31 August 2025
Today is a travel day as we drive through the Namib Desert to Sossusvlei. The Namib desert has been in existence for some 43 million years and its current landscape has remained unchanged for the last 2 million years. One of Namibia’s most spectacular landmarks, Sossusvlei is a large white salt and clay pan, which is surrounded by magnificent red dunes. Some of these dunes reach over a staggering 400-metres-high, making them the highest on earth.
As we leave Windhoek, we are driving through the same undulating scrubby grasslands with rocky outcrops that we have seen over the past couple of days. (There are long straight roads that our Madagascan driver Hasina could only dream of.) In the distance we can see the string of mountains that we saw in Cape Town. The skies are very hazy – it is heating up now and we are expecting 32C again today. We are seeing springbok and baboons alongside the road, and weaver bird nests in the trees.
At a break in our journey we learn more about the Rehoboth Baster community. Rehoboth Basters are a Southern African ethnic group descended from Cape Coloured people and Nama of Khoisan people. The name Baster is derived from the Dutch word for ‘bastard’ but the Basters have reappropriated the name. The community of around 45,600 people has been based in the Rehoboth area since the second half of the 19th century. They were originally based in the Cape Colony but facing increasing competition for land (and their livestock herds) and oppression from whites, many moved to maintain their independence. A ‘Treaty of Protection and Friendship’ was signed with the German Empire in 1884 but their path from their was far from smooth with numerous battles in the following decades. In 1976, South Africa passed the ‘Rehoboth Self-government Act’ providing a kind of autonomy for the Basters. However when Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990, the new ruling party would not recognise any special legal status for the Baster community. There continue to be calls to recognise ‘traditional authority’ by Basters in their historic territory.
Then, as Wian says, we have gravel road for the next 3 days (thankfully not as corrugated as the one out to the Wildlife Sanctuary but still enough for a good ‘massage’! We are now heading out across the Nambib desert to Sossosvlei. The scrub is getting smaller and sparser, and although it is still fairly flat, there are some hillier places with dips down to dry fords (with signs to watch for rivers – we learn that when there is rain, ravines in the mountains can cause flash floods). There are sheep grazing, donkeys, and even a donkey cart. We passed an old tin mining town (that closed in the late 1980s) where a huge slag heap was still visible.
Just after the small town of Reitoog we turn onto D1206 (an even less developed road) and travel alongside the Naukluft mountains and Naukluft Park – the biggest in Namibia. The bottled spring water that we have for most of our journey comes from the Naukluft mountains. We can see a big patch of green fig trees where the spring area is. Reservoir of water builds up on the mountains when it rains and then trickles down to the springs. As well as the fig trees, we see wild ebony trees and camel thorn trees (an Acacia species).
On the way we stop to see a tree that is covered in bird nests. There are the smaller hanging nests that we have seen previously – these belong to the white-browed sparrow weaver – but also a huge nest complex. Sociable weavers build communal nests, with the entrance hole at bottom to try to stop snakes entering. Wian warns us never to stand directly underneath a nest because snakes have been known to drop down.
The Naukluft Mountains form part of the Great Escarpment that separates the higher interior from the lower coastal strip – it is not a continuous wall but has many gaps. It is a significant feature in Namibia’s geography, creating a distinct climate divide between the hyper-arid coast and the more temperate central plateau. We get views of the Hebron fault line – a 45km long active fault that in places has cliffs up to 10m high. While earthquakes are rare, the presence of this active fault indicates that there is always potential for a large earthquake.
We get our first views of the giant red sand dunes of Sossusvlei as we get closer to Sesriem and our accomodation at the Sossusvlei Lodge. It is mid afternoon so we have a late lunch in the bar and make the most of the wifi. There is a pool nearby and our cabins are spaced out along a series of paths, with views out into the desert. It is very hot so mostly just relax for the afternoon (our washing dries very quickly in the dry heat).
We head up to the roof of the bar area to watch the sunset with a gin & tonic and then move down to the outdoor dining area where there is an amazing selection of food ‘stations’ including a braai (barbeque) where you can select from all manner of dishes. Many of us choose the ‘stir fry station’ where you select your choice of vegetables, meat, sauces and noodles and it is cooked in front of you. Of course there is a massive selection of desserts – it would be rude not to try them. As night falls there are lights illuminating trees out at the edge of the desert and we see a jackal.
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