A night in the Namib Desert

Travel & Tourism | 30 November 2006

I was recently in Windhoek, Namibia to attend an Africa Partner Network meeting of the Television for the Environment of which I am a partner. At the end of our meeting, we took a trip out into the Namib Desert passing through a number of towns including Usakos on our way to the town of Swakopmund on the Atlantic Ocean coast. We then drove down into the Namib Desert and spent a night at the Gobabeb Desert Research Centre. The following day we passed through Walvis Bay and back into Windhoek. A pictorial journey below.

View from the tour bus window that to us to the Namib Desert

At a curio market on our way west. Don’t look too much at the elephant and it’s missing tusk.

A precious stones seller

A settlement on the roadside. Namibia has a very small population and these settlements and few and far between.

Usakos town

With the other TVE partners at a stopover

The drive down to Swakopmund town

The cosy town of Swakopmund

An artist in Swakopmund drawing a quick portrait

On the coast in Swakopmund with the Atlantic Ocean behind me.

Swakopmund Town — Swakopmund Town. It was very quiet but apparently fills up over the Christmas holidays.

Shops in Swakopmund Town — Swakopmund Town

Drive to Walvis Bay — Driving out of Swakopmund town towards Walvis Bay.

Views of the Atlantic Ocean — The road to Walvis Bay runs along the coast and behind coastal lodges.

Facilities offering quad biking over the dunes of the Namib Desert line the road from Swakopmund to Walvis Bay — There were a number of adventure sports facilities in Walvis Bay. I saw a good number of people on quad bikes going up the dunes.

Fishing trawlers in the Atlantic Ocean — One can stop a number of fishing trawlers in the Atlantic Ocean. Apparently, Namibians prefer their meat to fish.

The road in the Namib Desert leads to the research centre. There was literally nothing for miles.

In the Namib Desert

Gabobeb Desert Research Centre in the Namib Desert — The main entrance to the Gabobeb Desert Research Centre.

Our first task for the day was to climb a dune.

Sand dunes in the Namib Desert — Views from atop the dunes

On top of a sand dune in the Namib Desert — On top of a sand dune in the Namib Desert.

A spectacular sunset over the dunes in the Namib Desert — A spectacular sunset over the dunes.

Our accommodation in the Namib Desert at the research centre — Our accommodation for the night.

Entertainment area at the centre where we had a few drinks and danced to a few songs.

cold and foggy morning in the Namib Desert — The next morning was cold and foggy.

Morning walk in the desert.

A greenhouse at the Gobabeb Resercah Centre — A greenhouse at the research centre. They need it, they are miles away from the green grocers.

Lunch in Walvis Bay

Walvis Bay town — On our way back to Windhoek we had lunch in Walvis Bay town.

Driving through Walvis Bay town on our way back to Windhoek.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply