Faces of the Namib

Day 1:

From Luderitz the convoy heads east along the tar road to Aus/Keetmanshoop for about 25 kms. Then turn north into what was formerly known as the Sperrgebiet. Here tyres are deflated and a gradual ascent along a sandy track brings you to a saddle in the mountain. Expansive views of red dunes sweeping down to a vast plain greets you and as you traverse the plains the dunes loom ever larger until you arc at the base.

This is where you will get your first taste of dune driving as you head east along the base of the dunes. Travelling at an angle can be unnerving and the
technique is to maintain enough momentum (at least 40 km an hour) to prevent the tail end from sliding. After a few kilometres you head up and into the dunes and for the next 10 km the route takes you up and over several dunes. This section is a good training ground as the dunes are relatively small.

After about 10 km you emerge onto a plain and then return to the dunes before traversing easy terrain. Once you are through the dunes it is an easy drive to Saddle Hill base camp.

Day 2:

On the second day you will explore some of the attractions in the area. The sightseeing trip north leads past an old diamond camp where weather-beaten jigs, screens and water barrels are reminders of the mining days of the 1920’s.

Spencer Bay, which is overlooked by Mercury Island is reach further on. Mercury Island owes its curious name to the fact that it vibrates when the waves crash against its rocky shores. It is one of 11 offshore islands between the mouth of the Orange River about 160 km south of Walvis Bay that were annexed by the Cape colony in 1866. South Africa subsequently claimed ownership of the islands and they were only reintegrated into Namibia together with Walvis Bay on 1 March 1994 … nearly four years after Namibia became independent.

The offshore islands are important roosting and breeding sites for sea birds and until just over a decade ago provided rich harvests of guano a natural fertilizer derived from bird droppings. Guano collection was stopped in 1992 as it caused a dramatic decrease in the numbers of the African penguin, which nests in hollows in the guano. The numbers have also decreased as a result of an invasion of the islands by die Cape fur seals, prompting the Ministry of Marine Resources to station an official on Mercury Island (surely one of the most remote corners of Namibia) to chase the seals of the island. A steep climb up a ridge rewards you with spectacular views of a small bay nestling at the foot of Dolphin Head. The highest point along the 2 400 km
stretch of coast between Table Mountain and Namibe in Southern Angola.

The rusty remains on the beach far below is that of the Otavi, which ran a ground in1945 with a cargo of guano collected at Mercury Island. The bay is also home to a large colony of Cape fur seals.

From here you head north passing through magnificent rocky outcrops en route to the wreck of the united Trader. The vessel had a clandestine shipment of 700 tons of ammunition on board when it ran aground in the early 1970’s during the sanction-busting days of South Africa’s apartheid government. Unable to salvage the cargo it was blown up in 1974 and only a few pieces of mangled and twisted metal remain. It is incredible to see how far the heavy anchor chain was blasted into the dunes. On the return route you retrace your tracks to the base camp.

Day 3:

The sightseeing trip to the south leads along a rocky section of the coast, which can only be negotiated at low tide, and the rest of the journey is not without challenges. Long sections are through soft loose sand where you drive at an angle along the slope. About 20 km after leaving you arrive at the old Saddle Hill diamond mine. Abandoned pieces of heavy machinery and
buildings buried up to their roofs in sand are the only reminders of the intrepid Mose Kahan, who mined diamonds here from 1945 to 1949. From here you follow the onward route back to the base.

Day 4:

After breakfast on the last day you head back to Luderitz, following more or less the same route. The new vistas and driving across the dunes in the opposite direction ensure that the return journey is as enjoyable as the first day’s drive.

Included

What to pack