In Namibia, learn to expect the unexpected

After years of travelling the length and breadth Namibia, I’ve come to expect the unexpected. Expertly trained coffee baristas manning a small café in the middle of nowhere – why not? Dry riverbeds becoming raging torrents overnight – certainly possible! 

Even the people are startling – the lengths to which they would go to help a total stranger stranded on the road, the bone-deep genuineness of their hospitality, and their ingenuity for fixing problems with little or no equipment are something to experience. Time and again, Namibians and Namibia surprised me. These days, each time I encounter yet another unexpected natural wonder or brilliant Namibian, I add it to my “This is Namibia” list. 

Northwestern Namibia is an unexpected part of an unexpected country. I found myself holding my breath while cresting each hill – what expansive view would unfold before me? Would I encounter a giraffe, an elephant, or a flock of goats around the next corner? The people here are unexpected, too. How do they survive during drought? What on earth do their livestock eat? How do they remain so friendly during times of great hardship?

Like the ovaHimba people, northwest Namibia possesses an understated elegance that is best appreciated at a steady African rhythm. Slow down, shed your schedules and deadlines, and explore the offline world of goatherders and villagers. As you start moving to the African beat and encounter more of Namibia’s unexpected beauties, stress and anxiety give way to wonder and gratitude. 

In this context, each animal sighting is a special treasure. Finding lions may involve days of tracking through riverbeds and over dunes, all the while learning how lions view their world. The search for desert black rhinos includes walking alongside dedicated rhino rangers who wear their boots out while working to protect these precious animals. The elephants and giraffes stand out as desert survivors, as resilient as the people with whom they share this landscape. 

Exploring the vast reaches of northwestern Namibia thoroughly is almost impossible for the inexperienced traveller, and could even be dangerous. Tales abound among locals about the misadventures of tourists who underestimate the rocky roads and flash-flooding rivers. Similarly, this expansive wilderness would be underappreciated during a normal safari, where one goes out for short game drives from a lodge. 

For these reasons, Conservancy Safaris Namibia (CSN) specialises in immersive expeditions to the northwest. Each expedition is tailored according to local knowledge and the guests’ specific requests. Those in search of desert-adapted wildlife, Namibia’s special birds, or a genuine cross-cultural exchange with ovaHimba people can all be accommodated. If the group includes children (or young at heart!), the expedition can be further tailored to maximise sensory experiences such as hiking up dunes or posing with the famous ‘lone stone men’. 

As they plan for each expedition, the CSN team considers these variables and more to craft the best possible route. This includes decisions about where to stay each night: in lodges, equipped campsites, or wild campsites (i.e. where there are no permanent facilities), or a combination of these. With Conservancy Safaris, wild camping resembles mobile glamping, as an advance team sets up large dome tents with comfortable bed rolls, mobile toilets and showers. As a guest, all you need do is enjoy your sundowner and explore the beautiful campsite.

Although the general itinerary for each day is well planned, this wilderness adventure will often call for detours or unexpected stops. Being able to adapt on the fly to make the most out of unexpected encounters makes for a uniquely Namibian experience.