That’s the unfortunate headline–I couldn’t miss it at a newsstand close to my office–of an article about Namibia in the March 2011 issue of  National Geographic’s “Traveler” magazine.


The article, by writer Chris Eckstrom, focuses on a game reserve in the southwest of the country. Described as “… an uncharted desert wilderness of 10,000 square miles,” with dunes up to a thousand feet, the area was formerly a diamond mining concession controlled by De Beers until it was turned into a national park after political independence. Acces is limited and only with a guide.

 The article-by travel magazine standards–is better than decent; so are the beautiful pictures by photographer Frans Lanting. So who wrote the bad headline? BTW,  Ekstrom and Lanting last piece for the magazine –about Zambia’s Luangwa Valley–also bore a ridiculous title: “The Last Real Africa.”

 Let’s just enjoy the pictures. Here’s another one. I want to go there:

More pictures here.

Further Reading