Day 1: Cape Town to Windhoek, Namibia

29 August 2025

Today was mostly a travel day as we made our way from Cape Town to Windhoek, capital of Namibia. We have a transfer booked from the airport to our hotel and we are greeted by a welcoming sign and the smiling face of Wian who will be our guide and driver for the next 3 weeks. As it turns out, there are a whole lot of different flights coming in within a short period of time and Wian is able to collect our entire group of 11 travellers in one pickup.

We arrive at the Avani Windhoek Hotel and after a quick check in, as we are all there, we decide on having our briefing straight away so that we know what is happening and then have a free evening. Some go out to explore or purchase last minute necessities, others rest and get themselves sorted. Most of us meet for dinner in the cafe just below the hotel (no one was interested in a huge buffet dinner in the main restaurant).

We have 11 in our group (plus Wian), all Australians except Anne and I. There is a 20 year age span from 62 to 82 and, for the first time in all my travels, there are no couples. Everyone is a single (although some have left partners behind). Peter, Mike and Jock all know each other and are from the Sunshine Coast. Sally and Kamal also know each other and are from the Sunshine Coast as well. Kym is from Sydney, as are Sandra and Lyn (who are sisters) – all 3 shared the same travel agent. Brian also hails from Sydney.

A Bit About Namibia and Windhoek

Namibia is a country in Southern Africa bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Angola, Zambia, Botswana, and South Africa. It is known for its diverse geography and is divided into three main zones: the coastal Namib Desert, the central plateau, and the Kalahari Desert in the east. The country is one of the driest and most sparsely populated in the world. Namibia was the first African country to integrate environmental protection into its constitution, establishing communal conservancies for wildlife and sustainable resource management. Namibia has rich mineral resources, including diamonds and uranium. Ecotourism is a significant source of income, generated through the country’s conservation efforts and vast natural areas.

Namibia has a rich cultural history, with English as the official language and German and several African languages also spoken. Before WWI, Namibia was a German colony; it gained independence from South Africa in 1990, and is now a presidential republic with a democratic constitution. The majority of the population is Christian.

There are only around 2.1 million people in Namibia. Windhoek is the social, economic, political, and cultural centre of the country. Nearly every Namibian national enterprise, governmental body, educational and cultural institution is headquartered there. Windhoek lies in a valley bordered by the Eros Mountains in the north and the Auas Mountains in the south. It is a scenic city with a harmonious blend of African and European cultures and architectural influences.

We learnt a bit about the meaning of colours on the Namibian flag:
yellow represents the sun;
blue, the marine resources;
white – peace;
red – blood shed; and
green – agriculture.