I believe that South Africa is the most beautiful place on earth. Admittedly, I am biased, but when you combine the natural beauty of South Africa with the friendliness and cultural diversity of our people, and the fact that the region is a haven for Africa’s most splendid wildlife, then I think even the most scrupulous critic would agree that we have been blessed with a truly wonderful land. I would like to extend a personal invitation to you to come and see for yourself the splendour of South Africa. I know that my people will be delighted to welcome you and I think you will be enchanted by their warmth and hospitality. I am equally sure that you will enjoy our culture, our cuisine and the warmth of our people’.
Nelson Mandela - humanitarian AIDS campaigner and previous President of South Africa (1994-1999)

South Africa is an awesome holiday destination with so much to do you’ll be spoiled for choice. South Africa is internationally renowned as one of the world’s top game viewing and birding destinations, but it also has some of the world’s best flowers, which can be seen to great advantage, particularly in the Western Cape where the indigenous fynbos forms part of the Cape Floral Region, which is a world heritage site.

As if that’s not enough, South Africa also has 3,000 km coastline with fabulous beaches and water sports, and great dolphin and whale watching.

South Africa has some fantastic cultural and historical attractions. It’s widely accepted to be the birthplace of the human race, so you can explore your roots here and ponder on the meaning of life. You could also visit historical battlefields, fabulous rock art sites and interesting monuments relating to the history of South Africa and the struggle against apartheid.

But it’s not all about the past - ancient buildings and dusty museums - it’s the people that make South Africa really special. You can spend weeks doing nothing but visiting interesting communities, doing contemporary cultural tours and perhaps spending a few nights as a guest in a township home stay or in a rural village.

For the more physically active, there are loads of golf courses, and an awesome array of adventure activities ranging from mild to wild, serene to extreme, or tame to insane.

But if you’d rather be pampered than pumped up, you can retreat to one of hundreds of wellness centres or spas and be pummelled, plucked and preened to your heart’s content. Or you can forget the body beautiful brigade and take a real holiday, indulging in fabulous food and wine and - occasionally - working on your sun tan. It’s a hard choice.

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Considering the backdrop of volatile politics and great poverty in Africa, accounts of armed robbery, muggings and even murder are perhaps unsurprising, but when they involve tourists it begs the question “Is it safe to go on holiday in Africa?”.

Considering the backdrop of volatile politics and great poverty in Africa, accounts of armed robbery, muggings and even murder are perhaps unsurprising, but when they involve tourists it begs the question “Is it safe to go on holiday in Africa?”. Within the last two years tourists have been shot by robbers on the beach at the Kenyan coast; gunned down during the raid by Rwandan extremists on the gorilla safari camp in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda; killed by lions in Matusadona National Park, Zimbabwe; and blown up by unexplained bombs in Cape Town. Not all of these tragic incidents relate directly to safaris but their nature makes for alarming head-lines.

There is no denying Africa’s unsettled nature. Of late, Kenya has seen a spate of armed hold-ups of four wheel drive vehicles when they stop at traffic lights, whilst in Johannesburg many people live in fortified houses behind successive tiers of security guards, electric fences, guard dogs and steel doors, often with an inner cordon within the house isolating their bedroom. Tribal conflicts flare up throughout the continent from time to time. Accepting all of the above, lurid tabloid accounts of disasters can provide a distorted picture of the danger’s involved in going to Africa. Travel in Third World areas will always carry an attached element of risk but before getting matters out of perspective it would be worth remembering that African coverage of British news in the past two years would have included IRA bombs in the City of London, bombing of gay pubs in Soho, the Waterloo train disaster and Stansted hijacking.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice Line 0171 238 4503 provides excellent detailed information covering the political situation and security state of countries with recommendations of any areas that are best avoided by visitors.

Wildlife related incidents are rare and usually the result of carelessness or stupidity. Most wild animals, even predators like lion, are naturally wary of man but if you scare them, separate them from their young or challenge them by aggressive action or getting too close you may provoke their natural defensive reaction which may be to attack. It is not advisable to walk in the bush without a guide unless you are highly experienced and however you are travelling, follow the advice of the guide. Investigations of incidents with hippos or crocodiles on the Zambesi invariably reveal that the clients ignored their guide. It is perfectly safe to camp in the bush but you should always ensure that your tent is properly closed when you go to sleep.

Before setting off on safari it is important to get up to date medical advice. Thames Medical (0207 902 9000) provides customised Health Information Packs cost £8.50, specific to areas, including advice on suitable safari equipment (ie. impregnated mosquito nets), travel health equipment (everything from treatments for diarrhoea to sterilised syringes), protection against malaria, immunisations and Fact sheets on how to avoid the main health hazards: malaria, bilharzia, rabies, hepatitis, HIV, Dengue Fever. Thames Medical can also arrange for private consultations, give all inoculations and supply medical equipment. Alternatively, MASTA Traveller’s Healthline (0906 8 224100), validated by the London School of Medical Hygiene and Tropical Diseases, have a highly recommended telephone help-line which provides medical advice.

The foremost medical concern is the spread of malaria and increasing reports of chloroquine resistant strains. Medical experts stress the importance of prevention through the careful adherence to an approved prophylaxis regime, the use of impregnated mosquito nets and mosquito repellent, covering up exposed flesh between dusk and dawn when the anopheles mosquito is most active, and swift reporting of suspicious symptoms. It is essential that anyone travelling to Africa should have comprehensive medical insurance including medical repatriation in case of sickness or injury.

One other area of particular concern is road safety. Drivers should exercise great caution on both public roads and bush tracks. It is a regrettable fact that African driving standards are generally poor, road conditions are often appalling requiring vehicles to swerve around potholes, and many African vehicles lack lights, brakes and reliable steering. To minimise the risks adopt a defensive approach to driving, cut your speed well below that which you would normally use and never, except in an emergency, drive at night.

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African Travel Gateway

At 2 PM we are scheduled to go on a 10 km walk to the sossusvlei. It is a unique desert hike through the dunes — everywhere you look huge red dunes. The dunes are considered to be very old and have a sharp mixtures of reds from the oxidized iron in the sand. The Namibia desert is 32,000 square kilometers of sand with the world’s highest dunes at 200 meters. This bizarre landscape is included in every brochure of Namibia; it is definitely unique in the world. It is a perfect day for some exercise, just a bit cloudy keeping the desert temperature down. Scooter had a good time playing photographer/hunter, stalking a gemsbok buck, a huge black and white variety with dangerous looking perfectly straight three foot horns. It was probably not a wise thing to do but it is really hard to be a stupid tourist. They have the three foot horns for a reason. We really enjoyed the walk and then a couple of drinks at sunset before driving back to camp. We rode past Dune 45, a 150 meter high dune as the sun was setting. Tomorrow morning we would be climbing Dune 45 before sunrise. Dizzy prepared a great meal tonight: boerwars on the braai (bbq), potatoes, butternut squash and curried beans. I think they figured the natives were getting restless and we all needed a good meal. I ate too much and went straight to bed, scooter and I still really like living out of our little tent and we are enjoying the camping.

Up today at 5:15 AM and on our way to sunrise at Dune 45. The road to the Dune seems to be equal parts rock, gravel, and pothole. It takes about 30 minutes to get there. Sitting on top of a sand dune, in the middle of the desert waiting for the sun to rise is one of the reasons you come to Namibia. At 5:45 AM we are joined by thirty other people from other overland groups and we all begin our climb to the top. We spend the next 20 minutes climbing up the ridge of the dune, where the sand is the hardest but still not easy to climb. The clouds in the horizon prevent us from seeing a spectacular sunrise but it is still fun to be up and active in the fresh morning air. After a breakfast of French toast we go out to the Sesriem canyon for a walk through the not-so-spectacular 30 meter deep drainage ditch with 150 million year old deposits of conglomerate. Guess what it is time to drive again. At this point we have read three or four books and I am busy checking out what everyone else is reading hoping to trade.

We are going to the big city today. Our schedule will include driving, the one-store town of Solitaire, lunch stop, Walvis Bay and then spending the night in Swakomund. Despite our stops this day was the most of “nothing” that we had yet experienced — mile after mile of gray rocky dirt. The first stop was just for fun at a tiny little town called Solitaire, it has a church, a store and a mayor and that is it. We picked up some snacks and Sahvanna cider for the ride. The end of the day’s driving brings us back to the Ocean and Walvis Bay, a 45,000 hectare lagoon supporting 50% of southern Africa’s flamingo population. The houses on the ocean in Walvis Bay say, “I may live on the edge of the desert, but that doesn’t mean I can’t build a beautiful house to live in.” This is the spot for the rich Germans and South Africans who live in the area they even have grass in the yards. Then 30 minutes later we are at our destination of Swakopmund, Namibia’s biggest holiday resort. It is a friendly seaside town with a heavy German influence. Tonight we stayed at the youth hostel in town, a large castle-like structure. Some of us camped in the yard and some stayed in the dorms. Scooter and I just could not get enough of our tent and set it up in a patch of grass outside of the kitchen. Dizzy fixed dinner in the hostel kitchen, tuna casserole that did not go over too well although it is my favorite. Apparently, the Europeans are not big fans of tuna. During dinner we had speakers from the Alter-action company tell us about sand-boarding and quad biking. These are our only optional activities on the trip meaning that they were not included with the African Routes package. Both activities sound fun so we sign up for the following day along with most of the crew. It was my day for dish duty so I hurried through the chore and got ready to hit the local pub, Fagan’s. Dizzy and Dylan walked us through town pointing out the major sites; laundry, bookstore, and Internet cafe. Fagan’s was filled with overland truck groups and a few locals. Swakopmund is a cute town, very civilized especially for being in the middle of nowhere. We all stayed at Fagan’s until 11 PM, our latest night yet. We are all getting to know each other and a little more comfortable with each other now which makes it easier to relax and have fun.

We are all ready for an activity and Sand-boarding and Quad-biking with Alter-Action (e-mail: alteraxn@iafrica.com.na) was today’s main event. We drove back out to the Namibia desert, the oldest desert in the world, at 9:30 AM with about 20 people in vans. We had two options for the morning, you could either go sledding down the sand dunes on a small piece of paneling or you could go sand boarding down the dunes like a snow boarder. Some of our group chose to do sledding style sand-boarding while about eight decided on snow board style, including Scooter. Each group went their separate ways.

Starting out a little nervously, I collected my elbow pads, helmet, gloves, and board. The board is not specifically made for this activity; it is a piece of really thin wall paneling with wax on one side. We hiked up a big dune and looked over the crest our first ride “little Nellie”– it looked huge to me and this was our practice slope. Lie down, face first, grab the top of the board, keep elbows tucked and hold on. All but one of us made it unscathed down the sand slope. Let’s do it again, it was fun and has a great adrenaline rush. After the first run we did 5 more and 5 more hikes up the dunes. Every time was a thrill zooming along at 60 kph and eating part of the dune if you don’t keep your mouth shut. It is as much fun watching others as it is going down yourself.

Scooter returned from the sand boarding and I could tell we had more fun. It turns out to be more work than it is worth. You use normal snow boarding equipment but the runs only last twenty seconds and you do not get much speed. If you find yourself in Namibia presented with the option of sand boarding or sand sledding, choose sand sledding you will have a blast.

We all met up for lunch and cold drinks to compare battle wounds and empty sand out of strange places. After a quick lunch we were whisked away to our next activity; the Quad-Biking adventure. I was not sure what this entailed but I quickly realized it involved motorcycles. We picked out our 4 wheelers and donned our safety gear. After three minutes of instruction and three minutes of practice we were off. Then we were off on a 40 km trek through coastal dunes. My bike was a simple automatic 125 cc that was definitely speedy enough for me. Scooter had a bigger manual 250 cc, much speedier. What fun this was — more adrenaline rush speeding over the red dunes, up, down, across alongside the ocean. This was also another dirty sport and within minutes we were covered in white dust. Two people in the group took tumbles. Jan and Sico sustaining minor injuries and I got stuck in the sand sliding down a dune. All in all good fun. This night we had a pasta dinner prepared by Sam, special recipe and delicious then watched home movies by Karen and Scooter in our new cottage-like digs.

Today we left the security of our chalet compound and went to the grocery one last time before departing from the civilized world. We fill our cooler with cold drinks and ice. The bus has been cleaned inside and out and remains that way for at least the first hour on the road. The drive today is again long with few diversions.

Swakopmund began in 1892 and remained German South West Africa’s only viable port. The first residents were soldiers. Then civilian homes came by ship having been pre fabricated in Germany. Today it is a tourist town due to its beach front location and colonial architecture. We had a free day today that we chose to spend like this:

• Doing laundry at the combo bar, casino, video, pool hall, launderette.
• Eating a real breakfast at the Ocean Cafe
• Shopping around town-not buying anything
• Lunch at a Mediterranean cafe
• Happy hour with Red Bull
• Dining with the whole crew at the Frontier Restaurant serving wild game
• Drinking and dancing
• 
  

This 2 Part information series on Namibia was taken from your best source for African Travel tours and safaris. African Travel Gateway

MAJOR NATIONAL PARKS / GAME RESERVES / AREAS OF INTEREST

NAMIB- NAUKLUFT PARK
This is the largest conservation area in Namibia, incorporating most of the Namib Desert after which Namibia takes its name. This is a land of endless horizons, a place of silence and of solitude. A climb to the top of one of the gigantic sand dunes surrounding Sossusvlei to watch the sunset cast its shadow over the ancient dunes is so haunting, it will be etched in your mind forever. Near Sossuvlei, the Sesriem Canyon has been gouged out of rock over the centuries by the Tsauchab River and is now mostly small pools of water on a gravel bed, attracting may birds and animals. To the south of the park near Luderitz, one can explore the deserted houses in the ghost town of Kolmanskop and to the west at Swakopmund, one can marvel at the fantastic rock formations of the ‘Moonlandscape’ and visit Sandwich Harbour. Also a great four-wheel drive terrritory, the park should only be explored with properly organised groups. One of Namibia’s striking contrasts, the Naukluft mountain range, differs vastly from the lower desert area where the renowned quiver trees live well in tough surroundings and cool mountain trees dot the landscape. This area is good for hiking. Abundant Birdlife, includes pelicans and flocks of up to 40 000 flamingos, will please the eye. 

SKELETON COAST
The southern section of the Skeleton Coast Park, which is accessible to the general public, lies between the Ugab and Hoanib rivers and lures anglers from far and wide to its superb fishing grounds. This is however, closely monitored by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. As the shoreline moved over the years, vessels which floundered on off shore reefs and sand now lie fully exposed on the wide beaches. More interestingly, this area is a pristine coastal environment of undisturbed and unpolluted tidal zone and, in the north, at the mouth of the Kunene River, sea turtles beach to lay their eggs. The northern Skeleton Coast is one of the planet’s most isolated places. It is wild, desolate, uninhabited and beautiful. This area has everything, from soaring sand dunes that roar; vast, pastel-coloured plains; towering canyons and mountains; salt-pans; seal colonies and shipwrecks. Freshwater springs permeate the barren sands to create rare oases’ in the desert that sustain pockets of wildlife - Springbok, Gemsbok, rare desert Elephant, Cape Fur Seals, Brown Hyena, Jackal, Ostrich, Porcupine, Giraffe, Hartmans Mountain Zebra, Black Faced Springbok and occasionally even Lion and Cheetah. Access is restricted to the protected northern area of this park, where the coastline is dotted with forgotten shipwrecks. The Benguela Current brings cool, plankton and fish-rich waters all the way from Antarctica and moderates the temperatures in the region. The cool ocean air meets the warm desert air and nearly every morning, mists cover the coastline bringing life-sustaining moisture to the desert’s fauna and flora.

ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK
This is one of the greatest and most special game parks in Africa, if not the world, because of the great variety of game and unique vegetation to be found here. It covers 22, 270 sq. km of country. Ranging from dense bush to open plains. Its heart is the vast Etosha Pan, a shimmering grey white expanse of salt and dusty clay that is roughly 130km long. Thousands of years ago the pan was a lake fed by the Kunene River. But the river changed course and the lake shrank and dried up, the wind and heat eroding its surface so that it became slightly lower than the surrounding bush. The name means “the place of dry water” which is an apt description of the mirages, which hover over its blinding surface. The Etosha Pan is parched and shimmering silver-white for most of the year, only filling with water about a metre deep in very rainy periods - whereupon enormous numbers of waterfowl flock to breed. Game in Etosha includes several rare and endangered species such as black rhino and black-faced impala. After the first rains around January a large percentage of the zebra, wildebeest, gemsbok and springbok leave the southern border of the Pan and trek west, right into Owamboland. The apparent reason is that the grass is literally greener on the other side, being of an annual and not a perennial kind. The best time for game viewing is from May to October. There are many species all year round at the eastern end, attracted by the waterholes near Namutoni. Here, after the rains (January - March), the veld is green and flamingo’s and pelicans fly in to breed on the pans, adding to the 300 species of birds and making the spectrum of wildlife close to unique. The western half of the park has fewer roads than the part near the Pan. It includes the Fairytale Wood or Haunted Forest, a dense stand of a curious tree unique to Namibia called Moringa Ovalifolia, which resembles a thinner baobab. These trees are really only worth seeing in bloom after the rains. The area also protects several thousand pelicans at breeding time. 

FISH RIVER CANYON
Namibia is home to the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon, the Fish River Canyon. A protected wildlife area, well stocked with game, it is more interesting for its geology. For the fit traveller, an 86km hike provides insight into its sheer magnificence, otherwise there are shorter trails to lookout points on the canyon’s rim. There are mineral hot springs in the floor of the Canyon at the Ais-Ais rest camp. The attraction of this rugged mountainland is its isolated and other worldly landscape and wealth of interesting xerophytic plants, such as the halfmens or elephant’s trunk. Set in a harsh, stony plain, dotted with drought-resistant succulents such as the distinctive quiver tree or kokerboom, the canyon is a spectacular natural phenomenon that took hundreds of millions of years to evolve into its current shape. Because the river flows intermittently, there is always water in certain of the pools, except in very dry years. The pools contain small and largemouth yellow fish, sharptooth catfish, Mozambique tilapia and common carp, and are also frequented by the water monitor or leguan. Baboon, rock dassie, ground squirrel and klipspringer are often seen in the canyon, while the presence of leopard and the densely vegetated lower reaches, north of Ais-Ais, indicate mountain zebra. An interesting variety of birds, such as the Olive thrush, Cape robin and African black duck are found in the canyon.

DAMARALAND
The northern areas of Damaraland feature some of Namibia’s least explored and rugged remote areas. Here, in one of the few remaining untouched wilderness areas of Africa, it is easy to see why the San people call Namibia ‘the land that God made in anger’. The emphasis is on the spectacular scenery, dominated by massive flat-topped mountains and crystal blue skies; the uniquely adapted smaller desert creatures and plants; the peace and tranquillity of being in such a remote area; and if you are extremely lucky, catching sight of the desert-dwelling elephant and black rhino that roam the area. Southern Damaraland offers such unique curiosities as the mystery of the Petrified Forest; the incredible collection of bushman rock engravings at Twyfelfontein, where thousands of Bushman paintings dating back over 5 000 years; the massive Vingerklip, Rock Finger; the Burnt Mountain of volcanic rock - a hill of maroon and black shale with occasional brilliant splashes of colour formed about 150 million years ago and the nearby formation called the Organ Pipes - slim slabs of volcanic basalt which were formed in a vertical position.

CAPRIVI STRIP
The Caprivi strip is an exciting destination for the adventurous traveller. It stretches like an arm across the northeastern Namibia, opening up into a hand-shaped, fertile wilderness of riverine forests, swamps and woodland in Eastern Caprivi. The Caprivi Strip is a total contrast to the arid grandeur of the rest of Namibia. With its abundant birdlife, the area is gaining a reputation as a retreat for birdwatchers and it is also known for gameviewing either in open 4×4 vehicles, by river craft or on foot. Among the better known reserves in the Caprivi are the Mahango Game Reserve, the Mudumu National park and the Mamili National Park.

KAOKOLAND
This is the traditional home of the Himba. Relying on the bare essentials due to the extreme environment in which they live, they still preserve a rich cultural tradition and a distinctive way of dress, arranging their hair in intricate plaits and covering their skin in orchre and scented herbs. The major river in this area is the Kunene, which forms the border with Angola. Visitors are advised to make use of the professionally guided tours in this part of the country and to exercise caution regarding the crocodile population and the presence of malaria in the vicinity of the river. Ruacana Falls, one of the highest waterfalls found anywhere in Africa, can also be found along the Kunene River. South of here are spectacular rock formations, including the Museum Crater, the best place to view the welwitschia mirabilis, a type of tree which has adapted to the arid conditions by becoming flat and spreading its tough foliage along the ground.

KALKFELD
Here you can see one of the few examples of dinosaur footprints found in the world. These tracks were left by a two-legged dinosaur probably about 150 million years ago and carry on for a distance of some 25 metres.

BEST TIME TO GO
Namibia is an all year round destination but special interest groups should take note of the following: Best birding safaris are during the summer months because of the greater variety of species to be found. Best botanical months are Dec - May when the vegetation turns green, and also when most plants are in flower. Peak seasons are July - October and middle season May - June. It is advisable to book your accommodation well in advance as availability will be at a premium. 

BORDER POSTS
All border posts open daily 

BOTSWANA / NAMIBIA 

Buitepos (Maun / Windhoek) 08h00 - 16h00 
Mohembo (Maun / Caprivi) 06h00 - 18h00 
Ngoma (Chobe / Caprivi) 06h00 - 18h00 

SOUTH AFRICA / NAMIBIA

Noordoewer (ex Cape Town) 24 hours 
Narochas / Nakop (ex Johannesburg) 24 hours 

BANKS
WINDHOEK, SWAKOPMUND, RUNDU 

Mon - Fri 09h00 - 15h30 
Sat 08h30 - 11h00 

KEETMANSHOOP, TSUMEB 

Mon - Fri 09h30 - 12h30 and 14h00 - 15h30 
Sat 08h30 - 10h30 

KATIMA MULILO 

Mon - Fri 09h00 - 12h45 and 14h00 - 14h30 

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Medical facilities in the major cities are of international standard, although the remote areas are less well provided. There are relatively limited risks of malaria and bilharizia in the northern game areas, which means that the visitors should exercise common sense precautions regarding untreated water and possible exposure to mosquitoes. If you are visiting the area north of Windhoek, you must obtain malaria prophylactics before entering Namibia. It is best to consult your pharmacist or doctor in this regard. Try and wear long sleeve clothing and trousers when outside at night. Apply plenty of insect repellent.

MEDICAL SERVICES
Namibia does not have a national health welfare scheme. Therefore it is advisable to obtain medical insurance prior to arrival. It is also wise to bring with you, any medicines which you may require since you will not have access to pharmacies in some of the areas which you will be visiting. 

CURRENCY
The currency is the Namibian dollar (N$), divided into 100 cents. It is directly linked in value to the South African Rand. Any amount of foreign currency may be bought into the country but the limit for import and export if N$ is 500.

LANGUAGES
Although English is the official language, both Afrikaans and German are frequently used. The major African tongues are Herero and Ovambo, with at least nine other languages in some areas.

CULTURE AND RELIGION
The many people who make up the Namibian population each maintain their own distinctive cultural traditions, which vary from German and Afrikaans for the colonial settlers to the many different tribal practices of the indigenous inhabitants. These represent all the major types of culture from hunter-gatherers (San) to nomadic farmers (Himba) and subsistence farmers like the Ovambo and Herero. Towns and cities have an old fashioned but European ambience resulting from the country’s long history of colonial rule and it is only in the most remote areas you will find tribal African culture. There is a general following of Christian beliefs and social customs, with some tribal beliefs maintained in rural areas.

SHOPPING
In the major centres of Windhoek and Swakopmund, many shops specialise in attractive local products such as diamonds and semi-precious stones. Curios of all types are available, including dolls dressed in the traditional Herero style (these are made by Herero woman), hand-carved wooden objects, beautifully fashioned jewellery, shoes made of Kudu leather, karosses (rugs made from the pelts of wild animals), and popular SWAKARA garments.

LOCAL FOOD AND WINE
Cuisine varies from area to area. You can, however, find German cuisine throughout Namibia, ranging from pastries to Bavarian beer, Bockwurst and Sauerkraut.

ELECTRICITY
Electricity is 220 and 240V AC, 50Hz. Lodges in the more remote areas to not have electricity and rely on generator power. You will not find plug sockets in your room/tent at these lodges.

WATER
The water supply in all Namibian towns is safe. Country areas typically rely on borehole or spring water, which is safe if boiled. Boiling, filtering and purification is recommended in places where the water is from rivers or lakes or when large numbers of livestock also use the water. Water at the hotels, inns, lodges and other public places as well as tap water is safe to drink. Please remember that water is precious in this drought-stricken land so try to make an effort to conserve as much as you can.

GEOGRAPHY
Situated along the Atlantic seaboard in the South-west of the African subcontinent, Namibia shares borders with Angola and Zambia in the north, Botswana is the east, Zimbabwe at the eastern extremity of the curiously shaped pan handle known as Caprivi, and South Africa in the South and south-east. The country comprises a long coastline which borders the Namb Desert. An escarpment leads on to the central highland regions and mountains ranges. The rest of the land is semi-arid desert, which is crossed by some major rivers. The extreme northern areas are tropical, especially near to the Kunene River and in parts of the Caprivi Strip, with the typical vegetation and climate of such regions. Namibia is the largest and least populated country in southern Africa. There is an estimate of 1,4 million people living there. Approximately 1,7 people per kilometre.

HISTORY
Namibia’s present diverse population is the outcome of extensive African and European migrations within southern Africa from the 16th century onwards; migrations that led to continual wars. The first Western explorer to land here was Diogo Cao, who erected a cross at Cape Cross on the Skeleton coast in 1486. Two years later Batholomea Dias did the same at Luderitz and named it Angra Pequena.

The most ancient inhabitants had been Bushmen and Namas (Hottentots), who together with the Damaras speak Khoisan languages and are often called Khoisan people. Some of the Bushmen paintings found on rock faces in the mountains are 28 000 years old. Today they number a mere 32 000, living mainly in the north east and are both under priviledged and impoverished.

In the early years of the 20th century settlers flowed in from the Fatherland, mines were established, towns, roads and railways built, game reserves proclaimed and a surprisingly durable heritage of German culture established. On July 15, 1915 the colonial army - the Kaiserliche Schutztruppe fur Deutsch Sud-West Afrika - surrendered to South African forces in what had been one of the most remote theatres of the 1914 - 1918 war.

The Second World War saw the end of the League and the post-war era brought the disagreements that eventually led to independence.

Elections for a Constituent Assembly were held under United Nations supervision in November 1989, a constitution was agreed between the different leaders elected and the country became independent as a Republic on March 21, 1990.

ECONOMY
The pillars of Namibia’s economy are mining, agriculture and fishing. Tourism is currently the fastest expanding industry, while the manufacturing sector is being developed. Mining makes up 49,2 % of foreign earnings and accounts for about one third of its GDP, with diamonds as the major export mineral, others are copper, gold, zinc, lead and silver.

CLIMATE
Summer from November to April, with hot and sunny days. Daytime temperatures can rise to 35C, but drop at night to around 14-18C. The coastal region is cool and dry through the year. Rainy season last from February to March and rainfall varies from 50mm to 700mm depending on the region.Winter from May to October and days are generally dry, sunny and mild to warm. Temperatures reach about 23C and drop at night to between 0 - 10C. It can be quite cold and windy at the coast, for which warm clothing and a windbreaker are necessary.
Generally a hot and dry country, there are, however, a range of local climates which vary extremely. The cold Atlantic coast is subject to cold, moist mists, which come ashore in summer and hot, dusty winds which come from inland in winter. Mountain areas are typically cooler and have greater rainfall. The border regions with Angola and Zambia are tropical - hot and humid. Most of the interior land surface is desert or semi-desert.

MAJOR CITIES AND TOWNS
Windhoek, the capital city, is the centre for commerce, with Swakopmund the focus of the diamond business, Walvis Bay for fishing and Tsumeb for mining.

WINDHOEK
Namibia’s capital is a busy African city with a mixed population and variety of cultures. In terms of architecture, monuments, museums and entertainment, Windhoek can’t be beaten. It’s also very central and not far away, in the highlands, you can experience adventurous day trips and view the wildlife, which includes aquatic birds and a variety of game such as kudu, mountain zebra and red hartebeest. Known as one of Africa’s cleanest capitals, Windhoek is also one of the most advanced in terms of infrastructure. Another interesting feature of Windhoek is its blend of German colonial architecture and modern buildings as well as a vibrant community of artists.

SWAKOPMUND
This is an attractive, intriguing and friendly small German town, incongruously beached on the African coast. Many of the houses have towers from which their merchant owners used to watch for arriving ships, just like their counterparts I Baltic seaports and 11 buildings are now protected as national monuments. Amoung notable ones are the former Administrator’s summer residence, the jail - designed to look like a country house - and the imposing neo-Baroque extravagance of the railway station. They represent a heritage of German colonial architecture unparalled elsewhere.

You may have already arranged part of your holiday or safari but need to arrange the rest, in which case we can also assist in arranging the missing links. Below we have provided a selection of tailor-made itineraries, designed by us for previous clients. This will give you an idea on the variety such an itinerary can have and how we personalize an itinerary - and can do the same for you !

A 12 day itinerary covering Tanzania and Zanzibar. It includes a guided climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro as well as some days at leisure on the beaches of Zanzibar. Road transfers and regional flights are the means of transport.

Tailor-made itinerary 04

Itinerary Specially Prepared For 2

21 Sept
On arrival at Dar es Salaam at 07h00 you make your way to the Zan Air Counter for check in to collect your air ticket for the Zan Air flight to Arusha, departing at 09h00 and arriving Arusha at 11h15. On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Keys Hotel, where you check into a room with your companion, Paul (already there) on a bed and breakfast basis. This evening there will be pre climb briefing. You will undertake the Kilimanjaro climb with Paul, via the Machame route which is an 8 day / 7 night (1st night spent at Keys, 5 nights on the mountain and 7th night at Keys Hotel)

If you need to hire any extra gear, advise the hotel this evening. Leave any excess clothing and valuables at the hotel - they will lock them up for you. Pack your bag carefully for the climb - remember the weight limit of 12kg. Leave some ‘bin bags’ in an outer pocket of your bag, and show the porters where they are so that in case of rain they can quickly cover your bag. Keep one out for your personal back pack too! Liaise with staff at reception, and leave them your airtickets to be reconfirmed during your climb. It is your responsibility to ensure that flights are reconfirmed, as any schedule changes will be advised at that time.

22 Sept
This morning after breakfast you will be driven to Park Gate (approx one hour) where you will meet your guide and porters. The guide has an amount of paperwork to do at the gate, as well as organising the porters - these things take time (African time!) - please relax, sit down and enjoy the scenery - don’t get anxious about starting off - it will only get you stressed out!! The larger the group, the longer it will take - be prepared to wait for anything from 1 - 2 hours.

Discuss with your guide, in detail, the route and each day’s activity.

A five hour walk through the spectacular forest will bring you to Machame Hut at 3000 m. This day wear your hiking boots and ensure you keep your wet weather gear with you. Shorts and t-shirt will be sufficient. There are patches on the route where it is VERY wet and muddy, and you may end up with pretty wet boots this evening. Ensure your boots are waterproofed, and that you have spare lightweight shoes to wear in camp this evening. ALWAYS keep your boots and water bottles INSIDE the tent at night - otherwise they will freeze. Fill up your water bottle at night, and purify it - allowing some of the chlorine fumes to dissipate.

Take it SLOWLY today, you will encounter some steep parts on the climb - but generally its not too strenuous. The porters walk ahead and sometimes with you - make sure every day, that you have all your personal gear needed with you as you will not have access to your bag.

Camp will be set up by the porters and your meals will be prepared by the guide. Conditions are difficult on this route, and your guide / porters will do everything they can to make your climb pleasant and as comfortable as possible. Eat well - at higher levels your appetite will diminish.

23 Sept
Ascend to Shira Hut, 3 800 m. A short descent from Machame Hut followed by an hour or so of hard uphill to the top of the forest, then 2 hours at a more gentle angle through the lower moorlands brings one to the top of a rocky bluff. Lunch is normally taken here. From here, descend 50 ft then start traversing westwards, up towards Shira Cathedral. The last section of this route is relatively flat and easy - but once again, take it very slowly.

Take a jersey with you today, as it cools down considerably during and after lunch. Again, keep your wet weather gear handy, and some snacks for the route. Drink plenty of water. Today you should take Diamox (if planning to) - in the morning. You may experience tingling fingers, toes and nose from this drug. As it is a diuretic, it is most important to keep your fluid intake high.

Camp at Shira – it’s a pretty cold campsite, you may get rain or sleet, and in the morning the ground and tents will be frozen over. Tonight you may experience headaches and breathing problems.

24 Sept
From Shira you will set off to Barranco (3 900 m), skirting just below Lava Tower - you are now walking at approx altitude of 4 000 m, around the southern side of the mountain. A few steep sections and valleys, a small section of scree and rock, some sand ‘dunes’ – it’s a long and fairly tiring day. This is part of your acclimatisation - walking in height from 3 800 m up to 4 800 m, and then overnighting at 3 900 m. Once again, pace yourself to graduate slowly. Tonight you may experience further headaches, nausea and breathing problems. Night temperature - again cold (night frosts).

25 Sept
Continue from Barranco across and up towards Barafu Hut (4 600 m). Today you will cross the Baranco Wall – it’s a climb over rock - not technical, but tiring and hard/long - ending up in the valley for lunch. After lunch you start to ascend - to Barafu - again you will probably get more headaches / nausea, some sections of sand/scree. It’s a long day - your guide will set the pace.

Learn to pace yourself with your breathing - do not try to rush to catch up with anyone, go at your own, most comfortable speed and you will arrive at base camp relatively comfortably. Listen to your guide/s, they will help you. It will be very cold today - especially when you stop for lunch and rest - dress warmly, again you may expect some sleet on this day. You will be walking through the cloud. After supper, drink as much tea as possible, settle down (option with a sleeping pill**) for an early night. You are likely to have a pretty bad headache at this stage. If you are vomiting, or hallucinating, talk to your guide. He will make the decision as to whether you are able to continue. If you plan to take Decadron, do so before going to bed. Drink plenty of fluids, as you are in a ‘desert’ area - albeit cold, and tomorrow will be a long hard day

26 Sept
Today is a very long and strenuous day. Drink lots of fluid before you start, you will be very thirsty by the end of the day - if you manage, carry 3 litres of fluid with you today.
You will be woken at about 00h30 or 01h00 with tea and a biscuit. Put on all your clothing ready for the final ascent.

You will be climbing up scree for approximately 4-5 hours. The guide will stop frequently to rest and check on his group. It is very important to listen to your body and breathing and try to get into a rhythm. Because of the slowness of your walk, your fingers and toes are likely to get extremely cold - three pairs of socks should be considered for today and two pairs of gloves (inner and warm outer). The views from the mountain (on the way up) are spectacular - you gain incredible height over a short distance.

You arrive at Stella Point (5 750 m), just at the top of the crater, have a rest - the sun should be shining! From here continue on a relatively easy path up to Uhuru peak (5 895 m), the highest point in Africa. Your water bottle is probably frozen at this stage, and on reaching the summit there will be a certain relief amongst the group.

You will descend from Stella to Barafu and then you’ll head south east in between the Mweka and Marangu routes. This is a shorter day than descending to Mweka, and you’re on a less used and basically untouched route only opened on 10 September 2001. The reason for changing this descent route, is purely to restore and “fix up” the well used Mweka route. Tonight you’ll overnight at Kadia camp, which is at about 3600 meters above sea level. The walk down will take approx 5-6 hours, note that if you only LEAVE Barafu at around 12h00 or later, it would be wise to carry a torch, and some snacks, plus full water bottles for the descent, just in case you arrive a little late if your group is slow. National parks have provided toilets etc at this camp , and cleared and marked the route.

It is likely you may experience seizure of joints - particularly knees today - keep a support bandage with you for this descent, and perhaps some anti-inflammatory pills/cream.

27 Sept
This morning you’ll start a bit earlier than usual, as you have an extra hour or so for your descent to the gate. About a 5-6 hour walk down to the gate. Keys hotel will meet you at the Kadia Park Gate, above Old Moshi, which is a short 30 minute drive from Moshi town. Keys hotel will meet you with your lunch and will give you the opportunity to purchase some drinks before returning to the hotel.

Liaise with your head guide regarding tips - we recommend approximately USD 80, which the guide will apportion out amongst the group. Any old clothes, shoes, etc. would also be most appreciated. If you feel at any stage, any pressure regarding tips, please make sure you report this on your return to the hotel to the management and it will be taken up accordingly. Whilst tips are compulsory, and the above figure is ‘expected’ - anything above that is totally at your discretion.

Met and transferred to the Keys Hotel. At the Keys Hotel you will check into a double room with Ms Turnock (who arrives today), on a bed and continental breakfast basis. Please note that the hotel will be pretty busy this evening, and it is wise to stagger showering if there are other large groups in - otherwise you may not get hot water. The bar will be well-stocked with cold beers however!

Check with receptionist that flights are all ok, and your departure time for the following morning.

28 Sept
This morning you and Ms Turnock will be transferred to the Arusha Airstrip where you both board the Zan Air Flight to Zanzibar, departing at 14h15 and arriving at 15h15. On arrival you will be met and transferred to the Breezes Beach Club where you check in for (5) nights stay on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis in a superior double room.

For centuries the historic spice island of Zanzibar has evoked a mystical and magical dream. Fascinating history, exotic spice tours, sandy beaches and hospitable people. This is the enchantment of Zanzibar, and the place to discover it is at Breezes Beach Club. This beautiful five-star resort is situated along a pristine, untouched beach stretching as far as the eye can
see. With personalized service, attention to detail and warm hospitality, Breezes is a traveler’s ultimate home away from home. Stroll for miles on a white sandy beach, dine in candlelight overlooking the ocean, fall asleep to the sound of the waves, learn Swahili in the shade of the palm trees, savor the taste of exotic spices and delicacies from the Indian Ocean and enjoy an
excellent variety of dining and recreational facilities. At Breezes you will revisit days gone by and discover Zanzibar’s magic in luxury and comfort. We promise you a holiday with a personal touch and we will ensure that your visit to this historic island is a memorable one. One of our guests recently wrote in our guest book “it is rare that we feel privileged to stay in a hotel, but that has indeed been our experience at Breezes!” We are dedicated to ensuring that you depart with this same feeling and with the intention of returning once again. All the rooms at Breezes Beach Club are spacious and tastefully furnished in Zanzibar elegance. All rooms are fully
air-conditioned with en-suite bathrooms and are equipped with personal safe boxes.

29 Sept - 02 Oct
At leisure in Zanzibar.

03 Oct
This morning early you will be transferred back to Zanzibar Airport, where you board your flight to Dar es Salaam, departing at 06h50 and arriving at 07h15, in time to connect with your 09h15 outbound flight.

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Dear Cindy and Howard,

Although we did not make it to the Palace in Sun City, I want to express to you my gratitude for the excellent vacations I had. The Hotels you had chosen were all very good, and the whole concept of my vacations exeeded my expectations. South Africa is a beautiful country, with nice people and good food and excellent wine. Funny enough I did find out only in Johannesbourg that your agency was situated in Hoedspruit, where I drove into town to shop at the Pick and Pack and I was addressed by a young girl asking us if we liked Hoedspruit. I wonder if this girl was not Cindy! The other shoppingmall with the fancy roof is wonderful. If I had realized earlier that this was the town where you have your agency, I would certainly have walked in to your office to thank you for the job you have done. I will certainly recommend you to my friends. It was a great pleasure for me to visit your beautiful country.

RENE IMBODEN

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Dear Cindy and Howard,

Thank you so much for arranging my wonderful trip.

Emma and Richard’s wedding was of course fantastic but the rest of the holiday was fabulous too.

I was unable to go up Table Mountain on my first Sunday but the guide from Paradise Touring fitted it in for me on my Cape Point trip.

The trip to Robben Island was also cancelled because of the weather and I was unable to rearrange it because the rest of the fortnight was so packed.

I enjoyed my private arrangements at Addo Elephants but missed seeing some wildlife because of the thick scrub there. However I went on a game drive at Botlierskop, near Mossel Bay whilst on the Garden Route trip with Hylton Ross Tours and saw lots more. This drive was a surprise to me but the others on the tour knew about it so it was obviously not an afterthought. I would certainly recommend Botlierskop, if someone was looking for game drives in that area.

All the tour arrangements through Paradise Touring and Hylton Ross were excellent and the guides were efficient and good company.

The accommodation at Leeuwenvoet Guest House was terrific. The ‘Leeuwenvoet Team’ were very friendly and I would certainly stay there again and recommend it to others.

Everyone I met in South Africa was friendly and welcoming. I had a wonderful holiday.

Thank you again for all your efforts to arrange such a lovely trip for me.

Kind regards,

Val.

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Dear Cindy,

I just would like to thank you again for arranging the wonderful safari we had last week in Tanzania!

We saw the big 5 again, two leopards hanging in a tree from very close and a cheetah for 50 m. distance crossing the road at the back of our jeep, many lions with cubs, three tree climbing lions hanging in different trees, hyena with cubs, 4 black rhinos and of course thousands of wildebeest crossing the Grumeti River full of crocodiles.

The Serena Lodges and Hotels were really fantastic with beautiful rooms and delicious buffets.

We really had a unforgetable time!

Best regards,
Annabelle and Mike Otten

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Hi Howard

Just a quick note of thanks for the tour that you put together for Michelle, Jamie and I.

We all thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience although Kapama must stand out as being the highlight. The game drives are quite fantastic and were made really special for Jamie, who through a very convoluted set of circumstances which I won’t go into, got to ride up front with the guide for all of them.

We also managed, on our 3 forays into Kruger, to see all of the big 5 – the leopard was only a fleeting glimpse, spoiled by an intrusive 4×4, but not the less I saw him.

We were so into Kruger that we only left at about 2.30 on Friday afternoon and consequently had an interesting drive into Joberg in the dusk – Witbank really looks like the approaches to hell but fortunately the road was well lit with all the oncoming holiday traffic.

Once again many, many thanks.

Regards
Gordon Hart