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EXPLORE NAMIBIA'S PRECIOUS COASTLINE AND DUNES WITH CHRIS NEL
Chris Nel is a tour guide who runs the Living Desert Adventure through the Namib
Desert near Sossussvlei. On these tours he shares his wisdom and expertise with
visitors. Chris was also involved in the establishment of the Dorob National Park in 2010
along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast.
We had a chance to sit down and chat with Chris about desert conservation and the role
that ordinary citizens can play in protecting Namibia’s natural treasures.
A desert-adapted chameleon photographed on one of Chris' adventure tours. (Picture
courtesy of Chris Nel)
Adventure, Conservation, Skeleton coast, Namibia, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, quad
biking, Namib, dune
Vehicles Chris uses for his Living Desert Adventure Tours. (Picture courtesy of Chris
Nel)
How long have you been involved with desert conservation in Namibia? What made you
decide to get into it in the first place?
I have always loved nature and always been interested in protecting it since a little child
but in 2002 I started doing day tours in the dunes around Swakopmund. At that stage I
realised that quad-biking had become the new craze of the nation and thousands of
people were driving all over the Namib Desert just for fun.
Adventure, Conservation, Skeleton coast, Namibia, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, quad
biking, Namib, dune
Chris getting up close with a desert chameleon. (Picture courtesy of Chris Nel)
I attempted to run an educational tour for tourists and it was virtually impossible to do a
quality tour because of the noise, aesthetic destruction (with tracks all over the place)
and the little creatures we were showing people were getting killed under the wheels of
the quads and 4x4 vehicles.
The year I started doing tours out of Swakopmund I realised Namibia had a big problem
in the coastal Namib, largely caused by quads and 4x4’s. I did a flight over the Namib to
take pictures and videos of the state of the desert. It was this day that my heart broke- I
saw one of the most destroyed deserts in the world.
When Chris saw the damage he knew he had to do something to help.
(Picture courtesy of Chris Nel)
What are the most important lessons you hope to impress upon the people in your tour
groups?
For me it is vital that people learn to respect and appreciate the desert, it is only then
that we have a chance to understand the desert. If more people understand the desert
better then there will be a greater chance that they will see the beauty of the desert.
Chris feels that once people understand, they will want to protect. This is why he
encourages guests to close to the fauna of the desert. (Picture courtesy of Chris Nel)
What do you enjoy most about taking a guest into the desert for the first time in their life?
I love showing them from the beginning that this is one of the driest places on earth
relative to rain, but because of the fog we have a certain degree of moisture that sustains
a large variety of specialised desert life.
A desert adapted chameleon having a snack. (Picture courtesy of Chris Nel)
I always start by telling them that because it almost never rains we will not see typical
‘safari’ wildlife (some tourists want to see lions and elephants no matter what part of
Namibia they are exploring). I then tell them that the fog is made of micro drops and this
means that on the tour we will only find micro elephants, bonzai crocodiles, and tiny
lions.
The Namib Desert is an extremely fragile ecosystem, what do you think are some of the
greatest threats to its survival and continuing biodiversity?
The Namib is very fragile, especially its gravel plains. When vehicles or quads travel on
the gravel plains the tracks can last for hundreds of years. Dust and gravel form a crust
with the humidity of the fog over hundreds of years. When the wind blows over these
tracks, the dust comes out but the ridges of the tracks stay on the plains for just about
forever. You can see where the Germans crossed the desert in 1880 in ox wagons.
Marks from the German settlers' wagons from well over a hundred years ago. (Image via
Andy Cowley)
I believe the aesthetic damage is of great concern as tourists and local Namibians don’t
want to see their beautiful desert scared for life. I don’t think all of the animals are in
danger but many get killed from off road driving.
Animals like this Namib dune gheko are at risk when vehicle access is not regulated.
(Picture courtesy of Chris Nel)
Can you tell us a bit more about your involvement with the Dorob National Park?
After seeing the destruction of the desert I started a petition that was signed by
thousands of people who wanted to help. Then minister Leon Jooster decided to form
the Coastal Management Committee (the CMC). The CMC brought together people from
all different spheres of the community. By bringing together town councils, regional
councils, commercial fisheries, tourism stakeholders, and residents of the towns of
Henties Bay, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund.
After the CMC was established, Rod Brady (on behalf of Windhoek Lager) then managed
to get sponsors from the World Bank to start NACOMA (Namibian coastal management).
Through these channels we ended up establishing the Dorob National Park.
Helping with a project like Dorob was stressful at first. Things got even worse when we
managed to ban the quad biking and I received death threats from angry citizens. This
was despite expert conservationists like the late Dr. Hugh Berry saying: “The most
destroyed accessible coastline in the world is found in Namibia”.
No rational person could deny the seriousness of the situation. (Picture courtesy of Chris
Nel)
The truth is that we didn’t want to ban people from enjoying our dunes, but after it was
made illegal to drive on the beach in South Africa there were simply too many people
joy-riding over Namibia’s deserts. Steps had to be taken and access to the park had to be
controlled.
Etosha has strict rules about staying on the roads in the park… That’s why it looks like it
did 50 years ago even though millions of tourists visit each year.
The government zoned areas so everyone could enjoy this unique part of Namibia. So
whether you are a tourist, an environmentalist, or a quad biker, you can consult the
NACOMA website for more information on where you can do your thing. You can
download the park’s rules and regulations here.
Namibia is now the only country on earth with its entire coastline falling into a national
park.
Is there a way that people not already directly involved with a conservation organisation
can get involved?
The best way for the public to get involved is through NACOMA. You can read their
brochure on their website. You can also be a game warden in your own capacity –
approach people who are driving off the road and hand them the brochure, stop them
littering, and make sure they respect the area.
If you want to be directly involved you can phone Rod Brady on +264 81 246 0996.
There is still a long way to go, but there is good reason to be hopeful about the future.
(Picture courtesy of Chris Nel)
What part of your conservation work are you most proud of thus far?
I am most proud of my involvement in the creation of Dorob. Ten years ago everything
was destroyed, it felt like mission impossible, but today it’s quiet, beautiful and
flourishing again. Thinking back to all the death threats and stress I had to deal with, I
still think it was totally worth it. I am also proud of our country. It took a lot of years,
tears and sweat but now our children can enjoy our hard work. The town of
Swakopmund is within the area that has been declared a national park- several
thousand people live in a national park, and that is quite something if you think about it.
Dorob National Park is Namibia’s first national park since independence. Its creation
ensures that landscapes like the one above can be shared with future generations.
Facebook
14 July 2014
The Namib Sand Sea is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (http://ow.ly/z7Coi). However, if
you want to visit it, you are going to need to stay at a place that is close to it.
Little Kulala Lodge is considered by many to be the gateway to the Namib Sand Sea. It is
a great place to stay at if you want to explore this natural wonder.
For reservations click here: http://ow.ly/z7CE3
Photo by Juno Kim
(http://ow.ly/z7Clo)
11 July 2014
Chris Nel has been working in, and conserving, the Namib Desert for several years
now.
We chatted to Chris about his efforts to conserve Namibia’s dunes and coastline. We
also spoke a bit about his Living Desert Adventure tour and his involvement with the
Dorob National Park.
Read our exclusive interview here: http://ow.ly/z2pu5
Picture courtesy of Chris Nel
(http://ow.ly/z2ps4)
10 July 2014
Get the most exclusive last minute specials and getaway packages at significant
discounts with secure online booking at Namibia’s leading accommodation
establishments on http://www.staytoday.com.na/
Photo via StayToday Namibia
09 July 2014
"Orange River Mouth – A diamond in the Rough."
In the country with the oldest desert in the world and regarded as the driest country
south of the Sahara, discover one of the wetland treasures that you should visit.
Read the full article here: http://bit.ly/UaNgIE
Credits: Travel News Namibia
8 July 2014
An isolated Himba settlement stands in the harsh but beautiful terrain of Kaokoland.
TravelPlusStyle.com have written a very informative piece on the ever-changing world
of Namibia’s most well-known nomadic people.
See more striking photos and read the article here: http://ow.ly/yV0BP
Image via Travel+Style
(http://ow.ly/yV0UK)
7 July 2014
Thanks to sustained and innovative conservation efforts, Namibia has one of the largest
populations of black rhinos in the world.
Most of Namibia's rhinos can be found in Etosha National Park.
Find out more here: http://ow.ly/yQJIn
4 July 2014
Why not spend a few relaxing days in a tree house that overlooks the Okavango River?
Bush-bound Girl has written a special guest blog on all you need to know about the one
of a kind Ngepi Camp located in Namibia's Zambezi (Caprivi) Region.
Read her story here: http://ow.ly/yM3Ci
Twitter
A striking shot of the Namib Sand Sea- a
@UNESCO World Heritage Site: ow.ly/z7Coi.
Photo by @RunawayJuno
pic.twitter.com/oGmLSeTB7D
http://
MT @bernabephoto Lioness, Etosha National
Park, Namibia. #Namibia #wildlife
#photography pic.twitter.com/HXXfs6rvck
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Namibia Tourism @NamibiaHorizons · 24h
Did you know: The Namib Desert stretches all
the way to the Fish River Canyon? Photo via
willemvrey.com pic.twitter.com/a3QNTzalhL
http://www.
View more photos and videos
· Jul 11
Helping to preserve the #dunes and the
coastline of #Namibia. We interview Chris Nel:
ow.ly/z2pu5 pic.twitter.com/pWilM1NCaT
http://
View more photos and videos
· Jul 10
An isolated #Himba settlement in Kaokoland,
#Namibia... ow.ly/yV0BP Image via
@TravelPStyle pic.twitter.com/OqMQD6Ud0p
http://
· Jul 10
Exclusive last minute specials and getaway packages throughout #Namibia
available online: staytoday.com.na pic.twitter.com/tsjFZmixvR
http://www.
· Jul 10
Catch of the day! A Black-backed jackal with its
catch along #Namibia's Skeleton Coast.
@TheNamibian #Wildlife
pic.twitter.com/bVcoOO8nhT
Jul 10
TravelTip: #Namibia GPS map directions to hotels, top tourist attractions, &
more! bit.ly/1naoj66 #SelfDrive pic.twitter.com/tYPDoJL36A
http://
· Jul 9
MT @TravelNewsNamib In the country with the
oldest desert, discover our #wetland treasures:
bit.ly/UaNgIE pic.twitter.com/3Dvw1akGSr
http://
Jul 9
#Namibia dispatches special army taskforce to
address proaching, read the full story here:
bit.ly/VXnEQd pic.twitter.com/qvve1IsC3L
http://
· Jul 7
#Namibia has one of the world's largest populations of black rhinos. Learn
why via GeoStories: ow.ly/yQJIn pic.twitter.com/HL0ecBkl5s
http://
Jul 4
New guest blog by @bushboundgirl on the Ngepi Camp tree houses in
#Namibia’s Zambezi Region: ow.ly/yM3Ci pic.twitter.com/8k4IVYuJdN
http://
· Jul 4
RT @NamTourismEx Impressive shot of a jackal along #Namibia's coast
Photo @republikein_na pic.twitter.com/3m8Mz86ySZ
Jul 4
MT @chameleonsafari Lazy Fridays: spotting
lions @Ombika waterhole in #Etosha National
Park #Namibia pic.twitter.com/n9Bmctnjkd
Jul 3
#Dolphin and seal #cruises are the ideal family activity when visiting the
coast. Image via unique-tours-safaris.com pic.twitter.com/sh500x5taz
http://
· Jul 3
MT @chameleonsafari Do you know any handyman roaming Southern
Africa? Send them to #Namibia for a #free #safari
pic.twitter.com/qhw57cOayR
· Jul 2
#Namibia has been picked by
@LoveHomeSwap as the world’s top up-andcoming tourist destination
ow.ly/yGMLE pic.twitter.com/h2NpMnlKMb
http://
Jul 2
Words synonymous with #Namibia, Rugged, Natural, Soulful, Liberating,
#Spitzkoppe #Adventure Image via @Umkulusafari
pic.twitter.com/eIWHCXF7er
· Jul 2
Check out @NatGeo's recent article about cases of farmer-predator conflicts
resovled in Nam: ow.ly/yA8hP pic.twitter.com/8or6eUEX7P
http://
· Jul 1
Excellent self-catering units, overlooking a floodlit watehole at
@ErindiNamibia, read more: bit.ly/1m5Pjrj pic.twitter.com/bNeESPdUMm
http://
Jul 1
We interviewed Willem Kruger about how best
to capture #Namibia on film.
ow.ly/yE9N9 #photography
pic.twitter.com/ddGkAMtby7
http://
Jul 1
RT @WeAreWilderness The last of 4 videos depicting the wildlife &
landscapes of the Hoanib River ow.ly/yDRav #Hoanib #Namibia
http://
YouTube
Play
· Jun 30
RT @FPanuello @africageo "Aloe dichotoma and a little portion of
#milkyway." #Namibia pic.twitter.com/uqXjJ7X4ly