Joanna James
Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia, is a place worth exploring! Most visitors tend to neglect the capital and venture out from it as soon as they land. To get a better insight into the country, spend a day or two to discover what the city has in store for you!
The Balcony of Love is at the summit of the Independence Memorial Museum in Namibia. It's famous for its glorious vistas of the capital city. On the deck, there are three balconies, a restaurant and a bar. You will get an aerial view of an iconic symbol of the city, the German Lutheran Church. While there, don't forget to glance at the Alte Feste. It was once a functioning Fort during German colonisation but is unfortunately sealed for visitors at present. Visible inside its courtyard is a contentious sculpture that can be witnessed only from here! The likes of Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino are among the places you can base your stay while in the city.
One of the best things to do in Windhoek is to visit this magnificent German Lutheran Church built by the Lutheran community of Windhoek in 1907. It is the most ancient Lutheran church in Namibia. Created by Gottlieb Redecker, a German engineer, the building incorporates a striking combination of neo-Romanesque and Gothic elements. Construction plans included the building of a railroad to transport local sandstone. Additional building materials included imported marble from Italy for the terraces, and Kaiser Wilhelm, the German Emperor, stained glass for the windows.
Found in downtown Windhoek and within the Old Breweries Complex is the Namibia Craft Center. It is a must-visit to buy some of the best authentic souvenirs in the country. Over 40 independent vendors sell their goods here and provide jobs for at least 4000 talented Namibian craftsmen living in remote areas. You'll find classic Namibian artwork, such as hand-carved roots of trees, silk scarves and copper jewellery. There is also a bookstore, leather workshops, and Craft Café, serving delicious meals from locally sourced produce.
Northward of the city is the Katutura Township, where an unfortunate past once shrouded this neighbourhood. The term katutura loosely translates to 'an area where people dislike living'. This goes back to a time in the 1950s during the apartheid when black citizens of Windhoek were rehomed in Katutura against their will. At present, 60 per cent of the city's population lives here.
A visit here will give you a peek into the lifestyles of the urban communities living in Namibia, and the safest way to explore the township is via a bicycle trip accompanied by a guide. The tour will last for at least 3.5-hours, and you will encounter the residents of Katutura and get the opportunity to buy local goods and visit the local markets.
The Botanic Garden stretches across 30 acreages and is not your ordinary botanical garden! Instead of landscaped gardens and exotic flowers, the grounds here remain true to their wild form, with little human interference changing its landscape. This was done to preserve water and showcase the diversity of indigenous flora in Namibia. Be on the lookout for desert flora, like aloe, acacias, succulents, and stunning quiver tree woodlands. Plus, over 75 types of birds and indigenous wildlife like the rock hyrax, and dassi live here!
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