Mountains, Sand & Sea
After arriving at Hosea Kutako International airport, your guides will transfer you to your first night stop. Its the perfect opportunity to set up bikes and do an introductory ride to prepare you for the adventure that lies ahead.
An early breakfast and first–light departure is followed by a trip to the thin air plains of the Khomas highlands and the Namib Basin , where you will stand in awe of these spectacular mountains that were formed some 128 million years ago when structural shifts in the crust of the earth raised the outer rim of southern Africa. They are the remnants of even earlier mountains that originated before terrestrial life evolved on earth. These earlier mountains were built as a number of land masses which ultimately collided to form the Godwana supercontinent, 550 million years ago. This incredible geology will continue to dominate the landscape as we progress.
From the Highlands we turn south, carving our way through the dolomite and limestone foramtions past the formidable Gamsberg, an inselberg of pink granite and quartz that is 1100 million years old! Our destination is the Namib Naukluft park, home of the Hartmann’s Zebra. Much like its hardy residents, you too will feel like a mountain climber as you explore the ravines, gullies and deep blue rock pools by bike and foot. Various options are available here ; hiking the Olive Leaf trail or an adrenaline fueled 4-wheel drive to the mountain tops are just a few. Altenatively you could always relax in the shade of a large Acacia while the relentless Namibian sun sears the landscape around you. As the sun dips low behind the mountains, and a refreshing evening breeze sets in, a traditional Namibian braai( barbecue) is the perfect way to end the day.
Down here, the heat and sun are your constant companion, so early starts are the order of the day as we continue to explore the South. Where the mountains meet the Namib delta a fascinating area is carved by the many rivers that make their way to the coast. Numerous activity options are available until we reach the famous Namib dune belt which hosts some of the world highest dunes. One of the many dramatic clashes of mother nature can be seen at Sossusvlei where the roaring Tsauchab river, ripping out soil and carving its way through the Sessriem Canyon, collides head-on with gigantic dunes and loses it's battle in the Death Valley. Sossusvlei is a surreal landscape that not even the best of imaginations can dream up. It is a Godsend to photographers and painters alike, and everybody comes away with something rather spectacular.
Sossusvlei is essentially a couple of pans surrounded by really high dunes. In good rainy seasons, which are rare, the pans fill up with water.
You can’t experience the Zen-like feel of Sossusvlei without seeing Dune 45 at sunrise. Sunrises here are awesome. And then there is Dead Vlei. The one with all the dead trees,so make sure you have enough film or flash memory for the camera!
Then there is Sesriem, with a rather interesting story behind it. It is said Trekkers from South Africa went in search of freedom, heading in completely the wrong direction. They landed up in the Canyon, and used spans of leather, the reins that they used to guide the oxen that pulled their wagons, to draw water from the canyon. The canyon is six reins deep, hence the Dutch name ‘Sesriem.’
One of the most enduring impressions of this area is the unique display of light on the sea of vivid dunes. From the soft orange just after dawn with a smooth display of shadow, changing to a rich red as the sun rises. Soon the unbearable heat will display a fata morgana, portraying a lonely oryx under one of the ancient Camelthorn trees. If you’re lucky, you might spot some ostrich, springbok and jackal too. Or even hear the barking gecko, the only lizard on earth that makes a noise!
We'll cycle, hike and drive along the banks of the Tsauchab River, climb deep into the washed out Sesriem Canyon, cross Death Valley and conquer the Goliath of Dunes – BIG DADDY.( 239m vertical up 23 min up – 1:30 down), all the while marvelling at the ever changing light and the magic it works on this hard landscape.
Then, just as our days have become one timeless journey, the desert spits us out on the Atlantic coastline where the never-ending contrasts continue. Sweeping dunes meet the rugged beaches and ice-cold waves of the Skeleton Coast. Numerous activities including kite boarding, dune boarding, quad-biking are available here. What better way to end the trip than with a catamaran cruise at sunset, where your guide will tell and show you all that the nutrient-rich Benguela current supports, while you sip on Champagne and dine on taste West coast oysters. The region is a great archive of colonial history and architecture, where many monuments tell the story of Namibia’s history. A short drive or air-charter takes you back to the capital.
