Highlights of our recent photo shoot, featuring Namibia & the Skeleton Coast: Africa’s Last Wilderness
The wilderness of Africa is a photojournalist’s dream—and the stark, otherworldly landscapes of Namibia are among the most breathtaking on the continent. When we first introduced our Namibia & the Skeleton Coast adventure, we knew it was important to show our travelers just how striking this region really is—so we sent a professional photographer, Simon Stobbs, to capture its scenic highlights. Here, we share a selection of his best photos with you, along with his impressions of this OAT experience.
Shaped by the wind over millions of years, the famous red dunes of Sossusvlei enclose a flat, clay pan that transforms into a lake during rare rainy seasons. “We spent three nights near Sossusvlei,” says Simon, “and the length of the stay was perfect. It’s great to have a bit of quiet time to get the true feel of being in the desert and to experience the peace and solitude of Namibia. These are two of its greatest assets.” This photograph captures a group of travelers enjoying what we call a “sundowner”: a safari tradition of toasting the beauty of Africa at the most lovely time of day.
You might have to look closely at this photograph to glimpse the two OAT travelers walking through the barren landscape of Dead Vlei. More than a thousand years ago, an unusual flood provided enough moisture for acacia and camelthorn trees to take root—but when the water receded, the trees died, leaving behind ghostly trunks that never rotted due to the absence of moisture.
In Namibia, flying often isn’t just the quickest way to travel between destinations—it’s also the most scenic. Our flight from the Sossusvlei region to the German-flavored town of Swakopmund offers us an entirely new perspective on the landscape we just explored up close. As Simon reports, “The scenic flight to Swakopmund was spectacular. The pilots were great in pointing out what landmarks would be seen along the way.”
While wildlife isn’t as abundant in Namibia as in, say, Botswana or Tanzania, there are still many safari animals to be spotted here. We’ll seek them out in Damaraland, a scenic, prehistoric landscape of granite outcroppings and distant mountains. We stay within a private concession known as Palmwag in northwestern Damaraland. “The three nights at Palmwag were great,” says Simon. “I found the game drives to be really good, and seeing the free-roaming game was a real highlight for me.”
We’ll continue our quest for wildlife in Etosha National Park, Namibia’s premier game reserve. “The drives in Etosha went really well,” says Simon. “The game viewing was excellent.” Among the creatures we’ll seek out in Etosha is the oryx, one of Namibia’s most famous desert survivors. While Etosha’s landscape is fed by underground springs, the oryx could go for weeks without drinking from them, instead obtaining most of its water from plants. It can also withstand an unusually high body temperature due to a unique respiratory adaptation that cools the blood on its way to the brain.
While this isn’t exactly a “scenic” highlight, we had to mention Sour Kurima, the OAT Trip Leader who accompanied Simon on his photo shoot. In fact, I daresay Simon was even more impressed with Sour than he was with Namibia! As he puts it, “WOW! I have seen a fair number of guides in my time. Sour is certainly one of the best I have seen. He has great knowledge, which he shares readily with all guests. Most importantly, he has a great way with people and can also anticipate problems before they arise and address them immediately.”
Of course, these highlights only represent a fraction of what you’ll discover with OAT on Namibia & the Skeleton Coast: Africa’s Last Wilderness—so I encourage you to explore for yourself! As Simon says, “This really is a great trip. The pace of the trip, mix of camps, contrasts and activities really makes for a superb itinerary.” Join us!