Namibia 2014

Friday3October

We leave the Tok Tokkies behind us and, after a 1h30 drive on a track, reach our next destination, Sesriem.

The C27 track

As soon as we arrive, we go for a walk in Sesriem Canyon.

This small gorge is 30 meters deep and 3 kilometers long. Easy, therefore, to descend into it and enjoy the dry bed of the Sesriem River.

Geology enthusiasts will enjoy the walls that reveal the different strata from the last 2 million years...

The canyon narrows; it's here that you might be able to see that the river isn't completely dry.

Return to Namibia Wildlife Resorts Sesriem Campsite where we will spend two nights.

And this time, no barbecue, we're enjoying the campsite restaurant!

Saturday4thOctober

Early wake-up. We are going to spend our day in the salt and clay desert of Sossusvlei.

60 km of road that crosses the dunes of Namib Naukluft Park.

Completely dried-up acacias line the edges of the desert, creating an end-of-the-world atmosphere.

We pass in front of the immense Dune 45 (named because it's located 45 kilometers from Sesriem). It's one of the challenges of the place (if, of course, you feel like climbing the slopes of this sand mountain). And seeing those who embark on this ascent, it really doesn't look easy!

As for us, we might try our luck on the way back!... In the meantime, the monument really lends itself to photos, so I'm making the most of it...

At the end of the 60 kilometers, you have the choice between continuing with your 4x4 or taking the jeep that will brave the sand traps for you! We quickly chose the jeep...

Bordering Dead Vlei, one of the highest dunes in the world: Big Daddy! This dune is also called "Crazy Dune" given the madness it takes to climb it... Being only half-crazy, we'll attempt a half-dune later...

350 meters high, it's gigantic for a dune, and between winds and slippery slopes, the ascent seems incredibly difficult, even from the zoom of my lens...

Before trying our luck on Big Daddy, we move on to one of Namibia's most photographed sites, Dead Vlei, a white clay pan dotted with its completely dry acacias.

And here we are in front of Dead Vlei. The name means "dead marsh" because, indeed, fed by the Tsauchab River, the place was, in a distant past, completely wet and acacias grew there normally. But alas, the marsh dried up and the trees inevitably followed...

The landscape before us resembles a Chinese ink watercolor...

The trees are Acacia erioloba.

The soil, cracked by drought, is largely composed of clay.

"The trunks of the dead trees, estimated to be around 900 years old, are now black because the intense sun has scorched them. Although not petrified, their wood does not decompose because it is too dry." © Wikipedia

This one did well, it surely found soil a bit wetter than the others...

It's hug time with 900 years of history...

It doesn't show in the photo, but here we are on Big Daddy dune, at least on its slopes because we didn't have enough courage to brave the sand all the way to the summit...  

He had the courage and is very happy with his feat!  

Back to the parking lot for lunch. A Pied Crow (Corvus albus) doesn't miss a crumb...

We take the road in reverse to return to the campsite. So we pass by Dune 45 again... The wind having calmed down, we no longer have any excuse not to confront the sand monster! A couple of lovers have already started the ascent...

The dune reaches 170 meters in height, which is 60 meters more than our Dune du Pilat, but 180 meters less than Big Daddy!!! But that will be more than enough for us! wink.gif

Usually, I'm the one struggling on big hikes, but today I don't know what's gotten into me, I feel like I have wings on my back and I'm advancing inexorably. From break to break, the summit gets closer, making the impossible possible! yes.gif

Here I am at the top! My 3 comrades (the 3 small dots on the ridge) are done for today and turn back. 1 out of 4, we can consider the challenge met! glasses.gif

Only the boy who left his girlfriend along the way joins me at the very top... And luckily, because he hadn't forgotten his water bottle....... Thank you! prostrate.gif

I decide to save time (not really, actually) by not turning back and sliding down the slope on my bottom...

Here we are back at kilometer 0. It's nicer here, and we once again encounter familiar faces like ostriches and springboks...

We had had our fill of dunes for today, but woe to us for wanting to contemplate the sunset! So a new ascent awaited us to reach the beautiful viewpoint...

Phew, still tough...

All we have to do is wait for the star to deign to go to its room... To keep us busy, ants (Camponotus detritus) come to show off their hairy, all-white bottoms... chuckle.gif

That's it! It's starting!

The Sesriem plain takes on some colors.

And the other spectators unknowingly add themselves to the superb tableau of Chinese shadows against the sunset!

That's it, the Namib Desert is over. Tomorrow, we leave it to go up in altitude and reach the Naukluft mountains...