EM has checked into … Namibia’s Desert Wonderland

After spending a few days at Etosha National Park (Click here to read about one of the best safari adventure), I have arrived at the next exciting part of the trip, which was Namibia’s very own magical wonderland.

Huge blue skies, endless horizons and impressive sand dunes. A dream come true for a desert lover like myself. Here, the picturesque scenery of blue and orange truly makes everything you see seem unreal and every picture you take will look like a painting, but it’s REAL!

Not forgetting that Namibia is home for the world’s second largest canyon, the Fish River Canyon.

Want to know how you can have the ultimate desert adventure? Read on to find out more!

Sunrise at the sand dunes

I started my day up and early to catch the sunrise moments. This was also beneficial so that I could get to Dune 45 early so that it wouldn't be too hot to climb and also would not be as crowded. So I would strongly suggest for anyone to consider starting your day extremely early.

On the way towards Dune 45, I had to take a couple of snaps as the scenery was breathtaking and somewhat peaceful in a way when the first glimpse of sun hit one side of the vast continent of the sand dunes.

All prepared and geared up for the climb. Like my fashion style? LOL!

Climbing Dune 45

Dune 45 is the only sand dune that is allowed to be visited by the public. It is forbidden to climb on any other dunes in order to preserve and protect the nature of the dunes.

Its name comes from the fact that it is at the 45th kilometre of the road that connects the Sesriem gate and Sossusvlei.

Climbing Dune 45 was not easy at it looked, it was definitely one of my challenging hikes comparing to places like Antarctica, Iceland and Faroe Islands. The strong winds going towards the top plus the moving sand while stepping were making my climb extra difficult. If you have fear of heights, you might not want to go all the way to the top.

BUT the views were worth the effort though! It was breathtaking and of course I had to make a couple of breaks not only to catch my breathe, also took a billion pictures haha. One can’t help it!

*One thing to note is that you shouldn’t climb the dune bare-footed, as there are sand snakes. So please wear proper footwear to avoid a disaster!

Stepped into Deadvlei

There is something a bit eerie and unsettling about how everything looks here. As though it’s from another world, or another time. It could very well be something that you have imagined, because it doesn’t quite seem real.

I arrived at Deadvlei after visiting Dune 45, they are close to each other anyway. Interestingly yet spooky, when I approached Deadvlei, the wind disappears and the noise that has come from the gusts turns quiet. Just silence.

It’s almost as if they were trying to save themselves when they were struck by a sudden natural disaster and frozen in this moment.

Even though it felt a bit spooky, it was still an incredible sight to witness, and I actually like Deadvlei more than Dune 45 as Deadvlei was a unique one-of-a-kind destination as well as very picturesque indeed, imagine the various photo angles that you can take in this place!

Marvelled at Fish River Canyon, the world’s second largest canyon

That’s right, can you believe that Africa has the world’s second largest canyon?! Of course the Grand Canyon in the USA takes the top spot that’s for sure but I never imagine Africa will take the second spot! I thought it was all about wildlife and desert that Africa is known for, but I was way wrong.

Very unexpected indeed!

By the time I got to Fish River Canyon, it was getting close to sunset. There was a little trail (unfenced though so be careful!) that you can walk along and take plenty of pictures. I would say that the trail only takes up to an hour including taking your time with the photos.

I haven’t been to the Grand Canyon but touching down to the world’s second largest was still amazing!

Embark and experience the ultimate desert adventure in Namibia

When people think of going for a holiday in Namibia, not many would consider including Namibia as it is not very well-known. True enough, Africa is iconic for its wild animal safaris and wines. But in saying this, I would say that Namibia is slowly gaining its popularity in recent years.

Being an extremely dry country filled with mostly desert terrain, its desert is truly one-of-a-kind. Blue skies, orange sand and charcoal looking trees provide a unique experience unlike any other desert in the world.

Also, the fact that Namibia is home to the world’s second largest canyon is pretty cool! So unexpected!

So if you are thinking of going to Africa, be sure to include Namibia in your itinerary. They also do have awesome animal safari, which you can read more about my experience at Etosha National Park HERE.

Unfortunately, all things will have to come to an end, hence this is the end of my Namibia adventure as we move back towards South Africa, which means coming close to saying bye to Africa as a whole.

But, I am very excited for my next destination, so stay tuned to find out where I will be going! Or you can follow my journey update asap at my Instagram @emcheckedin!

Till next time, take care and stay inspired.

xoxo EM