Safari guides are cool people, their brains ripe with knowledge they’re happy to share. The best ones are charismatic and make your days so much fun you never want them to end. But it’s not often you see one of them yoyo with excitement at something he’s just seen for the first time. Yet that’s what happened on a game drive at Desert Rhino Camp in Damaraland, Namibia.
|
By Roxanne Reid
Safari guides are cool people, their brains ripe with knowledge they’re happy to share. The best ones are charismatic and make your days so much fun you never want them to end. But it’s not often you see one of them yoyo with excitement at something he’s just seen for the first time. Yet that’s what happened on a game drive at Desert Rhino Camp in Damaraland, Namibia.
10 Comments
By Roxanne Reid Deserts, rivers, wildlife, amazing landscapes. I’ve written elsewhere about the best places and things to do in south and central Namibia. In this companion piece about a country I’ve visited more than 30 times and has crept into my heart, I’m sharing my pick of places to visit and things to do in Namibia: the north. You’ll also find some tips to know before you go. By Roxanne Reid
[Updated April 2025] If you love history and old buildings, you’ll love Graaff-Reinet in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. The town has more than 220 listed heritage sites, so there’s lots of history to be explored. If you love nature, you’re in luck too, given that the town is surrounded by 195 square kilometres of national park. Here’s my pick of things to do in Graaff-Reinet in the Karoo. By Roxanne Reid
You’ve spent the day exploring the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve and lighthouse, walking on the beach at Paternoster and kayaking in the sea. Now your stomach is growling. Luckily, there’s no way you’re going to go hungry in Paternoster, with restaurants offering everything from pizzas and burgers to seafood and fine dining. Here are some Paternoster restaurants worth visiting. By Roxanne Reid The Cederberg Wilderness Area just 220km north of Cape Town is a place to feel the fresh mountain air on your face, hear the call of birds and enjoy views of mountains and intriguing rock formations. Don’t miss the Stadsaal Caves and San rock paintings of elephants that were painted at least 1000 years ago. By Roxanne Reid
For the locals, life in Paternoster revolves around the sea. Fishing is the historical lifeblood of the village and fishermen still go out almost every day in their colourful wooden boats. For visitors, of course, there’s more variety. Here are 20 things to do in Paternoster on the West Coast of South Africa. By Roxanne Reid I’ve been to Namibia more than 30 times and I still want to go again. It’s so diverse, with deserts, rivers and floodplains, wildlife big and small, spectacular landscapes, a place that touches your soul. People often ask for my tips on Namibia, so here’s my pick of places to visit and things to do in Namibia: south and central. I’ve written up the north elsewhere. By Roxanne Reid
Yearning for a weekend glamping somewhere in the country where you can enjoy panoramic views, gourmet meals, and romantic hot tubbing, even active mountain biking or hiking? Canvas Collective Africa in the greater Hemel en Aarde Valley between Caledon and Stanford in the Western Cape might be just the place. By Roxanne Reid
The small village of Nieu Bethesda in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Karoo was once a dusty little place no one had heard of. Then it rocketed to fame on the reputation of Helen Martins’ strangely compelling Owl House and Camel Yard. But there’s much more to it than the Owl House. After making multiple visits over the past few years, here’s my pick of things to do in Nieu Bethesda in the Karoo. By Roxanne Reid Scottish missionary and medic David Livingstone (yes, he of ‘Dr Livingstone, I presume’ fame) may be the first documented European adventurer to have seen the Victoria Falls. But I can tell you that he didn’t see them the best way. Nearly 160 years later, you can go one up on old Livingstone. |
Get email links to the latest postsBuy my books
E-book 2012
2nd ed e-book 2015
E-book 2017
AboutI'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel. Categories
All
Archives
November 2025
|




