The ultimate Namibian fly-in safari

African Safaris are archetypically pretty luxurious experiences; trekking through the rugged savannah, staying in remote but lavish outposts and having every need catered to by a team of dedicated staff including a private ranger to guide you across the plains and rolling bush land.

There are many different types of safari that can appeal to a range of individuals, from mobile or self-drive to balloon or even walking safaris. Perhaps the most luxurious though, has to be considered as the fly-in safari; an arrangement that sees tourists conveyed via light aircraft across vast and divergent landscapes in order to appreciate the full scope of Southern Africa’s majesty. Although some people might consider a tour of this nature to be somewhat of an inconvenience, for those looking to truly embrace the eclecticism of a Southern African nation a fly-in safari could be the ideal option.

A particular destination that lends itself perfectly to the fly-in safari format is Namibia. Although some people might struggle to identify it on a map, let alone consider it as a prospective holiday destination Namibia is a rising star of the African tourist industry with more and more discerning travellers discovering the hidden beauty and warmth of this culture every year.

Namibia itself nestles in the South West of Africa, an unusually arranged territory that features a limb-like channel of land known as the Caprivi Strip that was originally claimed by its German colonial governors to provide access to the Zambezi River. The country is dominated by deserts, both the Namib Desert that spreads north-south parallel to the Atlantic coastline and the Kalahari Desert which also extends across the southern border to South Africa. Though the revelation that Namibia is largely dominated by sand may not immediately inspire some travellers it is this alien and mercurial environment that asserts it as a truly unique and fascinating destination. Some of the most striking and iconic panoramas in the world can be encountered in Namibia, areas such as Sossuvlei, Deadvlei, the Skeleton coast, Damaraland and the Etosha National Park.

The capital city of Windhoek is a relatively small but still vibrant and multicultural metropolis and schedule permitting, should certainly consider devoting at least a few days to exploring this intriguing community. From Windhoek most typical itineraries will take you west towards the vast Namib Desert; though the beauty of a fly-safari is that where exactly you choose to travel to can be defined by you, the client. In the South of the Namib Sossusvlei is one of Namibia’s most famous geographical landmarks featuring brilliantly vibrant sands of reds, oranges and even pinks as well as some of the largest sand dunes in the world (as tall as the Empire State Building). Deadvlei is another area that attracts many visitors due to its bizarrely contrasting appearance; a pale clay pan encompassed by high orange dunes and scorched black acacia trees, long since dead but that still resolutely cling to the earth.

North of Sossusvlei is Damaraland an equally beautiful and fascinating local that encompasses the popular coastal communities of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. Although the Namib Desert may not be renowned for its wildlife tourists can in fact still enjoy extensive game drives and hope to see a host of ungulates as well as desert elephants.

Another renowned feature of the Namib is the rather ominously entitled Skeleton Coat which stretches north towards the Angolan border. A combination of mist, high winds and desolate wilderness have gifted this place its sombre name which over the years has claimed many ships which accidentally ground on the wide on the shore. Today both the rusting metallic carcasses of these vessels and the bleach white bones of whales who have also succumbed to the strong tides litter the coastline producing a rather eerie but strangely beautiful graveyard.

Namibia’s most renowned home of wildlife resides to the north west of the Skeleton Coast; Etosha National Park. A conservation area dominated by the Etosha salt pan where particularly following the rainy season, from May-September, there are many opportunities to spot a range of mammals and birds, from white and black rhino to lions and zebras.