- Namibia
- ~4,800,000 hectares (48,000 km²)
- Formally managed through various Community Conservancies and protected areas (e.g., Palmwag).
- Kunene (formerly known as Damaraland).
- The world’s largest population of free-roaming Black Rhino; desert-adapted elephants.
- Low–Moderate risk; prophylaxis is recommended in the wet season.
- ~20°30′S 14°20′E
- Largely unfenced; wildlife roams freely across communal conservancy lands.
- Rugged granite mountains, basalt plains, and sandy ephemeral river valleys.
- for rhino tracking; for stunning green landscapes after the rains.
Damaraland is one of Namibia’s most scenic and geologically diverse regions. It is a vast, untamed wilderness where local communities and wildlife co-exist. It is famous for its ancient "Galleries" of rock art at Twyfelfontein and its incredible "desert-adapted" specialists that survive in a land with almost no permanent surface water.
- Khorixas (East) and Sesfontein (North).
- Most travelers arrive via light aircraft from Windhoek or Etosha into private lodge airstrips (e.g., Mowani, Damaraland Camp).
- ~5–6 hours from Windhoek via the B1 and C38/C39.
- Primarily rugged gravel and sand. A 4x4 vehicle is for self-driving off the main transit routes.
- Flat-topped mountains and red rocky terrain, particularly around the Palmwag Concession.
- Massive, rounded boulders (like those at Spitzkoppe) that glow orange at sunset.
- A UNESCO World Heritage site featuring over 2,500 ancient San rock engravings.
- Damaraland is the global capital for tracking these "desert ghosts" on foot.
- Smaller-bodied with larger feet than their savannah cousins, these elephants can travel up to 200km in search of water.
- Perfectly adapted to the rocky slopes of the Omboroko and Brandberg mountains.
- The Euphorbia damarana, a toxic succulent that provides a vital food source for rhinos.
Sunny, warm days; cold nights
Animals are concentrated in riverbeds; visibility is perfect.
The "Green Desert" appears; flowers bloom and birdlife is exceptional. Tracking is harder.
- Led by specialized trackers from the Save the Rhino Trust, this is one of Africa’s most intimate wildlife encounters.
- Guided 4x4 excursions into the dry Huab or Aba-Huab rivers.
- Visiting the "White Lady" painting at Brandberg or the engravings at Twyfelfontein.
Damaraland offers a "pioneering" safari feel. It is the destination of choice for those who value conservation, ancient history, and the thrill of finding rare wildlife in a truly open, fenceless landscape.