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Activities |
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The Ghost Town |
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Kolmanskop is situated on the outskirts of Luderitz
amongst the Namibian dunes. The ghost town once the
Consolidated Diamond Mines head quarters, was a
diamond boom town with a casino, a skittle alley and
a theatre of great auditory renown. Diamonds were
abundant in the area, rumored by some to be visible
with the naked eye. Five million carats (about 1000
kilograms) of diamonds were mined here between 1911
and 1914.
However, the slump in diamond sales after WWI, the
discovery of richer pickings at Oranjemund, severe
water problems and a constant, sand-blasting wind
ended its heyday and by 1956, the town was totally
deserted.
Guided tours around this ghostly and fascinating
town, whose buildings are being invaded by the
advancing, sands. Some buildings have been restored,
but many have been captured by the dunes." |
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Hot Air Ballooning |
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Hot air
ballooning in Namibia is arguably the best way to
take in the landscapes of this striking country.
Floating high above the ground, you have a
impressive, uninterrupted view of the gorgeous
landscape below. Described as a somewhat magical
experience, hot air ballooning is one of the oldest
forms of flight known to man. Nowadays tailored to
meet the needs of the public, hot air ballooning in
the Namib Desert has become a highly sought after
activity.
A hot air balloon trip will usually begin just
before sunrise. You’ll gently lift off the ground to
a height of approximately 10-20m and leisurely float
along with the wind. At this height you’re able to
have a glorious view of the sunrise as well as keep
on the lookout for animals on the ground below. The
panoramic views that you are privy to from this
height leave many amazed as they witness the sunrise
and the spreading light extending to the opposite
horizon. It’s a magnificent experience and will
leave you with a warm glow for weeks after. |
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Rafting |
The
Kunene River is Namibia's foremost white-water
rafting destination, promising rapids, waterfalls,
crocodiles and adventure. When rafting, your body
will be flooded with adrenalin allowing you no time
to think as you push through the infamous Ondorusa
Rapids. During your scheduled breaks you can relax
in riverside pools, watch the wildlife and soak up
the wilderness atmosphere.
The river cuts through the dry Kaokoveld and Namib
Desert on its way to the Atlantic, creating a green
strip of vegetation in a hostile land, one of
Namibia's least explored wilderness of arid
mountains and plains. The area is inhabited by the
Himba an ancient tribe clinging to their
centuries-old traditions, who travel with their
herds in search of grazing.
The Epupa Falls are the highlight of the river; it
is where the Kunene breaks up into several channels
before hurtling into a deep chasm. Rafters can camp
nearby and walk down to marvel at the falls, or swim
in the pools at the base. This adventure affords you
a chance to experience true wilderness away from
well-travelled paths. |
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Dune Boarding |
The
seaside town of Swakopmund, where the Namib desert
cascade into the sea, has become southern Africa's
dune-boarding capital. Unlike sand boarding, where
you navigate back and forth, dune boarding takes a
more direct route, ie: straight down! No experience
is necessary, just lie on your front on a large
piece of hardboard, pull up the front edge of the
board, tuck your elbows in - and go.
At Dune 7, one of the highest dunes in Namibia,
people can learn to do dune boarding. You're driven
out to the base of a mountain-sized sand dune, given
a large oblong sheet of hardboard, some furniture
polish, a pair of heavy industrial gloves, and some
welding goggles, and next minute you're flying
almost vertically downward. It feels suicidal; even
on the easiest descents the board can pick up speeds
of 60 or 70 km/hr. Steeper ones are much faster.
Then you graduate to jumps, finally ending the day
with the "Knucklegrinder," an 800-foot whoosh down
to a hard gravel plain. |
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Fishing |
The
Namibian coast, known for its unique scenic beauty,
is also regarded as one of the best fishing grounds
in the world. On offer is fishing in ski boats with
4 - 8 persons per boat along the coast: half-day or
day trips with all necessary angling equipment, bait
and experienced guide, fishing trips with duration
of several days, game fishing excursions. Beach
fishing with 4x4 vehicles can also be arranged. All
boats are surveyed annually and have seaworthy
certificates for all safety, radio, and navigational
equipment required. Skippers are in possession of
valid skipper’s tickets. Game fishing is done in
deep sea for snoek, yellowtail and tuna and
organized from November till March.
Shark angling is becoming an increasingly popular
sport in Namibia. Because certain species are mainly
found in shallow waters, at a depth up to 100 m,
sharks are often taken by sports anglers. The bigger
shark species, when caught, are normally tagged and
returned to the sea. The season for shark angling is
from November to May. The confluence of the Chobe
and Zambezi rivers, in the eastern Caprivi, is an
excellent area for fly fishing. This is a good area
to catch Tiger Fish. |
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Golfing |
Golf can
take hold in the most unlikely of places, capturing
the imagination and leading the young to dream.
Namibia is without a doubt one of the most
captivating countries in Africa. For golfers who
enjoy a challenge and a complete change of scenery,
Namibia offers the Windhoek Country Club, the Bush
Course of Tsumeb, the Rössmund Country Club near
Swakopmund and more, all unique different.
Rossmund Desert Golf Course is a private golf course
in Swakopmund, Namibia. It is located 6 km outside
of Swakopmund on the B2 on the way to Windhoek on
the Swakop River. Stroll amongst the wild life and
enjoy the resident buck and morning duets of the
desert strike. Golfing on this 6 068 metre par 72
fully grassed 18-hole golf course with its year
round quality fairways and slick greens is
enormously rewarding. It was designed by Gary
Player.
Lüderitz Golf Course, is a rough and tough course
with no grass. It is only possible to play this
course during the months from March to October as it
is simply too windy to play here the rest of the
year. Keetmanshoop Golf Course, this 70 year old
golf course in Keetmanshoop boasts a newly built
club house and sophisticated computerised handicap
system. |
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Paragliding |
Swakopmund is the activity centre of Southern
Africa. You can basically do anything here from quad
biking to sand boarding to skydiving and
paragliding. Operators offer beginners and advance
coarses, this will give you an amazing opportunity
to learn the basics and depending on your
application of the lesson, you will get to fly up to
5 times from the dunes on the same day.
The basic course is designed to allow anybody who is
interested in Paragliding to get the best and safest
initial training in ground handling on the sand
dunes. Upon successful completion of this course,
you will be equipped with the knowledge and training
to be able to soar along the dunes endlessly. The
most exhausting part would be having to climb back
up the sand dune for the next flight.
If you are already a pilot who has dune experience
but have not been flying on the dunes for a while,
on offer is a currency skill evaluation. This will
be to satisfy the local clubs and instructors that
you can fly competently, safely and that you have
acquired the correct location information for ground
handling and dune flying. |
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Quad biking |
Quad
biking is a very popular fun and exciting pass time
for individuals and families. It is also a favourite
activity amongst many companies wishing to get their
staff out of the office for a couple of hours, half
or full day and have some fun or team building.
No previous motor biking experience is needed and
you can choose from two types of bike. Those who are
a little hesitant of their biking ability there are
160cc semi-automatic bikes, and the 200cc manual
bikes if you have some idea of what they are doing.
Helmets, goggles and gloves are provided. Your guide
will brief you on the terrain you will be riding on,
as well as give clear descriptions on the hand
signals and explain the controls of the quad bike
you will use for your trip.
Tours are multi-guiding with slow and fast groups in
the same tour, catering for both the adrenalin
seeker and the complete novice. This exciting
excursion starts on the edge of the Swakop River
bed, crosses some gravel plains and goes into the
dune belt where the fun starts. |
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