The Living Desert Tour, originally developed in the 1990’s, is a unique 4x4 adventure drive through the dunes outside Swakopmund, Namibia. Just the drive in the dunes is an amazing experience, but it will show you a lot more than sand. The tour takes you from the vegetated, life-rich eastern side of the dunes, right through the dunes to the Atlantic Ocean on the western side of the dune belt.
Introducing you to some of the fascinating, hidden life in this apparently barren landscape that is part of the Namib Desert. Here you can find creatures endemic to the Namib: the sidewinder (Peringuey's Adder), the Palmato Gecko with its transparent skin and beautiful colours - we dig into the dune side to find this nocturnal desert-dweller. We track the large Namaqua Chameleon, and watch it enjoy brunch. Then it's a dash to catch the swift sand-diving lizard.
Finding out how the area's plants and small animals survive the harsh climate, and how they obtain water for life. You will also track a FitzSimon's Burrowing Skink across the dune face, in hopes of catching this legless lizard. Along the way, they will explain the variety of dune colours. At the end of the tour, weather permitting, you will experience a 'roaring' dune.
Other characters to be found in the dune belt are the 'dancing' White Lady Spider; the Parabuthus Villosus black scorpion; the occasional horned adder or sand-snake; desert wasps, fish-moths, crickets and several beetle species, and many more.
The Living Desert Tour is educational, fun and an unforgettable experience. You will see the desert and dunes with new eyes. The photographic opportunities are endless too: make sure those batteries are charged before you leave!
