Namibia is a country of breathtaking contrast. From the tropical forests of the Caprivi where the Okavango and great Zambezi are home to crocodiles, hippo, and the herds of migrating elephants – to the unique lifestyle of the creatures of the Namib Desert that survive for months without ‘drinking’ water.

Namibia is a magnificently vast, rugged and seemingly empty land. There are areas where you can drive for over 250km (155mile) between service stations and camp in places having your nearest neighbour over 100km (62mile)away making it a great adventure for self drive holidays and safaris.

Here are ten reasons why a Namibian holiday will be a fantastic adventure for all.

1. Uncrowded conditions. Namibia is a large country (over 3 times the size of UK) with a sparse population and has one of the world’s lowest population densities – less than two people per square kilometre.

2. One of last remaining unspoiled areas in the world, with a diversity of habitats and large areas of wilderness untouched by roads, telephone poles and civilization.

3. Sunny and dry climate with an average of 300 sunny days a year, hot in the interior and cooler at the coast.

4. Modern and well – developed roads, infrastructure and facilities, modern telecommunications and postal services, which are one of the most sophisticated in Africa. Making it an excellent destination for self drive safaris.

5. An abundance of wildlife, excellent opportunities for game viewing and bird watching in numerous National parks, game reserves and private game farms. For fantastic game viewing, Etosha National Park is larger than Kruger NP in South Africa. Animal conservation is very important with many conservancies to visit for up close animal encounters, and also free roaming desert elephants and lions, plus the wild horses at Aus.

6. There are plenty of adventure activities including; ocean and fresh water angling, “big five” game viewing, white water rafting and canoeing on the Kunene and Orange rivers, diving in lakes in the north, quad biking, sand boarding, sky diving and kayaking at the coast. Swakopmund is now known as “the adventure capital of Africa”.

7. Namibia has a wide cultural diversity – eleven colourful ethnic groups with annual festivals, gatherings, carnivals and exhibitions. The San Bushmen are the oldest group of people on earth whilst the Himba are renowned for their elaborate costumes of skins and body coating of ochre and animal fat.

8. Namibia is great value for international visitors. The Namibian Dollar is tied with the South African Rand which can be spent freely in Namibia.

9. Wealth of geological phenomena such as the world’s highest sand dunes of Sossusvlei, Fish River Canyon, 2nd only in size to the Grand Canyon, Spitzkoppe, Brandberg, Burnt mountains, Organ Pipes and Petrified forest in Damaraland, Sesriem canyon,Arnhem cave, Giants’ Playground and rock art sites at Twyfelfontein.

10. Namibia is a safe country with a low crime rate and politically stable environmen

If you want to go to a place where you can have an adventure without leaving the comforts of urban lifestyle, you should put Namibia on your list. With so many places to visit, a Namibian adventure can make any vacation worthwhile. Before you pack your things up and head for one great Namibian trip, here are some places visit.

1.) Waterberg Plateau Park

Located some 68 kilometers east of Otjiwarongo, Waterberg Plateau stands some 200-meters above the surrounding area. Wildlife watching would be a fruitful activity in this side of Namibia. This 405.5 km2 of reserve is home for some rare and endangered species of antelope and birds, rhinoceros, buffaloes, and sable.

2.) Damaraland

Damaraland is the home for a wide selection of tourist destination like the 35-m natural obelisk Vingerklip and the Namibia’s largest repository of Stone Age petroglyphs Twyfelfontein. Other famous Damaraland attraction includes the Organ Pipes formed by volcanic movements. There is also the 250 million year-old Petrified Forest and the Brandberg Natural Reserve.

3.) Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park is the biggest game reserve of Namibia. It covers some 22,000 km2 with Etosha pan which measures 130 kilometers long and 50 kilometers wide. It shelters some 250 lions, 6000 zebras, 300 rhinoceroses, 2500 giraffes, 2000 elephants, and some 20000 dainty springbok as well the occasional pelicans, flamingo, impalas, and other animals.

4.) Cape Cross Seal Colony

Enjoy the sight, the sound and the smell of thousands of fur seals in Namibia’s Cape Cross Seal Colony. It is located 130 kilometers from Swakopmund. Cape Cross Seal Colony lets you have a day with the seals anytime of the year.

5.) Namib-Naukluft Park

Namib-Naukluft Park is one of the largest national parks in Africa. It covers some 50000 km2 of Namibian land and also covers the Namib Desert Park, Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park and some portions of Diamond Area. Famous attractions in Namib-Naukluft Park include the sand dunes of Sossusvlei and the Sandwich Harbour as well as exotic plants and animals like Welwitschia Mirabilis, Hartmann’s mountain zebras and lichens.

6.) Kolmanskop

Kolmanskop is a deserted town located in the Southern Namib Desert 10 kilometers from Lüderitz. The town provided shelter against the harsh Namibian Desert conditions for Consolidated Diamond Mines miners, but the drop in diamond prices in post-WWI and the prospect of richer mines in Oranjemund ended its operation, and so it was fully deserted in 1956. Enjoy walking at this Namibian relic and learn more of the country’s economic and social history.

7.) Swakopmund

Swakopmund is a city 280 kilometers away from Windhoek. The city with its Atlantic Coastline, cooler temperature and preserved German architecture is one of the premiere destinations of Namibia. Several Swakopmund tourist attractions include Altes Gefängnis Prison, Wörmannhaus, National Marine Aquarium, a crystal gallery, and a transport museum.

8.) Skeleton Coast

Be mystified and awed by the Skeleton Coast Park’s ever-changing moods, dense coast mist, scattered shipwrecks, and majestically intact surrounding. Fly-in from Hoanib and Kunene rivers and see the Coast in its entirety. You can also enter the area between Ugab and Hoanib rivers and enjoy the coast’s superb fishing area.

9.) Fish River Canyon

Fish River Canyon is the largest canyon in Africa, measuring 160 kilometers long, 27 kilometers wide and some 550 meters deep. You can engage in an 85-kilometer Fish River Canyon Trail from Hobas to Ai-Ais. You can also take a one- or two-day trip in several points inside the canyon.

10.) Kaokoland

Enjoy Namibia’s raw wilderness by traveling to Kaokaland region with breath-taking mountain sceneries and natural animal refuges. The jagged landscape also serves as home for the Himba tribe who still lives by their own tradition and culture. Be captivated by the silent, serene environment which Kaokaland offers while enjoying water rafting, canoeing and bird-watching and more.

If you want to go to a place where you can have an adventure without leaving the comforts of urban lifestyle, you should put Namibia on your list. With so many places to visit, a Namibian adventure can make any vacation worthwhile. Before you pack your things up and head for one great Namibian trip, here are some places visit.

1.) Waterberg Plateau Park

Located some 68 kilometers east of Otjiwarongo, Waterberg Plateau stands some 200-meters above the surrounding area. Wildlife watching would be a fruitful activity in this side of Namibia. This 405.5 km2 of reserve is home for some rare and endangered species of antelope and birds, rhinoceros, buffaloes, and sable.

2.) Damaraland

Damaraland is the home for a wide selection of tourist destination like the 35-m natural obelisk Vingerklip and the Namibia’s largest repository of Stone Age petroglyphs Twyfelfontein. Other famous Damaraland attraction includes the Organ Pipes formed by volcanic movements. There is also the 250 million year-old Petrified Forest and the Brandberg Natural Reserve.

3.) Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park is the biggest game reserve of Namibia. It covers some 22,000 km2 with Etosha pan which measures 130 kilometers long and 50 kilometers wide. It shelters some 250 lions, 6000 zebras, 300 rhinoceroses, 2500 giraffes, 2000 elephants, and some 20000 dainty springbok as well the occasional pelicans, flamingo, impalas, and other animals.

4.) Cape Cross Seal Colony

Enjoy the sight, the sound and the smell of thousands of fur seals in Namibia’s Cape Cross Seal Colony. It is located 130 kilometers from Swakopmund. Cape Cross Seal Colony lets you have a day with the seals anytime of the year.

5.) Namib-Naukluft Park

Namib-Naukluft Park is one of the largest national parks in Africa. It covers some 50000 km2 of Namibian land and also covers the Namib Desert Park, Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park and some portions of Diamond Area. Famous attractions in Namib-Naukluft Park include the sand dunes of Sossusvlei and the Sandwich Harbour as well as exotic plants and animals like Welwitschia Mirabilis, Hartmann’s mountain zebras and lichens.

6.) Kolmanskop

Kolmanskop is a deserted town located in the Southern Namib Desert 10 kilometers from Lüderitz. The town provided shelter against the harsh Namibian Desert conditions for Consolidated Diamond Mines miners, but the drop in diamond prices in post-WWI and the prospect of richer mines in Oranjemund ended its operation, and so it was fully deserted in 1956. Enjoy walking at this Namibian relic and learn more of the country’s economic and social history.

7.) Swakopmund

Swakopmund is a city 280 kilometers away from Windhoek. The city with its Atlantic Coastline, cooler temperature and preserved German architecture is one of the premiere destinations of Namibia. Several Swakopmund tourist attractions include Altes Gefängnis Prison, Wörmannhaus, National Marine Aquarium, a crystal gallery, and a transport museum.

8.) Skeleton Coast

Be mystified and awed by the Skeleton Coast Park’s ever-changing moods, dense coast mist, scattered shipwrecks, and majestically intact surrounding. Fly-in from Hoanib and Kunene rivers and see the Coast in its entirety. You can also enter the area between Ugab and Hoanib rivers and enjoy the coast’s superb fishing area.

9.) Fish River Canyon

Fish River Canyon is the largest canyon in Africa, measuring 160 kilometers long, 27 kilometers wide and some 550 meters deep. You can engage in an 85-kilometer Fish River Canyon Trail from Hobas to Ai-Ais. You can also take a one- or two-day trip in several points inside the canyon.

10.) Kaokoland

Enjoy Namibia’s raw wilderness by traveling to Kaokaland region with breath-taking mountain sceneries and natural animal refuges. The jagged landscape also serves as home for the Himba tribe who still lives by their own tradition and culture. Be captivated by the silent, serene environment which Kaokaland offers while enjoying water rafting, canoeing and bird-watching and more.