The Kuiseb90 Hike

DAY 1: ARRIVAL WALVIS BAY & TRANSFER TO GOBABEB (Distance approx. 97 km)

Arrive in Walvis by road or air. Guests transferred to central departure point. Once everyone has arrived, depart in specially converted 4x4 vehicles. The drive itself (approx. 1 ½ hours) is an adventure as you travel further away from so-called civilisation and traverse a variety of arid landscapes, including mountainous areas and of course the dunes of the Namib. Late afternoon arrival at Gobabeb Namib Research Institute. It is a privilege and rare opportunity to spend time at this research station. It hosts more than 250 researchers from all over the world every year. Their fields of study range from meteorology to atmospheric science and desert ecology and biodiversity. Gobabeb, working with NASA, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) and the MPI (Max Planck Institute), monitors and validates environmental information that is crucial to understanding Earth's dynamic climate. Based in the middle of the hyper arid Namib Desert, with easy access to three different ecosystems (the Gravel Plains in the north, the Sand Sea to its south, and the woodlands of the Kuiseb River), it is perfectly located for desert research. The Institute is also embedded in the cultural landscape of the indigenous Topnaar Nama people, who have been inhabiting the Kuiseb River basin for centuries. This evening there will be a hike briefing, followed by a communal dinner.
Overnight camping at the Gobabeb Institute.

DAY 2: HIKE DAY - DISTANCE APPROX 5 - 8 KM (WEATHER DEPENDANT)

Enjoy breakfast before departing to the starting point of the hike. The driving distance may be relatively short, but due to the terrain, the drive takes around 4 hours. Arrive around lunchtime. The support team will be waiting on your arrival. Enjoy your lunch pack, fill your water bottles, pose for a group photo, and then proceed to walk the first steps of one of the most incredible journeys you will ever undertake.
Today’s distance is relatively short, only 5 - 8 kms. You will gradually become more aware of the magnitude of the Kuiseb Canyon, stretched out in front of you. The terrain can be sandy at times. You’ll walk towards the escarpment until you reach the first campsite, among glorious red dunes – the oldest in the Namib Desert. The view from this campsite is phenomenal, especially in the direction of the winding path that you will follow tomorrow, all the way down into the Kuiseb Canyon. But first you can refresh, sit back in a camping chair with a cold beer or cooldrink and be spoilt by the delicious dinner prepared by the support team. Tomorrow your adventure will step up in higher gear…

Rating: 6.5

DAY 4: DISTANCE APPROXIMATELY 17 KM

Today you will enter the Kuiseb canyon again via the same route as yesterday afternoon. Now, with the sun rising, you will have new perspective on the incomparable vista, as you follow your own shadow against the dazzling cliffs. The dry riverbed will continue to be your compass, with the terrain a bit sandier than yesterday. You will most likely kick up dust while you walk. The vegetation will be greener and lush today, with a belt of trees appearing on the right, as the canyon gradually expands. Again, be mindful of animal tracks, especially the elusive leopard. You might also come across a carcass or oryx skull with the horns still intact, further evidence that predators do roam here.

By the time you reach a lunch spot, the trees will be lining up on both sides, and it will feel like you’re entering a new eco system. If it’s a warm day, expected in this harsh climate, you will find a pool to cool down. There’s some more good news: Today you don’t need to follow a steep path out of the canyon and back on to the escarpment. You just keep on walking until you see the Live the Journey camp, nestled around a beautiful corner in the dry riverbed. Tonight, you will have the rare opportunity to camp deep inside the Kuiseb Canyon, and witness the various shades of red, pink, and orange against the cliffs during sunset. And at night you will sit in a camp chair among your fellow hikers under the stars and enjoy the stunning silence in between laughter and fellowship around the fire.

Rating: 6

DAY 3: DISTANCE APPROXIMATELY 25 KM

After breakfast you will follow a steep, winding path downhill amid rocky outcrops and big boulders. It’s a remarkable track because it was made over centuries, perhaps even millennia, by animals entering and leaving the Kuiseb Canyon. You will descend more than 200 metres until you reach the floor of the canyon for the first time. From there you will follow the Kuiseb River that is mostly dry but, depending on recent rain, you’ll encounter pristine pools of water. As you walk deeper into the canyon, the hills on either side will begin to make way for towering cliffs. You’ll be enveloped by nature at its purest. You might even be required to wade or swim through a pool in an area where the canyon walls are only a few metres apart. Keep an eye out for tracks of leopard and both brown and spotted hyena. You will see plenty of their tracks, just another visual reminder that you’re in a remote wilderness. Very few humans have had the privilege to walk in this sacred space. After a lunch break you carry on walking, following the dry riverbed as it bends and curls. Look out for the red Namib dune sand that will reveal itself on the cliffs to the left.

In the afternoon the canyon will gradually open up a bit, but you will still be astounded by the height of the cliffs on either side. On a warm day an ana tree will provide much needed shelter for a break. In the afternoon, you will follow a steep path uphill, all the way back to the escarpment, with the most magnificent views of the canyon and surrounding landscape. Take time to breathe it all in and take photos that will never fully capture the splendid moment but will remain as precious memories. The last few hundred metres will be challenging, but by the time you reach the impressive sandstone outcrop at the top the Live the Journey team will welcome you with world-class hospitality, cold beer or soft drink, and the promise of a well-deserved dinner under the stars.

Rating: 8.5 (This day requires stamina)

DAY 5: DISTANCE APPROXIMATELY 17 KM

Having already walked more than 50 km in this unspoilt wilderness, you will now begin to feel at home in the Kuiseb Canyon. Your busy and demanding life and all the old routines will occupy less bandwidth and begin to create space for a more mindful approach to your surroundings, and even yourself.

Today you will leave the Live the Journey camp and continue to follow the dry riverbed. The surroundings will continue to become lusher and denser. This area has many trees, and you will hear beautiful birdsong early in the morning. You get another opportunity to leave the Kuiseb Canyon as you follow a steep path with a tremendous reward at the very top: A sprawling view that you will never forget. To the left the red dunes of the Namib Desert literally plunges into the Kuiseb Canyon. This is the point where the canyon tells the desert: “Stop.” In the middle of this vista, you will see the Kuiseb River on its way to the distant horizon, and to the right a bleak, barren no man’s land, that looks like it has no life. It is only fitting that this evening’s Live the Journey camp will be set up near this viewpoint, where you can enjoy a good rest after one of the easier hiking days.

Rating: 6

DAY 6: DISTANCE APPROXIMATELY 19 KM

Today, on the last day of an unforgettable hike, you will explore the more barren area to the north of the Kuiseb Canyon. But in the Namib Desert, even the most arid areas are still full of life, as you will soon find out, spotting the Welwitschias, the most ancient plant in the desert. On your way to a “hidden” canyon that feeds into the Kuiseb, you will walk pass several of these plants, the southernmost in Namibia. Your guide will provide you with more context about this very unique and endemic species. Beyond the halfway mark of today’s hike, you will reach a flat area, with impressive, rocky outcrops on both sides. This smaller canyon is part of the Kuiseb Canyon’s network. You will spend several kilometres exploring this seemingly lunar landscape, where a green tree is a rarity. Eventually the path will narrow near a dry waterfall and to the left you will have the opportunity to explore something very special: A hyena den. The scattered collection of femur bones and skulls will tell the story of the survival of the fittest, and how the circle of life plays out endlessly here, without any human intervention.

Once you carefully descended the dry waterfall’s rocks, you only have a short distance to cover until you reach a large dead tree. The Live the Journey banner waiting for you here, signals the end of the Kuiseb90 Hike. This night’s camp is near Homeb, the farming area op the Topnaar community, ancient custodians of this region. By now you would have hiked at least 90 km over five days in an area with unsurpassed natural beauty, dominated by a canyon that has remained largely untouched. At the last Live the Journey camp the team will welcome you with sparkling wine and snacks, followed by a short ceremony where you will receive your Kuiseb90 certificate – tangible proof of a major accomplishment and life highlight. Everyone who completes the Kuiseb90 is a pioneer. During the last evening you will sit next to a fire, surrounded by cliffs for one last time, while you enjoy delicious food and reflect on a truly amazing experience.

Rating: 6

DAY 7: DEPARTURE

On the last day you will enjoy breakfast in the canyon, before an early departure to ensure everyone is back in Walvis Bay for departing flights in the afternoon and early evening. Your Kuiseb90 might be completed, but the experience and special memories will linger for a very long time. You might even decide to invite more friends and hike it again!

END OF TOUR