Beguiled by photographs of its wonderful apricot dunes at sunrise, the Namib Desert epitomises Namibia for many visitors. These dunes are protected within the 49,768-sq-km (19,500-sq-mile) Namib-Naukluft National Park 3 [map], Africa’s largest conservation area, protecting a sweep of landscapes from the rippling dunes of the Namib to the rocky mountains of the Naukluft, as well as a surprising amount of wildlife.
Dead Vlei, Namib-Naukluft Park.
Clare Louise Thomas/Apa Publications
Despite its apparent remoteness, the more developed part of Namib-Naukluft – including the awesome dunescapes around Sossusvlei – are surprisingly accessible, whether you’re coming by light aircraft or by road. There are two main approaches to Sossusvlei. The more direct, coming from Windhoek, entails following the B1 south as far as Rehoboth, then turning right onto the C24 to Solitaire and Sesriem. The more circuitous but interesting option, however, as followed in the chapter below, involves driving east to the ports of Swakopmund or Walvis Bay, then following C14 through the Kuiseb Canyon to Solitaire.
En route to Welwitschia Drive.
Clare Louise Thomas/Apa Publications
The Namib Desert Park
The park’s oldest and most northerly section, known as the Namib Desert Park 4 [map], stretches between the Swakop and Kuiseb Rivers. It’s often simply called the “gravel desert”, and it’s easy to see why; the flat, rock-strewn landscape slopes gently away into the horizon with only the occasional isolated inselberg (from the German for island-mountain) breaking the monotony.
A popular half-day trip into this section from either Swakopmund or Walvis Bay is Welwitschia Drive (permit required) along the Swakop River, where you can see some fine examples of the Welwitschia mirabilis plant. First described in 1852 by a German botanist, Dr Friedrich Welwitsch, the oldest plant on the route is estimated to be close on 1,000 years old. Another botanical curiosity to look out for here is the fields of lichen, a remarkable form of plant life consisting of algae and fungi, which derive their moisture from sea fogs. You’ll also drive past a curious collection of rock mounds in the bed of the Swakop River which are known as the Mountains of the Moon, along with a series of stark black dolerite dykes running like the plated spines of dinosaurs along the ridges of the mountains.
The Kuiseb Canyon
Another of the park’s main attractions, situated about 140km (84 miles) to southeast of Walvis Bay, is the Kuiseb River Canyon. A geological phenomenon, it’s a canyon within a canyon, formed some 20 million years ago when the original river course gradually silted up with its own sediment, forcing the water to cut a new route.
Following the Kuiseb’s course upstream brings you to a viewpoint at Carp Cliff offering a panorama of the escarpment and the river valley. You may spot baboon here, along with klipspringer antelope, mountain zebra and oryx. Predators include the black-backed jackal and the elusive leopard.
A second canyon, the Gaub, lies nearby on a tributary of the Kuiseb, and is like the latter a well-wooded and generally dry river bed, although here the underground river nourishes large trees such as the camel thorn, the false ebony tree, the shepherd’s tree and the ana. Consequently, this is also a good place to find birds and insects, and to stop for picnics.
An abandoned car in the desert outside Swakopmund.
Clare Louise Thomas/Apa Publications
The Solitaire area
Immediately south of the Kuiseb stretches much of the most atmospheric section of the park, the Dune Namib. In spite of its desolate appearance, this remains one of the most accessible of all the world’s sandy deserts. The roads in the area can generally be used by two-wheel-drive saloon cars, although the going may be slow. Daytime temperatures are extremely high throughout the year and ample supplies of water should be carried as a precaution, particularly if you intend clambering to the top of a huge dune.
Over millions of years, the Orange River has carried vast quantities of sand from its origins high up in the Lesotho Highlands down to the Atlantic Ocean. The Benguela Current has then transported the sand northwards from the river’s mouth and deposited it on the shore to create these coastal dunes, and from here it’s been vigorously driven northeast by the wind. Currently, this “marching” of the dunes continues at a rate of 20 metres (60ft) a year.
To reach the dune fields, drive south from the Kuiseb and Gaub Canyons across the Tropic of Capricorn for about 66km (40 miles) to the tiny settlement of Solitaire 5 [map] on the C14. From here, a further 70km (44-mile) drive southwards along route 36 will bring you to the Sesriem Canyon 6 [map], where the Tsauchab River has cut a spectacular gorge some 40 metres (120ft) deep into layers of schist and gravel deposited millions of years ago. This delightful spot acquired its evocative name because early settlers required six lengths of leather thongs (rieme in Afrikaans) to haul water from the canyon below in order to water their teams of oxen.
A fairly steep but manageable path leads into the canyon where the conglomerate layers are clearly visible; you can also see from the material caught high up on the walls of the gorge that it fills right up after heavy rain. There are a camp site and several lodges nearby, some of which offer the possibility of ballooning over the desert at dawn.
The heart of the Namib
An hour and a half’s drive (60km/37 miles) deeper west into the desert brings you to Sossusvlei 7 [map], a huge clay-pan surrounded by massive dunes – the highest dunes of the desert in fact. Saloon cars can travel to within 4km (2.5 miles) of the vlei (“pan” in Afrikaans), while 4x4 drive vehicles can continue up to the parking area by the pan itself. You can walk to Sossusvlei or one of the other pans nearby such as Hidden Vlei or Dead Vlei.
The Highest Dunes
There are a variety of sand dune shapes in the Namib, but all have gentle slopes on their exposed windward sides and are far steeper on the sheltered leeward sides.
The tallest dunes are more than 300 metres (1,000ft) high, making them the highest formations of their type anywhere in the world. Climbing to the crest of one of these mammoth sand formations is an exhilarating but exhausting experience, a steep slog through soft sand, giving fresh meaning to the expression “two steps forward, one step backward”!
Most popular with hikers, Dune 45 (which, as its name suggests, lies 45km from Sesriem along the Sossusvlei road) is best tackled in the coolness of the early morning to avoid overexposure to the blazing sun.
This, truly, is the heart of the Namib. The yellow and grey-buff hues of the pan contrast sharply with the brick-red dunes, providing spectacular opportunities for photography, especially at dawn and dusk. The views are enhanced even further if the pan is flooded, which only happens once or twice every decade, most recently in early 2011. Occasionally, the graceful shape of an oryx, standing on the crest of a dune, can be seen etched against the skyline – not as a favour to photographers, but as one of the strategies used by this desert antelope to catch the slightest breeze and reduce its body temperature.
The pan at Sesriem.
Ute von Ludwiger/Namibia Tourism Board
The Naukluft Mountains
Rising to an altitude of 1,973 metres (6,430 ft) from the desert on the western edge of the main escarpment is a small range known as the Naukluft. This and a corridor of land to the west linking the mountains to the desert below used to be known as the Naukluft Park, but in 1979 were incorporated into the bigger Namib Desert Park to create the Namib-Naukluft National Park of today. The Naukluft area is best reached from the C14 between Solitaire and Maltahöhe with a turn-off on the D854. There are a few campsites, which – like the trails below – must be booked in advance in Windhoek – see www.nwr.com.na for details.
Originally intended as a sanctuary for the indigenous Hartmann’s mountain zebra, the area has permanent water and supports a wide range of elusive mammals and birds. The area can only be explored on foot and two circular day hikes – the 11km (7-mile) Olive Trail and 17km (11-mile) Waterkloof Trail – start at the campsite, respectively requiring about five and seven hours of fairly strenuous walking and climbing. A third, the Naukluft Trail, is a tough eight-day affair, but worth it to explore one of Namibia’s most exciting landscapes. For those seeking a different type of adventure, there is also the new 73km (44 mile) Naukluft 4x4 Trail, limited to four vehicles daily, and involving an overnight stop after 28km (17 miles).
Bordering the park to the west, the 1,720-sq-km (670-sq-mile) NamibRand Nature Reserve 8 [map] (www.namibrand.com) is one of the largest private sanctuaries in southern Africa. Offering a good range of desert landscapes and game, it’s home to several upmarket lodges and small camps where guests can take advantage of expert guides.
Hiking the dunes at Sossusvlei Park in Sesriem.
Clare Louise Thomas/Apa Publications
