Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Plants
Because Namibia is mostly arid, much of the flora is typical African dry-land vegetation:
scrub brush and succulents, such as euphorbia. Along the coastal plain around Swakop-
mund are the world's most extensive and diverse fields of lichen; they remain dormant
during dry periods, but with the addition of water they burst into colourful bloom.
Most of the country is covered by tree-dotted, scrub savannah grasses of the genera
Stipagrostis, Eragrostis
and
Aristida.
In the south, the grass is interrupted by ephemeral
watercourses lined with tamarisks, buffalo thorn and camelthorn. Unique floral oddities
here include the
kokerboom
(quiver tree), a species of aloe that grows only in southern
Namibia.
In the sandy plains of southeastern Namibia, raisin bushes
(Grewia)
and candlethorn
grow among the scrubby trees, while hillsides are blanketed with green-flowered
Aloe vi-
ridiflora
and camphor bush.
The eastern fringes of Namib-Naukluft Park are dominated by semidesert scrub savan-
nah vegetation, including some rare aloe species
(Aloe karasbergensis
and
Aloe sladeni-
ana)
. On the gravel plains east of the Skeleton Coast grows the bizarre
Welwitschia
mirabilis,
a slow-growing, ground-hugging conifer that lives for more than 1000 years.
In areas with higher rainfall, the characteristic grass savannah gives way to acacia
woodlands, and Etosha National Park enjoys two distinct environments: the wooded sa-
vannah in the east and thorn-scrub savannah in the west. The higher rainfall of Caprivi
and Kavango sustains extensive mopane woodland, and the riverine areas support
scattered wetland vegetation, grasslands and stands of acacias. The area around Katima
Mulilo is dominated by mixed subtropical woodland containing copalwood, Zambezi teak
and leadwood, among other hardwood species.
NATIONAL PARKS & RESERVES
Park
Features
Activities
Best
time
Dorob National
Park
Stretches from the Ugab River in the north down to Sandwich Har-
bour in the south (it consumes the old 'National West Coast Tourist
Recreation Area'); coastal dune belt; vast gravel plains; prolific
birdlife; major river systems
wildlife viewing;
fishing; desert
plants; sand dunes;
birdwatching
Jun-
Nov
