Excursion The living desert by 4x4 tour at Walvis Bay

The Namib Desert is the world's oldest desert, and its dunes harbour a wide array of desert life. Explore the dunes of the Namibian Desert during this half-day excursion via 4WD led by specialist guide. Find the weird and wonderful creatures that call the desert their home and take stunning photographs in the desert. View the stunning Namibian Desert before enjoying a lunch with local wines under a Bedouin style tent.

The Namib Desert

The Namib Desert stretches along the Atlantic Ocean from Angola well into South Africa and forms a belt of spectacular dunes and rock formations that reaches up to 200 kms inland. The coastal belt dune may seem barren and lifeless to many people, but in fact it is alive with a fascinating variety of little desert adapted animals. The coastal road between the two towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. The road extends over 31.36 km with the dunes on one side and the Atlantic ocean on the other side - two quite start contracts close together.

Depart Walvis Bay harbor in 4x4 expedition vehicles in this collection tour especially designed for our World Cruise Guests. Embark on an exploration to find the living creatures of the desert, led by specialist naturalitst guides who take the time to find all the weird and wonderful creatures in the desert, interacting with guests as they are found. These creatures may include the Sidewinder Adder, the Palmetto Gecko, the Sand Diving Lizard, the Namaqua Chameleon and various other little beetles, lizards and geckos which live and survive in the hot desert conditions. Your guide frequently stops to look for tracks (known locally as reading the bushman paper), to determine which creatures were active the night before and wherever possible, will try to catch some of them. He shares his knowledge about each little desert animal, including adaptations and design for survival in the desert. Great care is taken to ensure each animal is returned safely to its home.

As your guide points out to you interesting desert-survival adaptations of these animals, enjoy excellent photographic opportunities. As you continue your desrt tour educate yourself about history in the area such as the 'The Horse Graveyard'. Here, the mass slaughter of South African military horses marked the turning point of Namibia's (then Southwest Africa) involvement in the First World War. This area, holding some 1,600 carcasses, signifies the key role that Swakopmund and Walvis Bay played in the development of Namibia.

A brief description of the minerals found in the dunes is also explained, as well as the formation of the dunes and the importance of the coastal fog to all the living organisms and vegetation found along the dunes.

Bedouin Style Tent for Lunch

After your living desert discoveries, relax under a Bedouin style tent for a desert lunch prepared on open fires.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion may include: 4x4 Expedition Vehicle over the Dunes, Desert Living Creatures exploration led by Specialist Guide & Naturalist, Lunch under a Bedouin Style Tent

Note

Please note: This tour requires a moderate amount of walking and guests must be agile and able to climb in and out of the 4x4 dune vehicles.  The drive is along gravel roads and at times will be bumpy and dusty. This tour is not recommended to guests with limited mobility or those who utilise a wheelchair, those who suffer from back/neck problems, breathing difficulties, or allergies to dust. The desert area is hot and dry; please dress accordingly. Guests are advised to wear comfortable walking shoes, hats, sun protection, and sunglasses. Guests must be at least six years old to participate on this tour. Although frequently encountered on this type of tour, bird, wildlife and marine sightings are not guaranteed. The price of this tour is adversely affected by the cost of conducting business in this area of the world due to its high-cost infrastructure. Guides and adequate transportation need to be sourced from a distance. The tour sequence may vary. Space on this tour is extremely limited; we suggest you book well in advance to avoid disappointment.