The Adventure
The Namib Desert is a unique part of Southern Africa, which on first impression looks dangerous, uninviting and devoid of any life. This impression, however, is very deceiving, as the Namib is full of surprises, with a rich treasure of discovery for those fascinated by its unique beauty. This area has been off limits to tourists in the past due to the extensive mining activity that has taken place there during the last century.
Fortunately, for off-road enthusiasts, the government is now allowing limited access into this area to environmentally controlled groups. For this reason a maximum only ten vehicles will be allowed to participate in this tour. With the Megaworld 4×4 team, you will enter the desert just north of Luderitz for a desert and coastal dune experience, conducted in a safe and environmentally sensitive manner.
On this specific tour:
You will have to have at least 160 litres of fuel in your vehicle – including what is in your vehicles fuel tank
You must carry at least 20 litres of fresh water
Megaworld 4×4 adventures provides all the tents and camping equipment – BUT! You will have to transport one of the tents in your vehicle.
The Team
Your tour leader, Bernie, is an experienced nature adventure guide. He will be in radio contact with you at all times and impart a wealth of biological, cultural, historic and four-wheel drive knowledge. Three meals a day will be prepared by our experienced bush chef in his mobile kitchen, with fresh salads, potjiekos, braais and many other surprises appearing on the menu. The good old “koffie pot” will be on the fire from six till late.
Though this self-drive adventure can get “exciting” and is sometimes not a “walk in the park”, we will at all times practice safe off-road driving techniques and should you experience any difficulty, the Megaworld crew do have the “know how” and recovery equipment to assist with most off-road problems. Some of our overnight stops will be rustic and unusual, but you will never the less at all times be safe, the crew will spare no effort to make you comfortable, provide you with good wholesome food and, most importantly, see that you have a good time.
Adventure Itinerary
Day 1
We meet at Obelix guesthouse in Luderitz at 17:00 to check in and settle down for the next three nights. Here we will brief you as to what to expect and also introduce you to our guide from Coastway tours, Volker Janker. We enjoy dinner prepared by Norbitt, owner of Obelix and enjoy a night of leasure.
Day 2
After breakfast we head off to the ghost town Kolmanskoppe where we join a guided tour of this historic town. We then head back to town and have lunch at the waterfront. After lunch we head off on a drive in the peninsula to the light house and Dias cross and follow a scenic 4×4 route in the area before heading back to refuel and restock as there will not be 6time in the morning before we head out to the desert. We then enjoy dinner at Obelix guesthouse.
Day 3
An essential safety briefing early on the third day follows a wholesome breakfast. This is not intended to intimidate, but rather to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the challenges that lie ahead. Then it’s time to begin our incredible journey. After negotiating a vast expanse of rugged quarts stone valleys the driving conditions gradually becomes sandier, allowing the group to adjust to the different driving techniques.
By late afternoon, we start encountering the deep desert and meet our first Namib dunes, some of which are up to 100 meters high and closer to the coast. Before the magnificent desert sun sets, we arrive at our overnight stop at Blue Mountain, where we set up camp. Basic toilet and shower facilities will be provided. We spend the evening around the campfire under the stars, sharing our impressions of the day’s experiences and listening to the fascinating night sounds of the deep desert.
Day 4
Leaving Blue Mountain, via Hottentot Bay, most of the day is spent driving in the mountainous dunes or along the coast to “Gibraltar”, our campsite for the night.
Day 5
Another early start after a hearty breakfast, we head north to the derelict diamond-mining town of Saddle Hill South. We explore the ghost-like, sand filled buildings and rusted mining equipment that seem to whisper in the wind. After a light picnic lunch, we head for Mercury Island, (legally) driving along a few beaches, where you can literally feel the island shudder as the huge waves crash against its cliffy shores.
Our route takes us on to two shipwrecks, seen by only a privileged few, where on occasion you can see up to 3000 Cape Fur Seals sunning themselves on the beaches of Spencer Bay. Here we set up camp for the night and relax around the fire whilst our chef prepares another of his wholesome South African dishes.
Day 6
We unfortunately have to leave the desert, but our adventure is still far from over, as we still have to traverse the area known at the Devil’s Workshop, on our way down south to Luderitz. At Luderitz, we once again enjoy the hospitality of the guest house, where with a cold draft or whatever “your poison” to wash away the desert dust, we can “postmortem” our experiences in the deep desert.
Day 7
Sadly, after breakfast, it we must bid you farewell as we all head for home and back to the “grindstone”, that is until your next Megaworld 4×4 Adventure experience.
