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	<title>Namibia Archives - Travel Southern Africa</title>
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	<title>Namibia Archives - Travel Southern Africa</title>
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		<title>Hot Air Balloon Safaris &#8211; Namibia, Where Silence Takes Flight</title>
		<link>https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/hot-air-balloon-safaris-namibia-where-silence-takes-flight/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 15:50:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Adventure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Destinations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Experiences]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Namibia]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/?p=6114</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Long before aviation became an industry of schedules and jet engines, flight was an act of wonder – fragile, improbable, and worthy of celebration. From the very beginning, a safe hot air balloon flight came with a celebratory glass of Champagne. The tradition dates back to 1783, when the pioneering Montgolfier brothers launched the first...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/hot-air-balloon-safaris-namibia-where-silence-takes-flight/">Hot Air Balloon Safaris &#8211; Namibia, Where Silence Takes Flight</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Long before aviation became an industry of schedules and jet engines, flight was an act of wonder – fragile, improbable, and worthy of celebration. From the very beginning, a safe hot air balloon flight came with a celebratory glass of Champagne.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The tradition dates back to 1783, when the pioneering Montgolfier brothers launched the first untethered hot-air balloon in France. While crowds marvelled, farmers were less impressed when the strange flying machines landed in their fields. Early aeronauts soon discovered that offering Champagne smoothed relations. What began as a diplomatic gesture quickly became a cherished ritual – a toast to safe landings and the winds that carried them.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Today, more than two centuries later, the tradition remains inseparable from hot-air ballooning. The journey itself is unhurried and quietly magical, drifting wherever the sky allows.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>The story&#8230;</strong> WORDS &amp; PICS <em><a href="https://www.instagram.com/namibsky/">Namib Sky Balloon Safaris</a></em></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There are moments in travel that entertain you. And then there are moments that quietly rearrange you. A sunrise hot air balloon flight over the Namib Desert belongs firmly in the latter. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/namib_sky_balloon_safaris-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6115" srcset="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/namib_sky_balloon_safaris-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/namib_sky_balloon_safaris-300x169.jpg 300w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/namib_sky_balloon_safaris-768x432.jpg 768w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/namib_sky_balloon_safaris-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/namib_sky_balloon_safaris-600x338.jpg 600w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/namib_sky_balloon_safaris.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Long before the first light touches the dunes, the desert is still – vast, ancient, and waiting. A soft flame breaks the silence as the balloon envelope slowly rises against a sky shifting from indigo to gold. Then, almost imperceptibly, the earth releases you.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Yet the experience begins well before the balloon leaves the ground. In the cool pre-dawn quiet, guests are welcomed by a close-knit team of pilots and ground crew from <a href="https://balloon-safaris.com/">Namib Sky Balloon Safaris</a>, their calm confidence setting the tone for the morning. There is time for coffee, introductions, and quiet anticipation. Every movement – from briefing to inflation – carries the ease of experience and the pride of people who know this landscape intimately.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once airborne, you drift into one of the oldest deserts on earth, carried entirely by the wind. There is no engine, no vibration, no imposed direction. Just the whisper of the burner and the quiet awe of suspension above a landscape sculpted over millions of years. From above, the Namib reveals patterns invisible from the ground. Towering red dunes cast long shadows across pale plains. Ancient mountains rise from the desert floor like weathered guardians. Dry riverbeds snake through the sand like calligraphy, while oryx move slowly below in a world that suddenly feels infinite.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It is not only the scale that humbles – it is the silence. A profound stillness that allows you to hear your own breath and feel the immensity of space. In that hour between night and day, you understand why the Namib remains one of the last true wildernesses on earth.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The landing, gentle and unhurried, is followed by Namib Sky’s signature desert breakfast – an elegant spread served in the open wilderness, where each group is seated at their own private table. Champagne glasses catch the morning light as stories are exchanged beneath vast blue skies. If there is one experience that defines Namibia – one moment that captures its raw beauty and grandeur – it is this: rising with the sun above the Namib.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because some journeys change your itinerary. And some quietly change you.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Across Africa, the celebratory glass now follows extraordinary aerial adventures – from the towering dunes of the Namib Desert to the wildlife-rich plains of the <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/drifting-above-the-mara/">Masaai Mara</a> and the bushveld of South Africa’s <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/suspended-in-stillness/">Mabula Game Reserve</a> – each flight ending, as tradition dictates, with a sparkling toast beneath an open sky.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/hot-air-balloon-safaris-namibia-where-silence-takes-flight/">Hot Air Balloon Safaris &#8211; Namibia, Where Silence Takes Flight</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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		<title>Echoes of the Desert &#8211; the haunting beauty of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast</title>
		<link>https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/echoes-of-the-desert-the-haunting-beauty-of-namibias-skeleton-coast/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:22:12 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Destinations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Namibia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Safari]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/?p=5722</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Words &#38; Pics &#8211; Danielle Carstens Have you ever experienced deafening silence? It was the first thing I noticed when stepping off the plane. “It’s just otherworldly,” we uttered repeatedly as we drove to the lodge — and many times in the days that followed. Sandy plains, rocky outcrops of ancient volcanic material, and then,...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/echoes-of-the-desert-the-haunting-beauty-of-namibias-skeleton-coast/">Echoes of the Desert &#8211; the haunting beauty of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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									<p><em>Words &amp; Pics &#8211; Danielle Carstens</em></p><p>Have you ever experienced deafening silence? It was the first thing I noticed when stepping off the plane. “It’s just otherworldly,” we uttered repeatedly as we drove to the lodge — and many times in the days that followed. Sandy plains, rocky outcrops of ancient volcanic material, and then, suddenly — wildlife. Elephants, lions, springbok, and many more.</p><p>This is the Skeleton Coast, on the west coast of Namibia, in the remote and rugged Kaokoland region. Despite its remoteness, it remains a dynamic, living wilderness where every creature has learned to endure the extremes. Beneath its eerie, inhospitable reputation lies a vibrant ecosystem, shaped by the relentless forces of the Atlantic Ocean and the Namib Desert. Life here has always found a way to adapt.</p><p>We were based 50 kilometers inland from the coast, near the Hoanib River. The riverbed is dry for most of the year, but underground water sustains lush vegetation along its course, providing essential resources for the region’s desert-adapted wildlife. Elephants, oryx, giraffes, and springbok are plentiful. However, brown hyenas, lions, and cheetahs also roam these vast spaces, though they cover enormous territories. The Skeleton Coast National Park alone spans 16,845 square kilometers, but the wildlife is not confined to the park — they roam freely across the landscape.</p>								</div>
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									<p><em>This place is a photographer</em><em>’</em><em>s dream. As photographers, we</em><em>’</em><em>re always searching for something unique, and this is most definitely the place to find it. Large elephants dwarfed by the vast landscapes. Deep shadows creating dramatic, low-key backgrounds. Giraffes striding across the desert. A desert lioness prowling against a rocky, textured backdrop. Backlit dust swirling in the golden light. Patterned dunes in early morning light. It</em><em>’</em><em>s all possible, and we experienced it all in just four days. </em></p><p>We were thrilled to see not only elephants in peak condition but also a significant number of calves. Their playful antics kept us clicking away, making them a highlight of every game drive. Although I can’t single out one sighting as the best, stumbling upon an African wildcat after sunset one evening is definitely high on the list. Shy and elusive, it made its way quickly across the open plain and vanished into the darkness.</p><p>These are the moments most photographers dream of. However, as much as I enjoyed capturing it all on camera, it was the non-photographic experiences that are solidly etched into my memory. Early one morning, long before sunrise, I was awakened by a sound I couldn’t identify. Despite years spent in the African wilderness, this was foreign to me — an eerie, guttural sound that echoed through the hills, breaking the dark desert silence. Convinced that some unfortunate creature was being suffocated by a predator, I stepped onto my porch and shone my flashlight in the direction of the sound, too curious to ignore it. Nothing. After recording a short snippet of the noise on my phone, I looked up at the endless stars, inhaled the crisp desert air, and felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the privilege of being so deeply immersed in one of Africa’s most remote areas.</p>								</div>
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															<img decoding="async" width="640" height="427" src="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/giraffe-web-1024x683.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-5726" alt="" srcset="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/giraffe-web-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/giraffe-web-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/giraffe-web-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/giraffe-web-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/giraffe-web-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/giraffe-web.jpg 1800w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />															</div>
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									<p>The mystery of the eerie sound was solved a few days later when I met Emsie Verwey, the resident brown hyena researcher at Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp since 2014. Known to the staff as ‘The Hyena Mom,’ she was intrigued the moment I played her the sound clip. When did we hear it? How long did it last? It turned out to be brown hyenas fighting — a fairly rare occurrence. As camp discussions unfolded, I realised I was the only one who hadn’t heard the chaotic commotion on the second night. This time, the brown hyenas had fought more aggressively, keeping nearly everyone in camp awake for hours. I was disappointed to have missed out! While the hyenas remained elusive in terms of sightings, their nighttime antics were unforgettable.</p><p>Another special encounter occurred at dinnertime when we received a visit from a Cape fox. Seated around the campfire beneath a canopy of brilliant stars, we noticed movement just beyond the circle of light. Out of the darkness, a small Cape fox hesitantly emerged, edging closer. The only true fox species native to Southern Africa, it was a privilege to see one so close. If it had been hoping for dinner scraps, it was out of luck and soon disappeared back into the night.</p><p>On our second-to-last evening, we stopped for sundowners, and I asked the guide, “What time is it now? I’m guessing around 18:30?” He laughed, clearly familiar with this misjudgment. “It’s almost 20:30.” We couldn’t believe it. The sun had only just dipped below the horizon, and the beautiful blue hour was in full swing. Being on Africa’s west coast in January, the summer sunsets arrive late and make for full, sunny days. The nights were comfortably cool in the desert, even in the middle of summer.</p>								</div>
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									<p>The only other time the guide laughed at a question was when I asked about rain. “Rain…” he repeated with a shy smile, gazing over the parched landscape and shaking his head. “That’s not something well-known here.” And that’s the beauty of this mysterious place. It’s a survival game, and everything here is a master at it. It’s raw nature at its finest. It’s the sensation of being so far removed from civilisation that it feels other-worldly. It’s the warm welcome from locals in a seemingly inhospitable environment, yet you feel as if you’ve returned home to a place, you’ve always known. It’s the haunting calls of hyenas echoing through the hills at 5 a.m. It’s a sky so clear that a million stars and galaxies you’ve never seen reveal themselves in breathtaking clarity. It’s a glimpse into the simplicity of life. It’s an experience that will change you forever.</p><p><strong>Essentials:</strong></p><p><em>Getting there:</em></p><p>Several International airlines fly into Windhoek including South African Airways</p><p><a href="https://www.flysaa.com/">https://www.flysaa.com/</a></p><p><em> </em></p><p>Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp – <a href="https://www.wildernessdestinations.com/">https://www.wildernessdestinations.com/</a></p>								</div>
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		<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/echoes-of-the-desert-the-haunting-beauty-of-namibias-skeleton-coast/">Echoes of the Desert &#8211; the haunting beauty of Namibia’s Skeleton Coast</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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		<title>Sijwa: Where Sustainability, Style, and Social Impact meet in the Caprivi</title>
		<link>https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/sijwa-where-sustainability-style-and-social-impact-meet-in-the-caprivi/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 06:05:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Namibia]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/?p=5165</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Words – Melissa Foley Pics – African Monarch Lodges / Sijwa Project Tucked between the waterways and wilderness of Namibia’s Zambezi Region, the Sijwa Project isn’t just a community development initiative — it’s a living, breathing blueprint for how tourism can regenerate, not just sustain. Conceived and championed by African Monarch Lodges, Sijwa is more...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/sijwa-where-sustainability-style-and-social-impact-meet-in-the-caprivi/">Sijwa: Where Sustainability, Style, and Social Impact meet in the Caprivi</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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									<p><strong><em>Words – Melissa Foley</em></strong></p><p><strong><em>Pics – African Monarch Lodges / Sijwa Project</em></strong></p><p>Tucked between the waterways and wilderness of Namibia’s Zambezi Region, the Sijwa Project isn’t just a community development initiative — it’s a living, breathing blueprint for how tourism can regenerate, not just sustain.</p><p>Conceived and championed by African Monarch Lodges, Sijwa is more than an afterthought on the guest itinerary. It’s a proudly local social enterprise and circular economy project with the power to transform how lodges across Africa procure, decorate, and give, all while investing directly in the communities and ecosystems that make this region so extraordinary.</p><p><em>“The vision is bigger than us – we occupy a tiny space on this planet – but we know that The Sijwa Project will make a fundamental difference and will demonstrate how people and wildlife can live together in a sustainable manner” – Dusty and Tinola Rodgers</em></p>								</div>
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									<p><strong><em>A Community-Driven Supply Chain Solution</em></strong></p><p>At its core, Sijwa is about dignity, skills, and self-reliance. Here, waste becomes wonder. Used glass bottles are transformed into elegant drinking glasses and décor. Upcycled linens are hand-embroidered by local women into luxury soft furnishings. Discarded materials are creatively reimagined into retail-ready, ethically made gifts that reflect the spirit of the Caprivi.</p><p>The quality is exceptional. These are not pity-purchase curios or well-meaning but poorly made crafts. Sijwa’s products rival those found in high-end urban boutiques, and yet each one carries a story of empowerment, circularity, and conscious design.</p>								</div>
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									<p>For safari lodges and eco-retreats, Sijwa offers an extraordinary opportunity to source with purpose. Whether you’re outfitting your rooms with handmade linens, looking for meaningful guest amenities, or stocking your gift shop with items that guests will actually want to buy and feel good about purchasing, Sijwa delivers. Better still, their offerings make exceptional corporate gifts, allowing tour operators and DMCs to walk the talk of responsible tourism with beautifully packaged products that give back in real, traceable ways.</p>								</div>
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									<p><strong><em>Certification-Ready, Regulation-Aligned</em></strong></p><p>In a tourism landscape increasingly shaped by sustainability compliance, Sijwa’s model fits seamlessly into global frameworks like Fair Trade Tourism, Travelife, and Green Destinations. By integrating Sijwa into your operations or guest journey, you’re not just supporting local livelihoods, you’re directly addressing key criteria around community benefit, circular economy, and verified impact.</p><p>Even more critically, Sijwa’s operations speak the language of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Green Claims Directive. As global procurement standards tighten, especially in European markets, tourism businesses must now demonstrate clear social and environmental impact across their supply chains. Sijwa provides the kind of transparent, measurable, and high-integrity sourcing partnership that helps meet these obligations without sacrificing aesthetics, quality, or guest experience.</p>								</div>
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									<p><strong><em>A Model for the Future of Travel</em></strong></p><p>The Sijwa Project isn’t a charity add-on or a token CSR line item. It’s a model for what’s possible when tourism reinvests in its own roots, when waste is reimagined, talent is nurtured, and business becomes a tool for regeneration. It’s also a case study in what authentic impact looks like in practice.</p><p>At a time when greenwashing is rampant and travellers are more discerning than ever, initiatives like Sijwa remind us what tourism is capable of, not just as an industry, but as a force for good.</p><p>If you’re a lodge, DMC, agent, or hospitality buyer looking for real solutions that reflect your values, don’t just pass through the Caprivi. Integrate it. Procure from it. Partner with it. Let the Sijwa Project be your compass.</p><p><strong><em>Because where community thrives, so does the industry.</em></strong></p>								</div>
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		<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/sijwa-where-sustainability-style-and-social-impact-meet-in-the-caprivi/">Sijwa: Where Sustainability, Style, and Social Impact meet in the Caprivi</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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		<title>Disconnect, to reconnect…  at Onguma Trails Camp</title>
		<link>https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/disconnect-to-reconnect-at-onguma-trails-camp/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 11:41:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Namibia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Safari]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/?p=5106</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Words &#38; pics – Tessa Buhrmann There’s a point on the long, scenic drive north from Windhoek when the Namibian horizon begins to stretch wider and the air grows tangibly quieter. It’s late afternoon by the time we turn off the long tarred road to Onguma Private Game Reserve, located just outside Etosha National Park,...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/disconnect-to-reconnect-at-onguma-trails-camp/">Disconnect, to reconnect…  at Onguma Trails Camp</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[		<div data-elementor-type="wp-post" data-elementor-id="5106" class="elementor elementor-5106">
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									<p><strong><em>Words &amp; pics – Tessa Buhrmann</em></strong></p><p>There’s a point on the long, scenic drive north from Windhoek when the Namibian horizon begins to stretch wider and the air grows tangibly quieter. It’s late afternoon by the time we turn off the long tarred road to Onguma Private Game Reserve, located just outside Etosha National Park, for a night at Onguma Tented Camp before heading deeper into the wild.</p><p>Onguma Tented Camp is as much about sophisticated style as it is about earthy connection. With its stylish interiors, rim-flow pool, and views over a busy waterhole, it’s the kind of place that invites you to slow down and savour. We do just that, and after the quintessential safari drink – a chilled G&amp;T – we enjoy a long, lazy evening of five-star dining and wonderful conversation beneath a star-studded sky.</p>								</div>
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															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="394" src="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Onguma_safari_camps_trails_camp_2025-18-web-1024x631.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-5110" alt="" srcset="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Onguma_safari_camps_trails_camp_2025-18-web-1024x631.jpg 1024w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Onguma_safari_camps_trails_camp_2025-18-web-300x185.jpg 300w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Onguma_safari_camps_trails_camp_2025-18-web-768x473.jpg 768w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Onguma_safari_camps_trails_camp_2025-18-web-600x370.jpg 600w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Onguma_safari_camps_trails_camp_2025-18-web.jpg 1410w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />															</div>
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									<p>After a night immersed in safari serenity, we set off early to explore Etosha National Park. A few hours’ drive through this vast landscape of shimmering salt pans surrounded by lush green grasses, wildflowers, and acacia trees yields sightings of zebra, springbok, wildebeest, and oryx, as well as a breeding herd of elephants and an abundance of birds.</p><p>Shortly after midday, we drive into Onguma Forest Camp — our guides Liberty and Victor are there to meet us… our Trails Camp experience has officially begun.</p><p>After a short transfer deeper into the reserve, we arrive at Onguma Trails Camp, a seasonal, solar-powered, off-grid camp set within a treed grassland in a rehabilitated area of the 34,000-hectare reserve, and Namibia’s first true walking safari experience in big game territory. Thoughtfully chosen for its biodiversity and suitability for walking, this part of the reserve is thick with old trees and thriving vegetation. The camp itself is intimate and considered: accommodating just eight guests in four canvas bell tents, each thoughtfully designed with extra-length beds, private outdoor bathrooms, and a wood-fired hot tub from which to absorb the wilderness in warmth and silence. The bucket shower is the perfect bush indulgence, adding just the right splash of adventure to the comfort Onguma is known for.</p>								</div>
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									<p>Our tent sits beneath a large Acacia tree (now named the Vachellia species), its shade offering reprieve from the afternoon sun. Appreciating the well-placed camp chairs, I watch a pair of Meyer’s parrots as they forage in the bark before vanishing into a nest cavity — it’s the perfect place to pause and breathe.</p><p>After a light tapas-style lunch in the open-air mess tent, we set off for a late-afternoon sundowner drive to acquaint ourselves with the terrain we’ll be walking through the next morning. The grasses shimmer in the golden light, and the wispy clouds turn from pale apricot to the colour of squished plums. Dinner back at camp is hearty and flavourful: a three-course celebration of fire-grilled meats, fresh vegetables, and delicious braai-broodjies — essentially toasted sandwiches cooked over the coals. Delicious!</p><p>Morning begins before dawn, with a quiet wake-up call followed by coffee and rusks around the fire. We set off just as the sun’s first rays brush the tops of the trees, with Liberty and Victor leading us on a 6–8 km walk through dry riverbeds and open plains. Within minutes, Liberty draws our attention to the trail of an oryx, a deep furrow in the dust where it has bolted, disturbed by our presence. His enthusiasm is infectious. “You can tell he was startled,” he says. “Look how wide the stride becomes. That’s when he took off.”</p>								</div>
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									<p>As we move quietly through the landscape, the bush comes alive with stories. A set of freshly disturbed aardvark tracks near an active burrow. Scat, neatly buried. “He hides the evidence,” Victor explains. “Doesn’t want to be found. He’ll patrol about two kilometres from here.”</p><p>We learn that ants build two-hole entrance to prevent rain from flooding their nests, and that a favourite snack of the African Grey Hornbill is the armoured cricket, one of which Liberty scoops up to show us. Victor stops, there’s a boomslang curled on top of a Grewia bush, waiting for a bird to make the wrong move. We sidestep, giving it the respect it deserves. “Closest we’ve come to danger,” someone whispers.</p><p>We learn how the San people use poison apple plant sap on arrowheads, and that chewing leadwood leaves and swallowing the juice helps with severe stomach aches. Liberty, whose grandmother is Damara, tells us she makes a delicious sour plum jam using the small fruit of the sour plum tree, and that it’s also known for treating dysentery. “But don’t ask her for the recipe,” he laughs. “It’s a family secret.”</p>								</div>
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									<p>Not to be outdone, Victor shares the significance of the sandpaper raisin tree, from which the sturdy knobkerries (fighting sticks) are made. “You never touch your grandfather’s stick,” he tells us, reverently. “That’s where his power is.”</p><p>As the sun climbs higher, we pause for a scenic bush breakfast under the shade of a large tree — eggs, muesli, and bread cooked on an open flame — before returning to camp for rest and a lazy afternoon in the shade.</p><p>Later that afternoon, during our sundowner drive, we watch as a lioness crouches low in the grass, eyeing a herd of wildebeest. One of them spots her. There’s a pause. Then, to our amazement, the herd, about fifteen strong, turns the tables, closing in on the lioness. She stands up slowly and, with all the regal nonchalance of a queen deciding not to make a fuss, retreats into the bush. Drama on the African plains.</p>								</div>
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															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="853" src="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Tapas-style-lunch-web-768x1024.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-5114" alt="" srcset="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Tapas-style-lunch-web-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Tapas-style-lunch-web-225x300.jpg 225w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Tapas-style-lunch-web-600x800.jpg 600w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Tapas-style-lunch-web.jpg 935w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />															</div>
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									<p>That night, we dine under canvas in the stretch-tent mess area, sharing a hearty meal and stories around the fire. The camp is beautifully still. No Wi-Fi, no mobile signal. Just the hiss of the fire, the occasional call of a nightjar, and the sound of quiet contentment.</p><p>As we discover the next morning, a bush walk is not just about the little stuff. We come across a group of giraffe and watch quietly, while soon becoming the watched — they peer at us, ever curious, but without losing their caution. Back on the path, we come across the distinct pug marks of a leopard, still fresh, likely from a female. A few hundred metres further, we find the shallow indentation in the grass where she has curled up to rest. The thought of her watching us silently from the thickets sends a thrill down my spine.</p><p>We skirt the thick bushes and head into the long grass. It’s soft to the touch, but as Victor shows us, easily capable of slicing the skin when pulled sharply, something to be mindful of. Walking quietly in single file, our peace is disturbed as a guinea fowl explodes from the undergrowth, and my heart leaps. “Heart-attack bird,” Liberty chuckles.</p>								</div>
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									<p>We move silently through a dense stretch of mopane woodland, tracking elephants. Broken branches, plenty dung, and scuffed earth tell us they are here recently, likely just the afternoon before. Every snapped twig or shift in the breeze heightens our awareness, even the bush seems to be holding its breath. Liberty points out signs of recent rhino activity, and the realisation that both giants may still be nearby sends a ripple of adrenaline through the group. It’s a thrilling reminder that out here, we are guests in their domain.</p><p>Back at camp, a lazy afternoon beckons. Some doze in their tents, others soak in their hot tubs or lounge in the communal area with a good book. I watch the Meyer’s parrots again, feeling utterly content.</p><p>That evening, our boma dinner is accompanied by stargazing and conversation. Over a local Namibian gin and tonic, Liberty shares his philosophy on bush walks: “They need to be enjoyable, educational, and memorable. We don’t just look for safety for the guests, but for the comfort of the animals too. This is their home first.”</p>								</div>
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									<p>We’d seen signs of change in the reserve, old farm fences that had only recently come down. Tracks of herbivores, and evidence that predators are beginning to return. “Elephants will help clear this thick bush eventually,” Victor muses. “But already, this place is healing.” And so are we, I think to myself.</p><p>As we pack to leave, I linger a little longer beneath our tree. In Herero, the word Onguma means ‘the place you don’t want to leave.’ Trails Camp embodies that sentiment completely. It’s more than a camp, it’s an invitation to walk in quiet reverence, to learn from the land, and to witness nature on its own terms.</p><p>And while Onguma Tented Camp may be safari chic at its finest, out at Trails Camp, with dust on my boots and the call of a Meyer’s parrot overhead, I discover something richer still: connection.</p>								</div>
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									<p><strong>Essentials: </strong></p><p><em>Where to stay: </em></p><p>Onguma Tented Camp  \  Onguma Trails Camp</p><p><a href="https://onguma.com/">https://onguma.com/</a></p>								</div>
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		<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/disconnect-to-reconnect-at-onguma-trails-camp/">Disconnect, to reconnect…  at Onguma Trails Camp</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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		<title>Windhoek… discover hidden gems, history, and warm hospitality</title>
		<link>https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/windhoek-discover-hidden-gems-history-and-warm-hospitality/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Editor]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Sep 2025 08:21:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Experiences]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Namibia]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/?p=5025</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Words &#38; pics – Di Brown Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are the major towns in Namibia; the rest of the country consists of small, unspoilt towns separated by vast distances of dramatic semi-desert landscapes. Numerous hills have shaped the development of this picturesque city, which boasts a well-maintained road network, minimal traffic, and more...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/windhoek-discover-hidden-gems-history-and-warm-hospitality/">Windhoek… discover hidden gems, history, and warm hospitality</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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									<p><strong>Words &amp; pics – Di Brown</strong></p><p>Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are the major towns in Namibia; the rest of the country consists of small, unspoilt towns separated by vast distances of dramatic semi-desert landscapes. Numerous hills have shaped the development of this picturesque city, which boasts a well-maintained road network, minimal traffic, and more trees than one would expect in a water-scarce country.</p><p><em>Windhoek offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy the comfort, amenities and convenience of a cosmopolitan city before or after their road trip or safari.</em></p>								</div>
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															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="823" src="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Memorial-Museum-Di-Brown-web-796x1024.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-5028" alt="" srcset="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Memorial-Museum-Di-Brown-web-796x1024.jpg 796w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Memorial-Museum-Di-Brown-web-233x300.jpg 233w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Memorial-Museum-Di-Brown-web-768x988.jpg 768w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Memorial-Museum-Di-Brown-web-600x772.jpg 600w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Memorial-Museum-Di-Brown-web.jpg 1168w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />															</div>
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									<p><strong>Pamper</strong></p><p>Dry and dusty after days on the road, or dehydrated and stiff after a long-haul flight, why not treat yourself to a pamper session?</p><p>Gents, head to Jaybird and Blade, a barbershop that serves excellent coffee, has a unique vibe and stocks a high-quality range of beard products. The Old Power Station Shopping Centre in Southern Industrial is where you will find Ancient Organics for massages and beauty treatments, Healing Touch Aesthetics for massages, and Clark3s.eyecandy for lashes.</p>								</div>
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									<p><strong><em>HINT: Several of the top hotels offer onsite spa facilities, so be sure to check this when choosing your accommodation.</em></strong></p>								</div>
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									<p><strong>Shop</strong></p><p>Carl List Mall in the CBD for unique souvenirs, hand-crafted artefacts, jewellery and leather wear, travel accessories, restaurants, clothing boutiques and coffee shops.</p>								</div>
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									<p> </p><p>Bougain Villa is a charming mismatch of numerous European architectural styles that work to Bougain Villa is a charming small centre with an enclosed courtyard. Support local skills and job creation by supporting African Kirikara. They sell gorgeous rugs hand-woven from soft karakul and Swakara wool, exquisite jewellery, ceramics, textiles and local art.  Crafters will love Jenny’s Place, Art &amp; Crafts Emporium, and when you have shopped till you drop, relax at The Stellenbosch Wine Bar and Bistro. </p>								</div>
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									<p><strong>HINT: Windhoek Luxury Suites is a great option for an overnight before heading out on safari.</strong></p>								</div>
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									<p>Old Breweries Craft Market is quite touristy, but it’s a fun place to visit. Set in the historic brewery building, it offers a selection of local crafts, souvenirs, clothing, books and a cafe. And Sam&#8217;s Hobbies and Toys in the suburb of Klein Windhoek is fantastic if you are shopping for kids. It has a wide range of Lego, dinosaurs, unicorns and everything that people under 12 deem cool</p>								</div>
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															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="426" src="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Museum-Di-Brown-2-web-1024x682.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-5029" alt="" srcset="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Museum-Di-Brown-2-web-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Museum-Di-Brown-2-web-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Museum-Di-Brown-2-web-768x512.jpg 768w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Museum-Di-Brown-2-web-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Museum-Di-Brown-2-web-600x400.jpg 600w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Independence-Museum-Di-Brown-2-web.jpg 1714w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />															</div>
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									<p><strong>Explore</strong></p><p>The impressive Independence Museum is dedicated to the country&#8217;s anti-colonial and independence struggle, reflected in memorabilia, artefacts, and outstanding artwork. Don’t miss the spectacular views from the restaurant on the top floor.</p>								</div>
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									<p>Over the road is Alte Fest, built in 1890. Now closed to the public, it is worth taking a look at the old cannons, statues, and artefacts on the veranda.</p><p><strong><em>HINT: The iconic Christuskirche is beautiful inside and out; however, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the doors have been locked. You can try asking to be let inside.</em></strong></p><p>The Heroes&#8217; Acre Monument is 10 kilometres south of Windhoek and is the burial place of Sam Nujoma, Namibia&#8217;s first president. Beautiful architecture in a tranquil location, it is a place to walk around and reflect. The marble obelisk and huge bronze statue of the Unknown Soldier are imposing, as is the 5000-seater arena.  </p>								</div>
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															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="853" src="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-Stellenbosch-Wine-Bar-and-Bistro-web-768x1024.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-5031" alt="" srcset="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-Stellenbosch-Wine-Bar-and-Bistro-web-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-Stellenbosch-Wine-Bar-and-Bistro-web-225x300.jpg 225w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-Stellenbosch-Wine-Bar-and-Bistro-web-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-Stellenbosch-Wine-Bar-and-Bistro-web-600x800.jpg 600w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/The-Stellenbosch-Wine-Bar-and-Bistro-web.jpg 1210w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />															</div>
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															<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="640" height="480" src="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Okapuka-giraffe-web-1024x768.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-image-5030" alt="" srcset="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Okapuka-giraffe-web-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Okapuka-giraffe-web-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Okapuka-giraffe-web-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Okapuka-giraffe-web-600x450.jpg 600w, https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Okapuka-giraffe-web.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" />															</div>
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									<p><strong>Attractions</strong></p><p>Sundowners at The Stratos Restaurant and Bar on the 15th floor of the Avani Hotel is the coolest place in town. This hotel lights up and changes colour, you can&#8217;t miss it. Feeling lucky? Head to the high-rolling casino at the Avani Hotel or the Desert Jewel Casino at the Windhoek Country Club Resort. You can also book a round of golf here.</p><p>Visit Okapuka Safari Lodge, a 30-minute drive from town. Enjoy a meal overlooking the lawns and ancient camel thorn trees where warthogs and graze. Book a game drive to see giraffe, ostriches and, most importantly, white rhino – but be sure to book a day in advance.  </p><p><strong><em>HINT: Get into safari mode with an overnight at Zannier Omaande Hotel located conveniently close to the airport.</em></strong></p><p>Enjoy a nature walk on the trails around the Avis Dam, located at the edge of town. Peaceful, with gorgeous mountain views and indigenous vegetation. For safety, it is not recommended to walk here alone, although plenty of local dog walkers do.</p>								</div>
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									<p><strong>Eat </strong></p><p>Lodges are known for their exquisite cuisine, but sometimes the choices are limited. If you&#8217;ve been camping and self-catering, it&#8217;s nice to enjoy a good restaurant before and after your trip.</p><p>Hotel Heinitzberg- Leo’s at the Castle for fine dining, an excellent wine cellar and spectacular views over the city. For the best steak in town, go to The Butcher Block, in Klein Windhoek. Meet the locals over good food in a relaxed environment at Riverview Restaurant at Klein Windhoek Guesthouse. Touristy, but interesting and cheerful, is Joe’s Beerhouse.</p><p><em>HINT: For a full-on local pub with noisy Namibians, open mic and quiz nights, go to The Handle Bar. Phone first, as they might be closed for a private function.  </em></p><p>Twenty kilometres out of town is Elisenheim Guest Farm and Farmers Kitchen. An indoor and outdoor venue, serving fantastic German food and great beer, and featuring an impressive kids&#8217; play area.</p>								</div>
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									<p><strong>Essentials:</strong></p><p>The flight time from Cape Town or Johannesburg to Windhoek is approximately two hours. The airport is a 30-minute drive from town. </p><p><strong>Hosea Kutako International Airport</strong> is small, but modern and clean, and is located is 45 kilometres outside of town, the trip taking about half an hour.</p><p>Arrive 90 minutes before departure. After customs, you’ll find a couple of curio shops, a small duty-free, and two pricey eateries, so rather make use of the fantastic coffee shop and restaurant outside before you head through customs.  </p><p>Purchase an inexpensive SIM card, airtime, and data on arrival. The Namibian dollar is pegged to the South African rand at a one-to-one exchange rate and you can use rands but will receive change in Namibian dollars.  </p>								</div>
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		<p>The post <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za/windhoek-discover-hidden-gems-history-and-warm-hospitality/">Windhoek… discover hidden gems, history, and warm hospitality</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.travelsouthernafrica.co.za">Travel Southern Africa</a>.</p>
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