Live Your Best Lives
Namibia is worth it! Creatures/sand dunes/starry rivers/vast oceans, this is wild Africa, 📖 Life List N+1 items completed
"If Namibia is 'Africa for beginners', as is often said, what a wonderful place to start."
——Lonely Planet Namibia
Namibia is a country in southwestern Africa. Its full name is the Republic of Namibia. Formerly known as "Southwest Africa," it covers an area of 824,269 square kilometers and has a population of 2 million. 90% of the population is black. There are 10 major ethnic groups, with the Ovambo making up 51.2% and the Kavango 9.3%.
With an altitude of 1,000-2,000 meters, the climate is arid and rainless, with a subtropical, semi-desert character. Namibia is a country suitable for year-round travel, with the so-called peak and off-peak seasons referring to Namibia's rainy and dry seasons.
December-March: Rainy season (off-season)
April-May: Transition from rainy season to dry season
June-October: Dry season (peak season)
November: Transition from dry season to rainy season
The dry season is a great time to track wildlife.
Tips:
1. Visa: Namibia visa is very convenient, only passport + personal information form is required;
2. Currency exchange: You need to exchange your currency into US dollars or South African rand in advance in China, and then exchange the US dollars into Namibian currency when you arrive at the Namibian airport. We exchanged 5,000 Namibian dollars (≈ 2,000 RMB) on this trip.
3. Time Difference: Namibia time is 6 hours behind Beijing time. Subtract 6 hours from Beijing time to get the local time in Namibia.
2023 year-end travel, December 22nd to December 31st, reserved for the most exciting Namibia
day1️⃣✈️Assembly day
Day 2️⃣Windhoek city walk⛪️
Day 3️⃣ Windhoek-Cheetah Manor🐆-Quail Tree Manor
Day 4️⃣ Quiver Tree Manor-Namib Desert🌵 (camping)
Day 5️⃣ Death Valley 🍂 - Solitaire town transfer 🛻 - Whale Bay 🐳
Day 6️⃣ Whale Bay (kayaking 🚣/sea 🚢-sand surfing 🌵/skydiving 🪂)
Day 7️⃣Whale Bay-Etosha National Park🦁 (camping)
Day 8️⃣Etosha National Park🐯🐘🦏-Windhoek⛪️
Day 9️⃣ Windhoek-Addis Ababa transfer
day🔟Addis Ababa-Shanghai
After a 20-hour flight, we landed in Windhoek on the second day of our trip. The scorching heat of the African continent hit us in the face.
Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990. Its capital city, Windhoek, is filled with rich European style amidst clusters of flowers.
After arriving that afternoon, the guide took us on a city walk to the landmark building "Christians Church" in the city center, and visited the city garden green space next to the church, which is a rare oasis in Namibia.
Afterward, we followed our local guide to a local supermarket to pick up fresh, organic ingredients for our upcoming camping trip. This was a truly down-to-earth shopping trip. We also visited Joe's Beerhouse, a local, internet-famous restaurant we'd previously visited. This German-owned restaurant and bar served a special German pork knuckle. At night, the place was bustling with Chinese and international tourists, enjoying the lively atmosphere. We then checked into our hotel to rest.
On the morning of day three, we drove to Cheetah Manor. This was one of our most anticipated experiences! We took an off-road game drive into the park, where we could observe cheetahs up close. The owner of the private conservation base also shared stories about Namibian cheetahs and learned about cheetah conservation.
I was so excited to get up close and personal with the cheetah! Huluhulu really seems like just a bigger cat. I hope they can all grow up happily and simply.
The accommodation and dining areas at Cheetah Manor are fantastic. It feels like a vacation to sit on a lounge chair and watch the animals stroll leisurely by the pond.
Afterward, we headed to Quiver Tree Manor. Quiver Tree Manor is located in the small town of Keetmanshoop. Keetmanshoop, once an oasis in the Namib Desert, serves as a transportation hub for southern Namibia.
The edge of the Namibian Desert, where it almost never rains, with less than 60mm of precipitation annually, has given rise to the quiver tree, a species that can reach up to five meters tall and be around 200 years old.
From the afterglow of sunset to the night and day, I marvel at the wonders of nature a thousand times.
The hotel we stayed in was the same campsite as the one in "Boys Over Flowers". The campsite was right at the entrance of the Quiver Tree. We fell asleep under the stars and enjoyed the starry sky camping.
On the fourth day, we headed to the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world.
After arriving at the camp, we will start our tour of the Namib Desert to find the most beautiful sand dunes on Earth.
The exceptionally beautiful Dune 45 has graced the covers of travel magazines like National Geographic. But Dune 45 isn't the only one. There's also the less-visited and breathtaking Dune 40, where every photo is breathtaking!
At night, we cooked together in the camp, and with the smoky campfire, we crocheted special memories.
On day five, we drove to Death Valley at sunrise. The morning light was stunning! We entered by off-road vehicle, and a fun-loving African driver took us for a sand slide. I had no idea the scenic vehicle could even be used for off-roading. After crossing the dunes, we arrived at Death Valley.
[Death Valley] This is a unique wonder of life in Namibia, the driest canyon - almost no grass has grown in the past 900 years.
After arriving, walk into Death Valley to photograph the [Millennium Ancient Trees] and the spectacular [Red Sand Dunes].
We then drove to Whale Bay and had lunch in Solitaire, a world of cacti and vintage cars. Before arriving at Whale Bay, we passed the Tropic of Capricorn (the perfect photo spot!!!)
Half of Namibia's life is in the desert, and the other half is in the ocean.
[Whale Bay] Where the ocean and the desert meet, there is a real world of water and fire: on one side is the desert with little rain all year round, and on the other side is the majestic ocean. The extreme dryness and extreme warmth form a sharp contrast, which makes you sigh at the magic of nature.
Walvis Bay is also home to a large number of sea lions and various seabirds, such as pelicans and seagulls. If you're lucky, you might even spot a flamingo! This flamingo colony is home to a vast flock, making it one of the largest in Africa. The graceful beauty of the flamingos attracts many visitors, who are careful not to disturb the birds.
A super interactive and fun day in the seaside town of Whale Bay!
🚣🏻♂️Seal kayaking with seals swimming around
🪂First time skydiving, overlooking the sand dunes and the sea🏜️
🦩See animals on the coast, lots of flamingos and big-billed pelicans
On the seventh day, we headed to Etosha National Park, which can be called one of the highlights of this trip!
Upon arrival, we'll tour the national park by truck, where we'll get up close and personal with hundreds of rare and exotic animals. Arrive at camp around dusk and head to the camp's signature "pond" to admire the unique sunset over the basin, spotting the various animals that come to drink.
Springbok cautiously approaches the pond at sunset
In the afterglow of the sunset, a giraffe does a split to drink water
Under the moonlight at night, a mother and daughter rhino play in the pond
We quietly watched the animals by the pond, feeling both delighted and moved, and reluctant to leave for a long time.
On the morning of day eight, we reentered Etosha National Park for an animal safari. We were incredibly lucky right after entering! We spotted lions, jackals, and crows – a truly adorable spectacle. We saw zebras drinking water and oryx pooping – all adorable little critters.
Two days in Etosha, animal lovers rejoice!
Quietly watching everything in nature is beautiful and healing enough
After leaving Etosha National Park, we went to visit the Red Mud Tribe. Ten years later, we might only be able to see them in museums. They are a tribe that has maintained its original state in a remote area of Africa, and still continue the living habits of more than 500 years ago.
At the end of the trip, we returned to the capital, Windhoek, and bought some souvenirs. Everyone bought their favorite souvenirs, including a variety of Namibian wood carvings, ornaments, and local minerals. We were so happy~
This trip to Namibia was enough to complete N+1 of my bucket list items. My teammates were awesome! We all want to go to Africa again next year!
