Big Daddy Sand Dune in Namibia

Above are a few photos of the Big Daddy dune in the Namib-Naukluft National Park of Namibia.  The sand dune looks absolutely breathtaking. I have never been to a desert before (except for Grand Canyon at the age of 5), let alone to one of the biggest sand dunes in the world, within the world's oldest desert!  The people look so small climbing it and it is pretty awesome that trees can withstand the harsh conditions and although barren, still thrive in the desert conditions.  I can't imagine being in a place like this, and I'm starting to get really excited about standing in environments like this in a matter of months! The Namib desert has some of the highest sand dunes in the world, including the Big Daddy Sand Dune, which towers at a height of 380 meters. Hiking the Big Daddy dune is a popular tourist activity, as seen in the bottom left photo.
Apparently it's not the height that makes the climb difficult, but the soft sand that you sink into. Most hikers camp out near by and leave to begin Big Daddy at 7 am to try to do the majority of the climb before it gets too hot. As for shoes, many start off in running shoes but then take them off because so much sand collects in them. Tourist sites warn visitors to be sure to keep their socks on though because the ground gets as hot as 122 degrees farenheit. The view from the top is breathtaking as you can see miles of desert around you. Posted by Ellie Chen for the week of February 19th, 2018.  

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