Visit Windhoek, Northern Namibia
Although small for a capital city, Windhoek remains the political, economic and cultural centre of the country. The traffic is minimal, the air is clear and skies seem to be permanently blue.
Windhoek
Northern Namibia, Namibia
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Windhoek is located at an altitude of 1,646 metres in the country's Central Highlands.
The Auas Mountains lie to the southeast, Eros Mountains to the northeast and the hills of the Khomas Hochland to the west.
Lying more or less in the geographical centre of the country, the city and surrounding suburbs are spread out over a series of picturesque valleys. Although small for a capital city by international standards, Windhoek remains the political, economic and cultural centre of the country.
German colonial influence
Windhoek is certainly a place worth spending a day or two looking around before setting off for the rest of the country. The wide streets are lined with cosmopolitan pavement cafes. Look up and you'll see old German architecture in soft colours sitting alongside glittering office blocks.
Street vendors cluster under palm trees with arrays of wooden curios, shops have colourful displays of African art, twinkling Namibian diamonds and books on every aspect of the country from the Himba of the Kaokoveld to the ghost towns of Luderitz. People are busy, but relaxed and stress seems an unusual concept here.
The traffic is minimal, air is clear and skies seem to be permanently blue.
Other places within Northern Namibia
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- Damaraland has a wild and rugged landscape and is one of Namibia’s least populated areas. As well as rock art dating back 6,000 years, you can also see game such as desert-adapted elephant and black rhino.
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- Etosha is one of Africa’s largest game parks. As well as a vast array of birdlife, it has large populations of lion, leopard and cheetah. Elephant occur in hundred-strong herds, whilst black and white rhino are also present.
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- The Kaokoveld is unexplored and will appeal to the adventurer who likes to get off-the-beaten-track. Getting around isn't easy but it has its rewards when you see sights such as Epupa Falls, or local Himba culture.
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- Khaudum National Park is little known and vastly underrated. In the dry season its permanent water holes are a magnet for large numbers of game. There is no accommodation in the Khaudum, just designated camping spots.
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- The Nyae Nyae Conservancy is most famous for the Ju’hoansi (also classified as Kung, Bushmen or San) people. It's a place of scattered villages, prehistoric dunes, huge baobab trees and nomadic game.
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- Swakopmund's German colonial history is reflected in its architecture. Within a short drive of the town you'll see seals and flamingos in their thousands. Pelican Point is excellent for a gentle kayaking trips.
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View place- {172F2A21-ED83-47B7-A08F-24C1583F94F0}
- Running down Namibia's spine the Central Highlands separate the Kalahari from the dunes of the Namib. The area is home to plenty of wildlife as well as the 'Africat Foundation'.
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- The Skeleton Coast is a barren area and particularly well named; many early explorers’ ships were wrecked here. Surprisingly, there is considerable wildlife further inland. The best way to visit is a fly-in safari.
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- Walvis Bay is a small quirky town, 30 kilometres south of Swakopmund. It's ideal as a base to explore the surrounding area, which is good for marine and birdlife in particular.
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Windhoek
View place- {1DC08273-337F-4ED1-B1CC-B5AE122F5AC7}
- Although small for a capital city, Windhoek remains the political, economic and cultural centre of the country. The traffic is minimal, the air is clear and skies seem to be permanently blue.
- -22.5749441023192
- 17.0805215835571
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