The Daan Viljoen Game Reserve lays 18km
west of Windhoek and is accessed from the C28 road that leads
on across
the Khomas Hochland and Namib Desert to Swakopmund. The Park is
situated at an altitude several hundred meters above that of
Windhoek. In the summer months the night times are cooler than in
the city, but beware of camping on cold winter's nights. The
temperature can drop quite low on the mountains.
The Game Park is the smallest National Park in
Namibia, was opened in 1962 and is named after the former South
African Administrator who was instrument in the establishment of the
game park.
The accumulation of water in the dam attracts
a variety of more than 200 species of birds. In the park can be seen
Blue Wilderbeest, Eland, Klipspringer, Kudu, Oryx, Red Hartebeest,
Springbok, Steenbok. There are plenty of Baboons around, so keep
your goods secure. The Park also has plenty of horses, used by the
patrolling staff, so if you're camping and during the night and hear the
close-by munching of grass, don't worry it's only the horses. There
are no large predator animals in the park.
The dam water attracts a
large variety of bird life. The bungalows, picnic areas and camping
sites are positioned overlooking the dam.
It's a popular place for a day's outing for Windhoekers and a pleasant place for campers and
those who prefer to over night out of the city. There's a small restaurant,
though most visitors self cater. It's worth a visit when in the
Windhoek area.
The Daan Viljoen Game Reserve is a National Park
area, so there are entrance fees payable to the Ministry of
Environment and Tourism. The accommodation and facilities are managed and operated by Namibia Wildlife Resorts
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