I have been fascinated by the Naukluft Mountains since my first visit to the park many years ago. This seemingly inhospitable mountain complex on the doorstep of the great Namib Sand Sea is surprisingly full of plants, birds and wildlife, thanks to numerous natural springs. Yet, very little of the Naukluft can be seen by the casual visitor. The only access road for tourists leads directly to the NWR Naukluft Camp. This is by no means an attempt to restrict vehicle traffic, as anyone who has flown over or driven on any of the roads (C19, C14 and D854) that form a circular route around the mountains can attest to. The extremely rugged terrain makes it a really unfriendly place for vehicles.
The only way to explore the park is on foot. There are two short one-day hikes, the Olive and Waterkloof trails. Then there is the eight-day trail that covers 120 kilometres on a circular route – with the option to do only the first four days of the hike. Once I heard of the epic eight-day hike, it immediately went onto my bucket list. I must admit, at no point did I think about the actual hiking part, but was simply very much drawn by the excitement of exploring a remarkable area that very few people ever get to see.
Fast forward to April this year and I find myself on the eve of a bucket list adventure, completely unaware of what awaits over the next few days, and mentally unprepared for it. Luckily my friends Quinton, Lynne, Roland, Sarah, Jess
