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About Namibia
Namibia, located in southwest Africa, is bordered by Angola to the north, South Africa to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. While the country is rich in mineral resources, including gold and diamonds, it never experienced a gold rush akin to California’s. Instead, scattered remnants of abandoned early prospecting sites – rusted mining equipment and deserted settlements – stand as silent witnesses to Namibia’s early mining history.
Today, tourism plays an increasingly vital role in Namibia’s economy. The country’s breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and vast national parks rank among the world’s top travel destinations, attracting large numbers of visitors. Yet, Namibia’s sheer size ensures that unspoiled nature remains accessible almost everywhere. A few striking facts highlight this:
- Despite being twice the size of Germany, Namibia’s population is only one-twentieth as large.
- With just four inhabitants per square kilometre, it is one of the least densely populated countries on Earth.
- The climate also presents extreme contrasts. Rainfall in the Namib Desert is barely higher than in the Atacama, the world’s driest desert, and in regions like Deadvlei, precipitation is often recorded as zero.
For more than four years, Deadvlei remained entirely dry – until the day we arrived. That night, an unexpected downpour transformed the desert, sculpting intricate patterns into the dunes and creating striking, ephemeral structures – an extraordinary bonus for my photography.
That moment was unforgettable. Rain in the desert is a rare sight, but after four years of complete drought, it felt almost surreal. The way water interacts with the dunes – darkening and reshaping the sand, forming mesmerizing contrasts, etching delicate patterns, and briefly solidifying into sculptural formations – is one of nature’s most fleeting wonders.
Experiencing this firsthand reveals just how alive even the driest landscapes can be.
Namibia: More Pictures
Some facts
Covering over 800,000 km², Namibia is one of Africa’s largest countries. However, its population is just over 3.1 million, resulting in a remarkably low density of only 4 people per km². This leaves vast areas of untouched, unspoiled nature.
Nature
Landscapes
Namibia’s expansive landscapes and sparse population make it a truly unique destination, offering breathtaking open spaces and pristine natural beauty.
Deserts
Namib Desert
Namibia is home to the Namib Desert, one of the world’s oldest deserts. It features some of the highest sand dunes globally, including Dune 7, towering at 388 meters. One particularly stunning location is Deadvlei, a shallow clay pan scattered with ancient dead trees, creating an otherworldly landscape.
Skeleton Coast
If a desert is defined as a place of harsh conditions and sparse vegetation, then the Skeleton Coast certainly qualifies. This eerie coastline, known for its treacherous waters, is littered with shipwrecks and whale bones, earning it the infamous nickname “The Gates of Hell.”
Special: Rocks and Survival
The shapes, textures, and colours of Namibia’s rock formations are mesmerizing—whether rising from mountains or standing alone as natural stone monuments. Despite the harsh, arid environment, small shrubs and trees find a way to survive, showcasing nature’s resilience.
Wildlife
Namibia boasts exceptional wildlife parks, home to a diverse range of species. Apart from an up-close experience at a rescue and relocation farm for cheetahs—where we were able to interact directly with some animals—we focused on wildlife observation in their natural habitat. One of the most unforgettable moments was seeing desert elephants, especially a mother and her calf.
Roads and Travel
Exploring Namibia means covering vast distances, often on dirt roads and occasionally through challenging terrain. Navigating the landscape can lead to some unexpected and intriguing waypoints.
Special: Surprises and Curiosities
With a country full of impressions, it is not surprising that there are situations that are out of the ordinary. Some of these can be seen in this collection.
People – Kids
A country only comes alive through its inhabitants. And very often the children are the key to this … only one reason for these portraits.
The Himba People
Among Namibia’s indigenous cultures, the Himba people stand out for their unique traditions, including their distinctive red ochre body paint and semi-nomadic lifestyle. Their way of life offers a fascinating glimpse into cultural preservation and adaptation in a modernizing world.
The Himba People
Tradition and Challenges in a Changing World
Facts
According to some estimates, around 50,000 Himba still live in Namibia today. Determining a concrete, reliable number is made difficult by the census method, which only records ‘Namibians’, but not their ancestry.
History
The Himba people are an indigenous ethnic group primarily residing in the Kunene region of Namibia and parts of southern Angola. They are descendants of the Herero people, who migrated to the area centuries ago.
Over time, the Himba developed a distinct identity, shaped by their semi-nomadic pastoralist lifestyle and deep connection to their land. Despite facing colonial pressures, including forced labor and land seizures, they have preserved their traditions and cultural identity.
Beliefs
The Himba have a strong spiritual connection to their ancestors and nature. Their belief system revolves around ancestor worship, with rituals performed to honor past generations. They also believe in Mukuru, a supreme deity who governs the universe. Fire plays a crucial role in their spiritual practices, symbolizing communication between the living and the ancestors.
Culture
Himba culture is rich and visually striking. They are known for their distinctive appearance, particularly the red ochre paste (otjize) that women apply to their skin and hair. This mixture, made from animal fat and ground ochre, protects their skin from the harsh climate and is considered a symbol of beauty. Their social structure is patriarchal, with male elders making key decisions, though women hold significant influence in domestic and spiritual matters. Polygamy is common, and marriages are arranged to strengthen clan ties.
Daily Life
The Himba live a subsistence lifestyle, relying on cattle herding as their primary economic activity. Cattle are symbols of wealth and status, and their daily routines revolve around tending to livestock. Women are responsible for milking cows, collecting firewood, and preparing food, while men oversee herding and trade.
Their villages consist of circular huts made from mud and dung, reflecting their adaptation to the arid environment.
Environment
The Himba inhabit a harsh, semi-desert terrain, characterized by extreme temperatures and scarce water sources. Their nomadic lifestyle allows them to move in search of pasture and water for their cattle. However, climate change has intensified droughts, threatening their traditional way of life.
Challenges …
… as they navigate the pressures of modernization and environmental change.
Despite their resilience, the Himba face growing challenges from modernization; they include:
- Land and Resource Struggles: Their traditional pastoral lifestyle depends on access to grazing land and water, but the impacts of increasing land development, climate change and tourism disrupt their self-sufficient economy, disable sustaining their way of life and even rely on external aid.
- Environmental Challenges: Droughts and changing weather patterns make it harder for them to maintain their livestock-based economy.
- Cultural Erosion: As modernization spreads, younger generations are exposed to urban influences with tempting expectations, leading to shifts in traditional customs and values.
- Health Risks: Limited access to healthcare and exposure to modern diseases have impacted their well-being.
- Legal and Political Pressures: Government policies and external influences sometimes conflict with their traditional land rights and autonomy.
Despite these challenges, the Himba people continue to demonstrate resilience in preserving their cultural identity.
Summary
The Himba people stand at a crossroads, balancing tradition and adaptation in an evolving world. While some embrace aspects of modernity, others strive to preserve their heritage, ensuring that their unique identity endures despite external pressures.
The beauty of decay
A trip to Crete offered me lots of possibilities to demonstrate this: I found many villages, partially or completely uninhabited and the houses left in different states of decay. As much as I embraced the possibility to shoot pictures of one of my preferred subjects, the much I also felt sorry for the people living or have lived there. It must be extremely depressing to see how people – friends, relatives, neighbours – one after the other leave the village before you make this decision yourself, draw the consequences and join the exodus.
Equally interesting is the southern part of the island, much less touristy than its northern equivalent. The picturesque mountains dominate and leave not much room for settlements or agriculture – thus it’s beauty being a reason for the left villages.
But – as expected – you will find monasteries, churches and even rock caves as ‘natural’ places for inner contemplation, well maintained and visited despite the small number of locals.
