The Namib Desert - a Sea of Sand

From the south of Namibia, we make our way northward with our rental car. We want to reach the center of the Namib Desert. It is the oldest desert in the world! Namibia is named after it: The word means something like 'more space'.

The desert stretches like a long band up the Atlantic coast - all the way to Angola. Cold ocean currents meet a hot, dry land, similar to Chile at the Atacama Desert. This results in rainfall being almost excluded.

Despite the extreme conditions, there are animals and plants that have managed to adapt here. Whether it's sand geckos or desert elephants, with a bit of luck, some life can be discovered.

But until we reach the actual sea of sand, we are absolutely amazed by the landscapes that pass by us hour after hour! 🤩

We quickly realize that Namibia is definitely a land for adventurers and we truly have respect for the wild nature here! The golden rule for safe travel: We plan our trips so that we do not arrive at dusk, because no one wants to break down on a side road in the middle of the desert and have to spend the night in the car 😁 Flat tires, getting stuck in riverbeds, skidding off the road, or wildlife collisions, much can happen! Due to these adversities, every passing vehicle immediately stops when a car is on the roadside - someone might need help!

Moreover, Google Maps is not always the best advisor! Some roads/places are incorrectly marked. Travel times can often be twice as long as predicted. We also find it difficult to book accommodations at first. There are hardly any listings on Booking or Agoda. The few accommodations in the desert region are outrageously expensive; 100 € for 2 people is already a bargain here 😁 Often they are absolute luxury lodges with all amenities. That's not what we're looking for! We always try to find cheaper accommodations. We book with self-catering and cook, which keeps our travel budget in check 😊

On our way, we spend the night in a magical desert bungalow - surrounded by a wide plain framed by mountain ranges in the distance. Thanks to the rainy season, a green shimmer lies on the ground, and even desert flowers are blooming! The sunsets and the night sky are breathtaking!

Our host warns us! As soon as it gets dark, we should watch our step: scorpions and snakes are not uncommon! In Namibia, scorpions are less venomous, but essentially all snakes are either 'just' poisonous or even deadly! From then on, we are more careful…

On the next day, we set off early, as the heat increases increasingly from 9 a.m.! Through the fringes of the Namib Desert, we finally reach 'Sesriem'. The name comes from the fact that in the nearby canyon, water used to be fetched up with a bucket - for this, 'six straps' (Sesriem) had to be tied together.

We are incredibly lucky: Due to the unusual rainfall, the canyon actually has water - nowadays an incredible rarity!

With the car, we can drive far into the national park between the dunes. Sossusvlei is a salty clay pan where the Tsauchab River nearly disappears (the ground is white from the salt). In the rarest cases does any water reach here. However, it can take several years.

In the Deadvlei, we see camel thorn trees (they have been here for about 850 years). They are dried up and have been preserved due to the dry conditions. But some say they are still alive 🤔 The sight is absolutely surreal!!!

The hot air is stagnant; it is just before noon, and nearly 40 degrees 🥵 Despite the inhumane heat, we start to climb the largest dune here: Big Daddy - This sand monster is 350 m tall and one of the highest dunes in the world! We manage only a part, then the view is enough for us 😆

On the next day, we return early to the valley to climb the 'Dune 45'! The 170 m in height are relatively manageable for us in the morning 👌

 

After this heat shock, we continue along a side road to the Mountain Zebra Park.