Namibia and the wonders of visiting deserts

by Alvaro Senturias · Published May 11, 2020 · Updated May 11, 2020

The dunes around Sossusvlei

After flying by the Kalahari Desert, North-West, towards Windhoek, Namibia, I could not help noticing a dry river bed weaving a curved path across the expanse of vast barren lands. Shrubs mark the sinuous curve and, so I reckoned there is water beneath the ground, which is why I thought that the destination is close. The city of Windhoek lies East of the Namib desert in the Central Plateau of Namibia. Approaching Windhoek, Namibia by plane

The Namib Desert stretches from the South of Angola, across the coastal plains of Namibia, down to the Olifants River in South Africa. It is so vast that Namibia owes its name to this Great Desert. The Desert punctuates everyone’s lives in the country. As soon as I arrived, my first discussion with a local was about the diminishing water source due to scarce rains.

To the Namib Desert

We drove West towards the town of Swakopmund, which is smack in the middle of the Namib desert. It is one of the dryest places on Earth, and yet from time to time, you see numerous people selling craftworks, on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere. As we got close to the coast, a towering fog became visible on the horizon, and what a sight it was! This desert fog takes its source from the Ocean and groundwater, and as droplets form on sand and stones within the mist, it becomes a lifeline for many living beings. Desert fog in the Namib desert

Swakopmund

Swakopmund used to be a German outpost in South West Africa, and its architecture stands tall in its legacy. Case in point, the half-timbered Woermanhau, with its second floor adorned with wood planks in checkered patterns or the numerous sign-posts in Gothic font. Though to me, German as a spoken language did not take roots in Swakopmund. Today, the city has come to represent the adventure capital of Namibia. So it is that I was looking forward to Skydive for the first time in this town, but my luck was short as it was too windy when it was my turn to Skydive. The day after, I consoled myself with a visit of the seal colony at Pelican Point in Walvis Bay, a few miles south of Swakopmund. Pelican Point, Walvis bay

Solitaire

Somewhere between Walvis bay and Sossusvlei lies Solitaire, one of the only gas stations between these places and arguably the best apple pie in Namibia. But if you ask me, Solitaire is worth the visit because of the graveyard of 1950s cars with a desert backdrop, which instantly reminded me of being in the “Baghdad Cafe” movie.

Sossusvlei and Deadvlei

No visit to Namibia is complete without seeing Sossuvlei and Deadvlei. More often than not, the flagship cover of any tourist guide would show a picture of either one of them. The Dunes in Sossusvlei are among the highest in the world, and they are characterized by their vivid red color, due to their high iron content.

Dune 45, a 170 meter high Dune very popular in Sossuvlei for its proximity to the Sesrem gate

The Deadvlei, the most famous salt pan of Sossusvlei, I felt like being part of a Dali painting, this is how surreal it can get

The *Ory*x is the National animal of Namibia. This animal has learned to survive in extreme environments where water is scarce.

Fish River Canyon

The Fish river canyon is the largest in Africa; I venture to say it is the second largest in the World, after the Grand Canyon in the United States. Having just seen Sossusvlei, I could not stop thinking about how rich Namibia in terms of diversity despite most of its desert-laden lands.

Astrophotography

As the second country with the lowest population density in the World, with hardly any rain year-round. Namibia is a paradise for those in search of skies free of light pollution. Visiting the country guarantees you of taking a Milky Way Galaxy picture, given the right lenses and camera settings.