NAMIBIA
NAMIBIA
C OAST OF MANY COLOURS
Point experienced Africa hands looking for a country that
offers dramatic landscapes and game-viewing
with a difference to Namibia, says
N
amibia, on Africa’s west coast, has some of the world’s most spectacular desert ecosystems and wildlife,
containing a wide range of landscapes. Richly-coloured sand dunes, vast plains, a windswept coastline, savannahs and rugged mountains can be found between the inhospitable Namib Desert and the interior plateau. A very safe destination for tourists, jet lag is also virtually non-existent as Namibia is just an hour ahead of the UK.
Michael Creighton, Product & Purchasing
Lynn Houghton operator this year, adding: “The best time to visit is during its winter (May-August) as temperatures
Manager, Africa, Mauritius, Seychelles for Travel2, said Namibia has been selling well for the
are milder and the days are sunny and warm.” Namibia is best recommended to those clients well versed in ‘traditional safaris’ and spotting the Big Five. Though clients will see a great deal of wildlife, it’s a different experience from the game drives of, say, neighbouring South Africa and Botswana, although these countries can be easily twinned with Namibia to create a longer stay. “We’d recommend travel agents offer clients our nine-day ‘Highlights of Namibia’ tour as an ideal introduction. It includes visits to the Namib Desert and Sesriem Canyon, Walvis Bay, the fur seal reserve at Cape Cross and game viewing in Etosha National Park. It’s a very different option for an African holiday,” said Verity Rice, Hayes and Jarvis. There is also scope for adventure in a landscape that boasts the oldest desert and world’s highest sand dunes.
At Swakopmund, extreme adventure enthusiasts experience sand-boarding, ecologically sensitive quad-biking, tandem skydiving, dolphin
cruising, deep-sea fi shing, hot-air ballooning, dune parasailing, paragliding and horse riding. There’s also kayaking in Walvis Bay. Agents can book through Desert Explorers Adventure Centre (
Swakop.com). Safaris by airplane (though not a cheap option) are a time-effi cient way to experience Namibia and its vast landscape (
skeletoncoastsafaris.com) and hot air ballooning over the desert is very popular also. Hiking trips are on the increase with the 85km fi ve-day route from Hobas to Ai-Ais being Namibia’s most popular long-distance walk. Following the sandy riverbed, it ends at Ai-Ais. For camping enthusiasts, Tom Waites, Product
Executive, Kuoni, recommends that travel agents should advise their clients not to leave anything outside their tents as “it’s likely to be carried off by local wildlife, which happened to my trainers!” Namibia was the fi rst country in the world to
incorporate ‘Protection of the Environment’into its national constitution. This law protects around 15% of Namibia’s land area from commercial or agricultural development. The goal is to ensure the future of Namibia’s wildlife and tourist industry.
What’s new Airlines: Air Namibia (
airnamibia.aero) celebrated
the arrival of its new Airbus A319-100 earlier this year. The aircraft was purchased as part of ‘a continuous equity injection’ into the airline. South African Airways (fl
ysaa.com) has launched a number of new innovations and concepts and will move to Heathrow’s newest terminal, Terminal 2, in 2014. One of South Africa’s most celebrated chefs and a judge on Master Chef, Benny Masekwameng, has come on board to create some exciting new menus. Some of Benny’s signature dishes
60 December 2013
www.sellinglonghaul.com
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