Damaraland

Without a doubt a destination in its own right, but since it is so near to Etosha on the way to the Skeleton Coast, Damaraland's beauty and tranquility are sometimes overlooked.

Damaraland, with its rocky mountains, grass-covered plains, and every possible shade of brown from dark russet to bleached blonde, is at once gorgeous, unusual, and interesting, home to desert-adapted elephants, rhinos, and lions, as well as oryx, springbok, and hundreds of bird species. Except for the sky, which is always a brilliant, vibrant blue.

Damaraland is shelter to a variety of unusual species that have changed their habits to thrive in one of the harshest settings on the world. Here you may witness desert-adapted elephants, black rhinos, giraffes, ostriches, oryx, and springboks (gazelles). Elephants that have adapted to the desert may travel up to 70 kilometers (40 miles) a day through the desert in search of food and water, and unlike their savannah counterparts, they do not kill any trees in the process.

• Location: Namibia
• Timing: Open all day
• Famous for: rocky mountains, grass-covered plains
• Entry Fee: Free
• Best Time To Visit: May through September is the best time to visit.