Windhoek is possibly the most attractive capital city on
the African continent. Small (150,000 population)in comparison to the sprawling metropolises
of Pretoria or Lusaka, but Windhoek has its' own unique character. The
Windhoek road system is well signed and easy to navigate, and the
traffic is quite orderly. Windhoek offers clean streets with groomed
gardens, bistro cafes,
modern shopping malls, good restaurants and modern hotels. The country's
official language is English. However, Afrikaans and German are spoken
almost everywhere.
Windhoek nestles
in a valley having the Eros Mountains to the North and East, while
the Auas Mountains forms the borderline of the South and Western side
of the city. The altitude of 1650 meters is comparable to that of
Johannesburg. Temperatures in the summer can approach 40°c
and most people can be seen drifting into any of the large modern
air-conditioned shopping malls. During the winter months night-time
temperatures can drop below zero, and the air at this altitude is very
dry. You may want to apply lip-balm and use a skin
moisturizer after showering.
Windhoek has a pleasant mixture of the
city's historical buildings alongside modern high-rise office complexes.
You'll find old German-style building having steep snow-roofs
alongside modern high-rise office complexes. Windhoek has plenty of modern shopping malls and sensible controls
regarding street traders. The African curio market area in The Post
Street Mall is orderly and tourist friendly and well
worth a stroll through. Have some fun. You'll enjoy the bargaining spirit
of the Windhoek vendors. It's usually courteous and often
entertaining.
As with most cities worldwide, Windhoek also has a minority criminal
element that tends to prey on visitors, so before proceeding with your
journey please read the following ►Your
Awareness and Safety