Boutique Hotels in Namibia

Why go?

If you need breathing space and to get in touch with yourself, come to Namibia. Three times the size of Britain, with a population of under a million, the country is one of the most sparsely populated in the world and is blessed with a hauntingly beautiful terrain.

Nowhere can rival the silent majestic dunes of the Namib Desert - except perhaps the monumental dunes of Sossusvlei... it is for its landscape that Namibia is best known. And if it's stunning from below it is even more so from above: trips on light aircraft are among the joys of any visit. Tailormade Safaris specialise in fly-in safaris to the Onguma reserve in Etosha National Park, to Damaraland on the wild Skeleton Coast, to the Namib Rand Nature Reserve and the red dunes of Sossusvlei.

There's wildlife to make the heart boom. In the overwhelmingly beautiful Serra Caferna that borders Angola, game drives lead to sightings of 'small' wildlife: troops of baboons, herds of oryx and springbok, dazzles of zebras, crocodiles in muddy waters and numerous small beasties. In the Etosha National Park springbok, wildebeest, antelope, giraffe will meet you on the road; at the famous waterholes (best in the dry season), lion, leopard and rhino are close enough to be seen without binoculars. And at Etendeka are the only free-ranging rhinos in the world, surviving on land without protected status.

With its low level of corruption, its sound infrastructure and its history of diamond wealth, Namibia is one of the safest African countries: a big plus for solo travellers and families. There's an ever-expanding array of destinations to visit and activities on offer, from dune-boarding and sky-diving at Swakopmund to wreck-spotting on the rugged Skeleton Coast. As for the small Germanic capital Windhoek, it has been described as the nicest city in Africa, "clean, orderly and awash with good beer."

Any Downsides?

Transport and logistics are not easy, and the country is so vast you cannot be ambitious. Be prepared for some long hot journeys - unless you have cash to spare, in which case a Cessna is the answer. It's fun to travel independently but you may prefer to book an all-inclusive safari package through a recommended operator such as Tailormade Safaris.

From May to September, the cooler months, visitors to Etosha can expect to see buck, elephant, giraffe, rhino and lion; and perhaps leopard and cheetah. But note, in high season (December/January and July/August) Etosha is awash with safari vehicles, cars and airconditioned coaches: a scene worth avoiding. Finally, there may be beach swimming pools in Namibia but there's no beach swimming.

What's where?

• Damaraland: Namibia's highest mountain, ancient rock art and a Petrified Forest, granite koppies on a pancake-flat landscape and majestic desert elephants Read More >>
• Etosha & North: Scores of zebra, elephant and giraffe plus big cats and endangered rhinos in Etosha Park; watch them at waterholes or track them on foot Read More >>
• Sossusvlei & South: Climb towering red sand dunes admist the 80 million-year-old Namib desert, then hike through mighty Fish Canyon with its 3-tier waterfalls Read More >>
• Swakopmund & Coast: Bask on Swakopmund beach, sandboard or quad-bike in the nearby Namib Desert, shiver over rusting ruins on the windswept Skeleton Coast Read More >>
• Windhoek: A friendly first stop in Namibia; recover from your flight, stroll the streets and enjoy the Germanic food and beer Read More >>