The world's oldest desert: Namib Desert
The Namib Desert, which gives Namibia its name, is among the largest deserts in the southern hemisphere. The Namib is also home to some of the world's highest sand dunes. Nearly 2.5 million people live across the country's vast territory of approximately 824 thousand square kilometers, which takes its name from the Namib Desert.
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Located in the Southern African country of Namibia and giving the country its name, the Namib Desert holds the distinction of being the oldest desert in the world.
Stretching for approximately 1600 kilometers along the Atlantic Ocean coast in southwestern Africa, the Namib, with a surface area of about 160 thousand square kilometers, ranks among the largest deserts in the southern hemisphere.
According to the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Namib, estimated to be at least 50 million years old, is considered the oldest desert in the world. The desert is also home to some of the world's highest sand dunes.
The Namib Desert, along with the Atacama Desert in South America, is cited as one of the most arid deserts in the world.
ONE OF THE SPARSELY POPULATED COUNTRIES
Namibia, which is home to two major deserts, the Namib and the Kalahari, is also among the most arid countries in the world.
Nearly 2.5 million people live across the country's vast territory of approximately 824 thousand square kilometers, which takes its name from the Namib Desert. This places Namibia among the top of the list of the world's most sparsely populated countries.
The scorching red sands of the Namib, which have been baking under the sun for tens of millions of years, and its extremely limited water resources make this the region with the lowest population density in the country.
A large part of the desert consists of vast lands that are privately owned. There are farms and tourist accommodation facilities on these lands.
As is the case with about half of Namibia's territory, most of the land in the Namib Desert is in the hands of families of European origin who settled here during the German and South African colonial periods.
TOURISM IS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF INCOME
The tourism sector is one of the main sources of income for the economy in Namibia. The Namib Desert is one of the places most visited by tourists in the country.
"Sossusvlei" is one of the most famous spots in the Namib Desert. Sossusvlei, which is a salt and clay pan surrounded by high sand dunes, means "dead-end marsh" in the local language.
Famous for its giant dunes such as "Big Daddy," "Dune 40," and "Dune 45," Sossusvlei is home to numerous sand dunes, most of which are over 200 meters high.
ICONIC LOCATION
"Deadvlei," a white clay pan stretching between giant red dunes, leads the way among the most iconic locations of Sossusvlei and even the Namib Desert.
Meaning "dead marsh" in the local language, this place attracts photography enthusiasts with its skeletons of dead trees that dried up hundreds of years ago, rising on a white clay floor.
Access to this area is provided only by four-wheel-drive vehicles via Sossusvlei, on a road with an extremely poor surface. To see Deadvlei, one must also complete a challenging hiking trail of approximately 2 kilometers.
When traveling in this region, which is one of the most arid and hot parts of the desert, it is recommended to wear appropriate shoes, long socks, and a hat, and to carry plenty of water to prevent the scorching sands from burning your feet.
GETS ITS COLOR FROM THE OXIDATION OF IRON
The scorching red sands of the Namib get their color from the oxidation of the rich iron ore contained in the desert.
The reddest of the dunes in the desert are also the oldest dunes due to the degree of oxidation.
HOW IS TRANSPORTATION AND ACCOMMODATION?
Transportation from Turkey to Namibia is generally provided via the Republic of South Africa and Ethiopia. Regular daily flights are operated from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Namibia's capital, Windhoek, and the famous coastal city of Swakopmund.
Transportation to Sossusvlei can be provided via a road journey of approximately 400 kilometers from Swakopmund or Windhoek.
Accommodation around the Namib Desert is generally provided in facilities on private farms. Numerous campsites in the region also offer visitors the opportunity to camp in the middle of the desert.
The area around the desert is among the safest places in the country and the region.