Climb the Majestic Namibian Sand Dunes
Namibia is known as the land of contrasts: blue skies, orange dunes, sapphire-blue oceans, with bright white foamy lace decorating the flayed ends of the powerful waves. One of the most beautiful countries in the world. This is where Angelina Jolie gave birth to her first born child and where the Oscar-winning Mad Max: Fury Road was shot on the Namibian Sand Dunes.
Our Namibian Explorer Safari Tour (CW13) starts in Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town is a vibrant city which buzzes with eclectic energy. Swim in the crystal clear ocean with Table Mountain as a backdrop, eat authentic African cuisine, and shop at world famous flea markets like Green Market Square for African treasures to remind you of this astonishing continent.
Overlanding from Cape Town
We leave Cape Town in a custom built, super hardcore Overland truck. As you climb into your big green welcome wagon, you will be amazed at the rugged good looks of your trusty transport. We choose not to use USB ports or air-conditioning in this monster of a truck, this, after all, is an authentic African adventure.
Your driver will lead the way to the Cederberg campsite, where you will have the opportunity to pitch your tent on the soft grass of the West Coast region. The campsite is equipped with a bar, a pool, and some spectacular views. A wine tasting on the patio, overlooking the west coast vineyards, offers clients the opportunity to experience some great South African wines.
On to Namibia – and soon the Namibian Sand Dunes
Leaving the campsite in the Cederberg, our truck heads off towards the Namibian border to start our Namibian adventure. The road to Namibia leads us through Namaqualand.
During springtime, the Namaqualand will dazzle you with a colourful array of beautiful wildflowers. We continue on this road until we reach our campsite on the border of the Orange River.
At the Orange River campsite, we cool down in the river, which serves as the natural border between South Africa and Namibia. We move on to the bush bar to have a few relaxing drinks before feasting on the delicious supper prepared by the trip cook.
We rise with the birds to join the river guide on a canoe trip on the Orange river, soaking up the sun and the beautiful sounds of nature.
Fish River Canyon
After lunch, we head over the Namibian border to the natural wonder called the Fish River Canyon.
We take a walk along the second largest canyon in the world in time to reach the lookout point as the sunset and cast shades of orange and red and pink over this spectacular work of art created by Mother Nature.
After a night of camping under the beautiful Namibian starts, we head to Naukluft National Park in Sesriem. This is where the adventure shifts into top gear.
Climbing the Namibian Sand Dunes
Finally, it’s time to climb one of the Namibian Sand Dunes. In the early morning, we all get into our adventure truck and head off from the campsite to the park, where we park at the foot of the mammoth Dune 45.
From there we will hike up this monstrous dune through the soft red sand. The journey up the dune might seem never-ending, but once you reach the pinnacle, you realize that the hard work was worth it a thousand times over.
You feel like you are in the midst of a magical land made of powder soft sand, blue skies and eerie trees.
It’s tradition to run down the side of the dune as fast as you can or even slide down, every now and then catching a glimpse of the tiny creatures and succulents living on the dunes.
The trip down any of the massive Namibian Sand Dunes is of course considerably faster than the trip up. As we head back to the truck we are met by the delicious aroma of the meal our cook has been preparing.
On to Deadvlei
We fill up on all the breakfast goodies before we head out to the famous Deadvlei in 4×4 vehicles. From the 4x4s, we take a walk that seems longer than it really is to the breathtaking surreal landscape of Deadvlei.
Deadvlei is a spectacular natural display of a clay pan in the middle of the desert. The area was created when the local river flooded, creating pools where camelthorn trees began to grow.
When the climate changed to its usual arid desert, the trees died but their skeletons remained in the claypan, scorched black by the Namibian sun. Small fossils can be seen in the clay around the trees.
From Deadvlei we then take the sandy path back through the hot dunes to the waiting vehicles. These vehicles then take us back to our truck, which takes us back to our campsite for a dip in the cool pool before we head out to Sesriem canyon.
Time to Cross the Tropic
After a relaxing night under the star-studded desert sky, we leave the next morning for Swakopmund, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn.
We enjoy two relaxing days in Swakopmund, where adventure activities are available for our enjoyment. Just to name a few of the activities available, there is skydiving, quad biking, sand boarding, horse riding, and much more.
From Swakopmund, we head through to Spitzkoppe, where we have the privilege of seeing cave drawings from the ancient San people before we depart to Etosha National Park.
Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is an amazing wildlife spectacle situated around the Etosha Salt Pan. We are able to view an abundance of wildlife from the truck, ranging from antelope to birdlife to reptiles and insects to several members of the Big Five.
After experiencing the beauty of Etosha, we end our trip in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, and celebrate a successful trip with a cheerful supper at a local Beerhouse, savouring the last precious moments of this once in a lifetime trip.
Do you want to experience the magic of the Namibian Sand Dunes first hand? Then get in touch to find out more or to book a tour.