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Discover Namibia: 11 Amazing Facts You Won't Believe About This African Gem

illustration of namibia
Get ready to embark on a virtual safari through one of Africa's lesser-known gems, as we uncover the most fascinating and intriguing fun facts about Namibia!

1. Namibia's Fishy Grand Canyon

If you think the Grand Canyon is swell, Namibia's got something even fishier: boasting the second-largest canyon in the world, this geological wonderland is also home to the Sesriem Canyon and artistic granite formations at Wüstenquell, not forgetting the mind-bending metamorphic Burnt Mountain in Damaraland.
Source => africatvl.com

2. Booming Dunes' Desert Symphony

If you thought the only wind instruments in the desert were tumbleweeds and the occasional wheezy cactus, Namibia's got a symphony that will blow you away: The Booming Dunes, a rare natural musical phenomenon, serenade the skies with a rumbling sound of up to 105 decibels as the wind waltzes around its crescent-shaped, silica-filled sand particles at perfect humidity levels.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

3. Mother Nature's Goth Phase: Dead Vlei

If Mother Nature had a gothic phase, she would've definitely hung out in Dead Vlei: a spooky spot in the Namib Desert, where blackened acacia trees have been left standing for centuries without decomposing due to the arid climate, making the surrounding landscape of red dunes and clear skies look like a scene straight from Mars.
Source => tourradar.com

4. Namibia's Party Central

In Namibia, partying isn't just a hobby, it's an art form, steeped in culture and served with a side of bratwurst: This African nation boasts a variety of festivities, including the Bank Windhoek Art Festival, Enjando Street Festival, Windhoek Carnival, Africa Day, Heroes Day, Oktoberfest, White Flag - Heroes Day, and Independence Day, highlighting local talent, traditional attire, live tunes, military parades, and sportsmanship, ensuring visitors get a true taste of Namibian flair mingled with its German heritage.
Source => triplegend.com

Ghost Town of Dazzling Diamonds

5. Ghost Town of Dazzling Diamonds

Diamonds may be forever, but prosperity? Not so much: The once-lavish Kolmanskop Ghost Town in Namibia, complete with a sparkling theatre, dazzling ballroom, and a shimmering bowling alley, saw its wealthy residents vanish as quickly as a desert mirage once the diamond boom went bust – leaving only sand-covered streets and eerie silence by 1954.
Source => vagrantsoftheworld.com

6. Desert Catwalk: Namib's Fabulous Horses

Whoever said "horses just wanna have fun" must've been talking about the Namib Desert's horses, who vogue their way through the sands like an equine sashay down a desert catwalk: This exclusive squad of feral horses, numbering between 90 and 150, are the only ones living in Africa and are thought to be descended from a mix of ride and cavalry horses released from German breeding programs during the early 20th century. Despite the scorching heat and dry conditions, these fabulous horses have adapted to conserve water, proving they're not just pretty faces but are true survivors.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Picturesque "Trees" in Quiver Forest

Whoever named Namibia's Quiver Tree Forest must have been "aloever the place," because these "trees" are actually massive, picturesque aloe plants: The Quiver Tree Forest comprises Aloe dichotoma plants that stretch up to 10 meters tall, live for over two centuries, and serve as a stunning backdrop for photographers and nature enthusiasts alike.
Source => outdoorphotographer.com

8. Mammoth Fish River Canyon

You know life's grand when you're in Namibia enjoying a tremendous "reel-y" big fish tale! With picturesque views that will make anyone "scale" new heights, this place rocks (literally) and would offer more than just a mouthful of Fish (River Canyon), that's for sure: Namibia boasts the world's second largest canyon, Fish River Canyon, stretching over 160 kilometers in length, up to 27 kilometers wide, and 550 meters deep – offering hikers an unforgettable experience of breathtaking rock formations and crystal-clear pools.
Source => southernskyadventures.com

9. Namibia's Hakuna Matata Menu

Move over, Timon and Pumbaa - Namibia has got the real Hakuna Matata menu! From Bambi's cousin to gamey grub and wormy snacks, the feast is on: Namibia's cuisine includes traditional dishes made from game meats like kudu, oryx, and eland, and even delicacies like Mopane worms. Unbeknownst to many, the nation has not one but three national animals - the springbok, the oryx, and the Hartmann's mountain zebra.
Source => safarinear.com

Flamingo Paradise: Walvis Bay

10. Flamingo Paradise: Walvis Bay

If pink is the new black, then Namibia is the ultimate runway, strutting its glamorous feathered models known as flamingos: In Walvis Bay, Namibia, you'll find one of the largest colonies of Greater Flamingos in the world, boasting over 46,000 of these fabulous birds in 2013 alone, alongside their Lesser Flamingo counterparts, both drawn to the coastal region's shallow salt pans and mudflats.
Source => batteredpassport.com

11. Skeleton Coast's Scorching Hangout

If the Skeleton Coast hosted a beach party, the dress code would be "sunscreen and skeletons": Namibia's famously inhospitable stretch of shoreline, aptly dubbed the "Gates of Hell," is home to both scorching sand dunes and an impressive array of wildlife, including the Welwitschia mirabilis – a desert plant with just two never-shedding leaves that can live for over 1,000 years, thriving in rain-catching sandy depressions near Messum Crater, Khorixas, Windhoek, and Swakopmund.
Source => treehugger.com

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