From the seemingly endless sand dunes of the Namib Desert to the tropical wetlands of the Caprivi Strip, Namibia is a country of epic landscapes, bountiful wildlife and few people. Its greatest features are the rugged Namib and Kalahari deserts, which support a surprising diversity of fauna including rare black rhinos, cheetahs, elephants, springbok and vast flocks of ostriches.

The wild Skeleton Coast is a spectacular, windswept land of dark green scrub and calcified sand dunes, littered with the sculpture-like rusting carcases of ships washed ashore by the merciless Atlantic Ocean.

But it’s not all hostile. Namibia is also home to the colourful Himba people whose love of elaborate hairdos and jewellery have made them one of the most photographed tribes in the world. Towns and cities are few and far between in Namibia, due to its low population. However, in contrast the capital, Windhoek, has a lively city nightlife, colonial architecture and a thriving culinary scene.

Into Africa