ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK was proclaimed as Namibia’s first conservation area in 1907 by the then German Government. Consisting of saline desert, Savannah and woodlands the National Park is one of the largest Game Reserves in Africa. Its definitive feature is the Etosha Pan, a vast, shallow depression of approximately 5000 sq km, which for most part of the year is a bleak expanse of white cracked mud, which shimmers with mirages. Of the 114 mammal species found in the Park, several are rare and endangered whilst others are endemic to northwestern Namibia and southwestern Angola. Etosha’s current population of over 300 black rhino represents one of the few growing populations; white rhino have recently been reintroduced. About 340 bird species occur in the Park of which a third are migratory. For the greater part of the year during the dry season, the birds and animals are dependent on the springs and waterhole's and in turn provide excellent game viewing and photographic opportunities.
The National Park is some 22 270 sq km.

Leading Lodges in Etosha Area: Epacha Game Lodge & Spa | Eagle Tented Lodge & Spa

THE NAMIB DESERT - with its lunar landscape and towering sand dunes - is the main reason many travelers include Namibia on their Southern African safari.
Believed to be the oldest desert in the world, the Namib holds a mystical allure, and is surprisingly the home to some resilient creatures, and the occasional surreal-looking plant which has made the area its habitat. The easiest way to access the desert is via direct charter from Windhoek Eros, but there are also land transfers into the Namib-Naukluft Park. Either way, a fascinating adventure awaits the traveler. At Sesriem, the Tsauchab River disappears down a deep gorge in the plain leaving pools of water where many animals gather, while the oasis of Sossusvlei is a sea of sand dunes towering 300m (1000 ft) high, stretching as far as the eye can see. This truly beautiful place is home to numerous water birds in the rainy season and antelope and ostrich during the dry winter months.
A unique way to experience the magical beauty of the Namib is by hot air balloon - soaring above the golden sands of this treasured wilderness. But back down on the warm sands, don't forget to take time out to reflect and ponder - and listen to the truly remarkable sounds of silence!

SOSSUSVLEI's rich orange sea of sand dunes is one of the most astounding sights in the world. They are the highest sand dunes in the world. The feminine curves and angular crests rise tantalizingly to almost 1,000 feet (305metres) - much higher than their nearest rivals in Arabia. They just beg to be climbed barefoot and the sheer size and immensity of the dunes dwarf your footprints.

The older the dune, the brighter the color from slow iron oxidization and a zillion minute fragments of garnets. These dunes range from burnt orange through blood red to deepest mauve, and geologists say that this supreme desert could be the oldest in the world.

Leading Lodges in the Sossusvlei area: Le Mirage Desert Lodge & Spa