

For more information please contact us at 

info@namibiareservations.com

www.namibiareservations.com

Namibia's National Parks and Game Reserves

Daan Viljoen Game Park

The smallest park in Namibia, Daan Vilijoen lies just 18km west of Namibia's capital city, Windhoek, making it popular with day and weekend visitors.

Animals to be spotted include including kudu, red hartebeest, springbok, klipspringer, steenbok, eland and oryx antelopes, baboons, blue wildebeests and giraffes and over 200 bird species including helmeted guineafowl, red billed francolin, yellow billed hornbill, rock runner. The park has no large predators so walking around the park is permitted and there is a network of walking tracks to explore.
Accommodation:
A rest camp is located on the banks of Augeigas dam which offer accommdation in several bungalows, a camp site and picnic area for a day visitors. It also has a restaurant and swimming pool

Etosha National Park

It covers an area of approximately 23 000 square kilometres and is one of Namibia's most famous parks as well as being one of the largest preserves on the African continent. The park encompasses a vast salt pan which covers an areas of approximately 5,000 square kilometers

Giraffes - Etosha National ParkIt is home to elephant, both Burchell's and Hartmann's zebras , giraffe, lion, leopard, black rhinoceros , red hartebeests, blue wildebeests, cheetah, hyena, eland, kudu, springbok, gemsbok, black-faced impala and many other types of antelope as well as over 340 species of birds, including large flocks of flamingoes and white pelicans which come to breed in years of good rainfall. Also spotted are ostrich, kori bustard, which can weigh over 30 pounds, and Yellow-billed hornbills 

The salt pan is off limits but there is a road network running along its edge

Accommodation:

There are three camps in the park all lying south of the pan

Okaukuejo Camp, Halali Camp, Namutoni Camp

Fish River Canyon National Park

Located in the Southern part of Namibia, Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the world. With a depth of up to 550 metres in parts, the enormous gorge winds along a distance of approx. 160 kilometres through the fissured Koubis Massif all the way down to Ai-Ais. The canyon starts near Seeheim, is 161 kilometres long and ends at Ai-Ais. 

The Fish River Hiking trail is one of the most famous hikes in Southern Africa. The hike covers a distance of just over 80km in the base of the canyon and takes over 5 days with absolutely no facilities whatsoever. To undertake the hike you should be in reasonable fitnees and obtain a hiking permit. In the summer (Nov to mid March) temperatures can reach some 50° Centigrade, resulting in the canyon being closed to the public for hiking during that time 

Ais-Ais hot springs can be found within the Fish River Canyon conservation area. These sulphurous springs originate deep underground and are rich in minerals, which have been reported to be beneficial for those with rheumatic or nervous disorders. Ais-Ais hot springs are a public facility, attached to a resort that includes an indoor spa with Jacuzzi. The resort is closed from November to mid March

Namib Naukluft National Park

The park is a combination of the Namib Desert Park and the Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park as well as sections of the Diamond Area. There are four sections in the park: Sossusvlei and Sessriem, Naukluft, Namib section and Sandwich Harbour. 

Rain is rare - the raining season is between Feb and April. The months of November to March are the hottest when day time temperatures seldom drop below 35°c. During the months of June/July and August night time temperatures can drop to below 5°c 

At almost 50,000 km² it is the largest conservation area in Namibia and 4th largest in the world . The area is home to some of the rarest plant and animal species in the world. The animals of this harsh landscape include the oryx, springbok. Welwitschia Mirabilis, large lichen fields and Hartmann's Mountain Zebra.  

The park's main attractions are Sossusvlei; the world's largest sand dune. Sandwich Harbour; a paradise for ornithologists and nature lovers visiting Namibia. The Naukluft region is a favourite for hiking and four wheel drive trails.

Desert-adapted lions in Namibia

Desert-adapted lions in Namibia occur mostly outside protected areas in the Kunene Region. The unique landscapes of the northern Namib Desert, abundant wildlife, and high levels endemism, makes the Kunene Region an important area for tourism. The lion is an important flagship species for the growing tourism industry. Although the desert-adapted lions are valuable to tourism, the local communities have to share their land with these free-ranging large carnivores.

 

 Lions often prey on domestic livestock and farmers respond by shooting or poisoning lions, to protect their livelihood. The local communities have to bear the costs of living with lions, but they do not always share in the benefits from tourism. There is a need for sustainable-use of lions through eco-tourism, with tangible benefits to the communities, and for proactive management of human-lion conflicts. The conservation of lions in the Kunene Region is therefore essential to address Human Lion Conflict, and to conserve a flagship species for the tourism industry. 

The Kunene Lion Project contributes to this process by studying the density, demography, and population ecology of lions. Through applied research and monitoring, the study collects sound scientific data to guide management strategies and the implementation of a National Lion Conservation Strategy.

Package Deals Offered By Namibia Reservations

Choose from one of our packages below or let us organize a special package deal just for you.
The perfect get away enjoying the sights and taking part in activities. Whether you are a honeymooner, business traveler or self drive traveler, we have a package deal ready for you.

Etosha Package
2 Persons - Double Room at Ces’t si Bon (BB) for 1 Night,
Okaukuejo (DBB) for 2 Nights,
Car Rental - Group B
including return flight on Air Namibia (CPT/JNB-WHK-CPT/JNB)

 

Sossusvlei Package

2 Persons - Double Room at Desert Homestead (DBB) for 3 Nights,
Car Rental - Group B
including return flight on Air Namibia (CPT/JHB-WHK-CPT/JHB)

Swakopmund Package
2 Persons - Double Room at Namib Guesthouse (BB) for 3 Nights,
1 Mola Mola Marine Dune Day
Car Rental - Group B
including return flight on Air Namibia (CPT/JNB-WHK-CPT/JNB)

  Windhoek Package
2 Persons - Double Room at Villia Violet (BB) for 2 Nights,
Car Rental - Group B
including return flight on Air Namibia (CPT/JNB-WHK-CPT/JNB)

Desert Express Weekend Package
2 Persons - Overnight on the Train (DBB) for 2 Nights,
Transfer from/to International Airport Windhoek
including return flight on Air Namibia (CPT/JNB-WHK-CPT/JNB)

 Botswana Package
2 Persons - Double Room at The Garden Lodge (FI) for 1 Night incl 1 Game Drive & 1 Boat Trip into the Chobe National Park,
Nata Lodge (BO) for 1 Night incl. 1 Game Drive into the Sowa Pan,
1 Double Tent at Audi Camp (BB) for 2 Nights incl. 1 Day Moremi Game Reserve Safari
Drotsky’s Cabins (BO) for 2 Nights incl. 1 Day Trip with Boat & Guide (fuel excl.)

Namibia - A land of wonders

With well graded roads leading to uncrowded, magical landscapes from spectacular vast desert and the world’s highest sand dunes to national parks teeming with wildlife – Namibia is an adventure waiting to be explored.

 Although the entire coastline of Namibia was formerly called The Skeleton Coast, more commonly today it refers only to the Skeleton Coast National Park. The park stretches from the Kunene River in the north for approximately 500km to the Ugab River in the south, and protects about one-third of Namibia's coastline

 The Fish River Canyon in Namibia is (allegedly) the 2nd largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. The immensity of this magnificent landscape is truly breathtaking. The towering rock faces and deep ravines were formed by water erosion and the collapse of the valley due to movements in the earth's crust over 500 million years ago. Today the canyon measures 160km long up to 27km wide and almost 550m at its deepest. It is fair to say that when you arrive at the canyon though, its exact location is a bit of a mystery as the 500m vertical drop from the flat dry plateau is completely out of view.

 Etosha, meaning "Great White Place", is dominated by a massive mineral pan. The pan is part of the Kalahari Basin, the floor of which was formed around 1000 million years ago. The Etosha Pan covers around 25% of the National Park. The pan was originally a lake fed by the Kunene River. However the course of the river changed thousands of years ago and the lake dried up. The pan now is a large dusty depression of salt and dusty clay which fills only if the rains are heavy and even then only holds water for a short time. This temporary water in the Etosha Pan attracts thousands of wading birds including impressive flocks of flamingos. The perennial springs along the edges of the Etosha Pan draw large concentrations of wildlife and birds.

 The sand dunes of Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert are often referred to as the highest dunes in the world. Various arguments are laid out to support this claim, but all miss the point, which is that Sossusvlei is surely one of the most spectacular sights in Namibia. Located in the Namib Naukluft park, the largest conservation area in Africa, and fourth largest in the world - the sand dunes at Sossusvlei are just one excellent reason to visit Namibia. The best time to view Sossusvlei is close to sunrise and sunset; the colours are strong and constantly changing, allowing for wonderful photographic opportunities.

The Spitzkoppe (from German for "pointed dome"; also referred to as Spitzkop, Groot Spitzkop, or the "Matterhorn of Namibia"), is a group of bald granite peaks or bornhardts located between Usakos and Swakopmund in the Namib desert of Namibia. The granite is more than 700 million years old and the highest outcrop rises about 1,784 metres (5,853 ft) above sea level. The peaks stand out dramatically from the flat surrounding plains. The highest peak is about 700 m (2,300 ft) above the floor of the desert below.

The Namib-Naukluft National Park is a national park of Namibia encompassing part of the Namib Desert (considered the world's oldest desert) and the Naukluft mountain range. With an overall area of 49,768 km2 (19,216 sq mi), the Namib-Naukluft is the largest game park in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. The most well-known area of the park is Sossusvlei, which is the main visitor attraction in Namibia. A surprising collection of creatures survives in the hyper-arid region, including snakes, geckos, unusual insects, hyenas, gemsboks and jackals. More moisture comes in as a fog off the Atlantic Ocean than falls as rain, with the average 106 millimeters of rainfall per year concentrated in the months of February and April.

Twyfelfontein (Afrikaans: uncertain spring), officially known as ǀUi-ǁAis (Damara/Nama: jumping waterhole), is a site of ancient rock engravings in the Kunene Region of north-western Namibia. It consists of a spring in a valley flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain that receives very little rainfall and has a wide range of diurnal temperatures.The site has been inhabited for 6,000 years, first by hunter-gatherers and later by Khoikhoi herders. Both ethnic groups used it as a place of worship and a site to conduct shamanist rituals. In the process of these rituals at least 2,500 items of rock carvings have been created, as well as a few rock paintings.

Namibia's Greatest Wildlife Sanctuary

Etosha National Park

 Etosha National Park is unique in Africa. The park’s main characteristic is a salt pan so large it can be seen from space. Yet there is abundant wildlife that congregates around the waterholes, giving you almost guaranteed game sightings. At the same time Etosha National Park is one of the most accessible game reserves in Namibia and Southern Africa.

The park is malaria free, accessible in a regular sedan car and the rest camps provide a range of accommodation as well as restaurants, viewing decks, shops and petrol stations. Luxurious camps in Etosha’s remote areas have now added top end accommodation to the park’s offerings.

 

About the Park:

Wildlife

The abundance of game in Etosha National Park is somewhat unexpected, showcasing some of the most common and rarest wildlife species. The areas with thicker vegetation are home to elephant (some of the largest in Africa due to the vitamins and nutrients found in the ground), the endangered black rhino and even leopard. Lions are camouflaged in the pale- golden colour of the grasslands, while giraffes rise- high above most of the dry vegetation.
Birders will love the rainy season in Etosha. After good rains the salt pan fills with water attracting a cloud of flamingos. More than 340 bird species have been counted in Etosha National Park. Among the migratory species, the European bee-eater is possibly the most popular sighting. The game reserve is also home to the world’s largest bird, the ostrich, and the heaviest flying bird, the kori bustard.
Please note that Etosha National Park is immensely popular, hence advanced bookings are recommended.

 Seasons:

During winter the Etosha Pan is bone dry. This endless white expanse is an unlikely venue for a wildlife sanctuary. The park is a wasteland of white dust which comes from the clay in the pan. Bushes along the road turn white as vehicles throw up dust and visitors who leave the park usually have a dusty aura around them! This is also the time when most of the visitors come to the park as the climate is mild and the wildlife concentrates itself at the waterholes.  Yet the surrounding areas overflow with springbok and zebra.
The summer in the park is vastly different with heavy rains turning a dry dusty Etosha National Park into a lush green oasis. This time of year means life in the park for new born animals as well as birdlife. Many European migratory birds come south to enjoy the new life that has been washed into the vegetation. Driving during the rainy season can get a lot trickier as roads can be flooded and having an equipped vehicle will make the journey a lot more enjoyable. It is also advised to do a lot more driving to view the wildlife as animals tend to keep clear of the once active waterholes that posed such dangers during the dry season.

Galton gate was exclusively used for Dolomite visitors. It is now open to all visitors to use.

For More info contact us at : info@namibiareservations.com

 Visit our website at: www.namibiareservations.com 

Check Out the Etosha Accommodation:  http://www.namibiareservations.com/etosha.html

!!!!This is Namibia!!!!!!

 The Popa Falls are defiantly not the biggest falls you can find in Namibia but they do provide an absolute beautiful setting for a sun-downer boat cruises or islands dinners. The sound of the Popa Falls at only a few hundred meters from the lodge is the ideal soundtrack while relaxing in the Spa or enjoying dinner.

 Although you may think that mini-bus taxis, buses and bakkies are the modern means of transport in an ever-expanding Africa, on the dusty roads of the Namibian interior, far from crowded cities and the hustle and bustle of the 21st century, it is also the donkey cart that is one of the quintessential Namibian forms of transport.

The Namib Desert consists of massive mountains of sand, dunes that ‘walk around', fossilized driftwood, skeletons, ancient granite mountains, doleritic plains, San cave art, shipwrecks, the marvelous Welwitschia, elephants, and gemsbok, These are a few of the spectacular phenomena one can find in the Namib Desert. The Namib, the world's oldest desert, lies on the south west coast of Africa, mainly in Namibia.
 

 The Himba are an ancient tribe of tall, slender and statuesque herders. Since the 16th century they have lived in scattered settlements, leading a life that has remained unchanged, surviving war and droughts. The tribal structure helps them live in one of the most extreme environments on earth.

  

An adult welwitschia consists of two leaves, a stem base and roots. That is all! Its two permanent leaves are unique in the plant kingdom. They are the original leaves from when the plant was a seedling, and they just continue to grow and are never shed. They are leathery, broad, strap-shaped and they lie on the ground becoming torn to ribbons and tattered with age.

Namibia is a very diverse country with an array of habitats and vegetation. It is also one of the few countries where animals still roam freely mostly unrestricted by human influence. The country has a great mix of desert, semi- desert and savannahs. As you travel further north in Namibia towards Etosha National Park, you will find a place that offers visitors a complete contrast of wide open grasslands, a massive pan that covers 4731km² and large camel thorn trees mixed with Mopani trees. This diverse vegetation accounts for the abundance of wildlife that thrives in the park.

Bubo Africanus (The Spotted Eagle Owl)

45 cm. Off white to pale orche facial disk, yellow eyes, prominent ear tufts, and the upper body is dusky brown, the lower parts off-white with brown bars.

These beautiful birds are mostly found in rocky outcrops, scrub land, open woods and semi deserts.

The bird hisses and clicks when alarmed and is often in gardens.

The diets includes small mamals, birds, insects and reptiles.

Their nest is made on the ground though they have been known to nests on window edges of buildings. Breeding begins in July continuing to the first weeks of February. 2-4 eggs area laid and incubated by the female for about 32 days. The female leaves the nest only to eat what the male has brought food. The young owls can fly at around seven weeks of age. Five weeks later, the young owls leave the nest.

 

Etosha National Park

Namibia's most famous park is not only the best game viewing spot in the country, it is also one of the top birding spots and a 2-4 day visit will almost guarantee great results. The park is brilliant for raptors especially Martial and Tawny Eagles, Black-chested and Brown Snake-eagles, Lanner, Peregrine and Red-necked Falcons, Pale-chanting and Gabar Goshawks.
Scan the top of the huge Sociable Weaver nests for African Pygmy-falcon. Etosha is brilliant for owls with sightings of Pearl-spotted Owlet, African Scops-owl, Southern White-faced Owlet, Barn Owl, Verreaux's Eagle-owl and Spotted Eagle-owl fairly common. The flat open plains of the western section are good for Lark-like Bunting, Pink-billed, Sabota, Red-capped and Spike-heeled Larks, Grey-backed Sparrow-lark, Namaqua and Double-banded Sandgrouse, Double-banded and Temminck's Coursers.
The open acacia savannahs are good for Crimson-breasted Shrike, Great Sparrow, Violet-eared Waxbill, Southern Pied Babbler, Red-headed Finch, Kori Bustard, Scaly-feathered Finch, Marico Flycatcher, Namaqua Dove and Blue Crane. The woodland sections of the middle and eastern parts holds specials like Bare-cheeked and Black-faced Babbler, Violet Woodhoopoe and Carps Black Tit. When the Etosha pan fills up with water after very good rainy seasons it becomes a water bird paradise. Huge numbers of lesser and Greater Flamingos, Great White Pelicans, Great Crested and Black-necked Grebes, Caspian Plovers, Cape and Red-billed Teals and a number of rarities congregate on and around the pan.