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The Southern Namib desert is home to some of the
tallest and most spectacular dunes of the world, ranging in color from
pink to vivid orange.
These dunes continue right to the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The cold
waters of the sea brushing against the dunes of the Namib desert is one
of the most surreal sights.
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While the sea coast extends for hundreds of miles, one of the best
places to see these dunes is at Swakopmund. Known as Swakop in Namibia,
it is the country's biggest coastal town and a mecca for Namibians on
holiday.
The city's German origins are quite pronounced in beautiful old German
Colonial buildings throughout the city, making an even starker contrast
for this town sitting at the edge of the Namib Desert.
From here, helicopter ride is available that flies you around the
Skeleton Coast and the Namib desert in general.
When the first 120 Schutztruppe soldiers and 40 settlers were offloaded
at Swakopmund, they had to dig caves into the sand for shelter.
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Swakopmund quickly became the main port for imports and exports for the
whole territory, and was one of six towns which received municipal
status in 1909.
Many government offices for German South-West Africa had offices in
Swakopmund. During the Herero Wars a concentration camp for Herero
people was operated in town. Inmates were forced into slave labour,
approximately 2,000 Herero died.
A number of unusual species of plants and animals are found in this
desert, many of which are endemic and highly adapted to the specific
climate of the area.
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One of the most well-known endemic plants of the Namib is the bizarre
Welwitschia mirabilis; a shrub-like plant, it grows two long
strap-shaped leaves continuously throughout its lifetime.
These leaves may be several meters long, gnarled and twisted from the
desert winds. The taproot of the plant develops into a flat, concave
disc in age. Welwitschia is notable for its survival in the extremely
arid conditions in the Namib, mostly deriving moisture from the coastal
sea fogs.
An area where Welwitschias are a common sight is found in the
surroundings of the Moon Valley, including the eponymous Welwitschia
Plains. |