Namib-Naukluft National Park, National park in western Namibia.
Namib-Naukluft National Park sits in western Namibia and stretches from the Atlantic coast through orange-red sand dunes to the Great Escarpment inland. It includes dry river valleys, mountain plateaus, and mile after mile of sand that glows in shifting shades of red at sunrise.
The park was created in 1979 by joining two earlier reserves to protect both desert landscapes and mountain wildlife together. Its boundaries followed in part the colonial administrative lines drawn by Germany around 1900 during the protectorate period.
The park name combines the Nama word for wide-open space with the Naukluft mountain range, reflecting both indigenous language and colonial mapping traditions. Oryx antelope roam the sand plains today and have become the national emblem of Namibia, representing resilience in the harsh desert environment.
Roads to the main areas are paved, with the Sesriem gate providing the main entry point. Early morning hours offer cooler temperatures and better light for photographing the dune formations, so the gate opens before sunrise.
Some of the tallest sand dunes on Earth rise more than 300 meters (about 1000 feet) here and form a rolling relief of hardened and loose sand layers. The desert itself is considered the oldest on the planet, having remained dry for around 80 million years.
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