With this list, we want to elaborate on the many names and understandings you find in our group trips. You can use this list as well to improve your general knowledge about Namibia.
Every understanding is accompanied by information. While reading, you will discover more and more about Namibia. Have fun!

Brandberg White Lady:
A solid granite massif containing Namibia's highest peak (2579m). Visible from hundreds of kilometers away. Its slopes are from enormous dimensions and contain canyons, rivers, peaks and an immense amount of granite rocks and boulders. The area contrasts with the dry desert surrounding it: it is a wonderful place to spot interesting flora and fauna due to its many water sources, making it no surprise that this was one of the first inhabited areas in the world, proven by the many rock paintings left behind - including the world-famous "White Lady".

Burnt Mountain:
This black, flat-topped mountain is situated in the vicinity of Khorixas. Wonderful colors during sunrise and sunset.

Cape Cross:
Cape Cross is the place where Europe and Namibia met for the first time in 1486, due to the arrival of the Portuguese seaman Diego Cao. It is as well the place where the first Namibian railroad was built, and houses the worlds largest seal population.

Dead Vlei:
A dry "pan" near Sossusvlei containing large amounts of dead camel thorn trees.

Diamond area:
Protected area containing diamonds. The valuable stones originate from countless, million-year old volcanic pipes and are transported by a large network of rivers 0 the ancient Orange River and its side rivers. The gulf along the shore made sure that the sea left a trail of diamonds north of Orange River and, in less quantities, south of the river as well.

Duwisib Castle:
A mansion protected by a fort, both built from red sand stone. Amidst the desolate African landscape, the castle almost seems a mirage. Duwisib has been built by Hansheinrich von Wolf, an aristocrat from Saxony, Germany. He purchased the land together with his wife in 1907, with the idea of breeding horses (and unknowingly being responsible for the wild horses in the Aus area - the offspring of a few escaped horses). Von Wolf died in 1916 during the First World War. His wife never returned to Africa, saying that her husbands Africa-story was "nothing more than an interesting experiment".

Etosha:
Consists of the Etosha Pan, an pan-shaped area, and the National Wildpark surrounding it. It is one of the worlds largest protected wildlife areas. It houses endangered animals such as the black rhinoceros and the cheetah, but many others as well. 340 types of birds only live in Etosha, and the park is the most important breeding spot for southern Africa's flamingo population.

Fish River Canyon:
The Fish River Canyon is often compared with the Grand Canyon in Colorado. But whatever people may say, Fish River Canyon has its own, unique origin, image and beauty and is in no way similar to the Grand Canyon. The Fish River is a season river, meaning that there is only water for a couple weeks after it has rained in certain areas of the country - usually between January and April. Its origin can be recalled on a moving earth's crust, after which it was completely hollowed out during rainier times millions of years ago. The canyon is about 550 meters deep, 160 kilometers long and several kilometers wide. About 80 kilometers of the canyon is accessible.

Hoba Meteorite:
Large nickel-iron meteorite near Grootfontein. It's the worlds largest meteorite, weighing over 60 tonnes, and one of Namibia's national monuments. Surprisingly, the meteorite did not leave a crater on impact. The commonly acknowledged theory states that the meteorite hit the earth on a very small angle, around 80.000 BC. Due to the small angle, the meteorite "bumped" several times like a rock over water, after which it came to a halt at its current position.

Kolmanskop:
This ghost town is situated near Lüderitz. The town was founded in 1908 because diamonds were found in the area. The resulting diamond fever lasted up to 1938, after which the diamond industry moved to Oranjemund, where diamonds were up to six times the size of those near Kolmanskop. Kolmanskop provided a hospital and storage up to 1956. After 1956, wind and sand occupied the deserted houses and buildings, resulting in parts of the town now being covered in sand. The access gate to Elizabeth Bay (a mine 30km southwards) is now a touristic attraction and an outlet for original Namibian diamonds.

Organ Pipes:
On-route to Burnt Mountain, you will find this rock formation. The geological phenomenon originates to about 120 million years ago, when magma from far beneath the earth's crusts surfaced and through slow cooling changed in dolerite. The dolerite has been compressed and broken throughout the years, resulting in the Organ Pipes. Some of the pipes are up to five meters high!

Otjikoto lake:
The word Otjikoto originates from the Otjiherero languages and means something like "deep hole". The lake is shaped like a gourd, measuring depths up to 100 meters. Around the lake, you will find a rich variety of flora and fauna. On its shores rest an old steam machine and pumps, placed there in 1907. On the bottom of the lake are several cannons and carts from the First World War, dumped there by the Germans after losing the war to the English. Part of it has been recovered and is now on display in the Tsumeb museum.

Ovahimbas:
Known as Himbas as well. One of Africa's last true nomads, treasuring their cultural and pristine heritage. Robbed and weakened by Nama game thieves in the second half of the 19th century, they were called "Tjimba" and were classified as hunter-gatherers. Tjimba means as much as "aardvarken", an animal that digs to find its food.
Many fled to Angola, where they where called "Ovahimba", meaning "beggars". Vita ("war") stood up as their new leader, was successful in waging war and made sure that his people could once again live in Kaokoland. Ever since, they reside there without many interruptions from the outside world, enabling them to preserve their fascinating traditional lifestyle and rituals.

Petrified Forest:
Near Khorixas. Large amount of petrified tree trunks. The petrified wood, dating back to 260 million years ago, is the result of a process where the large tree trunks were first covered in sand, thus removing oxygen. Silicum acids then transformed the wood on a molecular level to quartz minerals, but preserved the original, organic patterns.

Popa Falls:
Beautiful nature area with small waterfalls and streams with height differences of 2 to 4 meters over the full width of the Okavango River, near Bagani on the Botswan border. Its structures are well visible during the dry season, while during the wet season it is rich in flora and fauna. You might be able to spot the occasional Bushmen here.

Quad Biking:
Many lodges and accommodations offer you the possibility to plow, under supervision, through the desert on a 4x4 quad bike.

Quiver Tree Forest:
A national monument! One of southern Namibia's main attractions. You can find an occasional quiver tree in Namibia, but in this area, near Keetmanshoop, you will find about 250 of them. The trees will grow up to 3 to 5 meters - some even reach 8 meters. The tree survives the heat and drought by conserving water in its trunk. When the tree is about twenty to thirty years old, it will be able to flower for the first time. The trees can be up to 300 years of age. Each trunk has a lightweight, sponge-like inside structure, making it an ideal woodcraft resource for the Bushmen that often use quiver trees to make their arrow casings.

Singing Stones:
In the Keetmanshoop area, you will find large areas with piled iron rocks. Because the sediment has flushed away throughout the years, the rocks only contact each other in small spots, resulting in beautiful tones when you touch the rocks.

Sandwich Harbour Tour:
Sandwich Harbour is about one our south of Walvis Bay along a pristine coastline. It is one of the few places in the world where the sand dunes directly contact the sea. A beautiful environment for photographers and 4x4 lovers.

Warm water sources:
Sources near Ai-Ais. Ai-Ais is Nama for "boiling hot water". The water reaches temperatures of up to 60 degrees celcius and provides the in- and outdoor baths in Ai-Ais with water. The water finds its source deep underground and is rich in minerals - many believe that it can have a positive influence on rheumatic diseases. The in- and outdoor baths are a much loved stop amongst guests who would like to relax for a moment.

Welwitschia Mirabellis:
A plant with only two leaves that can be up to a thousand years old - a living fossil. Only found in Namibia and Botswana. The leaves will be up to a few meters long and the plant roots up to one meter deep.