Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge is set in the far northern part of the NamibRand Private Nature Reserve, a vast area of over 180 000 hectares that lies between the endless dune fields of the Namib Desert and the jagged mountains of the escarpment. Offering an experience that encompasses both sandy dunes and rocky outcrops, guests to the NamibRand are guaranteed to view a variety of desert habitats. The harsh environmental conditions that exist here have led to the evolution of numerous plant and animal species that are specially adapted to survive in the desert.

The majestic oryx (or gemsbok) is the iconic antelope of the Namib Desert. With its bold black and white facial markings, sweeping horns and ochre coat, this striking animal is an unforgettable sight against the breathtaking setting. Herds of up to thirty appear on the open plains or amongst the dunes. Uniquely adapted to their desert home, oryx are able to live without water by extracting sufficient moisture from their diet. Often spotted standing atop the highest dunes, the antelope maintain this photogenic pose in order to lose heat stored in their bodies in the slight breeze.

Another animal that has adapted to the harsh desert terrain is the Hartmann’s mountain zebra, which digs beneath the earth’s surface for its drinking water. The springbok, which gets its name from its habit of leaping off the ground with all four feet, is also characteristic of the arid Namib Desert. The world’s largest bird, the ostrich, does superbly in the arid habitat of the Namib, where it rarely seeks shade or water. Aardwolf, bat-eared and Cape fox, as well as porcupine spend a large portion of their lives underground, emerging at night, when temperatures have dropped.
   
 

Recent Sightings from Wildwatch.com

A future fossil - 17 August 2010
Sometimes, the smallest object can provide more fascination than larger-than-life animal encounters. During a walk over the slippery surface of the dunes, a tiny dark "bead" caught my eye. I bent down to look at it, and saw it was a toktokkie beetle,...
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Horned Adder - 15 August 2010
During an early morning quad bike excursion, we noticed undisturbed tracks of what I first thought was a sidewinder. In the windless morning it was difficult to tell how fresh they were, but the general conditions seemed perfect for such a snake to be...
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Desert Leopards - 08 August 2010
I'm spending a month at Sossusvlei and each day so far is bursting with new discoveries for me. On this particular morning, I decided to go back to an area where I'd seen leopard tracks the previous day. Leopards aren't often seen in this desert...
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