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ings will be richly rewarded
by this section of the Namib
which features few dunes
commonly associated with
deserts. Instead the area is
characterized mostly by expansive
open plains which
seem flat and featureless
except for a few rocky outcrops
and occasional quiver
trees and camel thorns. After
a rare rain shower this
granite escarpment is transformed
into rich grasslands
attracting herds of springbok,
gemsbok and even
Hartmann’s mountain zebra
that often gather around artificial
waterholes like Gemsbockwater,
Hotsas and Zebrapan.
Campsites
Fittingly for the surreal landscape
they are located in, the
campsites have alien sounding
names like Ganab, Bloedkopje,
Kriess-se-Rus and
Mirabib. And like their desolate and inhospitable
surroundings they offer no facilities to speak
of so visitors need to bring there own firewood,
water, fuel and provisions. But then these secluded
sites are not designed for the demanding
camper expecting luxury but rather for nature
lovers wanting to enjoy the solitude and tranquillity
of a night under the stars.
The most popular of the campsites is the one
at Bloedkopje (or blood hill), a large granite inselberg
named after the dark red colour it assumes
in the glowing sunlight during early morning
or late afternoon. The outcrop rises from
the Tinkas Flats near the Swakop River and offers
the chance to explore the many bizarre rock
formations in the immediate surrounding of the
camp site. A climb on top of the granite protrusion
provides a panoramic view over the plains
below, dotted with large quiver trees and aloes
with the prominent Langer Heinrich Mountain
rising in the distance.
Two other interesting inselbergs where campers
can spend the night among the fascinating
rock sculptures carved out by the wind are located
at Mirabib and Vogelfederberg. At the former
there is evidence that this rock overhang
was used as a shelter by nomadic people as
early as 9000 years ago. The latter of the two sites,
being the closest to the ocean, receives the
most moisture from oceanic fog, sustaining a
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für Musik CD und DVD.
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Digitalisieren von Videobändern auf DVD High
Definition Videoschnitt, BLU RAY DVD Mastering HD
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(Bitte beachten: Keine Kopien von kommerziell erworbenen
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Nachfragen an Gert Keding
Buschkino Namibia cc
Tel (061) 220961, Fax: 088613720
buschkino@iway.na
A rare thunder storm brewing over the arid northern section of The Namib Naukluft Park.
whole range of fascinating succulents.
Kuiseb River
Another interesting campsite is the one at
Homeb, in relatively close proximity to the
abandoned Hope Mine and Gorob Mine. Situated
at the banks of the Kuiseb River this area is
home to a settlement of the Topnaar. The Kuiseb
divides the dune belt and the gravel plains
of the Namibib and acts as a natural boundary
to the shifting sands to the South. Though dry
throughout most of the year, the Kuiseb comes
down in periodic floods preventing the dunes
from moving further North.
Positioned directly at the bank of the Kuiseb and
shaded by big acacia trees, the camp site offers
visitors the chance to climb the dunes on the
other side of the ephemeral river and see how
it separates the two different environments to
the North and South of it. The unique convergence
of these vastly different landscapes and
their distinct ecosystems has generated much
scientific interest and is one of the reasons why
Namibia’s Desert Research Centre Gobabeb
(see story elsewhere) is situated on the Kuiseb
to the West of Homeb.
The Kuiseb is not just exceptional on account of
being a natural barrier to the dune belt, but also
by virtue of having created the famous Kuiseb
Canyon. A picnic site located at the top
of a vantage point overlooking the canyon
provides a spectacular view over
the rugged canyon beneath with the distinctive
shape of the Gamsberg in the
background. From the view point a footpath
leads to a nearby overhang where geologists
Henno Martin and Hermann Korn found refuge
for three years during World War II as recounted
in Martin’s book The Sheltering Desert.
Welwitschia Drive
Apart from the lagoon at Sandwich Harbour
near the coast which is fed by fresh water and
serves as a sanctuary for a large number of
coastal birds, the most popular attraction in the
park is the Welwitschia Drive. This round trip,
which takes about three hours to negotiate is
mostly used for short excursions by day visitors
from Swakopmund and features 13 numbered
stone beacons indicating particular points
of interest.
Among them are the otherworldly Moon Landscape,
the famous Welwitschia Plains, the astonishing
lichen fields and the oasis of Goanikontes.
Some sections of the picturesque route
follow the course of the Swakop River which
has carved out the lunar Moon Landscape best
seen in the slanting light of early morning or late
afternoon. It came into existence as the river cut
through the softer surface deposits which were
laid down some 460 million years ago when
the area’s climate was wetter than today. The
scenery is characterized by dark strips of dolerite
rock which were formed when lava welled
up through cracks in the existing grey granite.
After cooling it formed dark, hard bands of rock
which resisted erosion more than the granite
15 June 2009
and thus formed the spine of
many ridges in the area.
Equally fascinating are the extensive
lichen fields which cover
some areas along the route and
consist of small plants which
are in fact the result of a symbiotic
relationship between an
alga, producing food by photosynthesis,
and a fungus, providing
a physical structure. Some
of the lichens that look like fragments
of dead plant material
that lie loose on the surface
are thought to be hundreds of
years old, and all are exceedingly
fragile. They grow excruciatingly
slowly, something an old
ox wagon track attests to which
was left decades ago and is still
clearly visible because the lichens
that were destroyed at
the time have not yet fully re-established.
Since they grow less
than 1 mm a year it is extremely
important for the ecology of the
area that motorists should keep
to the existing roads at all times.
The lichens survive by extracting moisture from
fog in the air and change colour very rapidly if
sprinkled with water.
A similarly fascinating plant found along the way
is the Welwitschia Mirabilis which is endemic to
the Namib and grows on the expanse of gravel
and sand in the area. The oldest specimens
of this celebrated plant are thought to be between
1500 and 2000 years old. Most of these
plants, among them the big Welwitschia which
is fenced in are concentrated east of the confluence
of the Khan and Swakop Rivers. The Welwitschia
consists of only two leaves which are
broad and flat and usually split into several different
sections. The leaves can grow to a length of
between 2 and 4 meters, keeping the soil under
them cool and moist. The plant survives the arid
conditions by absorbing moisture from fog condensing
on the leaves and from underground
water it extracts through roots that can grow up
to 30 meters deep.
Like the Welwitschia the northern section of the
Namib Naukluft Park is unique and well worth
a visit. So the next time you take a trip the coast,
consider using the road less travelled and go on
a journey of discovery through this exceptional
environment. n
For further information:
Namibia Wildlife Resorts
Tel: ++264 (0)61 285 7200
Fax: ++264 (0)61 224 900
Email: reservations@nwr.com.na
Web: www.nwr.com.na