A hike in a league of its own.
Proprietary tour
As seen on kykNET Elders
“An epic journey, one that will be etched in my soul forever. Superb logistics, planning, comfort, meals and service.”Shareez Bagaria
The Namib is the oldest desert on earth. Wind has been carving these dunes since long before there was anyone here to watch it happen. Some mornings the Atlantic fog rolls in thick enough to taste salt on your lips. Locals call this stretch of coast the Forbidden Land, the Sperrgebiet, the Skeleton Coast, a name earned by the whale bones and the shipwrecks that still sit half-buried where they ran aground.
The Namib100 covers 100 km over five days, starting a few kilometres outside Walvis Bay and finishing at the wreck of the Eduard Bohlen, stranded here in 1909. It’s a route we pioneered, and we’re the only operator running it, which is part of why departures are capped at 24 hikers each.
Slack-packing means you carry a daypack and nothing more. Your tent, your meals, your water, the camp chair you’ll fall into every evening, all of it travels ahead of you with our 4×4 support convoy. What’s on your back is water and what you need for the day. Everything else is handled.
Don’t mistake that ease for an easy hike. You’re covering 19 to 22 km on most days, rated level 6 to 7. Bring your fitness. We’ll bring the rest.
Highlights
- Carry only a daypack while our support team handles the rest
- Walk the Langewand at low tide, where the dunes fall straight into the Atlantic
- Stand at the wreck of the Eduard Bohlen (1909) and the Shawnee (1976)
- Camp under an uninterrupted canopy of stars each night
- Watch the birdlife at Sandwich Harbour, a wetland of international importance
- Finish at the Bohlen with a glass of something cold in your hand
Five days, one hundred kilometres, one ancient desert.
Arrival · Walvis Bay
Get into Walvis Bay at least a day before we start. There’s a communal dinner and briefing that evening at Lagoon Chalets.
Sandwich Harbour
We meet you at Lagoon Chalets and drive south to the starting point. Sandwich Harbour is loud with birdlife today. It’s a Ramsar wetland of international importance, and you’ll see why.
The Langewand
Seal colonies mark the way to the Langewand, where the dunes drop straight into the ocean. You can only walk it at low tide, any later and you’re pinned between sand and the Atlantic. You’ll pass the Shawnee, wrecked here in 1976, then turn inland to your overnight camp near the beach.
Ancient oysters & the inner shore
Today runs along the shoreline, littered with oyster shells the size of your hand, whale bones bleached white, driftwood that’s travelled further than you have. It’s quiet out here. The kind of quiet you don’t get at home.
Grit plains & old mining settlements
Turn inland to walk the dunes, before moving down onto a grit plain and the whole character of the desert shifts. Look closely, and there’s more life here than you’d expect, from the dancing white lady spider to succulents no bigger than a thumbnail. Camp is near an old mining settlement, its buildings half-swallowed by sand.
To the wreck of the Eduard Bohlen
Last morning, you explore what’s left of the old settlement before turning for the coast, crossing pink saltpans and ancient ocean floor littered with shells. The Bohlen comes into view a long way out, stranded here since 5 September 1909. Reaching it is the end of the hike, and there’s a glass of bubbly waiting for you. From there it’s back into the 4x4s for the drive to Walvis Bay, retracing the route you’ve just walked. Accommodation tonight for your own account.
Departure · Walvis Bay
We’ll get you to Walvis Bay Airport.
Everything you need. Nothing you don’t.
Included
- Return airport/hotel transfers, timing dependent on your flights
- Briefing dinner the night before the hike (drinks that evening for your own account, cash bar available)
- Current concession, park and camping fees and levies
- Three meals a day throughout the hike
- Use of a camping chair
- Shower and chemical toilet set up each evening
- Drinking water, 5 litres per person per day, plus 5 litres per person per day for washing
- Transport from Walvis Bay to the start, and from the Eduard Bohlen back to Walvis Bay
- A full support team and 4×4 vehicle convoy
- Your luggage and camping equipment, carried for you the whole way
Not included
- Flights/Travel to and from Walvis Bay
- Accommodation before and after the hike
- Camping gear and bedding (options available to hire)
- Comprehensive travel insurance (compulsory)
- Medical clearance
- Visa fees, if applicable
Upcoming departures.
SADC rate shown per person. International passport holders pay R31,350. Enquire for child rates on the child-friendly departure. Comprehensive travel insurance is a booking requirement, you won’t be able to join without proof of it at first payment.
Use a currency converter for an approximate figure in your local currency, noting that the final cost is determined by the exchange rate at the time of confirmation and payment.
More than we expected, every single time.
“The pure organization and logistics in such a harsh environment is truly world-class. The team looks after your every need, and where they can’t, they just make a plan.”
“I smiled from beginning to end. My expectations were surpassed again and again. The food was excellent, it was as if I was eating in a restaurant in the middle of the desert.”
“Wat ‘n wonderlike paar dae in die asemrowende Namibië. Die Namib100 span is onverbeterlik. Dit is vuurmaakhout vir die siel.”
“There are few memories that stay with one for years. The Namib100 provides many. Taking pictures will only capture a small fraction of the true experience.”
“A Wonderful time in an incredible place with wonderful people. It was extremely well supported & catered. The children in the group were a bonus and added a special & positive dynamic to good company.”
“Incredible experience which exceeded everything I expected! Insane landscapes, very tasty food and helpful crew. I will come back for more!”
“It takes special people to create such special experiences, and the entire Live the Journey Team are exactly that… Keep making Magic!!!”
“A long-lasting dream come true: a hike through the ‘forbidden’ areas of the Namib. I travelled my home country of Namibia extensively by motorbike, but this hike opened a new dimension to the experiences. A big thanks to the team and the group for this unforgettable adventure!”
“My heartbeat monitor stopped working because I lost my heart in the desert…”
“This has been an amazing experience, I found myself, I found the desert and I found dreams.”