Exploring the coastal strip along the vast Namib

Le Roux van Schalkwyk

One evening not long ago, I had a conversation with a friend about items on my bucket list. At the top of my list was the dream of taking part in one of the dune adventure tours, which lead you across the protected area of the Namib Desert from Lüderitz to Walvis Bay. As if the universe was eavesdropping on our conversation and granted me my wish, I received an email from Desert Magic Tours barely a week later, inviting me to join them on such a trip. And far from just being any trip, it was the newly established “Forbidden Land Shipwreck Trail”, a 6-day desert route, which starts in Lüderitz and ends in Walvis Bay. A novelty which takes you through the demarcated diamond area no. 1, north of Lüderitz, and covers all of the known shipwrecks and adjoining scenic areas.

A mere month later I find myself at a guesthouse in Lüderitz where I meet the rest of our tour group in order to receive final instructions before heading off the next morning. Introducing himself tour organizer and leader Gerrie van Staden hands me an indemnity form to complete. You cannot help but feel a little uneasy when having to sign a form, which makes mention of accidents, death or injury, but my excitement quickly dispels any fear.

Day 1 - An early start

An early morning start sees every car fitted with a two-way radio and a quick stop to take breathalyser-tests at Kolmanskop gate (the first leg of the journey takes us through diamond area no. 1, which is controlled by Namdeb Mining), before we set off north towards the dunes.

Before long we pass the rusty remains of mining equipment, a reminder of the long diamond history of this area. After a short drive along the coast we reach our first shipwreck of the tour close to Agate Bay, a barge initially used to ferry material to- and from ships, later utilised as a floating mussels-farm before it finally broke loose and ended up beached just north of Lüderitz. Here Gerrie issues his last instructions and provides tips on navigating the dunes, especially the tricky slip faces.

The dunes seem to stretch to the North as far as the eye can see. Before entering this sea of sand, we have a quick stop to deflate the vehicle’s tires down to only 0.9bar. The first set of dunes is nice and hard and allows the drivers to gain confidence while learning the feel and handling of their cars. Reaching the top after quite a climb we stop for a breath taking view of the bay area to the South, the vast dune landscape to the North and the blue Atlantic stretching out as far as the eye can see. Here we also have our first stuck vehicle. A nice icebreaker as everyone knows it is inevitable that almost everyone will get stuck at some point; human ego dictates that no one wants to be the first one to get stuck.

The rest of the day is a great opportunity to learn to drive your car in the tricky sand and after a quick stop at the wreck of the Frotamerica, we end the day with a magnificent view over Hottentot Bay. We set up camp close by, on a small plain tucked between the dunes and everyone excitedly shares experiences of this first day, after which we are treated to a delicious dinner.

Day 2 - Saddle Hill

The dunes are covered in a thick blanket of mist as we set off after a hearty breakfast and a quick overview of the day’s route. Gerrie takes his time to find the best route as we enter the dunes, as visibility is severely limited. The convoy waits for him to send a signal over the radio, before we follow. An early early morning sun’s rays tries to break through the dense low mist creating the most surreal and beautiful landscape. In this moment I cannot imagine wishing to be anywhere else but here.

The day’s trip takes us past Saddle Hill and Mercury Island, while we make a quick stop to view the wreck of the Otavi. The last tricky segment before reaching camp is a dune’s slip-face, which seems to drop vertically into the ocean and offers only the tiniest strip along the beach, on which to turn to safety when hitting the bottom. With my heart skipping a beat while driving down, Gerrie’s excellent and calm instructions over the radio allow me to safely reach the bottom, as does everybody else.

Day 3 - The real challenge

Having two days of dune-driving experience under the belt helps as the driving on the dunes of today’s stretch prove to be quite technical, but none the less proves to be a load of fun. The day starts off bad for one of the vehicles in the convoy. Having secretly inflated his tyres before leaving, the unfortunate guest burns the clutch of his Land Cruiser and the vehicle remains behind to be salvaged after the trip. An expensive lesson and convincing proof that it borders on being foolish, if you do not listen to your tour guide. Fortunately this couple was able to fit into another vehicle along with their possessions and soon we were off again. The rest of the route goes by without further incident, passing some exquisite scenery, especially in the area of Oyster Cliffs.

During the night we are in for a surprise, as it starts raining after dinner - a very rare sight and experience in the desert. With stormy winds driving down relentless rain for the remainder of the night, everyone is gratefully enjoying the protection of their tent.

Day 4 - Rain in the desert

Waking up cold and miserable, some hot coffee and breakfast quickly improves our mood. But as we prepare to leave, the rain pours down again and does not let up for the rest of the day. Even though the weather is miserable, seeing this unremitting rain in such a barren landscape is something few will ever have the privilege of experiencing. With the dunes wet and the sand therefore compressed, it makes for easy driving where usually it would be tough going. Unfortunately visibility is drastically decreased and we miss out on some lovely views of the surrounding area.

Instead of setting up a camp for the night, Gerrie contacts a fellow tour operating company and is able to arrange accommodation at their camp at Meob Bay. Everyone is excited about the prospect of sleeping dry with a roof over our heads instead of a soaked tent.

Day 5 - The roller coaster

We wake up to clear skies for the first time in four days and use the opportunity to dry our kit in the sun, thus leaving a little later than normal. The day’s route amongst other takes us past the whaling station at Meob Bay, the Eduard Bohlen stranded far inland and the further Shipwreck of the Shawnee, as well as having us cross the Tropic of Capricorn.

Gerrie takes those brave enough to take a risk, to drive on so-called “roller coaster dunes”. Essentially these are high dunes requiring more than usual speed to go up and in the process ste the vehicle in motion much like a roller coaster. Occasionally it verges on becoming scary, but it remains a lot of fun every time.

Our last night’s camp is in a beautiful spot at Sandwich Harbour on some flat ground, tucked between dunes and right on the big lagoon’s edge. Campfire stories are shared for the last time before will head back the next day.

Day 6 - Parting as friends

The last day affords us some spectacular views of Sandwich Harbour as we conquer giant dunes before heading down to the beach, where after we drive the last stretch into the town of Walvis Bay. Having reached our destination the tour group joins to have lunch together for the last time. Contact details are exchanged and some experiences of the past couple of days are relived. Meeting as strangers less than a week ago the group parts ways as great friends, who consider themselves privileged to have shared an epic journey and adventure.

Visit www.desertmagictours.com.na or contact their offices under telephone number 063-202824 for more information.