I am extremely grateful to Tribal Tracks for all their hard work and support to make this such an amazing experience from start to finish. It could not have been better! - Debs 2023
Debs
Location
Difficulty
Accommodation and Meals
Desert Wild Camping, Lodge
Duration
8
Meeting Point
Walvis Bay
Annual Leave
5 days
Group Size
Up to 16
Seasons
Spring
Walking Distance
100km
Meet Charlie, a director of, and one of the co-founders of Tribal Tracks.
Discover what is believed to be the oldest desert on earth
Trek in one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet
Discover unique flora and fauna that have adapted to living in the severe desert environment (jackals, seals, oryx, hyenas, birds)
Fireside dining under dark starry skies
Witness the Eduard Bohlen and Shawnee Shipwrecks
Watch the colonies of Cape Fur Seals that gather along the coastline
A fully supported trek, you only need to carry your daypack whilst trekking
Trek along the largest Langewand's in the world - where the sea meets the dunes and only found in Namibia, Angola and Australia
All the info you need
Trip Details
Experience a life-changing five-day hike covering over 100 km through one of the planet's most pristine wilderness areas. This trek takes you across the vast sand dunes of the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world, and along the vibrant Sandwich Harbour lagoon, teeming with sea and bird life. As part of the greater Skeleton Coast, you'll encounter ancient history, from old diamond claims to sun-bleached whale bones and mysterious shipwrecks shrouded in mist.
Trip Details
Distances are estimates as precise distances rely on the weather and exact camp locations. We will be trekking between 6 - 7 hours for the first 4 days of the trek and the final day will be roughly 3 - 4 hours trekking. There will be no access to WiFi on the trek but we will carry a Sat Phone. There will be a charging battery in camp for topping up your power banks and phones/watches.
Flights are not included in the price of this itinerary, and you will need to source them yourself. You will be met when you arrive tomorrow in Walvis Bay.
Accommodation and Meals
NA
Welcome to Namibia
Arrive in Walvis Bay, where you will be met by our friendly ground team, who will transport you to your Lagoon Chalet accommodation which is approx 20 minutes by road. We'll have time to relax before our first meal together, and then we'll have a team briefing about the trek ahead.
Accommodation and Meals
Overnight Lagoon Chalets and dinner
22-23km, 411m elevation
After breakfast, we'll transfer from Lagoon Chalets to the start of our trek in 4x4s vehicles (with their experienced drivers), which will take us approximately one hour. From here we trek to Sandwich Bay. We will soon discover the abundant bird and sea life that thrive in and around the micro-climate of Sandwich Harbour Lagoon, a bird lovers paradise. We'll quickly dispel the myth that the desert is devoid of life and we may even follow the tracks of animals such as the jackal or oryx that will remind us we're not alone. This is an otherworldly environment, where the towering sand dunes roll straight into the ocean, known as the Langewand - the long wall.
For the last leg of the day, we follow the lagoon's shoreline to our campsite at Sandwich Bay.
Accommodation and Meals
Camping and full board. (There will be access to showers and a chemical toilets in the campsites for the next 4 nights)
23 - 24 km, Elevation 72m
Today, you'll pass massive seal colonies on your way to the Lange Wand. Walking the Lange Wand is only possible at low tide so we will need to set off promptly after breakfast. The cathedral-like formations of the dunes, sculpted by the sea, sand, and wind will leave you in awe. Along your journey, you'll encounter the wreck of the Shawnee, which was stranded in 1976. The skeletal remains of this wreck serve as a poignant reminder that this coastline is a living memorial, telling tales of hopes, dreams, and lives lost to the Stormy South Atlantic Ocean.
Accommodation and Meals
Camping and full board
20 - 21 km, Elevation 258 m
Today's route takes you along the shore, scattered with ancient oyster shells the size of your hand. You'll encounter white-washed whale bones and driftwood from mysterious origins, all set against the backdrop of the continuous rolling waves. Tonight, you'll camp on a dune right next to the ocean.
Accommodation and Meals
Camping and full board
20 - 21 km, Elevation 95 m
Today, you'll witness a completely different side of the Namib. We head inland to walk into the impressive Namib dunes. From the dunes we descend onto a vast salt plain, you'll be amazed by its micro life, from the dancing white lady spider to the tiniest of succulents. You can see long stretches of scattered white quarts of exposed lava fields. Your camp tonight will be near an old diamond mining settlement, where wind-worn buildings are gradually being claimed by the Namib sand.
Accommodation and Meals
Camping and full board
13 - 14 km, Elevation 113 m
This morning we will have ample time to explore the deserted buildings and imagine life as it was a hundred years ago.
We then turn back toward the sea, crossing pink salt pans. You’ll catch sight of the wreck of the Eduard Bohlen in the distance, beckoning you closer. The Bohlen was stranded on 5 September 1909, and it is here where our hike concludes.
After celebrating the end of our trek, we will start our drive back to Walvis Bay. The journey in 4x4 vehicles retraces the route you have hiked over the past few days. The return transfer will be 4x4 trucks, we will travel along the coastline and then into the dunes, it can get cold if it is windy so remember to pack a warm layer in your day pack and a warm hat. We drive through the large dunes for approximately one hour, it is an exhilarating experience but it can be bumpy as we drive up and down the steep dunes. If you suffer from travel sickness we would highly recommend taking anti sickness tablets before this journey. We expect to arrive in Walvis Bay around 6pm.
We will arrive at our hotel, where a hot shower and a soft bed await. This evening, we'll enjoy a farewell dinner together as a group.
Accommodation and Meals
Lagoon Chalet and full board
Return Home
After breakfast, we'll transfer back to Walvis Bay Airport in time for your departure flight. Most flights will land the following day.
Accommodation and Meals
NA, breakfast
Trip Details
| From/To | Nights | Total Cost (includes non-refundable deposit) | Non-refundable Deposit |
Single supplement | Places | Enquiry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2027 Feb 27, 2027 |
8 | £3795 (excludes flights) | £500 | £200 | Available |
Trip Details
In a nutshell, almost everything!
This is what you will need to buy/source yourself.
It is important that you read the itinerary carefully, and take account of the rating we have given it.
Although our challenges are not technical, they do require a good degree of physical fitness. The conditions will require stamina and strength, which you should recognise and train for. This will be a much better experience if you are fit and prepared. You should feel comfortable walking 6-8 hours per day.
In setting the maximum size of our groups, we take a number of factors into account.
Altitude, degree of difficulty, the terrain, the climate and time of year, all determine the maximum group size. Sometimes it will be 20, sometimes it will be 8-14, but safety is always our priority.
You will be accompanied by a Tribal Tracks UK Leader, Mountain Leader qualified, as well as supported by our local, in-country guides.
It is a requirement of Tribal Tracks booking terms and conditions that each supporter must hold their own travel insurance, which covers the trip and the activities they are doing. Read more here.
We advise you to put insurance in place as soon as possible, ideally on booking so you are covered immediately. There have been instances where someone has signed up, broken their leg a few weeks later, and been deemed unfit to travel. If travel insurance were in place, the non-refundable deposit could be claimed back from the insurance policy. Without this, your money is lost.
Your insurance must be valid and in date, covering the entire period that you are travelling for, including the return journey home. It must cover medical and personal accident risks, and should include repatriation costs and air ambulance or helicopter rescue services, where appropriate.
We will need to know the travel insurance provider, your policy number and the 24 hour medical/emergency assistance number.
Tribal Tracks has 100% Financial Protection and has a trust account with the Protected Trust Service, member number 5566.
This means that all client monies paid to Tribal Tracks are held in our dedicated trust account, which is supervised by an independent trustee. This means that in the very unlikely event that Tribal Tracks ceases to trade, your money is safe. For more information, please visit this link. Any flights booked for you by Tribal Tracks will be ATOL-protected under our own ATOL certificate.
Tribal Tracks considers the safety of all of its participants and staff to be a top priority, and as such we have thorough safety systems in place.
In the event of an injury, we have an evacuation plan in place for all elements of the trek route. We do ask that you look after yourself during the trek in the following way, as this will help avoid unnecessary problems:
We know that the unexpected can happen.
While you are away, things can happen at home and people may need to get in contact with you. This can be tricky when you are in remote areas. So, shortly before departure, we provide you with an Emergency Procedure document to distribute to your nearest and dearest. This sets out how to contact Tribal Tracks and the steps Tribal Tracks will then take to get in contact with you.
It is really important that you are well prepared for your physical challenge and that you are confident that you will be able to fully participate.
Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely partake in the trek, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to step out of the trek. Although this is a very rare occurrence, by booking this trip you agree to section 11 of our Booking Conditions which clearly states that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these circumstances, we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.
At Tribal Tracks, Responsible Travel is enormously important to us, and our commitment to responsible travel is evidenced in every itinerary that we prepare.
Core to our business is the belief that holidays can and should be enjoyable to the traveller but should be conducted in a socially, environmentally and economically responsible manner which brings benefit to local communities. This is implemented through a variety of measures which can be found in our Responsible Travel policy. We encourage you to read this and to play your own part in travelling responsibly.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) monitors all overseas destinations and offers advice to British citizens. In order to be fully informed of safety issues, crime rates, political stability and local customs you can view the advice here. We monitor FCDO advice carefully and may, on occasion, be required to cancel trips, reroute itineraries, or make other changes to trips based on the FCDO advice. Any decision will always be made in the interests of your safety and security and will be fully communicated to you.
If travelling with a child and only one parent is present, please be aware that you must have the permission of everyone with parental responsibility before that child can be taken abroad. You automatically have parental responsibility if you’re the child’s mother, but you still need the permission of anyone else with parental responsibility before you take the child abroad. A letter from the person with parental responsibility for the child is usually enough to show you’ve got permission to take them abroad. You might be asked for the letter at a UK or foreign border. The letter should include the other person’s contact details and details about the trip. If you are travelling with a child who has a surname different to your own, for example you are a single parent, you are advised to travel with evidence of your relationship (eg a birth certificate) and a divorce or marriage certificate if applicable. In other scenarios, for example, you are a grandparent taking your grandchild on a trip, or you are taking your child’s friend on a trip, you should be able to provide evidence that you have permission from the child’s parents to do this. You should also check the requirements of the country you are travelling to, as they may have additional specific requirements and the age limit up to which a person is considered a child may vary.
Trip Details
The temperatures along the Skeleton coast can get up to 28 degrees during the day and fall to around 8 degrees at night. The south west winds can be very strong, you will need to carry a windproof with you whilst trekking. We would recommend 50 factor suncream on this trek.
Trip Details
The trek is a challenge. We will be walking for a long time over sometimes challenging terrain with steep ascents and descents.
The best way to build endurance fitness is to start with some gentle walks and gradually build up both the distance and duration over the next few months. In the last 2 months, we would recommend to go out and do long days, ideally in the hills, to build up the strength in your legs. About a week before the trek, limit any training to short walks – you want to have fresh legs at the start!
For the trek you should be comfortable trekking between 6 - 8 hours per day, but remember we have all day to achieve the distances and will not be going at racing snake pace. It may sound obvious, but make sure that you are walking properly, hitting the ground with your heel first, then rolling onto your toe, which pushes you onto the next step (this will help reduce the risk of shin splints and tendon pulls). Walk with your head up, eyes forward and shoulders level.
It is a good idea to develop a level of cardiovascular fitness (exercising and strengthening your heart and lungs). This comes from running, cycling or swimming for between 20 minutes and an hour, and will really help develop your endurance fitness. Three sessions a week is normally advised, increasing time and distance over time.
Replicate conditions in training i.e., use all the kit you will be using and try your walking poles if you want to use them.
It is important to pack so that you know where everything is. Here at Tribal Tracks, we are big fans of separating kit into different packing cubes (compression ones are great), or even just individual plastic bags can really help with this.
You can pack by item (e.g., socks and pants in one cube, tops in another, waterproofs in another etc.) or by day, putting your entire outfit for that day together in one place. We recommend taking an extra bag or cube to separate the dirty kit from your fresh clothes, too.
You will have two bags on the trip - your main bag and your back pack.
You should operate on the basis that you will not have access to your main bag during the day and while you are trekking. This means that it is important to have everything you need in your back pack. Waterproofs should go in the bottom, together with an extra layer, sunscreen and sunglasses, plus hat and gloves (if you are in a colder climate). You should also have your water bottles, and any specific snacks, medicines or first aid items you want to take, such as zinc tape and blister plasters. Baby wipes/toilet roll and nappy sacks are also essential for going to the toilet while you are trekking - we will explain more in the pre-departure briefing!
In the event of an injury, we have an evacuation plan in place for all elements of the trek route. We do ask that you look after yourself during the trek in the following way, as this will help avoid unnecessary problems:
We will brief you in the pre-departure briefing as to the catering specifically for your trip. However, as a guide, each morning you will be provided with a very filling local breakfast, usually accompanied by tea or coffee. Lunch will be during your trek and will be prepared by the team of cooks or we will utilise local restaurants or teahouses. Food will always be ample and tasty. If wild camping, dinner will be in the dining tent and will be traditional, freshly prepared food. If you are staying in a hotel or teahouse, dinner will be served there. Water, tea and coffee will be served and alcohol will usually not be available, although there will be some exceptions. We will provide 4 litres of drinking water per person per day. You will need to fill up 2 litres at breakfast and another 2 litres at lunchtime.
Please ensure that you have notified us before departure if you have any specific dietary requirements or allergies as we can cater for most things as long as we know about them!
You will sleep in shared tents (unless a single supplement has been requested). Mattresses are provided, which makes it much more comfortable! There will be a central dining tent available with rugs and lights where the group can get together in the evening, share stories and enjoy meals. There will also be an open fire wherever it is possible.
Sleeping bags are designed to work by trapping your body heat in the down surrounding you. If you wear lots of layers, your body heat will not escape as effectively, and you will be cold. Wearing a thin thermal layer is ideal. It does sound counterintuitive, but we promise that it works!
Putting your clothes for the next day in the bottom of your sleeping bag will also help with warmth, as it will fill up any spare space around your feet, and it will mean your clothes are nicely warmed up in the morning.
If you find it difficult to sleep without a pillow, we recommend taking a travel pillow and a regular pillowcase with you. Put your pillow in the pillow case, and use your down jacket/layers to fill out the pillowcase. You will end up with a pretty decent pillow!
And as for stuff or roll when it comes to packing your bag away? We are very much in the stuff camp! Read more here.
There will be early morning starts, typically around 0600 - 0700hrs, so that the team can set off on the trek in good time. It is important that you pack up your kit before breakfast and leave your bag outside your tent or accommodation so that the crew can load them onto the jeeps and/or mules. There will be a freshly cooked lunch provided on your trek route. The aim is to get into camp before sunset if possible, when you can enjoy a hot drink and snacks. It is important that you change into your thermals and put layers on when you get into camp as the temperatures can drop sharply and you need to keep warm.
In the morning, the Tribal Tracks leader will wake up the group. When you hear the call, please begin to get ready, and pack all your kit away in your 'main bag' before breakfast. Put this bag outside your tent or accommodation as the crew can then begin to break down the tents/load the luggage. Ensure that you have all that you need in your backpack for the day, as you will not have access to your main bag until the next camp (see 'What do I put in my backpack?).
When you arrive into camp, it is important to get changed into different clothes, usually the ones that you will be wearing the next day. Even if you have had dry weather, you will have been sweating, and your clothes will be damp. As the sun sets and the air cools, you will quickly feel cold. Before this, you will want to freshen up and we recommend the 'baby wipe bath'. As there are no showers while on the trek, having a freshen up with a baby wipe will help keep you clean and will make you feel much better, before you put your clean clothes on. Unpack your sleeping bag and get everything out that you need for nighttime, such as your warm hat, jacket, head torch and book. Sort out your back pack for the next day by removing rubbish and replenishing snacks etc.
Doing this before dinner will mean you can get into your sleeping bag quickly, when it is likely to feel cold.
There will be a toilet tent and water supplied for washing in the morning where we can. There are no shower facilities provided during the trek and there will be no toilets either, but there will be a toilet tent in camp in the evenings and mornings. In the pre-departure briefing, we will tell you all that you need to know about how to deal with this.
We recommend that you bring a multi-region adapter plug with you. There will be no facility to recharge electrical items on the trek, so we recommend you bring a power bank to top up the charge. We also recommend putting your phone on Airplane mode during the day to save on power.
Using your mobile overseas can sometimes attract unwelcome, very high tariffs. We recommend that you check with your network provider before you travel, but if in doubt, keep your phone switched to Airplane mode and use it only when there is WiFi. Reception can also be patchy, and unreliable, particularly in remote areas, which is why we carry a satellite phone with us. Please let your nearest and dearest know about this, and warn them that you may not be able to be in regular contact.
We ask that your luggage is kept to the absolute minimum. We will tell you the weights that you should not exceed, but usually (depending on the airline), your main bag should not exceed 23kgs in weight.
It is important that you wear your trekking boots or take them in your hand luggage on the flight, as they are vital for the trek and cannot be replaced if your luggage is lost.
We recommend leaving behind items such as high-value jewelry, watches, etc. Your passport and money should always be kept on your person.
Trip Details
If you want to extend your stay in Namibia, please let us know and we would be happy to tailor make an itinerary for you.
Have a question? Get in touch, our small team will be delighted to help.
