Google expands Street View coverage in Namibia to over 21,000 kilometers!

Google has officially expanded its Street View coverage in Namibia, now offering over 21,000 kilometers of immersive 360° imagery across the country’s roads, cities, and iconic landscapes. As announced on the Google Africa Blog, users can now virtually explore Namibia's diverse destinations, including Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Grootfontein, Henties Bay, Karasburg, Keetmanshoop, Mariental, Otjiwarongo, and many more.
With this significant update, Google Street View now allows virtual travellers to experience some of Namibia's most famous landmarks. These include the Franke Tower in Omaruru, Christ Church in Windhoek, the Independence Memorial Museum, and natural highlights like Penguin Island near Lüderitz.

To explore Namibia via Street View, users can simply drag Pegman onto the map in Google Maps or tap on 360° imagery on their mobile devices. This expansion not only enhances digital accessibility to Namibia's cultural and natural treasures but also supports tourism and education through rich, visual storytelling.

Google Street View: Take a walk in all of South Africa's national parks!

Google has extended the existing Street View imagery of South Africa’s wilderness areas to include all 19 national parks, 17 previously "un-trekked" nature reserves and many sites of natural, cultural and historical significance in all nine provinces of South Africa. A year in the making, the project aimed to create 360° imagery of the country's wildest areas and comprised 206 South African volunteers. Google's ground partner, Drive South Africa, coordinated the collection of all imagery and volunteers. Kudos. Big time!



 

Fast facts:

• 170 new trails
• 900km trekked on foot
• 50,000km travelled over the 12-month project duration
• 232 points of interest recorded
• 206 South African volunteers
• 9 Provinces of South Africa
• All 19 National Parks, 17 nature reserves and many other tourist attractions
• Lion, cheetah, elephant and other wildlife encountered on foot (guided by rangers)
• 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• First time Google has partnered with a third-party in South Africa via the Street View Camera Loan Program

Google Street View now covers seven National Parks in Uganda!

Google just announced that it has, in cooperation with the Uganda Wildlife Authoriry (UWA), added imagery of seven of Uganda's National Parks to Street View, including Queen Elizabeth National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Mount Elgon National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Semuliki National Park and the Kidepo Valley National Park. Until now, Street View was only available for Uganda's capital Kampala and for Entebbe, the location the country's major international airport, Entebbe International Airport (EBB).

Uganda: Street View goes live in Kampala & Entebbe!

The capital of Uganda, the city of Kampala, as well as Entebbe, located about 35km southwest of Kampala and the location of Uganda's largest commercial airport, Entebbe International Airport (EBB), are now (since Oct. 2015) live on Google Street View!

Kenya: Street View now lets you explore the Samburu National Reserve!

Google has - in partnership with Save the Elephants and with the support of the Samburu County Government - released Street View imagery of the Samburu National Reserve, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Enjoy!

Hardwood family of elephants, Samburu National Reserve (Kenya)



Elephants and zebras graze in the open plains of the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (Kenya)



Orphaned elephants play in the mud at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi (Kenya)

Google Street View now lets you explore Madagascar!

The island of Madagascar recently became the fifth African country to receive Street View imagery on Google Maps, joining South Africa (2010), Botswana (2012),  Lesotho (2013) and Swaziland (2013)*. Enjoy exploring the country's great landscapes such as the Baobab Avenues in Western Madagascar, the Karambony cliffs in Southern Madagascar, the mangrove ecosystems along the North coast or the Barren Isles archipelago in the Mozambique Channel.

* Street View also covers views of selected tourist attractions in Tanzania and Egypt.

Cape Town: Explore Robben Island from your desktop!

To commemorate South Africa's "Freedom Day" (27 April), Google has partnered with the Robben Island Museum and the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory to bring the story of Robben Island online. You can now explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site by clicking through Google Maps' Street View imagery of Robben Island as well as by following an audio-visual tour of the island hosted on Google Cultural Institute.



The audio-visual tour of Robben Island includes a visit to Nelson Mandela’s prison cell and activist Robert Sobukwe’s house. The imagery, audio-effects, video and virtual tour provide insights into the story of the island and some of its more famous prisoners.

Tanzania: Google Street View adds Gombe Stream National Park!

Google, in partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and Tanzania National Parks, has send out a team carrying the Street View Trekker to collect thousands of 360 degree images in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park. The images of the park are now availalbe on Google Street View.



Gombe Stream National Park is located in western Tanzania about 20 km north of Kigoma. The park is the smallest national park in Tanzania and only accessible by boat. Gombe Stream National Park is most famous as the location where Jane Goodall pioneered her groundbreaking research into the lives of chimpanzees.

Google Street View is now available in Swaziland!

The Southern African country of Swaziland recently became the fourth African country to receive Street View imagery on Google Maps, joining South Africa (2010), Botswana (2012) and Lesotho (2013). Enjoy exploring the country's roads, its great landscapes, National Parks and Game Reserves, such as the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary and the Malolotja Nature Reserve, as well as Swaziland's main cities Mbabane and Manzini!

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Google's Street View now live in Lesotho

The landlocked country of Lesotho, completely surrounded by its only neighbouring country South Africa, is the third country in Africa to be covered by Google's Street View service. Explore the "Kingdom in the sky" and get to (virturally) know the roads, landscapes and lakes, Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, and other highlights, such as the AfriSki Ski & Mountain Resort near Butha-Buthe or the impressive Katse Dam, famous for its pony treks! Enjoy!


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btw - the other two countries in Africa covered by Street View are currently South Africa (since 2010) and Botswana (since 2012).

Tanzania: Google Street View adds Mount Kilimanjaro

Google has added a selection of the world's highest mountains to its Street View interactive library, including Aconcagua (Argentina), Mount Elbrus (Russia), the Everest Base Camp (Nepal) and, of course, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (Africa). Street View teams climbed all four mountains and took three shots while facing north, three south, three east and three west on each peak using the usual tripod-mounted digital cameras equipped with a fisheye view lens to capture 360-degree views. The pictures taken on top of Mount Kilimanjaro were taken from Uhuru Peak, the mountain's highest summit.


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Mount Kilimanjaro, actually a stratovolcano, is composed of three distinct volcanic cones - Kibo 5,895m, Mawenzi 5,149m and Shira 3,962 m. Uhuru Peak on Kibo's crater rim is the mountain's highest summit. Mawenzi and Shiba are already extinct while Kibo is still dormant and could erupt again. Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa and fourth highest of the Seven Summits. It is the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, as well as the 4th most prominent mountain in the world.

Botswana: Google started collecting photographs in Botswana for Street View

Google has confirmed that it has already started collecting images in Botswana for its popular Google Maps Street View feature in early March 2012.
Google's Chevrolet Captivas are driving around Botswana taking photographs of a variety of places, including cities like Gaborone and Francistown, as well as wildlife destinations such as the Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, Central Kalahari Game Reserve,  Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and the Nxai salt pans.
Botswana will become the second African country to be on Street View, following South Africa, which is on Street View since just before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It is expected that Google will launch Street View in Botswana in September/October 2012.

Google's Street View is coming to Botswana

update (24 Feb 2012): It is expected that Google will launch Street View in Botswana in about seven months (Sept/Oct 2012).

Google just announced in its blog that it will bring the Google Maps service Street View to Botswana and that the company will begin collecting images in the southern African country already in the next few weeks.
Google's Street View driving in Botswana will in the beginning primarily be focused on the major urban areas of Gaborone and Francistown. Some of the country’s stunning destinations and wildlife reserves will also be photographed, with Google's vehicles set to drive around Chobe National Park, Moremi Game Reserve, Central Kalahari Game Reserve,  Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and the Nxai salt pans.
Botswana will become only the second African country to be on Street View, following South Africa, which is on Street View since just before the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Virtual tour along the Meiringspoort, one of South Africa's most scenic drives

Meiringspoort, the first road to link the Central Karoo and the coast, is one of South Africa's most scenic drives. The 25km road, lined by spectacular rock formations and an incredible plant diversity, is winding along the gorge, crossing the Groot River no less than 25 times. The road is the perfect place to experience the Cape Fold Belt and its stunning beauty, but also keep a look out for birds, baboons and smaller wildlife abound in the protected kloofs and crevices.
Halfway through the gorge you'll find an Information Kiosk where the history of Meiringspoort is displayed as well as samples of some of the different plant species growing in the area. Make sure that you take a walk up to the impressive waterfall hidden in the deep ravine. The water drops some 60 m into a deep pool.
Entry to Meiringspoort is via Klaarstroom or De Rust. Klaarstroom is located 55km east of Prince Albert en route to Oudtshoorn and the coast, while it is about 80km to De Rust.

Klaarstroom > De Rust

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De Rust > Klaarstroom

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A virtual tour through Stellenbosch

The town of Stellenbosch, located about 55km east of Cape Town, is South Africa's second oldest European settlement in the Western Cape, after the Mothern City. The town was foundet in 1679 by the Governor of the Cape Colony, Simon van der Stel, who named it after himself - Stel(l)-enbosch actually means "Stel's forest". During 1690 some Huguenot refugees settled in Stellenbosch and started planting grapes in the fertile valleys around town. It took them only a couple of years to establish the centre of the South African wine industry in Stellenbosch.


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Our virtual tour through Stellenbosch is starting at the Moederkerk, the oldest church in Stellenbosch. From there, turn right and follow "Drostdy Road" untill you reach "Dorp Street", the historical main road of Stellenbosch. Turn right and follow the road untill you reach "Andringa Street" on your right hand side. Follow the road to explore the town's CBD. Enjoy Stellenbosch!

Cape Town daytours to Stellenbosch >>

Take a "virtual tour" along Cape Agulhas

Cape Agulhas in the Western Cape province of South Africa is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the official dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian ocean. It is located at 34°50'00"S 20°00'09.15"E in the Overberg region, about 200 kilometres southeast of Cape Town.


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btw - also check the other virtual tours in this blog!

South Africa: Virtual safari through Addo Elephant National Park

I love Google Street View. I think it is an amazing tool for everyone travel planning or at least for the vivid armchair travellers. Anyway - after I found out that you can go on a "virtual safari" through Kruger National Park via Street View the other day, I had a look for other National Parks in South Africa and found Addo Elephant National Park also to be covered (in parts) by Google Street View. Great!


View Virtual safari through Addo Elephant NP in a larger map

btw - also check the virtual tours on the blog!

accommodation in & around Addo NP >>

tours to Addo >>

online car hire >>

South Africa: Virtual safari through Kruger National Park

Thanks to Google Street View you can now go on a virtual safari through Kruger National Park. Street View is covering almost the whole southern part of the Park, including the area around Numbi Gate, Pretoriuskop, parts of the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Skukuza, Lower Sabie and the area around Crocodile Bridge Gate. Safari njema!


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btw - also check the other virtual tours on the blog!
 

Kruger National Park info guide >>
Kruger National Park tours >>
accommodation in the Kruger NP area >>

online car hire >>

South Africa's Winelands on Google Street View

update (07 Feb 2012): Google has added five Western Cape wineries to its popular Street View service in Google Maps. The five new wineries – Boekenhoutskloof and Môreson in Franschhoek, Groot Constantia in Cape Town, Hartenberg, Rustenberg Wines and Warwick in Stellenbosch – bring to 30 the number of wineries now available in Street View.

South Africa has got the most comprehensive database of winelands imagery in the world. Google launched Street View in South Africa in June 2010 and now extended its street view imagery content by 19 South African wineries. South Africa's vinyards are also the very first ever covered vinyards on Steet View. Such a great way to explore the winelands before you are actually heading of to South Africa! Congrats SA Wines!

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How do I use Google Street View?

• Go to http://maps.google.com
• type the address into the maps search bar, or zoom into where you want to go
• drag the orange "Pegman" icon on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted street (the blue highlighted streets are the ones google has imagery of)

Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl Valley Wine Day Trip >>

Wine tasting in South Africa (backpacker) >>

Arcade Fire: Your town in their new video!

The superb new Arcade Fire interactive video for their song We Used To Wait (track is on their latest album The Suburbs) uses Google Maps, Street View and HTML5 to give you a personalised video experience... Go to www.thewildernessdowntown.com, type in any city (it doesn't necessarily has to be your home town... ;-)) and watch the video!

They recommend using Google Chrome to watch the video...

Get Arcade Fire's latest album The Suburbs

in the TravelComments.com eShop >>