Namibia is one of the most satisfying places for dedicated and curious nature lovers to visit because it is so rewarding when you unlock its puzzles and secrets with a great guide. Instead of ‘nothing’ but seemingly lifeless sand, you will soon be dazzled by everything from the silk trapdoors made by dancing white lady spiders to seeing how desert-adapted elephants casually traverse enormous dunes. This is a place that teaches you one of the biggest lessons in life: it’s not what you have but what you do with it. Wildlife here has very little water and highly seasonal grazing and yet they play, breed and fight just like their cousins in richer environments. Finding them may be harder but what a total thrill when you spot a brown hyena on the beach or a Cape fox on the plains.

A network of precious rivers winds its way through the salt pans of Etosha, the dunes of the Namib, the plains of Damaraland and the canyons in the south. These have supported the Himba and other tribes for millennia and echoes of their culture can be found in rock painting and desert camps. Accommodation ranges from ultra-luxurious to seriously down to earth, and Namibia is a haven for travellers comfortable with 4×4 vehicles and sandy, rocky roads. This is one of the few places in Africa where you can drive yourself in safety but still feel like you are having an off-road adventure!