| SOSSUSVLEI AND THE NAMIB-NAUKLUFT PARK |
LE ROUX VAN SCHALKWYK
LE ROUX VAN SCHALKWYK
LE ROUX VAN SCHALKWYK
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 wildcat. In the more rocky areas, kudu, klipspringer, baboon and leopard can be found, while the dunes harbour a rich and diverse microfauna of lizards, beetles and spiders, and even the elusive golden mole. The reserve is also home to a rich variety of birds – over a hundred species have been recorded on NamibRand. The NamibRand Nature Reserve today comprises 15 former farms and extends over an area of some 202 000 hectares, making it one of the largest private nature reserves in Southern Africa, and it 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
NINA VAN ZYL
About 72 km southwest 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 and the furniture 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 is provided in five rooms in the castle, while camp sites, a restaurant, bar, tourist shop and picnic sites are also available. As the castle is protected as a historic monument, guest bedrooms and bathrooms were seamlessly fitted into the existing large rooms of the castle's century-old interiors. LEFT Exploring the red dunes of the ancient Namib • Namib Naukluft natural spring pool • Duwisib Castle
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