Namibia – Our Truths & Trivia
Just a little fun...
So this post is our light-hearted view of Namibia.
It has some of the interesting stuff, a few trivial facts, and our thoughts on the country.
Quick Links
Let’s start with the Truths about Namibia
And why you'll want to visitLocation
The 3 C's
Continent
Africa
Country
Namibia
Capital
Windhoek
Namibia is a wonderful location to bring out your inner adventurer. If you love a road trip and seeking out wildlife, it doesn’t get much better than this. With the sweeping red sand dunes in the Namib desert, the harsh Atlantic coast line of the Skeleton Coast and then the abundance of wildlife that can be found in the north of the country. Who could want more?
National Flag
It’s good to talk
What speaks?
Language
The official language is English, although Afrikaans and German is widely spoken.
International Dialling Code
+264
Currency
Namibian Dollar and South African Rand
What Time?
Timezone
West Africa Time (WAT)
Observes Daylight Saving (DST)
Difference from UTC
+1hrs
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So what’s this Trivia then?
And where are the best places to visit?Did you know?
- The Namib Desert which runs along the Atlantic coast in Namibia, is considered to be the oldest desert in the world.
- Namib-Naukluft National Park is the largest game reserve in Africa.
- It is Illegal to venture onto the sands of the protected diamond area of “Sperrgebiet’, just outside Lüderitz. They take their diamonds very seriously you could face a heavy fine or imprisonment.
- The threatened Mountain Zebra, found only in Namibia, south-western Angola and South Africa are typically different from the plains Zebra, as its stripes do not loop around its belly, there is a distinctive gap. Also, they are often browner in colour.
- The elusive Desert Elephants that frequent the Kunene region, can only be found in this part of Namibia and Mali in north Africa.
- Namibia was a German colony from 1884 until 1915, and still has an evident German influence through the larger towns
- The indigenous Himba people are considered the last semi-nomadic people in Namibia.
It's famous for...
Food and Drink
Sundowners
With the sun setting over a Namibian desert there is no better place - we'll have a G&T
Brai
BBQ - only African style.
A long way to travel for ...
Infamous apple pie at McGregor’s Bakery in Solitaire
Visiting Swakopmund
Try one of the German restaurant and bars
See and Do
Wildlife that we saw – to name just few
We know there's no guarantees of what you will see - but we were lucky enough to spot the following - what will you see?
Mammals
Desert & Bush Elephants, Lions, Mountain Zebra, Rhino, Cheetah, Giraffe, Antelopes & Buffalo.
Birds
Flamingos, Pelicans, Ostrich, Vultures, Kestrels & Bustards.
Reptiles & Insects
Chameleon, Skink, desert lizard, gecko, turtles & sidewinder snake.
Plant Life
Welwitschia Mirabilis (lives to upto 2,000 years), Acacia trees of deadvlei, Baobab tree, Quiver Tree, Nara Plant, Palm trees & Dollar bushes.
Places to see
Sossusvlei
Watch the sunrise over the iconic red sands of the Namib Desert
Skeleton Coast
Search out the Shipwrecks along the unforgiving Skeleton Coast.
Etosha National Park
Drive amongst the watering holes in Etosha National Park, to catch sight of a pride of lions.
Deadvlei
Walk amongst the trees in Deadvlei, which died over 600 years ago.
The Sky at Night
Be sure to keep looking up of an evening, the night skies are amazing for Stargazing.
On Safari
Take a ride in the back of a safari truck, day or night, you won’t regret it.
Little 5 Living Desert tour
Whilst in Swakopmund embark on the informative, Little 5 Living Desert tour.
Visit Kolmanskop
Wander through the mining town of Kolmanskop swallowed up by the Namib Desert.
The Desert
Visit the Namib and Kalahari deserts for an unforgettable experience.
The Himba People
If you get the opportunity visit the Himba People with their ochre coloured painted skin.
Fish River Canyon
Overlook Horseshoe Bend at Fish River Canyon, Africa’s largest canyon.
Movies & TV
Mad Max – Fury Road 2015
Max Rockatansky returns, this time to the 'wastelands' of the Namib Desert - and it's east to see why.
The Mummy
Tom Cruise stars in this movie about the discover of an ancient princess.
Flight of the Phoenix 2004
The Mongolian desert is swapped for the Namibi desert in this remake of the 1965 classic.
The Cell 2000
This Sci-fi thriller featuring J. Lo picks some key locations in Namibia.
BBC & David Attenborough
If you enjoy wildlife documentaries then David Attenborough and the BBC documentaries "Life", "Life on Earth", "The Living Planet" & most recently "Planet Earth II" feature this amazing landscape.
The Grand Tour - Amazon
The Amazon Grand Tour -featuring the trio from Top Gear featured a 2 part special in Namibia.
And our thoughts on Namibia
(Would we return? Is it good value? And did we feel the love?)Return-a-bility
or What are the chances of us revisiting?
(0% - You'll have to drag us over hot coals to go back 100% - Why am I not there now?)
Notes:
We'd love to head back one day, probably visit the Caprivi strip in the north of Namibia. Gary will want to find the ghost ships of the Skeleton coast.
Value for Money
Our value for money index.
Don't forget we're Londoners, and that means our baseline is quite high.
(0% - How much? I wanted to buy a drink, not the bar 100% - How much? I'll take two.)
Notes:
Prices generally not too bad, but a lot of the tourist activity is priced for the market, rather than actual cost. We found it cheaper in the south, but not so much wildlife.
Behind the wheel - the driving karma
What's it like driving in the country.
Which side of the road do they drive on? They drive on the right.
(0% - They're suicidal - they're out to kill us 100% - I'm in driving paradise.)
Notes:
Over to Gary: "I loved it. In towns the driving standard were good, on the open roads fun, and on the dirt trails (That made up for about 70% of the mileage) is was fabulous - just remember to open the vent in the pick-up! Also keep an eye on your fuel level and It's possible you may get a puncture.
Janis's Hi's & Lo's
Highlight
So many to choose from; watching the Desert Elephants & the sunrise over Sossusvlei.
Lowlight
Unable to fly direct from London, so it is quite a long round trip.
Gary's Hi's & Lo's
Highlight
Coming face-to-face with Lions at Etosha and of course Sossusvlei. The organised trips were all great, lovely people and the magical night sky.
Lowlight
Probably the journey, but the free upgrade from BA on the return leg from Jo'burg to London meant it ended well.
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