Namibia's capital, Windhoek, is a city of many contrasts. Modern skyscrapers blend with historic buildings dating from the turn of the century. Pavement displays of African drums and wood carvings from the north compete with elegant shops Windhoek combines the modern city architectural style with that of the German colonial era. The city is very clean and a fairly provincial, although the atmosphere does have cosmopolitan flare as well. With 15 000 inhabitants Windhoek is the biggest city in the country. The attractive town lies at an altitude of 1650 metres in a beautiful valley bordered by the Eros Mountains in the north and the Auas mountains in the south.

The influence of the German language and culture is, in many ways, still present. There are German restaurants where one can have traditional German dishes, bread and beer, and even celebrate the German carnival. Although English is the official language, one can use German just about anywhere.
Windhoek is a convenient point for tourists to begin or end their tours, as well as providing a good base for local excursions.