Namibian Desert Dunes
Sunset Safari Dinner
Namibian Desert Dunes - Sossusvlei
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A country of contrasts straddled between
two deserts, The Namib Desert along its coastline and the Kalahari
Desert in the Eastern interior. The country comprises of 800 000
km2, with a population of only one and a half million people. Rich
colourful African culture is blended with German, European and South
African traditions, resulting in a unique atmosphere. Namibia is
a mature safari destination.
There are daily flights into the Capitol
city of Windhoek, as well as Walvis Bay on the coast. From these
points, your safaris in Namibia commences to Etosha National Park,
the dunes of Sossusvlei, the interior of Damaraland and the Kaokoveld,
and the unique Skeleton Coast. Private landowners in Namibia has
played a signficant role in the conservation of wildlife the largest
of these being the NamibaRand game reserve.
At present, there are one hundred and eighty two private reserves
registered in Namibia. Here follows some details of the most popular
areas.
Sossusvlei is the most popular destination
in the Southern region of Namibia, with it's monumental dunes the
highest which has been measured from it's base as being 325m. These
star shaped dunes are a south-after topic by artists and photographers.
The dunes were formed by strong winds and are at their highest and
most spectacular where the west flowing Tsauchab River empties itself
into the vlei. The tints of the sand, ranging from apricot to orange,
red and maroon, contrasts wit the dazzling white surfaces of the
clay pans. If there has been sufficient rain, the river come down
and fill the main pan, drawing flamingos and other aquatic birds.
Swakopmund is the gateway to Sossusvlei, although fly-in safaris
also commence from Windhoek.
The NamibRand nature reserve located
close to Sossusvlei, extending over nearly 200 000 ha sharing a
common border of nearly 100km with the Naukluft Park to the west,
while the imposing Nubib mountain range forms a natural border to
the east. The attraction of the NamibRand is the diversity of different
landscapes representing virtually all facets of the Namib Desert.
The variety of fauna and flora is as fascinating as the colour and
nuances of the landscape which change continuously as the day progresses.
Nambi-Naukluft Park is a sanctuary
originally created for Hartmanns mountain Zebra and subsequently
amalgamated with the Namib Desert Park. Facailites in this park
are basic camping. The area is popular for 4x4 trails, as it presents
the ultimate in off-road driving skills.
The Skeleton Coast Park in the northern
Namib, extends from the Ugab River northwards for about five hundred
kilometres to the Kunene River, incorporating Terrace Bay and Torra
Bay. The park is known for its untouched atmosphere and diverse
landscapes and the presence of desert adapted elephant, springbok
and gemsbok.
The Kunene region, consisting of Kaokoland
and the northern section of Damaraland, lies north of the Ugab River
and the Erongo region. It forms the border between north western
Namibia and Angola.
Etosha National Park - in Northern
Namibia- the main tourist attraction of Namibia.
Until 1960, Etosha was the largest game reserve in the world, but
the size has since been reduced by seventy seven percent. At present
its size is 22 ,270km2 ,still one of the largest in Africa. The
landscape is unique , due the vast shallow depression of approximately
5000 km2 of the Etosha Pan. A series of waterholes along the southern
edge of the pan guarantee rewarding and often spectacular game viewing.
In good rain years the pan fills with water draining southwards
from Angola via a delta-type system of shallow rivers and oshanas.
Drying out in the winter, to become a vast expanse of white cracked
mud, shimmering with mirages and spiralling dust.
For visitors with not too much time
available, we suggest a fly-in safari as due to vast distances the
best of Namibia cannot be visited in a short space of time.
OUR SAFARI CIRCUITS ARE:
1) ETOSHA NATIONAL
PARK
2) NAMIB NAUKLUFT PARK Which
incorporates SOSSUSVLEI, SESRIEM, THE WELWITSCHIA TRAIL, SANDWICH
HARBOUR, NAUKLUFT MAOUNTAINS, KUISEB CANYON,
3) THE SKELETON COAST NATIONAL PARK – incorporating DAMARALANDand THE KUNENE RIVER.
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