Aus – Meob Bay – Walvis Bay Tour

A journey over sand and dunes.

A dream comes true

Who sails with us over the sea of dunes??
A 5-6 days trip and about a 600 km tour from Aus to Walvisbay.

Our journey is going to take us to places you’ve never been, never seen, possibly haven’t even imagined. It’s an adventure. Namibia is an extraordinary land, and it needs to be experienced alongside all who can reveal everything it has to offer.

The evening before our tour begins; we meet our tour guide, Armand Basson. He’ll explain all the dos, don’ts, maybes and musts of the forthcoming adventure. Apart from being led by a highly experienced guide, a trip with I Dream Africa has the added advantage that all vehicles are fitted with radios – in this way, everybody is in constant contact with the group leader.

The dune belt through, over, round and over which you’ll travel, stretches from Aus all the way to Walvisbay – some idea of how vast and isolated this breathtaking landscape can be.

We leave early in the morning, and after just a few kilometers on tar, we enter the park. You’ll be captivated almost instantly by the beauty of the wilderness. Stretching way into the distance are plains of grey grass, Boesman gras (Stipagrostis ciliata), burned and bleached by the sun; here and there, you’ll find a mountain. You’ll see the wild horses, some in a playful mood, rolling on the grass and kicking up clouds of dust in this parched sector of the country.

We also pass the famous fairy circles, the unsolved mystery of the Namib. In the far distance, the dunes wait for us, and you’ll feel that rising sense of anticipation and excitement as we draw nearer to them.
For photographers we stop on request, (hence the radios). Our pace is deliberately slow so as to enable us to breathe in the extreme beauty. The single car sand track begins as yellow, but soon changes to a beautiful red – the contrast between the sand and grey grass is magnificent. Glancing back from your vehicle, the convoy resembles a snake winding its way slowly through the sandy landscape.

We pause for lunch and by then, the dunes are that much nearer. We leave behind the last hard sand tracks and now we are right up alongside the dunes.
After lunch, we head for our overnight stop. Here and there somebody might get stuck in the sand, but Armand is excellent at helping them out of tricky situations – it is all part of the fun and experience.

It isn’t late when we arrive at our camping spot – a stunning setting between the dunes. Tents up…shower and toilet up… and the fire is lit. Those who want to can walk around, climb a dune, or just sit, relax and take in the beauty and extreme quiet. If you long to see a sensational sunset, climb a little higher, away from others, and feel the solitude.

Nessie is a fine chef, and serves up a wonderful meal. One night, it will be chicken, the next, a “braai,” the following a curry. Every night, something different; every night, something good.

It’s wonderful to relax round the fire – fondly known as Bushmen’s TV – stories are told, jokes are cracked, and the atmosphere is perfect. Walk a little away from the group, and view the stars above you. Armand believes the sky here is nearer to you because there’s no pollution. It feels as if you can touch them.
He likes to make another suggestion as well. Sit somewhere on the sand away from others. Let the sand run through your fingers, and think of the uniqueness of that experience – nobody before you has ever sat on or touched that sand; nobody will ever again. Very special.

You will be glad of your warm jacket. It’s beautifully warm in the daytime, but the nights get very cold. You’re in the desert after all.

Breakfast is early, coffee and tea with rusks are waiting; also a continental breakfast. We each make our own lunch packed with cold meat, cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, plenty to keep you sustained for the day. One morning, we’ll make sure you taste ‘mieliepap’ maize porridge, a traditional African dish.
From here we travel over the dunes, higher and more beautiful, the fascinating patterns made by wind. Here and there, we see an Oryx, sometimes a group of them, running away when they notice you, just to stand still a bit further on, and looking back at you.

We could also see a chameleon, almost the colour of the sand, so well camouflaged to protect him! So slow, he has all the time in the world.
And if the convoy stops suddenly, it’ll be for a reason. The markings of a sidewinder snake, and because Armand has sharp eyes, he usually finds the snake too.

The dunes have a slip face some small, some high. At first it looks and feels exciting, but as the day continues, you become accustomed to them, and want them higher and steeper. It’s such a terrific experience – some dunes are roaring so it’s like music in your ears.

The night draws nearer, and we stop earlier because of the magnificent spot we’ve chosen to camp – Boesmans Paradys (Bushmens’ Paradise), one of the most beautiful spots in the Namib Desert. We’re privileged. This is a concession area, so not open to the general public – few get to experience this.
Late afternoon, Armand takes you up the mountain to see the sunset, something spectacular. Below, we can see our camp and the fire Nessie has made.

Far away, lies the Namib and even further, we can see the distant mist at the coast. Make sure your camera is with you, batteries are loaded, because here you are not only in Boesman’s Paradys, but also in a photographers’ paradise.

Today, we are going to visit Suzie – an old lady left behind in the dunes, but she’s not lonely. She gets visitors from all over the world. Suzie is an old truck with a story to tell. She was stuck here many years ago – trying to get her going again was unsuccessful and they had to leave her there. Her job had been to
Transport materials to the mines in the area. We’ll learn more about her on our visit.

Onwards we go over the endless dunes, now without any grass or growth on them. The wind-ruffled patterns are both fascinating and beautiful. We’re on our way to Meob Bay area where we camp near the sea and we are going to spend two nights.

Those few days we keep for the dunes. Playing on them is fun and when you think there are just dunes and sand…, well, we will show you what else there is to see.

Fischersbrunn is one of the places we visit and is a very interesting place..In the diamond rush time it was one of the most important places along the coast as it is a natural source of fresh water. In those olden days even there were even gardens with vegetables ,tomatoes..carrots etc. those were even transported to Luderitz!!
Even today the beautiful Oryx come and drink at the water and will see them often around .

To show you that not only sand and dunes is around you, Armand will take you to one of the Petrified floors, yes you read it correct….the floor of the old Tsauchab river that stopped flowing because the dunes cut the river off .
What an amazing special sight this is.
These photos were taken in the early hours at the golden hour….Ask Armand to take you there at the right time if you are a keen photographer.

Also on the programme is our visit to the petrified floor, something extraordinary and very colourful. We can also play on the dunes, or try out our 4×4 driving skills up and down the slopes. You might prefer to just sit and enjoy the freshness of the sea, or stroll through the surrounds. Up to you.

Some play on the dune photos and even if you don’t want to play like that,just watch the others doing it…some are very very good at it, special Armand.
Those play dunes have names  Armand se gat en Nessie se gat

Then further we go again and just look how nice the group looks from far.

From here, we plan to drive on the beach, high or low tide permitting. At low tide, we can travel easily, but at high, we have to go over the dunes – the waves come right to the dunes’ edge, leaving no place to drive!

We are going to visit the old deserted mine villages of Chrillenberger, Charlottental and Holsasia – also the lonely Oxwagon. The surroundings are harsh, and it’s difficult to imagine that people once worked in these lonely places where the wind can be fierce and the eastern weather hot and burning; but they did, just to find and dig out diamonds.

We see the shipwreck of the Eduard Bohlen. She was beached on the 5th of Sept 1909, and is now lying about 600 meters from the sea. Jackals use her as a hotel!

We set up camp near the beach, a little further on than previously, and spend our last night together. It’s always a sad moment, but we make the very most of it! What stories we can share, what memories we’ve created.

Next morning, we’re up and away. We pass the wreck of the Shawnee fishing trawler beached in 1976 – sometimes it’s open, other times covered in sand.
On our way to Walvisbay, we pass a few large, fascinating colonies of seals. We pass the beautiful Sandwich Harbour area, before reaching Walvisbay.

Here we say ‘totsiens’ – goodbye – and I’m sure that after this experience, life for you will never be the same again. You won’t forget the vast, unspoiled te desert of the Namib, and the time we spent together, exploring, enjoying and sharing this breathtaking landscape and the adventure.