Vast desert wilderness
Central Namibia, Namibia
The Namib-Naukluft is one of Namibia’s major tourist destinations. The vast wilderness of almost 50,000km contain key features such as Sossusvlei, Sesriem, the Welwitschia Trail, Sandwich Harbour and the Naukluft Mountains and Kuiseb Canyon.
Sand and stones, sun and mirages, blue sky – or stars as far as you can see. Tiny beetles like the Tok Tokkie which collects its supply of moisture by fog-basking. Antelope like the Oryx whose body can heat up to temperatures which no other living being would be able to survive. Plants like the Welwitschia, some of which are already several hundred years old and still growing. The desert – so vast, so isolated, so inhospitable but nevertheless so diverse, so colourful and so much alive. Due to low rainfall the park basically consists of desert – whatever shape it may ultimately take.
Background
Namib Naukluft Park is the largest nature conservation area in Africa, extending between the tarred road Aus-Lüderitz in the south and the Swakop River in the north, and from the Atlantic coast in the west to the highland in the east. The Park was first created in 1907 with subsequent additions bringing it to its current size in 1986.