6 Days & 5 Nights - Lüderitz To Walvis Bay Adventure Expedition

Routing Highlights: This safari traverses the Namib Desert between Lüderitz and Walvis Bay formerly known as “Diamond Area no 2” , this is Namibia’s remotest desert terrain. Places visited en-route include Silvia Hill, Meob Bay, and Conception Bay & Sandwich Bay. Desert wildlife, spectacular scenery, untouched beaches, abandoned mining settlements, miles of sand driving and the shipwrecks synonymous to the “Skeleton Coast” and relics of the old diamond communities. Participants should have experience in off road driving conditions. Tour Information: Departure Date:                On Request Departure Location:         Lüderitz Tour Ends:                          Walvis Bay			click route-map to enlarge
This Adventure Expedition extension needs to be incorporated into a visit to the southern reaches of Namibia and should include at least one night in the coastal town of Lüderitz. Car Rental: 4x4 vehicle - Fully Equipped with camping gear.  The type of vehicle rented will depend on your group size and amount of luggage and personal preference.   EXPEDITION DRIVING CHALLENGE LEVEL Very difficult driving conditions Advanced off-road driving experience essential

TOUR SUMMARY:

ITINERARY:

This Adventure Expedition starts in Lüderitz where the group assembles at 18h00 the evening prior to departure for a debriefing before venturing into the desert the following day. (Accommodation in Lüderitz is not included)

Day 1
Lüderitz
The trails starts after an early breakfast depart Lüderitz by backtracking for about 30km on the Lüderitz to Aus main road it is here where the tar roads end and your adventure of a lifetime stars. Today the trail passes the ‘stompneus Ford and continues to Suzy.
Camping: Wild Camping under the desert sky in true expedition style

Day 2
The trail continues leading north past Suzy and the Bulldozer before crossing into the dune belt en-route to Sylvia Hill.
Camping: Wild Camping under the desert sky in true expedition style

Day 3
Today the dunes get progressively higher, here driver experience and skills acquired during the previous two days will be tested and honed to perfection.
Camping: Wild Camping on the beach

Day 4
The trail continues and the dune belt opens up at Meob Bay, it is in this stretch between Meob Bay and Conception Bay where active diamond mining was done in the early 1900’s. The Settlements of Holsatia, Charlottenfelder and Grillenberger are visited en-route.
Camping: Wild Camping under the desert sky in true expedition style

Day 5
From Holsatia the trail leads to Conception Bay and along the beach northwards towards Sandwich Bay, the famous shipwrecks of the Eduard Bohlen & Shawnee are visited en-route. Passing ‘Langewand’ where the massive dunes end in the sea, allowing a very limited time span to negotiate this stretch of beach. After Langewand the trail once again leads into the dunes, circumnavigating the Salt Pans ‘extensions’ of Sandwich Harbour. The dunes are still large and offer an ever changing experience of ultimate dune driving. The night is spent approximately 1.5km from the sea close to Sandwich Bay.
Camping: At URI Adventures’ ‘Sandwich camp’

Day 6
Walvis Bay
From Sandwich the trails enters the ‘Roller Coaster’, a series of massive ‘roaring’ slip faces, not only giving the participants a new thrilling experience but also offering breathtaking views of Sandwich Harbour and a panorama of “Sandscapes” exiting onto the beach south of Walvis Bay. The trail ends at Walvis Bay after a final 50km stretch of beach driving.

Essential Equipment:

The following items are mandatory for each participating vehicle:

• Spade
• Space for one stacker box with food that you will receive the day of departure
• 60 litres water
• Tyre pressure gauge
• Toilet paper & matches
• Plastic bags to carry waste (e.g. empty cool drink tins, etc)
• Brake fluid
• Gear oil
• Engine oil
• Fuses
• Spare V- Belt set
• Sufficient Petrol/Diesel to cover the distance – (see route map & distances attached). Heavy sand driving conditions (+/- 3 km/litre and +/- 5 km/litre consumption for larger petrol and diesel engines respectively) will be experienced
• Vehicle to be fitted with points to attach tow ropes both in front and at the rear. NB!!
• Empty/Available lighter plug socket– to be used with Communication radio
• All equipment and luggage must be strapped in and securely fastened
• Vehicle must be loaded in such a way to ensure that the vehicle is not “Top Heavy” – e.g. only light items, camping gear on roof carriers
• 2 Large bags of firewood per vehicle and only 4 bags of charcoal in the group
• The trail passes through heavy dune area, which requires high flotation tyres ("fat takkies")

Optionally Equipment:

• Hi lift Jack & Q20 Spray
• Extra Spare wheel (no 6)
• Small broom
• Small spade

Included:

• Communication radios for all participating vehicles
• Meals (Only Tea/Coffee and fruit juices supplied with meals)
• “Communal” camping equipment (e.g. braai grid, cooking facilities & equipment, tables, wash-up facilities, Showers etc.)

Excluded:

• Tent, folding chair & sleepwear (bedroll, tent etc.)
• Eating utensils (Cutlery, Plate, Bowl, Glass & Mug)
• Own snacks & refreshments (alcoholic beverages, cool drinks etc.)
• Torch & batteries
• Camera (extra films & battery)
• Sunglasses & Sun Tan lotion
• Clothing (very hot and very cold), Toiletries & towels
• Prescribed medicine
• Small bowl or collapsible wash basin

Trail Background & History:
The discovery of diamonds in 1908 around Kolmanskop resulted in an uncontrollable diamond rush forcing the Government to establish the “Sperrgebiet” between 26-degree (Gibraltar) and the southern border stretching 100-kilometer inland. Prospectors were forced to turn northwards beyond the Sperrgebiet. This resulted in the discovery of diamonds at Spencer Bay in December 1908 and between Meob and the Conception Bay area (Diamond area no 2). This resulted in a total of 5000 diamond claims being registered in 1909 and hopeful prospectors tried their luck at Saddle Hill and Spencer Bay and via Swakopmund and Sandwich Harbour southwards towards Meob Bay. However, the small yields of diamonds from these claims resulted in only a few prospectors in the long term being successful.

Transporting of supplies and mine equipment was effected mainly from Swakopmund by ship and the cutter Viking via Sandwich Harbour, Conception Bay and Meob Bay. Various shipping casualties occurred, such as when the Eduard Bohlen intend to off-load mining equipment, was consequently lost at Conception Bay (1909).

In the area between Conception Bay and Meob Bay the mining settlements of Holsatia, Charlottenfelder and Grillenberger was established and no form of engine-driven transport was available during the first 15 years. One sample of an oxwagen fitted with special wide iron bands to make transportation in sandy areas is visible north off Grillenberger. This wagon and surfboats at Meob Bay are examples of pre-World War I historical relicts depicting the immense difficult pioneering days in those inhospitable desert conditions.

During 1912-1913 a light railway from Conception Bay to Conception Water and an 80-kilometer pipeline linking the settlements were constructed. It is not totally clear as how many pre-fabricated buildings were erected at the various settlements and only the foundations of some of these are today still visible.

In November 1914 all persons in this area were requested to stop operations and to proceed to Swakopmund up country. This order came as a result of an expected invasion of allied troops. During 1920 activities recommenced in this area and only four companies operated in this area until De Beers purchased one after the other concession area in 1929. From old mining records it is clear that the average diamond found in this area was much smaller to those found south of Lüderitzbucht. Operators made use of hand-operated movable sieve jigs, of which some are still visible today at the old mining settlements and were largely dependent on an Owambo labour force. Namaqua Diamonds for instance employed between 500 and 600 Owambo’s under contract. They were distributed into gangs of 50 over the extent of the mining area.

In 1932 the price of diamonds dropped considerable and almost all known diamondiferous ground has been worked over at least once. The small diamonds left in the tailings of earlier workers made productions uneconomic.

After World War II a company Industrial Diamonds of South Africa (1945) Ltd. conducted extensive prospecting in the Meob area in which no diamonds were recovered and CDM also abandoned Meob Bay in the early 60’s.

Today only some remnants of the activities are visible and are deteriorating at an alarming rate. There are a limited quantity of hand-operated mining equipment left, two surf boats at Meob and ox-wagon north of Grillenberger giving some in-sight into the hardships endured by Indigenous Namibians and Early settlers to Namibia.

Saddle Hill became well known in Namibian diamond operations through the efforts of the remarkable Mose Kahan. The unsinkable Mose was born in Konigsberg, Prussia and after immigrating to South Africa where he became involved in prospecting and mining. His application for a concession in Diamond area no 2 were successful and he named his claims Saddle Hill Ophir and Atlantis.

To reach his claims with food and mining supplies, Kahan had to make his way through shifting dunes with transport available in those years, which was indeed a hazardous undertaking. After World War II Kahan bought some Ford “stopneus” lorries from surplus war stock, fitting them with Dakota DC3 aircraft tyres. With these low-pressure aircraft tyres he was able to bring supplies and equipment to Saddle Hill. However one of these lorries, nick named Suzie, had unfortunately to be abandoned in the dunes, today still awaiting the return of a repair crew.  Likewise a Bulldozer, pulling trailers with supplies and equipment close to the Uri Haugab Mountains.

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Our tours are merely suggested itineraries and therefore can be tailored to suit your specific needs: Routes can be amended according to your preference Accommodation can be changed to suit your style and budget Accommodation meal basis can be booked according to your requirements Extra nights can be added depending on your arrival and departure flight times and the pace that you want to travel