Amazing and powerful spirit 
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April in Greater Kruger
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April in Greater Kruger
Makes me want to go travelling Too cool
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from Namib to Etosha, climbing Naukluft
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Atacama
Emozioni...infinite come gli spazi senza confini tra terra e cielo..da vivere nel silenzio sussurrato ... -
from Namib to Etosha, climbing Naukluft
Illustrazioni, foto e testi sono fantastici e davvero coinvolgenti. grazie
Namibia
CHARMING & ADDICTIVE: A LAND TO EXPLORE WHICH MAGNETIZE YOU
Namibia
Namibia:
charming & addictive.
A land to explore, which magnetize you.
charming & addictive.
A land to explore, which magnetize you.
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Namibia is a young Country, born by the independence from South Africa in 1990. It has proudly a special place in the story of freedom process, which the south-west Africa commenced in the late 80s. The SWAPO’s fights against the the disgusting regime of apartheid in place in South Africa, lead not only to liberation of Namibia, but it was a huge pickaxe along the way of racial dictatorship conclusion in South Africa.
Despite being one of the less populated Countries in the World, Namibia is a melting pot of tribes and ethnicities, trying to develop conservancies for improving life condition (i.e. through tourism) along with sustainability and development of their own lands.
Largest part of Namibia is split between huge farming properties and endless mining concession, which are witness of the colonial past.
Actually, traveling far and wide Namibia, it’s easy to understand that the most interesting thing to talk about is its astonishing beauty.
Namibia is one the Countries in the World with the largest percentage of land protected and assigned to Parks.
...and how could be different? This land is the most amazing mix you can imagine between super-charming landscape, completely wilderness endless lands and outstanding wildlife.
In our opinion Namibia is an excellent option as first self journey to Africa: it is a safe Country, offering nice and comfortable tourism facilities with wonderful “lodges” at reasonable prices, it is relatively easy to drive through but at the same offering only infinite gravel roads, leading through the most lonely destinations.
Namibia gifts a perfect taste of Africa, with incredible wildlife safari opportunities, iconic scenarios which will redesign completely your concept of beauty, desert corners for your really own self hike, charming sundowner-drinks admiring wildlife parading just next at your boma, romantic dinners in the starry desert,... They are all perfectly mixed in a pure sense of wilderness.
Actually, do you know what it is the first thing we should advise about Namibia? You go once, twice to discover deeper, and you will find yourself going back again and again, willing to go back everyday.
Be careful, Namibia is addictive!
The top highlights of Namibia are, among many, the several scenic roads (almost all gravel) stretching everywhere in Country. Whatever style of panorama you are looking for as background for your drive, it will be there: optical-white saltpans, desert-dunes, rocky-mountains, wild canyons, milky ocean-shores, iconic yellow savannah, lonely acacia trees with colonies of weaver birds, herds of oryx...
Top attractions we can suggest not to miss are Etosha National Park and Namib Desert with its super-star Sossusvlei.
All the area around Sesriem, is a must and it deserves to be explored far and wide (including if possible the Namibrand), then you can head to south on the border between Hardap and Karas region, to find that hiking in desert is a wonder.
If you like mountain trekking and a bit of risk you can jump into the Mountain Zebra National Park.
Far down in the southernmost section of the Country you can find the astonishing Fish River Canyon, the amazing Gondwana Nature Park and the endless yellow-red Kalahari leading you to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.
On the opposite, heading north from Sesriem, you will pass again through Solitare (it's also a must stop over on your way down from Windhoek, as well as the Spreetshoogte Pass) then you can head toward the coast for flamingos in Walvis Bay and a stop-over in Swakopmund before entering the Skeleton Coast, or you can stay inland and enjoy the outstanding beauty of savannah mixing with the desert in Rostock mountains, Gamsberg, Spitzkoppe, Brandberg.
On your way to north don't miss for any reason the Damaraland, where you can encounter desert Elephants, Black Rhinos and desert lions. Klip river valley, ≠Khoadi //Hoas Conservancy (Grootberg) is a great spot.
After a full immersion into the Etosha, if you have time, don't miss Waterberg Plateau.
If you are looking for an Okawango Delta style tour, Caprivi strip is a good one, also you can put in agenda a day-visit to Victoria Falls.
Sesriem
Namibia - Namib Desert
Sesriem is a settlement located between the Naukluft Mountains and the Namib desert.
It is the perfect access gate to Sossuslvei area of Namib-Naukluft National Park. Sossuslvei and the neighbor area, including Deadvlei, Hiddenvlei and the various fairy-tale pink-orange dunes, are worth the trip from whatever corner of the World you are coming from. Wildlife, as we experimented in late April, can be amazing, mostly about oryxes roaming freely.
Besides these super-star attractions, the Namib desert and Naukluft mountains mixing together offer off-beaten tracks, with incomparable scenarios, which cannot be missed. Last but probably a premium reason, the atmosphere of charming "out-of-time" colonial desert settlement, along with fantastic sundowners spent with a glass of wine close to a boma, admiring wildlife grazing placidly into the desert, are memorable.
Fish River Canyon
Southern Namibia
Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon in the World. It’s nestled into a semi-desertic plateau located in the far south of Namibia. Fish river, nowadays ephemeral river, cuts the plateau mainly from north to south to generate the homonym canyon, which is a natural wonder stretching for approx 160 kms, partially falling inside the Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (shared between Namibia & South Africa).
One of the best access to various scenic viewpoints is the eastern ridge (located 20 kms west far from Hobas) , linked by gravel road with the Hobas entrance / settlement. Track (or hiking trails, as we suggest 4x4 drive paired with some hiking sections) on the upper side of the eastern ridge offer majestic and unforgettable stunning panoramas.
In case you like and you are extremely trained you can organize your hiking along the world famous Fish River Canyon Hiking Trail (Ultra-Marathon’s stage, which is a terrific 86 kms descending into the canyon). This must be booked in advance and organized with extreme accuracy. It can be performed only in limited period of the year, taking into account high temperatures and possible flooding.
In the opposite direction (east from Hobas) don’t miss the wonderful Gondwana Canyon Park. This private reserve offers a fantastic pure Namibian landscape. This is a perfect basis to visit Fish River Canyon and also to enjoy directly on site amazing lonely hikings within a wild semi-arid stony savannah populated by dry-resistant flora, wildlife and colorful boulders .
Etosha National Park
Northern Namibia
The "great white area", as in Oshivambo language the name Etosha means.
This huge flat salt-pan is the core of one the World most majestic wildlife protected area.
The Etosha N.P. stretches in west <-> east direction in the norther part of Namibia, to cover an area of more than 22 thousand square kms. (more than the entire state of Israel). At time of its establishment in 1907 it was the World largest park, covering an aera of 100 thousand square kms.
Actually, dimensions count, but nowadays, despite much smaller dimension the Etosha National Park has extremely increased its wildlife population, becoming more and more in the recent years one the best place in World to admire the African wildlife. You won't encounter all the big five, as the African buffalo is not recorded since the 50s, but here you have the chance to live terrific scene of true wildlife nature like to be in the core of action of a National Geographic documentary. Cheetahs, leopards (very shy), lions, spotted hyenas, herds of zebras, springboks, wildebeest, red hartebeest, black-faced impala. Black rhinos and white rhinos, groups of giraffes and elephants parades are some of the most emotional starring characters you will meet at the waterholes spread all over the park (mostly in the eastern section).
Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutomi are the 3 main camps, perfectly located along the safari roads which connect Anderson Gate and Von Lindequist Gate. Here, along various gravel roads connecting these three camps and also all around the camps, you will find the best waterholes where you can spend hours stopped as enchanted by natural life.
If you visit Etosha like most people as a tourist you will simply like it. If you spend time to plan on your map or gps the various waterholes with expected animals and relevant routes for your self drive; if you are able to be patient and allow enough time in a specific place and you are open to come back to learn wildlife habits, then you will love it.
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