There is nothing to prepare you for the profusion and mixture of scenery, wildlife, and the sheer enormity of elemental landscapes that await you in Namibia. Animals gathering around watering holes in Etosha National Park. The huge granite intrusion of Spitzkoppe dominating the endless desert landscape. Miles and miles of windswept beaches along the Skeleton Coast, or the enormous burnt-red sand dunes at Sossusvlei. Namibia is truly a land of vast, untold beauty.
The people here are equally incredible. Namibia, like most countries in Africa, was colonized in the late 1800s, first under German control until 1915, and by South Africa after that. A guerrilla war against the South African occupation started in 1966, and the country eventually gained its independence in 1990. Since then, Namibia has done remarkably well, due largely to the commitment of its eclectic mix of peoples to making the unified country work.
If you visit Namibia, you may come across and meet the Himba people who have maintained their traditional nomadic ways, as well as the San Bushmen. There’s also the (incredibly!) German colonial feel of Bavarian Swakopmund, complete with half-timbered houses. You’ll pinch yourself if you visit the town—as you may think you are actually in Bavaria! German is still widely spoken in Swakopmund, along with Afrikaans and English.
Namibia’s people consist of 11 major ethnic groups scattered throughout the country, with a general acceptance of diversity. From the nomadic Himba to the urban elite, Namibia today is largely free of tribal conflict. At a 1993 conference on tribalism, Prime Minister Hage Geingob summarized the issue by saying, “for too long we have thought of ourselves as Hereros, Namas, Afrikaaners, Germans, Ovambos. We must now start to think of ourselves as Namibians.” The Namibian population is estimated to be just under 2.5 million. These days, Namibia is renowned for its diverse cultures. It is also one of the least populated countries in the world. All those vast, open spaces with little traffic makes it perfect for biking—all roads leading us to a wonderful variety of peoples and landscapes.
In precolonial times, this area was known to the Khoisan people for its hot springs, which are still a feature of the town. Jonker Afrikaaner established the first settlement in the Klein Windhoek valley in 1840. Two missionaries were invited to the flourishing settlement in 1842, and reported back that a church big enough to seat 500 people had been built here, as well as established gardens and irrigated fields. For the next 20 years, the community prospered as the centre of commerce between the Herero and the Oorlam/Nama. After Jonker Afrikaner’s death, his followers dispersed and the settlement was abandoned.
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