Namibia is breathtakingly beautiful, open to travel, safe, affordable and has dispersed humanity. To give you an estimate, Namibia is around 1.5 times the size of France or about half the size of the US state with roughly 93% fewer people.
IMAGE: A vital
Euphorbia damarana shrub growing at the edge of a much larger fairy circle in the Brandberg region. The size distribution of the dead shrubs did not match the. view more
Credit: S Getzin, University of Göttingen
The fairy circles of the Namib are one of nature s greatest mysteries. Millions of these circular barren patches extend over vast areas along the margins of the desert in Namibia. In 1979, G.K. Theron published the first research about their origin. His hypothesis was that poisonous substances from
Euphorbia damarana leaves induced fairy circles. As part of a new study, scientists from the University of Göttingen and the Gobabeb Namib Research Institute located the original euphorbia plants that were part of Theron s study. Four decades later, the researchers are now able to conclusively disprove Theron s original hypothesis. Their results were published in the journal
Tourists attacked by starving desert lions seen eating empty tent during drought
Namibia s wildfire authorities have warned of attacks as rare big cats driven mad with hunger left a 72-year-old man needing 20 stitches before charging at a couple
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Africa s fairy circles in grasslands are formed by a plant that releases a toxic sap into the soil when it dies, a new study reveals.
This poisonous sap, which is used by local bushmen to dip the tips of their hunting arrows, comes from the Euphorbia species of plants.
Researchers say Euphorbia is responsible for bare circular patches in the ground, which are scattered throughout the grassy desert of Namibia and have puzzled the scientific community for decades.
Between southern Angola and northern South Africa, there are hundreds of thousands of fairy circles, ranging in diameter from seven to 50 feet (2-15 metres).
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Day 1 CAPE TOWN
Cape Town is one of the most picturesque cities in the world, with the majestic Table Mountain providing its central focus. Departing, after a tour briefing, from Cape Town at 08:00am we visit Hout Bay harbour en route to Cape Point Nature Reserve and then the African Penguin colony at Boulders Beach. We sample some of Cape Town’s culinary wonders at a local restaurant in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (own expense).
Day 2 CEDERBERG
The Cederberg is a massive rock wilderness with giant sandstone boulders that have been sculpted by wind and rain into bizarre and artistic shapes. We head north to the Cederberg and explore the rugged landscape on foot before relaxing in chalets for the evening.