In the local dialect the word Namib means vastness. But the openness which confronts you here makes the word ‘vast’ seem small and insignificant.
Endless miles seem to stretch on and on covered with the orange sand dunes prevalent here. The perception that people get from this place ranges from that of plain disbelief at the emptiness to the stillness and quietness. The Namib Desert seems to convey a sense of solitude and timelessness which cannot be expressed in words.
This desert is one of the largest and surely the oldest desert in the world and is very well protected by the Namib-Naukluft Park which is an area market by beautiful sand dunes and shifting sands. The Namib Desert is presumed to be 50,000 square kilometer vast and is over 80 million years old. The desert is located back to back with the Atlantic Ocean and the hot desert winds move all the way up to the ocean front where the water cools it down and evaporates them.
This leads to the formation of a thick fog at the coast line which is an invitation for several ship wrecks. This notorious identity attached with the coast line of the Namib Desert had given it the name of the ‘Skeleton coast’.
While roaming around through the desert it is indeed a very strange experience to see how different species of plants and animals have made these inhospitable conditions of the desert into conducive habitats for themselves. The foliage found here may not be exotic or rare but yes their adaptations to the dry environment are surely worth noticing.
Tourist Locations
The best way to view the entire landscape of the Namib Desert is either by a hot air balloon or by means of a light aircraft. A real view will give you the best picture of the kind of vastness that the Namib Desert is all about.
These aircraft rides can be hired from the town of Swakopmund which is a very surreal and unique town in itself with its own cultural and historical treasures. A mixture of people stays here in the town which includes hippies, miners, rangers, fishermen and bohemian dresses clad women. Just outside the limits of the town are situated some sand dunes which are meant specifically for adventure games.
The tourists can indulge in skiing, sand boarding, off road driving, camel rides and other desert sports. If adventure sports is not something which interests you enough then just the simple exercise of walking barefoot on the sands with the sand particles slithering between your toes is enough to provide a rare sense of calmness and tranquility.
The sand dunes present here in the Namib Desert have been reported to be the highest in the world with some of them going as high as 300 meters. The bright ochre colored sand dunes present at Sossusvlei too are regarded very special amongst the tourists. But to reach this destination tests the endurance level of the tourists as it is a good 300 kilometers off road. But once there the entire effort seems worth it.
Since the town is situated close to the coast therefore one can even get the chance to go on excursions on boats and get the chance to view seals, dolphins and other fishes. One can even take the opportunity to try their hands at diving, surfing or even shore based angling.
When opting for a desert vacation the thoughts of luxury seem irrelevant because a trip to the wilderness showcases that face of nature which makes mankind seem small and humble. Beauty in simplicity is what the Namib is all about.