Hiking in the dunes of Namibia

James Stone

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Last spring I decided I'd had enough of city life and all the people in it and headed off to Namibia to take part in a weeklong trek through the sands dunes of the Nabib desert. This incredible journey was a real test of my stamina and perseverance and one that I will never forget.

Although I flew out on my own I was safe in the knowledge that I would not be the only one embarking on the venture and the next day I joined up with a 12-strong tour party at Windhoek. Our guide for the week was blond, butch South African Sandy, whom all the women fancied and I could only admire for his ability to stride over sand dunes without getting out of breath, all the time flirting with middle aged women.

Out week-long jaunt was a mixture of hiking, driving in 4x4s, making merry and sleeping, all the time on the look out for Namibia's famed wildlife. The first few days of the holiday were some of the most rewarding and challenging. Many of us, I was glad to see, were not in the best of shape, and our hike through the Tsaris Mountains with its canyons, gorges and springs was sensational. Little can prepare you for the sheer scale and majesty of the desert and I on more than one occasion found my head swimming, overwhelmed by the expanse of sand and mountains that I found around me.

Exploring the mountains the next day was memorable but not as memorable as camping out in the sand dunes of Sesriam on the third evening following a long drive. The view of the sunset as we set out camp under the increasing darkness was superb and the sight of the stars was even better as we drifted off to sleep.

The next morning before daybreak was the highlight of the trip: a hike through the Sossusvlei region. This provided us with some superb views of the sun coming up as we hiked up and down the enormous dunes. From here, having been fortified with a hearty breakfast, it was on to one of the dried riverbeds where we caught our first sight of some serious wildlife, with a number of oryx roaming around in search of vegetation. Some five hours of hiking later we retuned wearily to camp.

After another enjoyable night out under the stars, which included a few too many glasses of wine and an unexpected encounter with a mongoose, out final day saw us engage in a relatively short hike to Sesriem Canyon, where a mind-blowing 90-foot gorge has been cut by the river. From here it was a long drive back to Windhoek and our last meal with Sandy. He would have more middle aged Brits to charm next week, but for many women on all party it was all too much to bear.

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