Travelling to the South African Desert is not a new idea; in fact, the first recorded tour of the Dandenongs Ranges took place over two hundred years ago. In the late 1800’s, a British officer, Captain James Cook wrote about visiting the beautiful dunes in Namibia. Although the area was then known as Cape Town, it has been locally known as Sossusvlei Dunes since that time. There are several major attractions in and around this region; however, perhaps the most famous dunes in all of South Africa is the Namibian beach town of Port Elizabeth. Traveling to this sandy enclave will allow you to experience the unique desert safari that only a few people get to experience. The dunes are surrounded by rocky terrain and offer a variety of wildlife and vegetation that makes for an exciting experience.
The dunes are made up of numerous small beaches with small bays that lie at the ends of long stretches of sand dunes. The landscape varies greatly depending on the season and location. At certain times of the year the dunes are completely calm and the waters of the surrounding ocean seem to be a magical silver lining. Other times, the Namibian coast offers a wide variety of commercial fishing activities.
The Namibian town of Sossusvlei is located on the Eastern fringe of the Namibian Desert. You will need to make sure that you can travel to this town via road as it is a very long trip to drive between the two. There are a number of commercial airlines that fly into the city; however, chartering a plane is also an option if you prefer a private plane with pilot. It is best to book a tour through a travel agent as they have the experience necessary to guide you to the perfect destination.
The Namibian cape is a popular tourist destination due to its stunning scenery and beach activities. The two-mile stretch of sand dunes is lined with hotels, resorts and beach resorts that offer activities and tours in addition to shopping. When traveling to the Namibian case, you will need to rent a vehicle from a travel company as most of the Namibian cape is only accessible by road. The longest tour of the dunes starts from the northernmost point of the town of Sossusvlei and takes about three hours fifty minutes. You can view spectacular views of the Namibian desert below on the east and west coasts of the desert.
At the southern end of the dunes, a small town called Magellan is home to several beach resorts and restaurants that offer tours of the dunes. The dunes reach a width of about ten kilometers and the Cape Reinga lie at the center of the Namibian cape. It is possible to reach Magellan in about six hours twenty minutes from the town of Sossusvlei. This is a popular tourist destination because there are a variety of things to do in the surrounding areas. It is possible to hike, fly kites or ride a horse along the beach.
Dune rides and paragliding are very popular activities to participate in while traveling through the Namibian desert. Another fun activity for those traveling to the dunes is sand rafting. This sport is best done in the late spring or early fall months when clouds have thickened. Chalk readings can also be found dotted all over town and over the desert. Namibia has a large tribe of San tribespeople who live solely off the land. Many of them are willing to share their experience of the desert through informative Sanduskanda tours.
