Dune 45

Day 12, 08.01.23, from Sesriem to Oanop

In the evening, we decided to experience the jewel one more time. Cindy starts cycling at 5:30am to be at the gate by 6am. The guard at the gate already knows her from yesterday and asks if her husband is coming too. She affirms and sets off towards the red wonder with the sunrise at her back.

I follow two hours later, reaching the gate with the guard saying "Your wife is already gone". I head towards Dune 45 where we plan to meet.

Perfect timing: we both reach this fascinating dune at KM 45 at the same time. By the way, the dunes on the way to Sossusvlei are named after the kilometers of distance from Sesriem.

With its steep half-moon shape, Dune 45 provides a beautiful angle for a photo from the ground. An ideal place to stop and observe the sunrise or the first morning lights over the desert.

The path to the summit takes about 20 to 30 minutes and the view is incredible once again. Since we are alone here, we enjoy the silence and solitude and the early lights of the day slowly revealing the contours of the surrounding dune ridges.

Just like the flora in the area, the fauna has developed incredible adaptations to survive in the extreme Namib Desert. It is home to countless microorganisms. Beetles, spiders, and reptiles like geckos live under the sand. We see countless small tracks left by the various interesting animals that have made this desert their home. Many of these creatures living in the desert survive by drinking drops of occasional fog or licking tiny water droplets trickling down from rocks and plants. Others extract moisture from the sand as they burrow through it.

We descend the side of Dune 45, bid farewell to this natural beauty, and drive back to the gate. Reassuringly, the guard notes that we have been reunited and bids us farewell towards our next destination, the Oanop Resort.

After quickly gathering our belongings and checking out, we head on for a short stretch on Namibia's only tarred D-road before returning to the gravel road towards the Naukluft Mountains. In addition to the gentle curves of the dunes, the Naukluft Mountains impress with rugged rock formations. The mountain range is located at the same elevation as Sesriem and rises on average about 1,000 meters high. In addition to the spectacular mountain landscape, the Naukluft Massif also offers impressive canyons that are traversed by numerous streams, forming crystal clear water pools.

We reach the entrance to the Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park, about 60 km east of Sesriem. Although it is already later in the day than planned, we decide to drive the 15 km into Naukluft Camp. Sometimes it is the small decisions that broaden one's horizon.

Naukluft Camp is part of the Namib Naukluft Park and is often referred to as Naukluft Mountain Zebra Park. It is one of the least visited places in Namibia. Upon arrival at the Naukluft reception, we are warmly welcomed, have a coffee, and get information about the area.

There are beautiful hiking routes around the Namib Naukluft Park that are a must for nature lovers. Five different vegetation communities within the Naukluft Park provide a wealth of tree and shrub species as well as a variety of aloes. There are two shorter day hikes, the Olive and the Waterkloof Trail. In addition, there is a 120 km long Naukluft Trail with overnight stays, which takes eight days.

Since we only have a few hours and not eight days, we choose the Waterkloof Trail, a 4 km return hike that takes us to a beautiful pool inviting us to swim and linger. Unfortunately, we have allocated far too little time for this absolutely underrated park, decide to come back, and reluctantly make our way back to the gate.

Here we meet a German couple who unfortunately have a puncture and their rental company's tools are not very helpful in fixing it. Unfortunately, we cannot really help either, but Cindy spots a farm nearby that we head to and whose owners promise to help them.

Relatively late, we finally reach the Oanop Resort. We had actually reserved a campsite where we planned to sleep in the rooftop tent of our car. Since that is no longer possible and we don't really want to sleep on the ground tonight, we inquire about an alternative. And indeed, we get the opportunity to upgrade to a chalet for a small surcharge. And so, Pumbaa, located directly on the Oanop Dam, becomes our home for the next two days.

After quickly getting some meat from the restaurant, we start our braai right on time for the sunset and gaze from the veranda at a lake reflecting the setting sun.