The capital of Namibia, most international flights will arrive in Windhoek so it is likely you will stay a night or two. Located in the central part of Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area. Windhoek is a centre point for trade, most food imported to Namibia comes through this city and it is a major trading point for the Karakul sheep skin trade. Windhoek was formally established in 1890 and the name derives from the word ‘winterhoek’ the name of the mountains surrounding the Tulbagh in South Africa.
It is the biggest city in Namibia, with an estimated population of around 320,000 people. Namibia is a safe and a very tourist friendly country and Windhoek is a great place to start your tour of the country. The city is clean and impressive, with many landmarks and national monuments, for example Heroes Acre and the Equestrian Monument known as the Reiterdenkmal in German.
The restaurants are great, and give a chance to try the Namibian cuisine, with wild game on the menu. In the north of Windhoek is the Katutura Township, meaning the ‘place where people do not want to live’. In the late 1950’s the black residents living in the suburb now known as Hochland Park, were forced to relocate to the Katutura under apartheid. Today 60% of the population still live in this area, however the township is a centre for culture. It is a way to gain an insight into Namibia’s urban life, and you can take a bicycle tour of the township, purchase crafts and try the the local food.
