Welwitschia drive

Named after the botanist who first discovered it; Friedrich Welwitsch, the Welwitschia plant was discovered in 1860 in the Namib Desert in south Angola. The plant is specifically adapted to live in areas that receive less than 25 mm of rain a year and is only found in the Namib Desert. The Welwitschia can survive through harsh conditions for many years with the oldest specimens estimated to be between 1500 and 2000 years old. The Welwitschia drive is a four hour drive through the Naukluft Park with 13 points of interest to stop and view along the way. The drive is a fantastic way of discovering the diversity of life that exists in the seemingly barren land of the desert. A permit needs to be obtained from the Namibian Wildlife Resort in Swakopmund before visitors can enter the park.