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Namibia is a country of compelling beauty, abundant sunshine, and a feeling of un-confined space. With its unspoilt landscapes and large variety of game, Namibia is one of the larger countries in Africa, and draws an increasing number of visitors from various parts of the globe.

The wide horizons, the clear unpolluted skies and a low population density generates a sense of freedom. The diversity of its people creates a rich blend of cultures and traditions. Namibia has a colourful and turbulent history. In the mid-19th century, German missionaries opened up the interior, paving the way for traders who came later. The annexation of the country by Germany in 1884 accounts for the distinctive German architecture and traditions. After a turbulent past, the country at last became independent on 21 March 1990.

Namibia is known for its contrasting landscapes. There is the brooding desolate Namib Desert, said to be the oldest in the world, with its high dunes and awe-inspiring sense of space. The central plateau, with its thorn bush savannah and rugged mountains, rising abruptly from the plains, gives way to the majestic Fish River Canyon in the South. In the North of the country, landscapes range from dense bush and open plains of the great Etosha pan, to woodland savannah and lush riverine vegetation. Dinosaur footprints preserved in the sandstone, pre-historic rock art, and the ancient fossil plant, Welwitschia mirabilis, bear witness to the aeons past in this - "the ageless land". All these facts combine in a country, which can justifiably be known as "Africa's Gem",

Namibia is the first country in the world to include protection of the environment and sustainable utilization of wildlife in its constitution. About 15,5% of the country has been set aside as National Parks. In these areas, rare and endangered species of animals, birds and plant life are preserved and protected. They serve as a living reminder to us all, and to the generations of the future, of how it once was in Africa. Most of the African game species are well represented in Namibia, with the largest concentration in the Etosha National Park, which is firmly entrenched on the world map of international parks. Etosha provides memorable experiences. A waterhole at dawn with a medley of giraffe, zebra, rhino, graceful antelopes and a solitary hyena is like a finely etched painting of African wildlife. Wilderness and modern amenities co-exist happily in this land of vivid contrasts.

In Namibia, not only hotels, but also all other accommodation establishments including rest camps, caravan parks, guest farms, and safari companies, are graded according to the services offered. Regular inspections to ensure that each establishment complies with expected standards are carried out by officials from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. At first glance, Namibia might seem one of Earth's most desolate places. With its ancient deserts, parched salt pans and a windblown shoreline littered with the weathered hulls of foundered ships, there would seem little potential for life and colour -- and little to interest the average traveller.

Perhaps most surprising are the people who have adapted to this harsh environment: San Bushmen and the Herero women with their banana-shaped headdresses and bright Victorian-style dresses patterned after those of early German missionary women. It's a great place for people watching and experiencing another way of life. The German influence can also be seen in the colonial-era towns scattered along the coast and central highlands -- there is something surreal about imperial-style German architecture poking up above desert sands. Namibia is not usually listed among the top destinations in Africa, but it has a lot to offer those looking for an unusual destination off the beaten track. Although its terrain is harsh and demanding, it is actually one of the safer and more stable countries in Africa.

Whether you just want to come and visit, as a prospective parent or student, or if you are just interested to see around the school, you are very welcome! For those visiting our website from overseas, if you are thinking of moving here with children, make sure you put us high on your list of schools to visit! We are always improving, always striving to offer more and to offer it better - this is, as our logo says, an international community of learners! Come and join us!

The Capital: Windhoek

Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is located in a basin between the Khomas Highland and the Auas and Eros mountains. Windhoek is home to approximately two hundred and twenty thousand people, an extremely small capital by global standards. This number is growing rapidly at present mostly due to a lack of employment in rural areas. Despite the large increase in population over the last few years the city center is extremely clean, and trouble free.

The Windhoek city center is characterized by a proliferation of German style buildings, a lasting reminder of Namibia's early colonial history. Early buildings such as the Alte Feste (old fort), Christuskirche and Tintenpalast (the parliament buildings) are of particular historical interest.
Windhoek has had several names the earliest of which were the Damara /Ais //Gams (/ indicates a click in Nama spelling) which means firewater and the Herero Otjimuise or place of steam. The area was also called Queen Adelaide's Baths for a (mercifully) brief time. Several opinions are offered for the origin of the present name, the most popular of these is that in 1840 Jan Jonker Afrikaner, a Nama leader, named the area Winterhoek, after the farm in South Africa where he was born. Windhoek, or windy corner, is a corruption of this name.

Windhoek has Namibia's only international airport. During the day the city center has a European cafe culture, German cuisine dominates, but Namibian influence can be found in the quantity, and quality, of meat on offer (vegetarians be warned, Namibia is carnivore country). Nightlife in the city center is limited to a few restaurants and the occasional nightclub. Vegetarians have won the upper hand and this specific food is served all over.

Etosha National Park

Etosha, "the place of dry water," is one of the great, and sparsely enjoyed, wildlife experiences remaining in Africa. Covering over 8,000 square miles, the park encompasses a vast saltpan 80 miles long. Once a vast lake fed by the Kunene River, the pan dried up thousands of years ago when the river waters chose a new course. Now one can stare across the huge depression of salt and dusty clay to witness herds of wildebeest almost hidden behind the hazy heat waves. Real or Mirage?
Savannah grassland and Mopani woodland surround the Pan. Varieties of Acacia here have near-deadly spikes, giving them the name umbrella-thorn trees. Weird shapes of Moringa trees pierce the sky, creating an eerie scene known as The Haunted Forest.
Salt, dust, thorns, and heat may make Etosha seem a forbidding place to human intruders. But mammal and bird species call it home by the hundreds. Etosha is big game country. Elephants and giraffes roam the land, and the rare black rhinoceros puts in an occasional appearance. Both Burchell's and Hartmann's zebras graze the park. Antelope number in the tens of thousands: springboks, gemsboks, red hartebeests, blue wildebeests, elands and kudus. Even the elusive black-faced impala. The cats slinking through the grass are difficult to spot, but be assured prides of lions and a few cheetahs and leopards are stalking their prey.
Ostriches share the grasslands with the hoofed animals. The huge kori bustard, weighing over 30 pounds, lives mostly on the ground as well, seldom summoning the strength to propel its enormous mass into flight. Yellow-billed hornbills are common and over 300 more birds have been spotted. In years of good rain, the saltpan becomes a temporary lagoon. Flamingos and white pelicans wing in to breed.

The Pan itself is strictly off-limits, but a network of gravel roads runs along its edge. Animals congregate at the waterholes left over from the rainy season. Visitors are torn between sitting quietly for hours watching the game come and go at a single spot, or moving from one to another in hopes of more species. The ecology varies greatly across the width of the forest, and a traveler must cover the full terrain from saltpan to woodland to attempt all the major species.
Etosha's winter, also the dry season, runs from May through September. During this period, wildlife congregates around the waterholes and the temperature is considerably cooler than the summer's 44 degrees C. Most visitors, although never too many for anyone used to the East Africa circuit, arrive during this period.

Etosha lies 500 kilometers north of Namibia's capital, Windhoek, and can be reached most easily by car.

More Information:

Namibia Wildlife Resorts

Lonely Planet Namibia

Namibweb

The Namibian Newspaper