Huntinamibia - My Namibian Adventure - Best loved on the continent
Africa has always been a favoured destination for hunters. The experience of spending the entire day outside in the bush and sitting around a campfire under the stars at night never ceases to amaze visitors from other continents. The atmosphere and freedom of an African hunting safari will captivate everybody who has experienced it. In the colder regions of the northern hemisphere, adverse weather conditions are an integral part of the hunt. But the weather is certainly not the only draw card to Africa. The abundance and wealth of huntable species on the African continent is unparalleled.
Not so long ago, Namibia was considered Africa’s best-kept secret. Little was known about Namibia as a hunting destination. However, that perception is something of the past. What was known as Africa’s harsh paradise to only a few insiders, has since become one of the best-loved destinations on the continent.
Amidst the diverse landscapes and habitats that Africa offers, Namibia has a special place. The dry regions of the south-western arid zone which comprises Namibia and Botswana, has a very distinct charm. While the Kalahari basin impresses by its sheer expanse and flat monotony, the landscape becomes more spectacular once the traveller leaves Namibia’s western Kalahari region and reaches the central plateau behind. Here the bushveld is interrupted by bizarre rock formations and mountain ranges. There is nothing on the African continent comparable to the harsh, breathtaking beauty of the landscape where the central highlands drop steeply towards the Namib Desert and the coastal plains. This escarpment, stretching all the way from north to south along the vast empty solitude of the desert, probably gave it the reputation of being Africa’s harsh paradise.
In stark contrast to this arid landscape is the beauty and elegance of the characteristic game species of Africa’s south-western arid zone. The greater kudu, arguably the most beautiful animal in the world, the desert-adapted gemsbok, the graceful springbok and the robust Hartmann’s zebra add a special charm to these barren game fields. Besides these there is a wide range of huntable species in Namibia, including the Big Five, the black-faced impala, the Damara dik-dik and many more.
Visiting sportsmen have the option of at least three types of hunting experiences. Namibia established its reputation as a good value-for-money hunting destination, where relatively affordable hunting safaris on commercial, mixed, cattle and hunting farms are possible.
In a familiar hospitable farm atmosphere the sportsman can experience day-to-day farm life, and enjoy a hunting experience of a high standard.
With the increase of hunting tourism, many commercial farmers have changed from cattle to game farming. On such game farms, the infrastructure and standard of accommodation is often higher because most of these hunting farms are registered as guest farms. They often have a broader spectrum of game species.
The third option is the so-called hunting safari on open land in concession areas where dangerous big game occurs. Namibia is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, offering some of the most unspoilt wilderness areas for hunting safaris. In these concession areas there are not only typical plains game species, but also some ‘tropical’ species such as sable and roan antelope and dangerous big game such as elephant, and of exceptional trophy quality, buffalo, lion and leopard. These big-game safaris finally established Namibia’s reputation as being one of Africa’s most rewarding hunting destinations.
