Massive mountains of sand, dunes that ‘walk around’, fossilized driftwood, skeletons, ancient granite mountains, doleritic plains, San cave art, shipwrecks, the marvelous Welwitschia, elephants, and gemsbok…these are a few of the spectacular phenomenon one can find in the Namib Desert. The Namib, the world’s oldest desert, lies on the south western coast of Africa, mainly in Namibia. The barren coastal area is also known as the Skeleton Coast.
The Namib Desert has no permanent inhabitants, and only a few villages along the coast were built around major industries. The sea of the Namibian teems with fish and the desert itself has a wealth of minerals such as diamonds at Oranjemund and Alexander Bay. The plants of the Namib desert have adapted to this barren area. Coastal succulents survive by absorbing vapour from the mist drifting in from the ocean, while the plains in the interior are covered with short tufts of grass, especially in the rainy season. The dunes have an abundance of tall grass and bushes, although some areas are completely without any plants.
A variety of animals such as gemsbok, springbok, zebra, ostrich and jackals, are found on the plains and dunes of the Namib desert. Hyena, elephant, rhino, lion and jackal are found in the northern areas. The outer parts of the Namib’s dunes have an abundance of geckos, insects and snakes, but almost no mammals.
There is a range of accommodation in the Namib Desert which can suit every pocket. There is affordable, exclusive and luxury 3, 4 and 5 star overnight holiday destinations in the Namib Desert tourism region with a selection of the best hotels, holiday resorts & spas, safari lodges, game lodges, bush camps, bed-and-breakfast, guest houses, backpackers, apartments and self-catering accommodation in the Namib Desert. |
