Okonjima Nature Reserve – The Jurassic Park experience

Okonjima Nature Reserve
Main building
Namibia 2026

After wonderful days at Ai Aiba Lodge in the Erongo Mountains, our final destination before returning to Windhoek is the Okonjima Nature Reserve, where we will spend our last two nights at the beautiful Okonjima Plains Camp.

Internationally recognised for its conservation work, Okonjima is particularly well known for its long association with the AfriCat Foundation and its research into Namibia’s large carnivores, especially leopards and brown hyenas. The focus here is very much on conservation, research and understanding these elusive predators in their natural environment.

We have visited Okonjima once before, and our memories from that stay are still very vivid. If you would like to read about our previous visit, you can find it here (link).

Jurassic Park – with a touch of Alien

Our leopard
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Namibia 2026

Last time we were here, we felt a little like we had entered Jurassic Park. We were surrounded by fences designed to keep the large predators inside — and, as we all remember, fences in Jurassic Park did not exactly prove foolproof! ;-)

During that visit, we went out to track leopards. Our guide sat at the front of the safari vehicle with an antenna, tracking a collared leopard somewhere out in the bush.

Beep … beep … beep.

The signal became stronger and stronger as we got closer to the leopard.

For some reason, that sound immediately reminded me of Sigourney Weaver and Alien from 1979. Surely I cannot be the only one old enough to remember that movie?

This time, we are once again looking forward to joining one of Okonjima’s guided leopard-tracking excursions. After several weeks of travelling through deserts, mountains, canyons and along the Atlantic coast, Okonjima feels like the perfect place to slow the pace one final time.

It is also a great opportunity for my brother and sister-in-law, who have joined us on this journey, to see some of Namibia’s wildlife that we have not encountered elsewhere on this trip.

A very comfortable final stop

We check in at the large reception at Plains Camp after the long drive through the reserve, passing no fewer than three gates, two of them manned.

We are allocated Classic Rooms C9 and C10, surrounded by peaceful bushveld, abundant wildlife and the warm colours of the African afternoon.

I remember the Classic Rooms very well from our previous visit. They were enormous, tastefully decorated and in immaculate condition. Somehow, the owners have managed to make them even more inviting this time.

Our room
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Namibia 2026

The rooms are absolutely spotless, with attractive African art and decorative details carefully placed throughout. And, for those who appreciate being connected to the outside world, there is now Wi-Fi in the rooms as well.

Even the drinks we ordered at check-in are waiting for us in the fridge when we arrive.

On our first afternoon, we decide not to rush off on an excursion. Instead, we simply relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the peaceful atmosphere of the camp.

Our leopard-tracking excursion is already booked for the following afternoon.

We are looking forward to it.

Our private terrasse
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Namibia 2026

The leopard hunt

The next afternoon, we head out for our leopard-tracking experience.

We drive through the large gate into the reserve, surrounded by what appears to be a substantial electrified fence designed to keep the reserve’s large predators from wandering onto the surrounding farmland.

We are seated in rows of high seats on the back of a large open Toyota Land Cruiser — almost like a rolling outdoor buffet

Our vehicle has been assigned a particular leopard to track: an approximately six-year-old female, born in Okonjima.'

Guide Zwane tracking leopards
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

At first, there is no signal.

Then our guide Zwane suddenly picks something up.

Beep.

We drive on.

Beep … beep.

The signal gradually becomes stronger as we approach a waterhole.

But then things become confusing. The signal seems to be coming from somewhere nearby, yet we cannot see the leopard. We drive around the area, scanning the bush, before turning into a dry riverbed and eventually climbing back onto the earth bank beside the waterhole.

We stop.

The signal is now very strong.

The leopard must be close.

Very close.

I stand up on the highest rear seat to get a better view over the vegetation.

And suddenly I see her.

She is lying perhaps five metres below us, deep in the shade beneath the bank.

And she is looking directly at me.

For a moment, we simply stare at each other.

It is not exactly an ideal position for the vehicle, so our guide carefully drives around and down along the slope. We continue through the dense bush towards the leopard, ducking as thorn branches sweep across the vehicle.

Eventually, we reach her.

And she could not care less.

Which, from our perspective, is rather perfect.

Leopard looking directly at me
Okonjima 2026

She lies there completely relaxed, occasionally yawning. 

Heading for the waterhole

After a while, she gets up, walks up the bank and heads down towards the waterhole.

She stops to drink
Okonjima 2026

She stops to drink.

We follow slowly and take photograph after photograph.

Watching a leopard from only a few metres away is an extraordinary experience. She is completely at ease, apparently regarding us as little more than an occasional curiosity in her afternoon.

 

Sister-in-law and leopard
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

A stalk in the bush

From the waterhole, the leopard continues along the bottom of a small, dry riverbed.

Then she spots something.

A steenbok.

Steenbok not aware of danger
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

Instantly, her behaviour changes.

She lowers herself and begins to stalk.

We are only a few metres away, watching this beautiful predator move almost silently through the dry vegetation.

For a few moments, it feels as though we are watching a scene from a wildlife documentary — except that we are sitting right there in the middle of it.

The steenbok eventually manages to escape.

And so do we!

We were probably never in any real danger, but being so close to a leopard in the wild is nevertheless a very special experience.

There is something quite different about seeing a leopard from a distance through binoculars and having one lying just a few metres away, looking directly at you.

Close encounter
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

Sundowners above the reserve

By now, it is time to head towards our sundowner location.

We climb to the top of a hill overlooking the reserve, where we have a magnificent panoramic view across the surrounding landscape.

Sister-in-law, brother and wife enjoying sunset
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

The sun begins to sink towards the horizon, bathing the bushveld in warm golden light.

We enjoy the sunset in the company of a German family who are also staying at Okonjima.

Another beautiful African evening.

Kudu´s at sunset
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

As darkness gradually settles over the reserve, we make our way back towards camp. There are several more wildlife sightings along the way, including some magnificent kudu standing quietly in the fading light.

It is a wonderful end to our final full day at Okonjima.

A perfect finale

Okonjima has turned out to be everything we could have hoped for as the final stop on this part of our journey.

A beautifully situated and exceptionally comfortable Classic Room, a lovely restaurant, attentive and friendly staff — and, above all, a memorable encounter with one of Africa’s most beautiful and elusive predators.

Okonjima main building
Namibia 2026

Classic Room with a view
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

The leopard experience alone would have made the stay worthwhile.

The following morning, it is time to leave.

As we drive out of the reserve, my wife suddenly spots something out of the corner of her eye on the right-hand side.

A brown hyena!

How lucky can we be?

We slow down and watch as the hyena quietly disappears into the bush.

One last wildlife surprise before leaving Okonjima.

And then we are on our way to Windhoek.

Back to Olive Grove

Stellenbosch Wine Bar for last dinner
Windhoek, Namibia 2026

Arriving back in Windhoek feels almost like coming home.

We are delighted to return to Olive Grove Guesthouse, which has proved to be the perfect base in the city. It is peacefully and securely situated in beautiful green surroundings, with a courtyard, plunge pool, a cosy little restaurant and secure parking.

But above all, it is the warm and attentive staff who make the place special.

We have enjoyed our stay here so much that we already know this will become our regular base for future trips to Namibia.

That evening, we celebrate our final night together at the lovely Stellenbosch Wine Bar, enjoying dinner in their atmospheric courtyard.

Sitting there, we reflect on what an extraordinary journey we have had with my brother and sister-in-law.

It was rather brave of them simply to join us on a trip that we had planned ourselves — a journey involving long drives, remote places, deserts, mountains, 4WD tracks, early mornings, wildlife adventures and more than a few unexpected experiences.

But they embraced it all.

And we have all enjoyed the adventure enormously.

The following day, my brother and sister-in-law head home, while my wife and I continue our journey.

We have another three weeks of adventure planned in southeastern Namibia and northwestern South Africa.

And that is where the next chapters of our African journey begin.

You can read about those adventures in the following blog posts.

Stellenbosch Wine Bar Garden
Namibia 2026

The Erongo Mountains – Granite Giants and Ancient Rock Art

 

Scenic walk, Ai Aiba Lodge
Wife and Aancient San rock-art
Namibia 2026

After three wonderful days with rather wild activities in Swakopmund, including Sandwich Harbour (link) and a scenic flight over the desert (link), we leave the cold sea fog and cool sea breeze of the Atlantic coast behind and head northeast into one of Namibia’s most fascinating and often overlooked landscapes – the Erongo Mountains.

Our destination is Ai Aiba Lodge, beautifully nestled amongst enormous granite outcrops in an ancient volcanic landscape unlike anywhere else in the country. We have visited the place once before (link), and we are looking forward to returning and showing it to my brother and sister-in-law.

A shipwreck on the Skeleton Coast

Zeila shipwreck
Namibia 2026

Before leaving the coast behind, however, we continue north along the Atlantic for about 60 kilometres from Swakopmund, before turning inland towards Uis on the C35. We have one small detour planned: a visit to the Zeila shipwreck, about 14 kilometres south of Henties Bay.

The Zeila was a fishing trawler that met its rather unfortunate fate in August 2008. It was being towed northwards, reportedly on its way to India to be scrapped, when the towline broke and the vessel eventually ran aground on the Namibian coast. Nearly two decades later, it remains one of the most recognisable and accessible shipwrecks along this part of the Skeleton Coast.

We turn off the main road towards the beach, where the wreck lies just offshore. Large Atlantic waves wash over the rusting hull, which is partly hidden in the sea fog. Cormorants sit on the masts, patiently waiting for passing fish. From a distance, they almost look like vultures perched on the remains of some long-forgotten disaster.

The whole scene has a slightly dystopian feel – almost like something from one of those post-apocalyptic Netflix movies. At the same time, it is strangely beautiful and extremely photogenic.

We only stay for a short while, partly because we are once again surrounded by the rather persistent gemstone sellers who tend to wait for visitors at the wreck. They are certainly persistent, but not aggressive. They are simply trying to make a living from the stones and minerals found in this part of Namibia.

Lunch in the middle of nowhere

Lunch at Cactus & Coffee Teagarden
Uis, Namibia 2026

We continue inland on the excellent new asphalt road towards the Erongo Mountains. We decide to make another small detour, this time to our first destination: the charming Cactus & Coffee Teagarden in the old mining town of Uis.

In Namibia, a “small detour” can easily mean an additional 50–100 kilometres, but who cares when you are driving through scenery like this?

Uis turns out to be the perfect place for a lunch stop. We know the Cactus & Coffee Teagarden from a previous visit and remember being genuinely surprised to find such a lovely café in the middle of nowhere. It is tucked away in a beautifully shaded garden, surrounded by art, stones, plants and, most notably, an impressive collection of cacti and succulents. Some are even in flower.

Cactus & Coffee Teagarden
Aus, Namibia 2026

There is also a small aviary with colourful birds, and the whole place feels more like a green oasis than a café in a remote Namibian mining town. Even the restrooms are nice. The only small disappointment is that the internet is not working.

But honestly – who needs internet in surroundings like these?

After a delicious lunch, including a bubble-gum milkshake – a personal favourite – we continue towards the Erongo Mountains.

Into the granite giants

 

Spectacular rock formations
Ai Aiba Lodge pool below
Namibia 2026

We turn onto the smaller and very scenic D2306, and the landscape gradually becomes more rugged. The road becomes increasingly hilly as we pass through the village of Okombahe, where the road crosses the Omaruru River.

We are now heading directly into the Erongo Mountains, famous for their spectacular rock formations, dramatic scenery, rich birdlife and hundreds of ancient San rock-art sites.

The landscape is extraordinary.

Huge granite boulders seem to have been stacked on top of one another by some enormous hand. Some formations look so precariously balanced that it seems impossible they could remain standing. At every turn there is another balancing rock, hidden valley or dramatic viewpoint.

The Erongo Mountains are the eroded remains of an ancient volcanic complex, with the geological formations at Ai Aiba dating back roughly 130 million years.

Unlike many visitors rushing between Etosha and Swakopmund, we have deliberately included three nights in the Erongo Mountains – and, on this trip, have actually decided to skip Etosha altogether allowing more time for the other places.

The Erongo Mountains are one of those places that reward travellers who are willing to slow down, leave the vehicle behind and simply immerse themselves in the landscape.

Ai Aiba – a lodge among the rocks

Ai Aiba Lodge from view point
Namibia 2026

Ai Aiba Lodge is spectacularly situated amongst the granite formations, slightly elevated above the surrounding valley. From the lodge there are beautiful views across the valley and towards a nearby waterhole.

The setting is, quite simply, the main attraction.

There is a pleasant swimming pool with a shaded pergola and a fireplace, while the main building houses the restaurant and reception area. One entire side of the restaurant is made up of large windows, giving virtually everyone a good view over the landscape during dinner.

Fire and sundowner
Ai Aiba Lodge
Namibia 2026

The lodge also has a rather entertaining relationship with its feathered visitors. Birds fly freely in and out of the open-sided reception area and occasionally join the guests for dinner. The staff then have the unenviable task of gently trying to persuade them to leave.

It is all part of the charm.

Blogger, pool and restaurant
Ai Aiba Lodge, Namibia 2026

Sundowners on the mountain

Heading for the top and sundowner
Namibia 2026

On our first evening, we join two guides and a larger group of newly arrived guests for the obligatory sundowner walk.

The trail takes us up a small nearby granite mountain. Along the way, our excellent guide points out various trees, plants and rock formations, explaining the natural features of the landscape as we climb.

Eventually we reach the top.

View from top, Ai Aiba Lodge sundowner
Namibia 2026

The view is magnificent. Ai Aiba Lodge lies below us in the valley, surrounded by the enormous granite formations of the Erongo Mountains. The late afternoon light slowly changes the colours of the rocks, and the whole landscape seems to glow.

We settle down with biltong and G&Ts and watch the sun disappear.

Once again, it is difficult to imagine a better place for a sundowner.

Blogger taking pictures of sunset
Ai Aiba Sundowner Walk
Namibia 2026

In search of ancient rock art

The following day we set out on one of the local self-guided walking trails.

The trail is very clearly – perhaps not particularly discreetly – marked throughout, so there is little danger of getting lost. Our objectives are simple: find some good viewpoints and, most importantly, the famous San rock paintings.

We manage to find both.

Our car and chalet to the left
Self guided walk Ai Aiba
Namibia 2026

The walking trail winds between the enormous granite formations, through bushveld and around the rocky outcrops. Every now and then another spectacular view opens up across the landscape. And then, tucked away beneath an overhang or on a sheltered rock face, we find one of the ancient paintings we have come to see.

The rock art is one of the things that makes Ai Aiba so special. The lodge itself is home to more than 200 identified San rock-art sites, making this one of the richest concentrations of rock art in the region.

The paintings include animals, human figures and hunting scenes, often painted in striking reds, oranges and earth tones. Some are remarkably well preserved despite their great age. Rather than simply being decorative, the paintings provide a fascinating glimpse into the lives, beliefs and relationship with the landscape of the San people who lived here thousands of years ago.

Of course, interpreting rock art is not always straightforward. Some scenes clearly depict animals or hunting, while the deeper meaning of many motifs remains uncertain. That mystery is part of what makes standing in front of these paintings so fascinating.

Looking for San Rock Art
Wife, brother and sister-in-law
Namibia 2026

After a good, and rather warm, hike through the mountains, we return to the lodge tired and happy. The beautiful evening light makes the subsequent dinner taste even better.

As usual, dinner consists of three courses, with a choice of main course.

Restaurant Ai Aiba
Namibia 2026

The meaning behind Ai Aiba

The person who walks in front
Walk & Drive Tour at Ai Aiba Lodge
Namibia 2026

The name Ai Aiba itself has an interesting connection with the landscape and the people who have travelled through it. According to the lodge, Ai-Aiba is a Khoekhoegowab expression meaning “the person who walks in front to show the way.”

It seems an entirely appropriate name for a place where so much of the experience is about following trails through the rocks and discovering what lies around the next corner.

And there is certainly plenty to discover.

Sunrise, rock art and breakfast in the mountains

Walk & Drive Tour
Namibia 2026

On our final day, we have booked an early Walk & Drive Tour.

We drive into the valley on Ai Aiba’s private property and then continue on foot, combining spectacular scenery, sunrise and visits to some of the more impressive San rock-art sites.

This turns out to be one of the highlights of our stay.

We see some of the finest rock paintings we have encountered on our many journeys through Namibia. The combination of ancient art, enormous granite formations and the soft early-morning light makes the experience particularly memorable.

After walking through the landscape, we stop for breakfast in a sheltered spot near the top of a small rocky ridge running through the valley.

The sun gradually gains strength, the temperature rises, and we slowly warm up while enjoying breakfast with an extraordinary view. Later on we see a group of giraffes.

Not a bad way to start the day.

Breakfast in a sheltered spot
Namibia 2026

Location, location, location

These have been wonderfully relaxing days at Ai Aiba Lodge, and we have made the most of its fantastic location.

Location × 3.

Ai Aiba Lodge, sunset
Namibia 2026

That is really what Ai Aiba is all about.

The lodge itself is pleasant and comfortable, and the facilities are perfectly adequate, but it is the setting that makes the place special. Being surrounded by enormous granite boulders, ancient rock art and the rugged Erongo landscape creates an atmosphere that is difficult to reproduce anywhere else.

Since our previous visit, we notice that some of the facilities are beginning to look a little more worn, with a few areas in need of maintenance. This does not, however, detract significantly from the overall experience – especially because of the exceptionally friendly and service-minded staff.

We have enjoyed our three days here enormously.

And we would happily return.

In fact, I suspect we will.

Road block leaving the area!
Namibia 2026 

Sossusfly – Namibia from Above

We are heading on a scenic flight
 "Sossusfly"
Namibia 2026

Namibia from Above

This time, we have decided to see Namibia from a rather different perspective and booked perhaps the most popular scenic flight in Namibia, the “SOSSUSfly”, also known as the “Sossus Scenic”.

We are going to fly for approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, covering around 630 kilometres in our own chartered Cessna 210. According to Sossusfly, less than 20% of the route can be seen when travelling by road.

We have already driven an enormous amount in Namibia — probably more than 30,000 kilometres over our various journeys — reaching some of the most remote corners of the country. But this flight will take us over vast areas of the ancient Namib Desert that are far beyond any drivable route, as well as the southern Skeleton Coast, much of which is normally difficult to access.

One of the most exciting aspects is that we will follow the green ribbon of the Kuiseb River inland towards the Kuiseb Canyon, before crossing the desert at very low altitude and heading north along the Atlantic coast.

We visited Sandwich Harbour from the ground only yesterday (link).

Today, we are going to see it from above.

Before Take-off

Pre flight breefing
Sossusfly, Swakopmund
Namibia 2026

Our route, the red one
Sossusfly, Swakopmund
Namibia 2026

We are collected in the late afternoon from our chalets at The Stiltz and driven to Swakopmund Airport.

All four of us are excited. After all, it is not every day that you get to undertake an adventure like this.

At the airport there is plenty of activity. Small aircraft are landing and taking off, while some passengers are preparing for skydiving.

I notice our pilot checking the fuel quantity in both wings.

He remembers to screw the fuel caps back on.

Good start!

We are ready for depature
Namibia 2026

Before departure, we have provided our individual weights and signed a declaration which, I suspect, probably exempts the airline from almost everything that could possibly happen to us. ;-)

There is also one final opportunity for a biological break.

There is no toilet on this little aircraft, and certainly no stewardess.

Although, technically, I suppose I am the stewardess.

I am sitting at the back, where I can reach the small luggage compartment containing our drinks and other essentials.

My wife and sister-in-law occupy the middle seats, while my brother gets the prestigious seat next to the pilot.

My brother in copilot seat
Namibia 2026 

He has everything necessary to fly the aircraft.

He just doesn't know what any of it does.

We hope he learns quickly in the event of an emergency!

Following the Kuiseb River

Below us is the Kuiseb River,
Namibia 2026

We take off smoothly from Swakopmund and head towards Walvis Bay before turning inland, following much the same route as the one we drove two days earlier.

Below us is the Kuiseb River, mostly a dry riverbed, but with groundwater and good rainfall over the last two years sustaining a remarkable diversity of plants and animals in this extraordinarily arid environment. The river's groundwater also plays an important role in supplying the coastal settlements.

From above, the contrast is astonishing: the apparently barren desert is suddenly intersected by a narrow, greenish ribbon of life. It also looks spectacular where green meets desert, sometimes in a very sharp contrast (see photo I).

We also see the Kuiseb Delta, which we explored from ground level only yesterday.

Kuiseb Delta
Namibia 2026

It is fascinating to see how the landscape we experienced from a Land Rover is transformed completely from the air.

At one point, the second Cessna that took off with us crosses back and forth over our aircraft — sometimes above us, sometimes below us — before suddenly diving off to one side.

I can understand why they looked slightly pale when we saw them again at the airport later!

Second Cessna that took off with us
Namibia 2026

The Sossusvlei Dunes from Above

We continue towards the famous Sossusvlei area.

The wind-sculpted dunes around Sossusvlei are among Namibia's most spectacular natural features, with some dunes rising more than 300 metres. Big Daddy, between Sossusvlei and Deadvlei, is around 325 metres high.

At the heart of the landscape lies Sossusvlei itself, a vast clay pan that only very occasionally fills with water after exceptional rainfall. Nearby are smaller pans such as Hidden Vlei and Deadvlei, the latter famous for its ancient, dead camel-thorn trees.

Sossusvlei area from above
Namibia 2026

We have visited these places several times before (link), but seeing them from the air is something completely different.

The enormous dunes stretch endlessly in every direction, their shapes and colours constantly changing with the angle of the late-afternoon sun.

And the shadows!

The low sun creates long, sharply defined shadows along the ridges, emphasising the contours of the dunes in a way that is almost impossible to appreciate from ground level.

Shadows along the ridges
Namibia 2026

Across the Endless Namib

 Endless desert heading for the coast
Namibia 2026

Now comes a long flight across seemingly endless desert.

For kilometres, the dunes form remarkably regular lines, arranged broadly perpendicular to the prevailing winds like enormous parallel sand ridges.

We cross roughly 120 kilometres of desert.

Looking down at this immense wilderness, it is easy to understand how unforgiving the Skeleton Coast must have been for shipwrecked sailors in the past. From the coast, there was essentially an enormous desert between them and any meaningful chance of reaching civilisation.

It is not difficult to understand where the name Skeleton Coast came from.

The Diamond Camps

One of the dimond camps
Difficult to really see
Namibia 2026

We eventually reach the old diamond camps — Charlottenfelder, Holsatia and Conception — the last remains of the diamond-rush era in the northern Diamond Area.

From the air, it is surprisingly difficult to see much of them, even though we fly very low over the area.

If you are lucky — and quick with the camera — you can spot the remains of A-frame shacks, house ruins, an old ox wagon, rusty water pipes, wooden barrels and abandoned mining equipment. They are the remnants of a remarkably tough chapter in Namibia's history, when diamond mining dominated this remote and inhospitable landscape.

The mining settlements were eventually abandoned in the late 1930s.

Shortly before reaching the ocean, we pass a series of coastal lagoons filled with large groups of flamingos.

Another spectacular sight from the air.

Coastal lagoon with large groups of flamingos
Namibia 2026

The Eduard Bohlen and the Skeleton Coast

 The lonely wreck of the Eduard Bohlen
Namibia 2026

We now reach another of the highlights of the flight.

After flying very low over the final dunes separating the Namib from the Atlantic, we see the lonely wreck of the Eduard Bohlen.

From the air, this is about as close as most people will ever get to this famous shipwreck.

The Eduard Bohlen was a passenger liner of the Woermann Line and later a supply ship serving the diamond camps. It ran aground at Conception Bay in 1909 and has remained stranded there ever since.

We turn north along the Skeleton Coast and soon see another wreck, the Shawnee, which ran aground in 1976.

Shawnee, which ran aground in 1976
Namibia 2026

Two ships, two stories and a spectacularly unforgiving coastline.

We also pass large colonies of Cape fur seals.

From the air, they appear completely undisturbed, occupying the remote coastline far from roads, people and tourist vehicles.

Colonies of Cape fur seals
Namibia 2026

Sandwich Harbour from Above

spot some of the vehicles
undertaking the same tour we did yesterday
Namibia 2026

Eventually, we reach Sandwich Harbour — the scene of our spectacular adventure only yesterday (link).

Wedged between the Namib Sand Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Sandwich Harbour is a unique coastal wetland consisting of a northern freshwater wetland and southern mudflats. It is an internationally important wetland and an important refuge for large numbers of waterbirds.

It is quite surreal to see the entire area from above after spending most of yesterday bouncing around it in a Land Rover.

We can even spot some of the vehicles undertaking the same tour we did yesterday.

From this altitude, they are almost ridiculously tiny.

The enormous dunes make the Land Rovers look like miniature toy cars crawling through a sea of sand.

Salt, Flamingos and Walvis Bay

Salt works south of Walvis Bay, rectangular ponds
Namibia 2026

We continue towards the Kuiseb Delta, with its distinctive “hammock dunes”, before reaching the enormous salt works south of Walvis Bay.

From above, the salt pans form an extraordinary geometric pattern of rectangular ponds.

Some of the ponds are vividly pink and red, caused by algae and other microorganisms living in the highly saline water. These colours also contribute to the spectacular appearance of the flamingos that feed in the surrounding wetlands.

The salt works produce hundreds of thousands of tonnes of salt annually for industrial and food use.

Enormous salt works S of Walvis Bay
Namibia 2026

We then fly along the coast of Walvis Bay.

Walvis Bay, once under British and then South African administration, was re-integrated into independent Namibia on 1 March 1994. Today it is Namibia's major deep-water port and an important commercial centre on the Atlantic coast.

Once again, we see large numbers of flamingos around the lagoon.

We saw many of them yesterday.

But from above, the birds, lagoon and surrounding salt pans form an entirely different spectacle.

Walwis Bay, Namibia's major deep-water port
Namibia 2026

Swakopmund from the Air

Swakop and our own little chalets on stilts
 at The Stiltz, lower right corner
Namibia 2026

Finally, we approach Swakopmund.

And there, below us, are our own little chalets on stilts at The Stiltz.

We can even see the pier where we had dinner at The Tug the previous evening.

The pier where we had dinner at The Tug
Namibia 2026

Further along the coast is the newer waterfront area around Ocean Cellar, where we are going for dinner tonight.

The newer waterfront area around Ocean Cellar
Namibia 2026

Swakopmund is truly beautiful from the air, particularly in the warm light of the setting sun.

The old German colonial buildings dominate the historic centre, standing in striking contrast to the enormous arid landscape surrounding the town.

But from above we also discover something we had barely noticed from ground level: an enormous amount of new development spreading inland from the old town.

It is quite a different perspective on a place we thought we already knew well.

Back to Earth

We have viewed familiar places
 from an entirely new perspective!
Namibia 2026

We turn inland and begin our final approach to Swakopmund Airport.

One last look at the rather rough-and-ready settlement around the airport, and then our pilot smoothly puts the wheels back on the ground.

It is over.

Two hours and approximately 630 kilometres have passed almost unbelievably quickly.

We have seen parts of Namibia that would otherwise have remained completely inaccessible to us, and we have viewed familiar places from an entirely new perspective.

The experience has exceeded our already high expectations.

We feel incredibly privileged.

If you are tempted to do the same journey, you can read more about the Sossusfly and its current route here (link). Sossusfly itself describes it as its most popular scenic flight, covering approximately 630 kilometres in around 2 hours and 10 minutes, with less than 20% of the route visible by road.

There is certainly plenty to talk about over dinner at Ocean Cellar that evening.