The desert - cruel life or pure fascination

How desert puts mankind in its place

The desert landscapes of our planet are a place of extremes. Not everyone may find the sight of them beautiful and impressive. No place in the world can compete with their superlatives: The largest, the driest, the hottest or even the saltiest. And yet some plants and animals manage to find a home in these extreme conditions. It is probably this uniqueness and specialty that makes deserts so beautiful in their own way.

Travelling to the deserts of this world means travelling off the beaten track – a journey of discovery. In the desert you can experience tranquility and diversity and get to know cultures that are thousands of years old. It is not without reason that deserts have a magical attraction.

As a travel destination, the desert offers a marvelous combination of nature and culture, as well as a uniquely impressive backdrop that can hardly be surpassed in grandeur by any other type of landscape.

The Namibian Deserts

The desert regions of Namibia are particularly pristine. If you think of savannas, giraffes and lions when you hear the word “Africa”, you’re not far wrong.

These deserts may not be quite as dry and vast as the Sahara on the northern edge of Africa, but they are all the more diverse.

The Kalahari is actually a dry savanna, but is often referred to as a desert because of the sand. In places, the large animal species of the African fauna can actually be found here, as well as an extremely interesting plant world. Especially in the Okavango Delta, of course. The people who have lived here since time immemorial are mostly nomads who herd their cattle and follow the water. Many of them have developed fascinating cultures that are quite different from those of the northern desert peoples.

Namibia is also home to the Namib. In the center of the Namib are two of Namibia’s scenic highlights: Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei. Look forward to the highest sand dunes in the world.

The Namib

The famous Namib with its graceful dunes is not only a beautiful backdrop, but can also pose a threat, an inhospitable landscape full of dangers if you are too reckless: Heat, thirst, disorientation – and sandstorms. Here you should always listen to the recommendations and tips of your tour operator. With the appropriate respect and sensible behavior, such a spontaneous force of nature can be a unique experience.

Seeing the desert and immersing yourself in it – a key reason to visit Namibia. The Namib is home to the oldest desert in the world. The unique nature is preserved by the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Africa’s largest game reserve. Most tourists come to Sesriem Canyon, the gateway to the dune landscape of Sossusvlei with its dunes up to 385 metres high.

The magnificent play of colors

The charm of the Namib lies in this unspoilt nature. Anyone travelling there is not looking for luxury, but for healing deprivation. An escape from civilization and its comforts, even from its routine-induced boredom, to feel oneself existentially again. To be in the park at sunrise, you have to get up early and drive in as soon as the gates open. The destination: Dune 45, 170 meters high in places. Enjoy the dawn from up here. Suddenly the first rays of sunlight flash up. The ridge lines of the dunes further south cast lonely shadows, the sand takes on a reddish color, first softly, then more and more intensely.

A highlight of every Namib tour is the red sand mountains of Sossusvlei. The word Sossus comes from the Nama language and means “blind river”. Vlei means “pan”, where the Tsauchab River ends and seeps into the sand.

It feels like every tour group in the Namib comes together at this place at lunchtime. Why that? The most beautiful time to visit Sossusvlei is the sunrise! A scenery you hardly will ever forget after you have enjoyed it.

In search of the “Little Five”

The part of the Namib desert at the gates of Swakopmund is much more exciting. Instead of the “Big Five” (elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, leopard), here you will find the “Little Five”, the small inhabitants of the desert. Under an inconspicuous lump of sand, trained eyes can spot the clue to the home of a tiny desert dweller: a colorful Namib gecko.

Like the gecko, the White Lady is an endemic species of spider, meaning it only occurs here worldwide. How the spiders communicate with each other is remarkable – through drum signals. They beat rhythmically on the sand surface with their front legs, and conspecifics can feel these vibrations from meters away. Because of these “dancing” movements, this species of spider is also known as the Dancing White Lady.

There is also a slow worm with a beautiful blue tail. This animal also has impressive abilities: The reptile can suspend its heartbeat to sneak past other animals unnoticed.

Another highlight: a Namaqua chameleon, which unfortunately often ends up in terrariums. The lizard has specially adapted to life in the desert. For example, it secretes salt from glands in its nose to save water and burrows into caves to regulate its body heat. An insect buzzes past as if it had been ordered, the chameleon’s tongue quickly pops out, grabs the prey and transports it into its gullet.

You should keep a safe distance from the dwarf puff adder and, more importantly, from its more venomous relative. Some viper species are quite dangerous, but also fascinating to watch. It is astonishing what creeps and flies in the Namib in the smallest of spaces, while the visitor from outside the area initially sees only one thing: Sand. The desert is by no means dead, but a species-rich habitat.

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