What to Do and Where to Go this Holiday

It’s that time of the year again: Year-end fatigue has kicked in and most Namibians are looking forward to the holiday season.

However, deciding where to go is not always easy.

Southern Africa is well known for its world-class wildlife viewing opportunities and its scenic landscapes.

Below are a few holiday destinations around southern Africa to consider visiting this festive season.

Sossusvlei, Namibia

For a true desert experience, look no further than Sossusvlei. Set in the southern Namib Desert, the Sossusvlei area offers a picture-perfect combination of towering red dunes, other-worldly clay pans and desert-adapted wildlife.

The most famous and photogenic site is Dead Vlei, a cracked pan of which the surface is punctured by skeleton camel thorn trees.

The scene might look a bit washed out at midday, but the late-afternoon scenery is the best.

The shadows lengthening over the parched soil, and the red hues of the surrounding dunes glowing in the fading sunlight is truly spectacular.

Wildlife is scarce, but seeing a herd of oryx crossing the sandy dunes is a special sight.

Although the area is remote and hot, the good roads and lodges make this a remarkably easy destination to access.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s largest game reserves. At 19 485 square kilometres, it’s the size of a small country such as Wales.

So, it’s not surprising that the variety of wildlife in the park is among Africa’s best.

Aside from the sought-after Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant and rhino), lots of other creatures, both great and small, inhabit this vast area.

You’ll be amazed at the number of species you’ll be able to check off. However, more important than the quantity of wildlife sightings is the quality.

In the Kruger park, patient visitors are often rewarded with something special, like a female cheetah teaching her cubs to hunt, or two majestic kudu bulls fighting.

You could even come across some social interaction between the spotted hyenas that often den in roadside drainage lines.

Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Okavango Delta, one of the world’s largest inland water systems, is a maze of lagoons, channels and floating islands surrounded by the Kalahari Desert.

This vast permanent oasis attracts large numbers of animals.

Elephant, buffalo and lots of antelope thrive here, and predators are never far off.

Moremi Game Reserve offers excellent wildlife viewing on land, but exploring the channels by mokoro (dug-out canoe) should be on everyone’s bucket list.

The silent, slow movement through the water is almost hypnotic.

The low-level vantage point makes for some great photo opportunities, such as a hippo yawning or a delicate jacana walking on water lilies.

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Zambia

When you visit Victoria Falls, you’ll understand why it is one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

This is where the mighty Zambezi River, at 1.7 kilometres wide, tumbles down more than 100 metres.

The sheer power of this curtain of flowing water is likely to move you today as it did David Livingstone when he first arrived here in 1855.

Livingstone, a Scottish missionary and explorer, named the falls after Queen Victoria to honour her.

However, the local name is Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “the smoke that thunders”.

It is this name that evokes an overwhelming sensation of being submerged in the roaring sound and mist surrounding this world heritage site.

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town’s vibrant city life, many cultures and scenic beauty make it one of southern Africa’s top destinations.

Visit the Castle of Good Hope to learn about South Africa’s colonial past, enjoy some shopping at the V&A Waterfront, or swim with penguins at Boulders Beach.

Table Mountain is the city’s most prominent landmark, and its 1km high plateau offers sensational views in all directions.

The super active can hike up the mountain, but there is also a rotating cable way that effortlessly gets you to the top in five minutes.

Spend the day ticking sights and experiences off your bucket list, and end it by indulging in a great meal and local wine at one of the city’s many top restaurants and vineyards.

South Luangwa, Zambia

If you want an in-depth safari experience in southern Africa, consider going to South Luangwa National Park.

Although most iconic safari animals can be found here (the main exception being rhino), it is not only about checking off the Big Five.

The quality of the guiding is superb, and there is a lot of emphasis on spending time out in the bush learning about almost everything.

The highly qualified guides supplement the drives with bush walks.

Seeing buffalo, elephant or any big predators on foot is not for the faint-hearted, so be prepared for the odd adrenaline rush.

South Luangwa is great for night drives, too.

You may even see a caracal pouncing on its prey, a leopard patrolling his territory, and two porcupines scurrying off in the distance – all in one evening.