For the last 4-5 days (I am losing track of days) we have been travelling north towards Etosha National Park viewing some unique and spectacular landscapes that could be on another planet. The roads are very corrugated and there seems to be very little alive between the sparse townships.
From Keetmanshoop we travelled to the Namibian-Naukluft National Park where we started seeing red sand dunes and rocks. Our camp for the next two nights faced the desert and I was hoping to see some insects or scorpions but not even an ant could be found when we wandered around the area.
When we went to bed the wind had started up and by the morning there was a pile of red dust that had come under the door. We headed out early for the Sand dunes and with the wind even stronger now the visibility for about 30 metres with dust filling the air. Our destination was Dune 45, named because it is 45 km from the first sand dune. This is the one people come to climb, although usually on a nice calm day…
After attempting to climb the dune (ok, we made it half way and decided to turn back) we headed to Deadvlei – a former forest that sprung up 1000 years ago, when there was some good rains, but eventually the rains stopped and the trees all died about 900 years ago. the hot and dry conditions eventually petrified the forest creating a pretty eerie landscape, made even starker today with the sandstorm.
Last stop for the day was the Sesriem Canyon which was a refreshing relief as it was a climb down out of the sand storm.
We eventually emptied a bucketload of sand from our shoes and headed back to our desert cabin. When we arrived, alas the sand had clogged the lock of our door so we couldn’t get in to wash the sand off so we had to walk half a kilometre to the reception and then back with a maintainence guy to fix the lock with a detergent spray before we could get in!
Tomorrow we visit a Himba village and the White Lady cave paintings. please let us know if you are following our blog! Leave a comment or ask a question, or just say hello. Our wifi is limited to about once a day which is kind of good as there is so much to look at and do!
Loving the blog! The photos look amazing!
I really enjoyed my time in the desert in Tunisia. The sand was so fine it was amazing to walk on. Is it fine where you are?
It was pretty fine, particularly when it was blowing in our faces! Fortunately we are now out of the sand and enjoying the Kavango River – I am now several days behind in posting on the blog so hope to catch up to where we are soon!