Do you believe that travel should be about more than “just looking” – and that every journey should be a life-enriching experience? Do you yearn to go off-thebeaten-track and experience unspoilt nature? If you answered YES, then you MUST experience the Namib
A world of infinite horizons, dramatic vistas and fascinating flora and fauna awaits you.
The Namib is approximately 80 million years old … the world’s oldest desert. It is a living desert. Apart from the diamonds and uranium that have been mined there, the desert’s unique plant and animal life is definitely another of its infinite treasure. The diamond mining history is a story of perseverance with some getting their hands on a glittering stone and other efforts ending in tragedy. The latter is also the case of many a ship that met its fate along the shores of the Skeleton Coast. The custodians of the desert are the Topnaars. This group of amazing people have adapted over time to survive in the harsh desert conditions.
An amazing expedition in a desert of much more than sand awaits you!
If this is your introduction to the Namib Desert, expect the exceptional. The emphasis of the tour is not only on the adrenaline thrill of dune driving, but a huge part of its focus is studying the plants, small creatures and wildlife all of which make this desert their home. Enjoying the Namib’s incredible views and history is also emphasized. Our guides will capture your imagination with their knowledge on the fauna and flora of the desert or historical facts. They will also wow you with their cooking skills, preparing three mouth-watering meals each day and make you chuckle! The dunes along this stretch of the Namib are higher and more challenging than elsewhere. Driving here requires good technique and discipline to manoeuvre from one dune strait to the next. The magnitude of what awaits you is difficult to express in words. Beginners will be talked through each phase of the journey.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Homeb
Plan your itinerary to arrive around 16:00 at the campsite at Homeb. It is a beautiful campsite in the shade of big trees. Meet your guides who will assist you to settle in. After a detailed briefing of what to expect the next couple of days, you will be treated to a nice meal around the campfire while getting acquainted with the other tour members.
O/N Homeb Camp (dinner)
Day 2: The Oldest Desert
After breakfast we leave the camp to explore the wonders of the Namib Desert. You will get your first taste of sand and dune driving … an excellent opportunity to familiarize yourself with your vehicle.
Homeb is in the northern part of the Namib Naukluft Park. This area is also home to the Topnaars, the custodians of the desert. This hardy group of Khoesan people has lived on the banks of the Kuiseb River for many years.
They tend to their sheep and goats in this very harsh condition. Meet them and learn more about their ancient culture and traditions. The !nara melon is a large nutritious fruit, which is endemic to the Namib with medicinal properties. This melon forms a big part of the Topnaar culinary tradition.
On your journey today you will also see the most southern welwitscha mirabilis plant, endemic to the Namib Desert. Although the plant looks as if it has many leaves, it has only two shredded by the wind over years. Their scientific name comes from the first European to describe it, Friedrich Welwitsch, and mirabilis from its marvellous ability to survive in such harsh, apparently waterless conditions.
The Kuiseb Canyon offers unique scenery with the southern bank formed by massive red sand dunes, the northern bank by pitch black rock formations and in the riverbed massive trees and the dry sand bed creates a kaleidoscope of green and white. We will ‘slip’ into the river enjoying its unique eco system of trees and abundance of birds.
Some predators found here are spotted and brown hyena as well as black backed jackal and the bat-eared fox.
We will return late afternoon to the camp at Homeb. Enjoy time at leisure to admire the desert sunset from the top of a dune.
O/N Homeb Camp (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Day 3: Desert Crossing
After breakfast we break-up camp and start our expedition to traverse the desert
from east to west.
The Namib Desert follows the coast of Namibia for approximately 2000 kilometres. It varies in width from 80 to 200 kilometres where it meets the Namib Escarpment. The most important climatic feature of the Namib Desert is its sparse and highly unpredictable annual rainfall. The annual mean ranges from 5 mm in the west to about 85 mm along its eastern limits. Our aim with this trip is drive ‘across’ the desert from east to west experiencing the dramatic change in the environment. From Homeb, we head into the “sand sea” and negotiate massive dunes. Again ever-changing scenes of beautiful landscapes are experienced. Driver skills are improving as the dunes offer more and more challenges. The Dune straits are massive, and the dunes are even more impressive. Most of the dunes are in excess of 150m high!!
Interesting little creatures have adapted to survive in the dunes. Try to find a fogbasking
beetle or a shovel-snouted lizard. The guides will enlighten you on their survival skills.
Late afternoon we arrive at Sandvis Camp near the coast. We set-up camp and the guides will start preparations for a mouth watering meal.
O/N Sandvis Camp (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
Day 4: Walvis Bay
Breakfast and then break-up camp. The trail enters the ‘Roller Coaster’, a series of massive ‘roaring’ slip faces, not only giving you a new thrilling experience but also offering breathtaking views of Sandwich Harbour and a panorama of Sandscapes on the way to Walvis where we will have lunch at the Yacht Club and say your good-bye’s to the new friends made during an adventure of a life time. (breakfast, lunch)
Essentials
The following items is mandatory for each participation vehicle:
- Spade
- 30 liters water for showering and use by the kitchen bottled water for drinking
- Tyre pressure gauge
- Toilet paper & matches
- Plastic bags to carry waste (e.g. empty cool drink tins, etc)
- Brake fluid
- Gear oil
- Engine oil
- Fuses
- Spare V- Belt set
- Sufficient Petrol/Diesel to cover the distance – 300 KM. Heavy sand driving conditions (+/- 3 km/litre and +/- 5 km/litrer consumption for larger petrol and diesel engines respectively) will be experienced.
- Vehicle to be fitted with points to attach tow ropes both in front and at the rear.
NB!!
- All equipment and luggage must be strapped in and securely fastened
- Vehicle must be loaded in such a way to ensure that the vehicle is not “Top Heavy” – e.g. only light items, camping gear on roof carriers
- 2 Large bags of firewood per vehicle.
- The trail passes through heavy dune area, which requires high flotation tyres (“fat takkies”).
Optionally:
- Hi lift Jack & Q20 Spray
- Extra Spare wheel (no 6)
- Small broom & Small spade
We supply:
- Communication radios for all participating vehicles
- Meals (Only Tea/Coffee and fruit juices supplied with meals)
- “Communal” camping equipment (e.g. braai grid, cooking facilities & equipment, tables, wash-up facilities, shower, toilet etc.)
All you need:
- Tent, folding chair & sleepwear (bedroll, tent etc.)
- Eating utensils (cutlery, plate, bowl, glass & mug)
- Own snacks & refreshments (alcoholic beverages, cool drinks etc.)
- Torch & batteries
- Camera (extra films & battery)
- Sunglasses & sun tan lotion
- Clothing (very hot and very cold), toiletries & towels.
- Prescribed medicine
- Small bowl or collapsible wash basin
