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NAMIBIA is a country of startling contrasts and has rapidly become a safari destination with a difference. Renowned for its vast, geologically fascinating landscapes and abundance of space, the many national parks and games reserves boast an interesting variety of wildlife and the diverse environment creates a spectacle of astonishing beauty.
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The Namib Desert is one of the oldest and most remarkable deserts. It is incredibly diverse - from rocky arid mountains to dramatic towering sand dunes. Some of the most spectacular features of the Namib are the mighty dunes at Sossusvlei. Many reach over 1200 feet above the surrounding desert and are widely considered to be the highest dunes on earth. The dramatic photographic opportunities bring travelers here from all over the world.
The Skeleton Coast, which starts north of the Orange River, includes the whole Namibian coastline and continues across the Kunene River some 200 km into Angola. The Skeleton Coast Park is one of planet earth's most inhospitable, but hauntingly beautiful places - it is wild, desolate and uninhabited by humans. It is so named because of the skeletons of numerous ships that were wrecked along the coast line. The coast boasts everything from roaring sand dunes, windswept plains, towering canyons, salt pans and seal colonies, and it is one of the most productive fishing grounds found anywhere. In addition, fresh water springs permeate through barren sands to create desert oases that sustain pockets of wildlife.
In the past decade, access to this private area within the National Park has been restricted. Close on 300,000 hectares (660,000 acres) of the National Park has been set aside as an exclusive safari experience for those who want to really get away! It is wild, desolate and uninhabited - and stunningly beautiful.
To the extreme north-west of Namibia the mystical Kunene River cuts a swathe through rugged mountains and sand dunes, creating a spectacular valley oasis in the middle of an otherwise hostile desert. This enchanting corner of the Kaokaveld is one of the most scenic areas in Namibia, and is home to the fascinating Himba people, among the last truly nomadic cultural groups in Africa.
The Etosha National Park in the north is Namibia's prime wildlife destination and was declared a National Park in 1907. Etosha covers an area of 22 270 square km and offers the ‘big five’ including the rare Black Rhino. Home to 114 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species and, surprisingly, one species of fish. Huge herds of springbok, zebra, and wildebeest gather to drink at the few permanent watering holes during the dry winter months. This creates intriguing scenes against the stark backdrop of the mineral pans and the flat savannah plains of Etosha.
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