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Very Good Tour

Our cruise ship stopped in Walvis Bay and I decided to go on the Moon Landscape and Welwitschia tour with Red Dune Safaris because it offered more at a better price that the usual ship excursions. Our guide Elmar was wonderful and the vehicle was in great shape. We saw the stark landscape where Mad Max was filmed, ostriches, and the bizarre Welwitschia plant and even had time to go to Swakopmund. Jacques is very organized and puts together great tours at good prices.

Duration: 6  Hours
Price: NAD2732.00 per person (min 2 people)
Transfers from Swakopmund add ZAR300.00 per person

HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Enjoy a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city

  • Climb to the top of Dune 7

  • Discover the Moon landscape 

  • Learn about Welwitschia Marabilis

  • Discover endemic flora and flora

  • Explore the ancient Swakop river valley with it's remarkable rock formations.

  • Visit the Goanikontes Oasis

The Welwitschia plant, often reffered to as a "living fossil", is the only genus of the family Welwitschiaceae and order Welwitschiales, in the devision Gnetophyta. Welwitschia Marbilis is endemic to the Namid Desert.

 

This plant only has two leaves, these leaves never stop growing and are the only leaves that this plant will ever bear. They eventually become split, frayed and shredded into several well-seperated strap-shaped sections.

 

The largest specimens are no taller than 1.5meters, however the circumference of the leaves at contact with the sand may ecceed 8meters. Some individuals are as old as 2000 years!

THE TOUR:

Embark on this unique day tour from Walvis Bay or Swakopmund and see or LIVING FOSSIL! A 5 hour excursion into the Welwitschia plains that includesl lunch and transfers from your accomodation.

 

You will experience the thrill of intrepidation as you navigate the dry riverbed of the Swakop River (only if there has been no rain). The huge boulders will render you speechless and the large acacia trees offer a welcome change of scenery compared to the arid welwitschia plains.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:

Your guide will meet you at your accomodation in Walvis Bay or Swakopmund at apro 8:30. After a quick briefing we get into our 4x4 vehicle and depart for our first point of interest, Dune 7.

Dune 7 is the highest dube in this area at 132 meter. It is a very prominent landmark and can be seen from kilometers away. To get the best possile view, we challenge you to climb it to the top!

From here you depart to the strange but beautiful Moonlandscape, an extremely arid area with Damara Granites that has been pushed through the Earths crust some 500 million years ago.

 

This site also plays host to many film crews due to its "moonlike" appearence. 

Next we head towards our star of the tour, the living fossil. once at the Welwitschia plains, we will inform you of our living fossil and what makes it so unique.

 

You will then have time to explore the area and take some amazing photos while we set up lunch for you.

After lunch we take a slow drive back to your collection point and that concludes the tour.

 

 

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