The Namib Desert is a coastal desert located in the west coast of South Africa. Covering the area of 31,274, sq. km areas and stretching the 2000 km Namib across Angola, Namibia and South Africa. One of the special desert on earth where you will see red sand dunes with fascinating heights and the oldest and most ecological standard desert.
We should also remember Namib of its mesmerizing beauty and unique ecological significance. Its vast dunes, shaped by the wind over millions of years, create a landscape like no other. In Spite of that as an explorer you can also discover the rich biodiversity, wildlifes, fascinating adaptations, and the allure of adventure that the Namib Desert offers to travelers and nature enthusiasts.
Never miss to forget to uncover the secrets of this ancient, ever-changing desert and hidden truths which most visitors won’t believe. Even today backpackers going to discover why it is a must-visit destination and one of the awe-inspiring natural wonders.
Related Search: Kruger National Park, South Africa.
7 Interesting Things to do in the Namib Desert
Here we are going to explain about some of the most interesting things to do by a backpacker while he/she visiting Namib Desert land.
1. Visit Sossusvlei
Visiting to Sossusvlei is going to be a rarest visit in your travel bucket list. Due to its enormous sand dunes are major and spectacular beauty here in Namib Desert. It is an iconic salt and clay pan dotted with ancient camelthorn trees and surrounded by towering red sand dunes. Surrounded by the panoramic Tsauchab River in southern Namibia making it a perfect sunset and sunrise view destination for photographers and nature enthusiasts.
2. Discover Deadvlei
Deadvlei is a clan pan featured by dark, dead camel thorn trees contrasted against the white pan floor. It had historical significance as the Tsauchab River flooded constantly allowed camel thorn trees to grow. Approximately around 900 year old trees which have not decomposed due to dry weather. Interestingly, Deadvlei trees create a hauntingly beautiful scene that contrasts starkly with the surrounding red dunes.
3. Climb Dune 45
Considered as a most picture square and photographer destination. Due to its fascinating shapes and easy accessibility this famous dune provides fantastic panoramic views of the surrounding desert landscape. Dune 45 of the Namib Desert was created by the dry sand by the consistent wind from the coast of Namibia. These sand dunes 300 meters above the desert level and near to lagoons, wetland and coast. However, dunes are around 5 thousand years old and red in color due to iron oxide.
4. Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride
Most recommended and one of the easiest ways to explore the Namib Desert from above is through hot air balloon ride. Available in the southern part of the Namib Desert, taking the Sossusvlei is a great way to see the desert in all its glory including the sand dune transforms. Book your Hot Air Ballon Ride and enjoy aerial view of desert to get an unforgettable experience. You can also take a hot air balloon ride in Etosha National Park, Damaraland.
5. Enjoy Stargaze
Due to dark nights and limitless desert areas creates optimal conditions for viewing the southern constellations in Namib Desert. Its clear night skies, making it an ideal location for stargazing and astrophotography. Suitable places for even astronomers and complete novices and luxury or expertise for a steller stargazing holiday. Namibian climates and landscapes, dry cloudless skies, minimal contamination by artificial lighting and less air pollution makes a perfect destination for stargazing.
6. Visit Sesriem Canyon
It is a narrow, deep canyon carved by the Tsauchab River and which offers perfect opportunities for hiking and great place to exploring Namib Desert. One of the most interesting facts about Sesriem Canyon is its resilience in the arid desert environments. Its towering canyon walls provide shade and Sesriem canyon serves as a corridor for wildlife especially during dry summer seasons.
7. Discover Desert Oriented Wildlife
From the Sossusvlei to Etosha National Park Namib has a rich wildlife heritages. Namib Desert is home to a variety of unique wildlife, including oryx, springbok, aardvark, aardwolf, black rhino, buffalo, elephants, giraffe, hyena leopard, lion puku and various reptiles are available more in numbers. May to October are the most recommended months to explore these wildlife and reptiles.
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10 Facts About Namib Desert
Let’s see some of the Quick facts about desert;
- World’s oldest desert. The Namib Desert has been dry almost 80 million years or at least 50 million as per research.
- Unique Climate condition. Its strange sensation out of sea through fog from height on a sand dune and turns feeling cold almost 180 days.
- Deadly skeleton coast is in Namib. Due to the inability to launch boats from the shore, the northern part is a hard and hot desert conditions make it reason for numerous shipwrecks.
- Protection of their natural heritage. The republic of Namibia has been the first country to include protection of environments in the country.
- Namib Desert has an underground lake. Largest underground lake lies beneath the hot Kalahari Desert in Namib Desert (100mm down).
- Desert adopted Lions. You can spot dessert adopted lions lives nearby in the beaches, sand dunes and barren mountains.
- Welwitschia plants. Helpful for storing and trapping water in their pores on the rare occasions that it rains and survive rarely up to 2000 years.
- Interesting Sand dunes. Some sand dunes here are 300m/328yd and stretch up to 32 km/20m, varying according to the inland from the coast.
- Largest rock petroglyphs. Twyfelfontein has one of the African continent’s largest concentrations of rock engravings and art. UNESCO World heritage site and conducting some of the shamanist rituals.
- Home to Damaraland Elephants. Surprisingly one of the largest land mammals surviving one of the driest places on the planet.
Namib Desert Animals
Namib Desert animals classified as;
1. Most Dangerous Animals
Namib has very dangerous animals like Leopards, Rhinoceros, Lions and snakes like Black mamba.
2. Most Endangered Animals
Namib Desert tries to preserve and protect some of the endangered animals like African bush Elephants, Cheetah, mountain Zebra, African white dog and white and black Rhinoceros.
In Spite of that, you will find 200 types species of reptiles, 1500 sorts of insects. Zebra, elephants, hyena, wildebeest and Lions are the most surviving animals in Namib Desert.
Namib Desert Climates
As you know, the Namib Desert receives less than 1 cm of perception every year and everything is barren. So that we can expect more fog and saturation in the nearby regions. If you move to the coastal region, the temperature turns steady to 9-20 degree Celsius. Wind blows to inland makes moisture land air to sea in order to create fog and offers water sources to living things.
Namib Desert having variable temperature and climates compared to daytime and night-time. Night times it is freezing and even during daytime 45 Celsius daylight hours. You can expect less rain even in regions like the coast and central regions of the deserts and sometimes it reaches great escarpments. Many streams are flowing from this rock formation to the sea, out of which some reaches soak below the desert.
Namib Desert Plants
In Spite of vast desert area coverage, some of the interesting and rare plants are available to see in the Namib Desert. More interestingly, Welwitschia plants consist of 2 leaves and a steam with a lifetime of 2000 years. It can grow up to 6 feet high and 24 feet wide. These plants are referred to by Darwin as “the platypus of the plant kingdom”.
Another plant is Deadvlei, it is a clan pan featured by dark, dead camel thorn trees contrasted against the white pan floor. Deadvlei trees create a hauntingly beautiful scene that contrasts starkly with the surrounding red dunes.
Quiver trees are bizarre plants which cut its own branches during the times of severe droughts in order to save the moisture through its leaves.
How to Get to Namib Desert
As usual getting to Namib Desert has 3 major options, by air route, road way and someone choosing to head on with the help of guided tours. We explain all these 3 options and you need to decide which one is the perfect option for you to get Namib Desert.
1. By Air
If you’re an International Traveler you can easily book your flight ticket to the nearest airport like Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH), Windhoek. Since the airport is situated in the heart of Namibia’s Capital city we can easily catch Namibia Car rental or shuttle services to reach Namib Desert location.
Make sure that from the airport to your destination approximately you have to spend at least 5 hours to reach, since a long distance of 300 km. While traveling in a car or shuttle you may experience roads that are half gravel or half paved, but don’t worry you can enjoy surrounding epic landscapes from Swakopmud and Sossusvlei.
I know this option is not convenient to some kind of backpacker, especially those who are not ready to waste their travel for a long time. Visitors even book domestic flights to nearby locations such as Swakopmund or Sossusvlei, while traveling visitors enjoy more scenic aerial views of Namib Desert dunes and Skeleton Coast.
2. By Road
Want to drive then book your car at Desert Car Hire or Namibia2Go, drive from Windhoek to Namib Desert. Around 6 hours of driving pass through via B1 and C14 highways and reach to the Solitaire or Sesriem. These are 2 Namib local settlements and entry point to the Namib Naukluft National Park.
I guarantee you that your car journey may take a long time, but surely you’ll appreciate the phenomenal attractions such gravel plains, rugged terrains and towering red sand dunes while traveling. Don’t think too much about stepping out of your car to take a photo with these blessed attractions.
3. Guided Tours
Plenty of tour companies offer valid guided trips to Namib Desert from Capital city Windhoek. Primary purpose of choosing guided tours by the most of backpackers to cover Sossusvlevi and Sandwich Harbor along with their Namib tour. Book your best guided tours to Namib Desert today and enjoy sunset dune rides and night walks.
Fortunately guided tours even include multi day safari raid covering major desert attractions. Choose your guided Safari Rides and intense your travel gem here in this iconic desert land.
Best Time to Visit to Namib Desert
After understanding everything about the Namib Desert, surely you got an idea that Namib is one of the hottest and driest regions in the world. However, today it is home to unique landscapes and ecosystems where a variety of wildlife like desert elephants and plant species like Welwitschia, rarest species.
To enjoy the breathtaking beauty of this world’s oldest desert you need to be there at the right time. After understanding its weather conditions and typography we can say winter month/cooler month between April to October is the best time to visit. Season’s ideal temperature 20℃ to 25℃ (daytime) helps you to explore the desert in a more comfortable way.
Since daytime is more cool and pleasant you can enjoy hiking to Sossusvlei dunes, ride a bike to Swakopmund and book hot air balloon rides. Winter is even paradise to photographers to get enough attractions with your camera and take a pictures of red sand dunes, backlit landscapes and local desert flora and fauna. Don’t miss to watch stargazing during winter nights which is more clear and lovely to see.
Despite the winter season some backpackers wish to reach even during the Wet Season (from November to April). After understanding why the wet season is a great time to visit, we came to know that wet periods often welcome low tourists and offer plenty of things to photographers.
If you’re a budget conscious backpacker then pack your backpack to explore desert during wet season. Season boasts less travel crowds and little accommodations charges. Be ready to explore at desert temperatures 40℃.
Where to Stay
Since the Namib Desert has low accommodation options, costly during peak season, choosing the right hotel is always a great idea. Usually we’re not recommending any camps to stay except national parks or natural destinations. But here we insist you to book camps to escape from its extreme accommodations prices.
1. Camps
Camps play a very prominent role in your staying options here in Namib Desert. Major camps are furnished with individual services like vistas and easy conveniences. From Camps visitors easily reach their surrounding destinations and even get close views of wildlife’s, sand dunes and natural beauties. Here we give a list of the best Tented Camps where you can stay near deserts and its ideal attractions.
- Hoodia Desert Lodge– Luxury retreat camp
- Wolwedans Private Camp- Offer exclusive retreats
- KuanguKuangu Safari Camps- Remote wilderness camping option
- NamibRand Nature Reserve- Eco friendly accommodations
- Sesriem Campsite- For variety of amenities option
- Damaraland Camp- Easy to find local traditional peoples
2. Namib Desert Lodge- Mid Range Accommodation
Located in the part of the Gondwans Collections that help guests/visitors catch Namib Sand Sea, sandstone dunes and easy access to deserts local cultural sites. Through Namib Desert Lodge you can watch surrounding desert areas, gemsbok and sunset views of Gondwana Namib Park. ‘Oasis’ has elegant pools which allow guests to swim along while watching the desert epic beauties. Eat Namibian cuisines and game meat such as zebra steak, oryx and springbok at its lively restaurant.
3. Wilderness Little Kulala- For Luxury Accommodations
This Luxury desert retreat situated at Kulala Wilderness Reserve often provides visitors with friendly amenity options like plunge pools and elegant rooms, where visitors easily watch vast areas of desert land. “Kulalas”, 11 climates controlled accommodations, consists of more premier private pools (both indoor and outdoor), rooftop star bed option for those who want to watch stargazing at night from their stay. Each part of the Little Kulala hotel lounge, dining areas, wine cellar and even library are perfectly located within the Kulala. Taste Namibian influenced dishes like venison and ostrich, don’t miss it.
Namib Desert Map
Q: How was the Namib desert formed?
A: According to research, Namib desert formed by the river water. Through out the million of years, river has eroded desert’s rocks and deep steep gorges in the landscapes.
Q: In which country is the Namib desert found?
A: The Namib Desert is a coastal desert located in the west coast of South Africa. Covering the area of 31,274, sq. km areas and stretching the 2000 km Namib across Angola, Namibia and Sooth Africa.
