Namibia Part 1: Introduction to the Namib Desert

August 22, 2013

M's first time on a horse! Possibly one of my favourite pictures of the trip, and a great "cover shot" for part 1 of our Namibian posts.

To kick off our Namibian adventures we headed south from the capital city of Windhoek to the Namib Naukluft National Park (the Namib desert). The landscapes of Namibia are ultimately its main selling feature; while the scenery changes drastically as you travel throughout the country, the underlying themes of wide open spaces, stunning vistas, miles of dirt roads stretching off into the distance, red cliffs, crystal blue skies, sand and dust, are constants. The only signs of civilization we saw included the very occasional sign indicating a guest house or ranch, and one fuel station masquerading as a "town" (there was a bakery and a lodge as well, so perhaps that qualifies it as a town?). We embraced the solitude and took time to take it all in. 

Taking the long way around- we wound our way through the cliffs of Spreetshoogte Pass en-route from Windhoek to Sesriem.

Making a fuel stop in the one-horse-town of Solitaire, and sharing our first Namibian sunset.

When in Rome...since we stayed at a horse ranch, we thought it only made sense to go for an early morning ride. Horseback riding through the desert- check!