 | Kuiseb River |
Belonging to the Namib Naukluft park - one of the largest game parks in the world, the Kuiseb River
runs through the center of the park from east to west and acts as a natural boundary separating the
northern grey-white gravel plains from the southern deserts. Herds of Hartmann's Mountain Zebra,
Gemsbok, Springbok and large numbers of Ostrich roam the region. The sand dune areas are home to numerous
unique creatures such as the translucent Palmato Gecko, the Shovel-nosed Lizard and the Namib Golden Mole.
The area has been home to the Khoikhoi nomads for over 2,000 years. The descendants of the Khoikhoi people,
now known as the Topnaars, still live in the area tending sheep and goats in this harsh environment.
Traditionally the Topnaars acquired a lot of their food from the sea. They speared fish in the shallow
water and hunted seals, birds and turtles. They are also called Beachcombers.
Oxwagon-tracks dating back to 1844, and Scheppmannsdorf, a former camp of the German Schutztruppe,
can also be seen.
In the dry riverbeds the Topnaars harvest the seeds of an endemic melon called !nara.
The seeds of this unique fruit are highly nutritious and said to have medicinal properties. The Kuiseb
River Canyon, located about 135 km from Walvis Bay en route to Windhoek is one of the many attractions
in the area. It is estimated that the canyon was formed about two million years ago.
The park consists of five main regions, namely: the Namib, Sandvis, Naukluft, Sessriem and Sossusvlei.
The Namib is estimated to be the world's oldest desert and is characterized by broad gravel plains.
This part of the desert is the best place to see the ancient and extraordinary Welwitschia mirabilis
plants - described as "the platypus of the plant kingdom". The area also contains some
remarkable lichen fields.
The Sandvis area includes Sandwich Harbor, 48Km south of Walvis Bay, and is accessible only by
four-wheel-drive vehicles. Fresh water seeps from under the dunes into the saltwater lagoon, resulting
in a unique wetland flanked by dunes. This unique environment provides a haven for a proliferation of
birds and bird watching is excellent here from September to March.
The Naukluft region is an important watershed characterized by dolomitic mountains up to 6500 feet in
height with massive picturesque rock formations and thickly foliated riverbeds. This is a well-known
refuge of the Hartmann's mountain zebra and offers excellent walking trails. Also present are Springbok,
Kudu, Klipspringer, Rock Rabbit, Baboons and Black Eagles. Also seen are Cheetah and Leopard.
Sossusvlei has the highest sand dunes in the world, exceeding 1000 feet in height. Sossusvlei is a
300km by 150km dune expanse stretching from the Khoichab River in the south to the Kuiseb River in the
north. Aside from the bewitching scenery and geological fascinations held in store at Sossusvlei,
the area is ideal for observing some of the dune life for which the Namib is so well known for.
A variety mammals are likely to be seen is this area: steenbok, springbok, oryx, kudu, mountain zebra, dassie rat, chacma baboon, rock dassie, klipspringer. Up to 200 bird species have been recorded in the area.
SOSSUSVLEI is one of Namibia’s most impressive sights. The famous clay pan is enclosed by the endless red and yellow sand sea of the Dune Namib. Climbing a dune should definitely be part of a visit. Sossusvlei can only be reached from the national park’s entrance gate at Sesriem. Sesriem Canyon, a gorge of about 2 km in length, is also in the vicinity of Sesriem.
