Around 4 pm we arrive at the Namib Naukluft National Park gate. Our accomodation is inside the park intentionally as it is the only way to get to the dunes before the crowds that stay at the lodges outside the park. We check in at the gate and then continue to the Visitor Center where we again check in and pay the park entrance fee. There is a drive of 4 km to our accomodation and we see it from a distance as the cabins are tucked beneath a mountain. The parking area though is behind another hill and far away and not really visible from the reception.
We unload our luggage and because nobody is coming to get us we start walking towards the lodge. Finally we get noticed and a bus comes and picks us up. We check in and then go to our cabin, it is beautiful with a private deck and we quite like it.
As we unpack we notice a springbok outside our patio and he is not scared even when we go outside and take pictures of him. He eats, goes for a drink and then relaxes.
As it gets dark he starts some weird behaviour of gently hitting the grass with his head. It is enjoyable for once to let the wildlife come to you while you sit outside on the patio.
While studying the springbok the sun is setting so we take a few pictures of the beautiful sunset among the dunes and mountains. Everywhere we went in Namibia we saw lots of great sunsets and today is not an exception.
And then we have to go for dinner. We are allowed to wander around in the dark on the boardwalks and we watch the multitude of stars some of them never seen north of the equator. The dinner is included here so we each order a different menu (actually only the main dish is different).
The food is great as almost everywhere till now which actually is bad news for our waistlines. After dinner we sit outside and using our personal planetarium we identify the different stars especially Alpha and Beta Centauri. Today we go to sleep early as tomorrow we have to wake up at 5 am to get in time for the sunrise at the dunes before all the other tourists. In order to do this we order a breakfast bag which will be available for pickup instead of breakfast early in the morning at the lodge.
The next day after a half day exploration of the Sossusvlei dunes we return to the lodge finding a whole herd of ostriches near it. And we still like the great view of the cabins from the private road as we make the approach for an afternoon of relaxation.
As we wake up in the morning we are surprised to see two balloons in the distance just starting to rise towards the sky. For one we can even see how it is filled with hot air before being launched.
Our deck appears to be a magnet for various birds singing or just preening. really nice. We watch them as we finish packing and enjoy a nice sunrise, this time from our cabin and not from the road as the day before going to breakfast.
As usual the breakfast consists of eggs and a buffet of various cheeses and hams and fruit juices and is quite good.
Afterwards we try to get a porter to carry our bags to the shuttle as we were instructed to do but in the end we decide to carry them as it is easy on the boardwalk instead of waiting. The shuttle is waiting for us and another couple and it takes us to our car and then it is time to leave due south again.
