Read the following article about walking in the desert in Namibia, south-west Africa, and then answer the questions on the opposite page.
AN AFRICAN WALK
There is nothing like walking to give you an experience of a country. A fine landscape is like a piece of music… it must be enjoyed at the right speed.
Walking at a slow pace on one of the trails in Namibia allows you to learn about the desert animals, trees and plants that exist together in this unique environment. Apart from giving you a real view of the landscape, walking is the best way to relax your mind. Who wants
to see such a beautiful landscape by car? Walking is the best way to travel, with your feet firmly on the ground.
The Tok Tokkie Trail
On the Tok Tokkie Trail you will experience various aspects of the desert – from mountainous paths and sand dunes to patches of grass. Walking with a guide is conducted at a slow pace. It is ‘luxury’ hiking because everything is done for you. You are woken up with a cup of coffee or tea just as the sun rises.
At the end of the day, you can relax with a cool, refreshing drink before enjoying the evening meal at the camp.
All you need to carry are your camera, binoculars and water
Your guide
Your guide, Domingo, carries a mobile refreshment pack on his back, so you can sit back against a rock and take a break with tea and cake. He says, “I walkYour guide Your guide, Domingo, carries a mobile refreshment pack on his back, so you can sit back against a rock
and take a break with tea and cake. He says, “I walk almost every day. Walking is good for the body and also for the mind. The desert is my natural gym
At the camp Your ‘bedroom’ consists of a camp bed with a blanket, a bedside mat, a chair and a wash bowl… all outside in the open air. The wind cools you down as you wait your turn for the bucket shower to wash off the dust of the day. Kick off your shoes and sink your feet into the soft sand; it will give you a feeling of being part of nature. You will soon fall asleep under the clear, star-covered sky. With this view, you could truly call it a thousand-star hotel!
In the morning, you wake up to the sounds of wildlife, early enough to see the sun set the sky on fire.
Choose your route
The starting point for the Tok Tokkie Trail is about 450 kilometres from the Namibian capital, Windhoek. To reach the starting point by car from the city, one option is to take the C19 road, which passes through the magnificent scenery of the Zaris Pass and where you can see slow-moving donkey carts along the way. Alternatively, if you are driving from the direction of Sesriem, you turn right about 110 kilometres along the C27