Namib Desert

Namib Desert

The Namib Desert is a desert in western Namibia, situated within Africa’s largest national park — the Namib-Naukluft National Park. Spanning 50,000 square kilometers along Namibia’s 1,600-kilometer Atlantic coastline, the desert stretches 50 to 160 kilometers from east to west, with parts extending into southwestern Angola. This region is considered the oldest desert in the world, having maintained arid and semi-arid conditions for at least 80 million years. Air flowing from the Atlantic to the area is dried and cooled by the cold Benguela Current, then sinks, contributing to the desert’s dry climate.

Some rare plant and animal species are found only in this desert, including the Welwitschia mirabilis, a shrub-like plant that produces only two long, strap-shaped leaves during its lifetime, which can grow several meters in length. Though most of the desert is uninhabited and difficult to access, the settlement of Sesriem remains populated, close to the famous Sossusvlei and its expansive dunes — some exceeding 300 meters in height, including the tallest dunes on Earth. The dunes have complex yet regular shapes, making them subjects of geological study. Travelers can reach the Namib Desert by small plane from Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, Swakopmund, or Walvis Bay, or via gravel roads.

Namib Desert

Must-visit reason: The world’s oldest desert

Continent where the attraction is located: Africa【Africa】

Country/Region where the attraction is located: Namibia [Namibia]

Province/State where the attraction is located: Hardap Region [Hardap Region]