Namibian culture

herero travel notes Herero women are known for their colourful attire | Credit: Travel Notes

Namibia’s sparse population of only 1,8 million people in a land area of 830 square kilometres makes it one of the most sparsely populated countries in Southern Africa. The San Bushmen are descendants of Africa’s Stone Age tribes and are considered Namibia’s oldest inhabitants. Confined to the desert and semi-desert regions of Namibia, their survival skills in such a harsh climate are renowned the world over.

Bantu-speaking populations include the Himba, Ovamba and Herero people, who are also extremely adept at living in the stark landscape of Namibia.

Languages in Namibia

Himba women | Credit: Eye See Africa Namibia has a remarkable diversity of spoken languages: around 30 in total. English is the official language in Namibia, and almost everyone that you’ll meet on your travels will speak English, even though it’s the first language of less than 1% of the country’s population. Nearly half the population speaks Oshiwambo dialects, while the other main languages are Khoekhoe, Afrikaans, Kwangali, Herero and German.

Lodges in Namibia

Credit | Boulder’s Lodge Many lodges in Namibia offer activities, food and drinks as part of your rate. It’s always a good idea to check exactly what is and isn’t included before your stay so you don’t get any surprises on your bill when you check out. Lodges usually explain their tipping practice in the in-room booklet, but if you’re unsure check with the management staff.

Highlights of Namibia

Namib-Naukluft National Park For a first-time journey to Namibia most travellers combine a rewarding mix of wildlife viewing and landscape exploring on a route that takes in the superb game on the salt pan of Etosha National Park, the adventure activities of the Germanic town of Swakopmund and the towering apricot dunes of the Namib-Naukluft National Park at Sossusvlei. The haunting Kolmanskop If you’re on a longer holiday, Namibia’s southern region has a lot of gems to…