Guess this location and win a free travel book!

This desert landscape looks as if someone has spilled a giant spice cabinet. There are cinnamon mountains, paprika sand dunes, nutmeg rocks and dry creeks with cracked curry-colored bottoms. Even the occasional mopane tree is finely peppered with white dust and receives just another new layer now from our Land Rover rattling by.

There is not much traffic in this northwestern part of the country and not many tarred roads either. It is the remote home of a proud pastoral people. We pass several of their small settlements, a handful of kraals with dome-shaped huts built from wooden sticks. The endangered culture of this semi-nomad tribe revolves entirely around their cattle, which are also considered a beauty ideal. Women spend several hours every morning carefully covering their bodies with a mixture of buttery fat, ocher sands and the aromatic resin of the omuzumba bush. Their skin becomes shiny, reddish and looks like a freshly brushed cowhide. The composition helps against the scorching sun.

A little boy with hair braided to resemble bullhorns waves at us to stop. More children come running, smiling at us. They peek into our car, asking questions in their otjiherero language that we can only guess the meaning. We smile back and are taken by the hand to visit their village. We are reluctant, not wanting to be intrusive, but it quickly becomes clear that we are not necessarily the ones investigating. It is we who are being closely examined by the community ― our clothes, watches and shoes are scrutinized. It is a rendezvous of cultures as distant as Stone Age and space era.

Where am I?

Send your answer to goworld@goworldtravel.com. All readers correctly identifying this country will be entered in a drawing to receive a copy of a Rough Guides travel book.

December's "Where in the World" Contest: Northern Thailand This Karen village is two hours by boat from Chiang Rai.

Answer to the December
"Where in the World" Contest

Last month’s mystery destination was Northern Thailand. (Please see our story: Thai Tranquility — Northern Hill Tribe Country in this month's issue.)

Peter Lynch of the UK was the first reader to send in a correct answer.

Congratulations, Peter!