Windhoek

The sandstone Christuskirche is, despite its modest size and unimposing appearance, somewhat of the city's symbol. Designed by a prolific German architect, the church marks an important era in Namibian history, and remains an attractive location for locals to exchange vows in marriage.

For a closer look at Namibia's historic path to late independence in 1990, visit the Independence Memorial Museum housed inside an imposing modernist building in Windhoek's former colonial heart. The museum was designed by a North Korean construction company, involved in multiple construction projects across Africa, hence the socialist aesthetic. The top floor panoramic restaurant is worth a pit stop.

For a brush with spectacular nature and wildlife within a half hour drive from the Namibian capital, Daan Viljoen Game Reserve is hard to beat. Its vast expanses are inhabited by native animals such as zebra and antelope, along with a couple hundred indigenous bird species. The park is an excellent getaway for picnics and hiking.

The oldest surviving building of the Namibian capital was originally built to house the German colonial troops in the late 19th century, later going on to become a museum for Namibia's struggle for independence, as well as a historic landmark in itself. The controversial Reiterdenkmal, an alleged symbol of German dominance in the region, has been relocated from its original place opposite the Christuskirche into the yard of Alte Feste for storage. The interior space is closed for public visits as of mid-2019; a few wartime exhibits are showcased out front.

This privately owned nature reserve is a favourite for trekking (Tok Tokkie Trail is often the first pick) and camping trips, offering an experience distinctly different to that of the desert terrain of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. NamibRand is also home to the International Dark Sky Reserve, recognised for the exceptional clarity of its skies, and offering near-unparalleled stargazing.

No journey to Namibia is complete without a substantial amount of time dedicated to the ancient desert lands of the Namib, known for its dramatic sand dunes and wondrous, arid landscapes. Within the park, two adjoining valleys of Sossusvlei and Deadvlei are a major tourist draw (dead trees rising dramatically from the white clay earth of the latter have been the subject of much photographic exploration), and standing at 80m tall Dune 45 is the one easiest to reach from Sesriem gate.

Accessible only by air, this remote part of the country is known to have claimed lives of both beasts and humans (hence the macabre name) - whale carcasses still line the coast, serving as a grim reminder of the once flourishing whaling industry. One of the biggest "attractions" here is the Dunedin Star, a British ship wrecked in the 1940s. At Cape Cross, the scenery changes: this lively oasis inhabited with hundreds of seals and sea lions frolicking jovially by the water.