Namibe Desert
About this destination
The Deserto do Namibe (Namibe Desert) is the Angolan part of the Namib Desert, which runs along the coast from southern Angola into Namibia. In Angola it covers the coastal strip of the province of Namibe, with dunes, gravel plains and rocky hills that run down to the Atlantic.
The symbol of the desert is the Welwitschia mirabilis, a plant found only in this region and in Namibia. It has a short, thick stem and just two leaves, which keep growing throughout its life and gradually tear in the wind. Some specimens in Namibe are more than two thousand years old.
The heart of the desert is the Parque Nacional do Iona (Iona National Park), about 200 kilometres south of Moçâmedes, between the Atlantic and the Cunene and Curoca rivers, covering 15 150 square kilometres. The Lagoa dos Arcos and the Colinas do Curoca are other popular trips.
The fog that rises off the cold sea in the morning is the source of moisture that keeps the plants and animals alive.
Before you go
- Best time to visit
- May to September, when the days are milder; the desert is dry all year round. Sunrise and sunset are the best times.
- Climate
- Desert climate, very dry, hot by day and cold at night, with coastal fog in the morning.
- Suggested duration
- 1-3 days
- Price range
- $$ · Moderate
Why visit
Where it is
Deserto do Namibe, Angola
Namibe
On the southern coast, where the desert is.
About 730 km from Luanda as the crow flies.
What to bring
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