November 2nd was mainly a travel day. We left the Erindi Reserve and headed to a small airport near Windhoek. From there, we traveled by small plane to Sossusvlei where we landed on a sand runway. We are staying at Desert Grace Lodge in the Namib Desert for the next two nights
Sossusvlei is the oldest desert in the world and home to some of the highest sand dunes.
We arrived in time for a late lunch and after settling in, we enjoyed a nature drive in the lodge’s reserve. We stopped and enjoyed sundowner drinks as the sun set over the desert mountains.
Dinner was at the lodge and we enjoyed oryx steak on the buffet along with a variety of other items.
We had a very early start in the morning, leaving at 5:30 in order to get to the Namib Naukluft Park early in the day. It is preferable to do the dune hikes in the morning before the temperature gets too hot. One nice thing about getting up early was we were able to enjoy the stars before heading out. The combination of low humidity and very little light made the viewing spectacular. We were able to clearly see the Milky Way and being in the Southern Hemisphere, we got to see the Southern Cross.
There are clay pans at the bottom of many of the dunes. The main pan occasionally fills with water when the rains are enough that the Tsauchab River brings water to the area. The pans then attract flamingos and other birds.
We hiked the dunes and it was a very unique experience. The edges were often very steep and the sand was very soft. While that meant that you would not likely get hurt if you fell and also meant you would not easily get back up if you tumbled down. If at all.
The highest dune was called Big Daddy and Bob and I climbed to the top. I only had to carry him part of the way. Big daddy is over 3000 feet high and while climbing it wasn’t exactly relaxing, we enjoyed the challenge.
The way down was much easier but with each step your feet sank in to your ankles or a bit deeper. The sand was surprisingly cool and Bob walked/ran down without his shoes.
After walking down, we crossed Deadvlei, a clay pan characterized by dark, dead camel thorn trees that contrast against the white clay and rust covered dunes.
Thoroughly exhausted, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch under the trees before heading back to the Desert Grace Lodge. The plunge pool felt great and we relaxed until dinner.
As our final dinner in the desert, we were driven out to a beautiful location. The staff had set a lovely table with lanterns lighting the area. We enjoyed sundowners (surprise) before sitting down to a great meal of grilled lamb chops, Springbok steak and many other delicious dishes. It was a grand way to end our time in the desert and was so much nicer than just eating in the lodge. There are some advantages to traveling with a renowned chef who is friends with all the people who run the lodges and kitchens.
Tomorrow we head back to Windhoek for a last night in Namibia before flying back to Cape Town
Tampaskis Travel 