How Stargazing In Namibia Offers One Of The Ultimate Activities For Everyone

It’s always a starry, starry night in Namibia. The country boasts an average of 300 days of cloudless skies per year, a population of only 2.6 people per 2 km and huge tracts of undisturbed wilderness. All these characteristics add up to create unforgettable opportunities for stargazing in Namibia.

Stargazing is something that travelers of all ages can enjoy, it takes no special skills or equipment and in Namibia Tour you can do it almost anywhere.

Needless to say, the Photographic Safaris opportunities are endless, and Namibia has played host to many breath-taking celestial productions.

What actually is Star gazing?

In its absolute layman terms, stargazing (as the name suggests) is gazing at the stars in the night sky. There are more than 4,000 stars that can be seen sparkling in our universe all year around on any given clear cloudless night. When you’re living a cosmopolitan life or working a night shift job, you might not get a chance to experience the stunning view that the night sky proffers.

How Namibia is unique when it comes to stargazing?

Light pollution or photo pollution is the phenomenon of the presence of anthropogenic light in the night environment which blocks the lights emitted or reflected by celestial bodies. This prevents us from viewing the night sky to its fullest.

So how does Namibia score a point in this? The answer lies in its low population density. With an area of 825,615 km² Namibia is world’s 54^th largest country, but it is also the second lowest populated country with population of little over 2.8 million. It falls behind Mongolia in terms of population density. Due to this, there is very low light and air pollution. Coupled with the fact that Namibia enjoys 300 clear skies per year, the night sky is stunning to say the least with countless brightly shining stars. In fact, stargazing is one of the main Namibia Tourist Attractions.

Namibian night sky is not only limited for stargazers, but it also attracts the like of astronomers who enjoy the crisp clear night sky to get better viewing of distant stars. Gamsberg which is the largest mountain table in Namibia is situated in an excellent location where there is an international observatory for amateur astronomers.

The Best Places for Stargazing in Namibia:

·        Etosha National Park

Etosha National Park spanning an area of 22,270 sq km is located in the north-western part of Namibia. It is known for accommodating some of the rarest and endangered animal species like black rhino and African wild dog. Besides that, it is also a preferred spot for gazing at the night sky. Etosha Pan with 4,760 sq km covers 23% of the national park. The salt pan which is 120 Km long, is treeless, and free from any artificial lighting, the night sky become free from any disturbance which make up for a wonderful stargazing experience.

·        Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei is a salt and clay pan which is surrounded by high sand dunes. It is located in the southern part of Namib Desert and is 66 Km from the Sesriem gate, the entrance to this place. Besides being among the foremost Attractions Of Namibia for its unusually attractive landscape, it is also a perfect place for stargazing as there are almost no trees in its vicinity and sand dunes go as high as 325 meters. Big Daddy is one of the highest dunes in this region which is oppose to Big Mama, another high sand dune. Dunes of this kind give a theatrical view of the night sky.

·        NamibRand Nature Reserve

Just like Sossusvlei, it is also located in the southern part of Namibia. It is a private reserve which was established to help preserve the ecology and wildlife of south west region of Namib Desert. There are five concessionaries operating in the reserve who all make a combined effort to maintain and develop the natural resources of this area besides facilitating tourism.

It has been proclaimed as one of the best places on earth for stargazing and is Africa’s first International Dry Sky Reserve (IDSR). The and Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge accommodates a state of the art observatory with a 12 inch telescope where tourists and astronomers alike can enjoy the magnificent view of the night sky.

An Invitation To Shoot African Animals In Namibia

Namibia is considered one of the top game hunting countries in Africa. There are numerous private properties in Namibia that offer animal trophy hunting. Some of these are hunting -only properties, that means these are only dedicated for hunting purposes and not for safaris.

Giving Namibia’s Endangered Wildlife a Break

On the other side, Namibia also preserves some of the highly endangered species in African Safari and there are many projects dedicated solely to that. Namibia African Wild Dog Project is one such example. Thus if you’re a wildlife enthusiast, you’ll love your time in Namibia.

Plan Your Ultimate Stargazing Activity with Us

We at Enrico Safari are uninterruptedly involved in providing the best Namibia Tour experience to each and every tourist by partnering with cherry picked third party providers and facilitators.

We’re backed by years of experience and a dedicated team; therefore you can always count on us. If you’re planning a Namibian Safari or stargazing tour, please call us at 264 81 821 1521 or visit our Contact Us page to get in touch with us.