For reservation and questions
The Namib Desert is one of the most spectacular and famous deserts on Earth. The Namib is also among the oldest deserts on the planet, having formed some 55 million years ago. This long dry period has had a profound impact on the region's biodiversity, and it remains a relatively stable centre for the evolution of desert species adapted to extreme conditions.
The Namib stretches 1,900 km along the Atlantic coast of Africa from Namibe in Angola south through Namibia to the Olifant River in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Its name derives from the Nama language, which means „area where there is nothing“.
The landscape of the Namib Desert includes gravel plains, shifting sand dunes and scattered mountains. Emblematic of the Namib Desert are the high red dunes, which are considered to be among the highest in the world at 300 metres high. It is also home to rugged geological formations such as the Fish River Canyon, the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon in America.
Rainfall is almost non-existent in the Namib. However, there is often dense fog along the coast, the result of cool air from the sea entering over land. Cooling sea breezes keep temperatures along the coast quite low. Temperatures there are usually between 10 and 16°C and rise much higher in areas where the cooling sea breeze does not reach. In these places temperatures are often higher than 38°C.
A natural phenomenon called the „endless sea of sand“ occurs during periods of drought when the wind moves the sand and gives it the appearance of ocean waves.
There are several vegetation regions in the Namib Desert. Plants called succulents grow along the coast. These plants have thick leaves or stems that can store large amounts of water. They get moisture from the mist. The rest of the western Namib is very dry, with almost no plants. In the eastern half of the desert some areas have grass when it rains. Trees are found along the larger streams and more succulents in the south. Shrubs and tall grass grow on the sand dunes. The symbol of the Namibe province is the Welwisthia Mirabilis plant. This is a plant that exists only in this part of the world and lives in the middle of the desert. The Welwitchia is a very unusual plant. It has huge leaves that stretch across the ground and this plant can live for more than a thousand years.
The animals that live here are antelopes, ostriches, zebras, elephants, rhinos, lions, hyenas and jackals. The dunes of the Western Namib are home to many species of insects and reptiles, especially beetles, geckos and snakes.
ATV rides, sandboarding on the dunes, photo safaris and flying small planes are just some of the adventurous opportunities the desert offers.
The desert is almost completely uninhabited except for a small number of scattered towns. It is exploited for diamonds, uranium ores, tungsten, and salt. It is important because of the trade routes that cross it, the mineral deposits, the fishing in the adjacent sea, and its increasing use for recreational purposes.
- the oldest known traces of humans are found here, dating back 50,000 years;
- Because the air in the Namib Desert is so pure and free of impurities, the brightest starry skies on the planet can be seen there;
- Although there is very little moisture, the desert has its own life form called „fog-trees“ that use the night dew as a source of water;
- The Namib Desert is home to the world's largest population of penguins, called „Burgess penguins“, which live on small islands off the Namibian coast.
