Namibia borders South Africa and is a very popular tourist destination, especially for South Africans. It also shares borders with Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola, and Zambia. The country was ruled by Germany and South Africa until 1990, when a democratically elected government came to power and Namibia achieved independence. Although Namibia makes money from other industries such as mining, fishing, and agriculture, the fastest growing industry is tourism.
Being in Africa means that the weather is usually quite hot, with summer days often reaching 35°C and winter days rarely going below 23°C.
Some of the best things to do in Namibia include visiting the Skeleton Coast. This is a beautiful stretch of coastline, with many shipwrecks and great fishing. Damaraland features some of the most rugged and least explored parts of Namibia, and is simply spectacular in scenery. In Damaraland, some amazing sites include Rock Finger, the Petrified Forest and the Bushmen rock carvings. Fish River Canyon is another highlight, 161 km long, 27 km wide and 550 m deep.
The capital of Namibia is Windhoek, which is located approximately in the center of the country. Although the cities can be boring if one is looking for wildlife, they are worth visiting, if only to see the old German buildings and monuments. Speaking of which, for a real “old world” feel, take a trip to Swakopmund, which is on the coast and still has plenty of cafes selling traditional German pastries.
Flights to Namibia from South Africa are frequent and relatively affordable. Major airlines serving the route include Air Namibia, SAA and British Airways. Most flights will arrive in Windhoek.