| SOSSUSVLEI AND THE NAMIB-NAUKLUFT PARK | 4576), Walvis Bay (064 20 5971) and Windhoek (061 284 2111). Permits are also available at Sesriem.
FROM TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT The NamibRand Nature Reserve is free of fences and allows wildlife to roam in their natural habitat • A mythical fairy circle • Amaryllis lilies bloom after good rains near Maltahöhe • Duwisib Castle, built by Baron von Wolf in 1908 • Explore the white pan with petrified camel thorn trees at Deadvlei on foot
rock, quartzite, dolomite and shale are impressive with their giant symmetrical patterns. Five different vegetation communities within the park ensure a wealth of tree and shrub species, and a variety of aloes. Animals found at Naukluft in addition to Hartmann’s mountain zebra are kudu, gemsbok, klipspringer, duiker, steenbok, leopard, baboon, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox, African wild cat, caracal and aardwolf. Naukluft’s steep cliffs are nesting grounds for various cliff-breeding bird species, including Verreaux’s eagles.
Permits for Namib-Naukluft Permits for the Namib-Naukluft Park are available at Ministry of Environment and Tourism permit offices in Swakopmund (064 40
NAMIBRAND NATURE RESERVE What originated as a dream to extend the frontiers of the Namib Desert by integrating a large number of former sheep farms and rehabilitating the land into a sanctuary free of fences and other farm paraphernalia became the NamibRand Nature Reserve during the second half of the 1980s. Many facets of the Namib Desert are represented at NamibRand, creating a living tapestry of colour and contour that makes it a visual utopia for artists and photographers. Game species found on the reserve include gemsbok, giraffe, mountain and plains zebra, springbok, red hartebeest, bat-eared fox, spotted hyaena, Cape fox and African wild cat. In the more rocky areas, kudu, klipspringer, baboon and leopard, while the dunes harbour a rich and diverse microfauna of lizards, beetles and spiders, and even the elusive golden mole can be found. The reserve is also home to a rich variety of birds – over a hundred species have been recorded on NamibRand. The NamibRand Nature Reserve of today comprises 15 farms and extends over an area of some 202 000 hectares, making it one of the largest private nature
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reserves in Southern Africa, and is also an International Dark Skies reserve. Situated on the reserve are the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust (NaDEET) Centre, and the NamibRand Desert Research & Awareness Centre.
DUWISIB CASTLE About 72 km south west of Maltahöhe, situated amongst rolling red hills, is Duwisib Castle, a solid rectangular structure of red sandstone with battlements and turrets on its corners. Built by the legendary Baron von Wolf for his American wife, Jayta, the castle was completed in 1909. Most of the construction materials, including the furniture and fittings, were shipped all the way from Germany, off-loaded at Lüderitz and transported to Duwisib by ox wagon. The interior of the castle and much of its original furniture and artworks can be viewed. Accommodation in the surroundings is provided at the Duwisib Castle Campsite, managed by Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), and a privately-managed guest lodge. After months of renovations by an internal team, NWR officially reintroduced Duwisib Castle back onto the market on 1 August 2014 with the purpose of giving individuals the opportunity to be accommodated in a 19th-century castle.
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