Desert Safaris
Posted on Friday, July 15th, 2011
Did you know that you can see the largest sand dune in the world in the desert in Namibia? Desert safaris have lots of attractions of their own, including a huge variety of different animals, and a different ecosystem to your traditional safari experience.
1. The Kalahari Desert
Covering two thirds of Botswana and part of South Africa and Namibia, the Kalahari Desert is one of Africa’s great wilderness areas. While the terrain looks as though nothing could survive, it’s actually home to large number of different species. It’s also home to the San Bushmen, reportedly the oldest inhabitants of Africa. The Bushmen have adapted closely to their environment, with a remarkable understanding of the fragile ecosystems around them and an ability to survive which seems truly surreal to Westerners – for example, they rarely drink water, and instead rely on moisture from plant roots and desert melons.
There are two main game reserves in the Kalahari; the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and its next door neighbour the Khutse Game Reserve. Both have full desert ecosystems, with different types of wildlife, such as springbok, hartebeest, hunting dogs, and big cats like lions and leopards.
The most famous part of the desert is unquestionably Deception Valley, which was immortalised in the book Cry of the Kalahari. It’s well worth a trip if you get the chance.
2. The Namib Desert
The immense Namib Desert lends its name to the country of Namibia, well known for the largest sand dune in the world. The sand dunes range in colour from pink to orange, resulting in a truly glorious spectacle. The desert is sandy in the south and slowly switches towards rocks as you head north.
One of the highlights of the Namib Desert for me is the Skeleton Coast. Legions of ships have crashed off this coast due to the large amount of fog prevalent in the region. It’s a 300 mile desert, covered in shipwrecks, with fur seals interspersed every now and again. It may look barren, but it is full of life, with 114 mammal species and 340 bird species calling Etosha National Park home. The desert is home to a number of particularly unusual species that survive only in this area.
The majority of the desert is unpopulated (probably a good thing for the flora and fauna), so you’ll need to make your way around the desert taking advantage of the various outposts and settlements. Walvis Bay and Swakopmund are the bigger settlements where you will most likely be staying on a visit to the Namib desert.
