Home of the largest dunes in the world

Vast plains of sand swept silence await all who journey to the world’s oldest desert; a landscape believed to date as far back as 80 million years. It is here in the aridity of the Namib Desert where you may be privileged enough to experience the creative imagination of nature herself. Mighty ridges curvaceously rise to form some of the world’s most majestic shaped dunes and heights peaks.

Essentially a vast sea of sand, the Namib Desert embodies the isolation, solitude and tranquillity of a barren wilderness. As the African sun rises from beneath the horizon, it shades the desert in the romantic tones of a soft yellowish-gold glow, fading into orange hues before hints of pinks, purples and deep reds reveal the full extent of its mysterious splendour.

The Namib Naukluft Park is a scenic wonderland. Although not teeming with the presence of Africa’s Big Five, it is home to the astonishing adaptability of many desert creatures.

Boasting the highest dunes in the world, Sossusvlei is a land of shifting sands and sculptural beauty. Visit Dead Vlei and walk between the ghostly appearance of dead camel thorn trees which jut out from an apocalyptic bone-dry encrusted lake, back dropped by the apricot tones of huge sand dunes.

The best season to visit the Namib

As the only true desert in Southern Africa, the Namib Desert receives very little and erratic period of summer rain during December and April. As a desert, temperatures are usually high during day time, reaching peaks of 35°C (95°F) and more. Expect much more pleasant temperatures during April through to October with day time temperatures between 25°C (77°F) and 35°C (95°F).

Getting to the Namib National Park

Namib-Naukluft Park is easily accessed either by chartered aircraft from Windhoek Eros or road networks towards the park. The travelling distance by road is 380 km (235 miles) from Swakopmund and 360 km (220 miles) from Windhoek.

Advice from Safari Russ:

“The oldest desert in the world is a spectacular location of towering red sand dunes, stillness and wild coastline. If you only plan to visit Namibia once, you need to experience this place of haunting beauty”