One of the oldest and largest deserts, the Namib extends inland from the Atlantic Ocean and covers large parts of Namibia, Angola and South Africa. This arid place is home to an amazingly diverse array of plants and animals, some of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Although much of this desert is protected, it still faces threats from unsustainable land use, mining and illegal plant harvesting.
The vast area of bleak landscape is home to fauna and flora perfectly adapted to life here, including mountain zebra, chamois, short-eared springbok, Grant's golden mole, Karoo bustard and Peringuey's viper. There is an extraordinary variety of succulent plants on display, as well as a one-of-a-kind shrub, Mirabilis velvithia, which has only two leaves and can live for over 1,000 years.
The Namib's desert arid climate is home to a unique population of elephants that have adapted to the difficult and unfriendly conditions. These "desert" elephants can go for days without drinking water, feeding on moisture derived from the plants they eat. They are not identified as a separate subspecies of other African elephants, but are distinguished by their larger feet, which helps them walk on sand, and live in small herds.
Near the Atlantic coast of the desert, the remains of shipwrecked ships can still be seen. Frequent wrecks are associated with the fickle seabed near the desert, essentially the same dunes that change their configuration. There is evidence that a ship anchored in the evening, in the morning was cut off from the sea by a strip of land.
The Namib Desert in Angola is an amazing land. Its total area is about 80,000 square kilometres, which is about the size of the whole of Austria. It is one of the largest arid places on the planet and is also one of the world's largest nature reserves. A famous attraction is the famous Sossusflei area, where bright orange sand dunes surround sparkling white salt lakes, creating a mesmerising landscape.
The park can only be reached by gravel and dirt roads.
