Nature places in Africa

Africa's south-west coast contains a number of important seal colonies, and Cape Cross is one of the most significant. The vistas are wild: windy, wavy and often foggy. There are literally thousands of seals here, and wooden walkways allow visitors to get very up close and personal with these fascinating mammals. Very close, in fact, so be sure to bring a scarf to cover your face - the smell can be rather overpowering. Cape Cross is only an hour from Swakopmund, so if seals are the main reason for visiting, a daytrip will suffice. The beaches north of the seal colony are quite attractive, and many visitors choose to go for long walks along the shore. But the seals are by far the biggest attraction, and while they are hardly warrant a trip to the coast in their own right, they do deserve the short detour from Swakopmund or a quick stop along a Skeleton Coast drive.

Damaraland is a dramatic, strikingly beautiful part of Namibia. Bordered to the west by the Skeleton Coast, and dominated by the Etendeka Mountains, the ochre-brown and reds of the soil and rocky outcrops is interspersed with golden grasslands, shrubs and bushes, patches of ancient leadwoods and the oddly-shaped bottle trees. There is a surprising amount of wildlife in this arid environment, and much of it has adapted to the harsh conditions. These include desert-adapted lions and elephants, and the largest population of free-roaming black rhinos in Africa. There are plenty of Hartmann's mountain zebras here, as well as large populations of kudu, springbok, giraffe, meerkats and the particularly well-suited oryx, who can survive even in the heart of the Namib Desert. And if there is one thing you can be sure of in Damaraland it is that there will be plenty of space around you, no crowds here. In a country famous for its striking landscapes, Damaraland still manages to stand out for its beauty.

Damaraland has the largest population of free-ranging black rhinos in Africa, and the vast and striking ochre-coloured scenery of north-western Namibia is a wonderful place to see these increasingly rare giants. Tracking rhinos is no game - great care must be taken both to protect the visitors and to keep the rhinos undisturbed. Tracking is done on foot, although cars are used to bring guest to within walking distance; trackers from Save the Rhino Trust will have been out since before dawn to locate the animals. Provided that the rhinos do not detect the presence of people there is no limit to how long can be spent with them. The open landscape and many hills means that you can get a much better view of the rhinos than in most other parts of the continent, since black rhinos normally prefer woodland and thick bush. Not so here in the desert, so get ready for a unique experience in one of the most beautiful places in Africa.

Etosha National Park is huge - over 22,000 square kilometres, not much smaller than Belgium. The habitat varies greatly, from thick shrub and woodland to open grassland and the massive Etosha saltpan. Too big to drive around during a normal visit, the waterholes are the big drawcards: park yourself by one and watch oryx, wildebeest, ostrich, springbok, elephant, giraffe, zebra and perhaps rhinos or lions come for a drink. The roads are mostly excellent, so getting around is easy, and the photographic opportunities are endless. Winter and spring are the best times to see wildlife congregate around the waterholes, whilst visiting in late autumn (April to June) will mean that the much greener park is virtually yours alone, as few other visitors make their way here at this time of the year. As always, early mornings and late afternoons provide the best light and the best chances of seeing cats, although waterholes are frequented anytime as soon as the heat has begun to build up, from late morning onwards.

Hold on to your hats, because it's going to get windy - at least if you open your window! A scenic flight over the Namib Desert, organised out of Swakopmund or Sesriem, is a must-do, and is particularly interesting if combined with a ground visit to the dunes. The aerial view provides a perspective impossible to come by on foot, and seeing the colours shift from grey dunes to red, and from green vegetation to blue ocean, is an unforgettable experience. The early morning and late afternoon trips are the best, as the low sun creates long shadows that add to the already stunning patterns visible below the plane. Skydiving is another option, but a scenic flight allows you to take in much more of the landscape, including shipwrecks and abandoned diamond mines. A thoroughly memorable experience.

The Petrified forest is a site with tree trunks, which have turned to stone millions of years ago. The process is called diagenesis and leaves each individual cell fossilized, which preserves the appearance of the wood. On the site nothing has been excavated, but some of the exposed trunks are more than 30 meters long. The site is also rich in welwitschia plants, which only exist in the Namib desert within Namibia and Angola. The plants are famous for their extreme old age. Some individuals are probably more than 2000 years old, though the ones on site are probably "just" 600-700 years old. The site is fenced off and you are led through the sights with a guide.

Named after a w-shaped bend in the Niger River and extends into large parts of Burkina Faso and Benin. The 2,200-square kilometre Nigerien part of the park is home to elephants, hippos, buffaloes, baboons, warthogs and numerous types of antelope. Here's also lions and leopards roaming the park, but they stay well hidden from visitors' eyes. In general, it's one of the better parks in West Africa and well worth a visit. While you'll need your own wheels to visit, the Nigerien part of Parc du W is easier accessed than its Burkina or Benin counterparts. The park can be reached on a day-trip from Niamey, but it's much more worthwhile to visit overnight as animal sightings are likelier during dusk and dawn when the scoring sun has retreated, and the animals leave their shady hideouts.

Just shy of 500 giraffes live in a large area south-east of Niamey. While all these are considered part of the same herd, they roam around on the dry savanna in smaller groups. These are the last giraffes left in West Africa, luckily, they now live in quiet harmony with the semi-nomadic human population in the area. In fact, the harmonious conditions between humans and giraffes have made it possible to approach the majestic animals on foot. While it's not feasible to get into clapping distance, the giraffes are easily let curious visitors observe them from up close. Rangers based in the village of Kouré are happy to take tourists to see the giraffes.

In the Afi Mountains about 300 km outside Calabar there is a drill ranch, which rehabilitates monkeys (drills and other monkey species). However, if you don't have the opportunity to go that far, you can visit their headquarters in Calabar. There they have a few cages with various rare monkey species, including drills. There are more than one ranch in Calabar, but only one belonging to Pandrillus.
Calabar itself is by the way one of Nigeria's most pleasant cities.

Akagera National Park is far from being the top safari place in Africa, but it is the only one in Rwanda. The park was cut in half several years ago to make place for returning Rwandan refugees after the genocide. As a result of this human invasion, the remaining animals fled to Tanzania, giving Akagera the reputation of being a 'vegetarian safari' park. The situation has improved since then, but don't expect to check all of your Big Five list here. Animals that are most likely to be seen are buffaloes, hippos, zebras, giraffes, baboons, topis, impalas, warthogs, elephants, crocodiles and several species of monkeys and birds. The most abundant species, however, might be the tsetse fly, especially in the southern part of the park. Be prepared for a fierce battle with this nasty insect.