Rugged kloofs, high mountains and dramatic, inscrutable landscapes that sweep away inland from the Orange River divulge the fact that you are now in the vast mountain desert that is the Richtersveld National Park, an area managed jointly by the local Nama people and the South African National Parks.

It's a geographical paradise!

This is a harsh and unpredictable land where water is scarce and life-sustaining moisture comes in the form of early morning fog - called 'Ihuries' or 'Malmokkies' by the local people - which rolls in from the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, sustaining a remarkable range of small reptiles, birds and mammals.

A staggering assortment of plant life, some species occurring nowhere else, is to be found here … Two trees are particularly associated with the Richtersveld: the bastard Quiver Tree and the "Halfmens" (half-human), Pachypodium Namakwanum. (The interesting story behind this tree will be kept a secret until the tour!)

The Richtersveld National Park is a prime example of one of the most interesting mega-ecosystems in the world, possessing unsurpassed richness of (succulent) specie and individuality of flora.

Please note: Rates, availability and info only available directly from Richtersveld Tours or Diamond Tours Unlimited

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