The mountains of Namib-Naukluft National Park lend themselves perfectly to adventurous hikes, and the Olive Trail is among one of the most beautiful. Prepare for a challenging climb up the mountain plateau before descending into the canyon. Climbing and scrambling over rock outcroppings and along rock walls is not out of the question, but the challenge and effort is well worth it. A stop in the Namib-Naukluft Nation Park for the 10-kilometer Olive Trail is a worthwhile addition to your tour of Namibia.
NWR Naukluft Camp
The starting point of the Olive Trail is located near a small parking lot about 4 kilometers from NWR Naukluft Camp. To hike through Namib-Naukluft National Park, you are required to purchase a permit. You can do this at the reception desk of NWR Naukluft Camp. At the reception you will receive a map and an explanation of the 10-kilometer walk. It is important that you have enough water with you, wear good walking shoes and are in good physical condition to climb over rocks.
On the grounds of the NWR Naukluft Camp you will find several camping sites and chalets. The camping spots are relatively close together, but because not many travelers add this location to their tour of Namibia, the campsite is often not too crowded. This does not mean that it is not still wise to reserve a spot in advance. Keep in mind that many baboons live in the mountains of Namib-Naukluft National Park. Therefore, there is a warning not to lose sight of your belongings. When hiking, leave everything in the car and lock the doors.
The Olive Trail
Are you ready for the 10-kilometer hike through the mountains of Namib-Naukluft National Park? Top, let's go. From the parking lot, a narrow path leads to the beginning of the Olive Trail. You can recognize the trail by the stone with "start of trail" painted on it in white letters.
Start of the Olive Trail
The first 2.2 kilometers is the toughest, climbing some 330 meters to the top of the plateau. This will take you about 45 to 60 minutes. On the way to the top, do not forget to stop occasionally, look around and enjoy the views of the mountains. Along the way you will encounter the occasional olive tree, but the rest of the vegetation consists mainly of straw-colored tussocks and shrubs. Once on the plateau, you can carefully look down into the valley from the edge. Continue walking across the plateau and descend into the valley.
Hiking through the valleys of Namib-Naukluft National Park
Across the riverbed you walk deeper and deeper into the valley where the rock walls get higher and higher. At first the surface consists of small stones that you walk over, but the deeper into the valley the rockier the stones become. This means that the direction you walk is downstream. Eventually the boulders become so large that you will have to climb from one rock to another to keep following the path. Mountain zebras are found in this area of Namib-Naukluft National Park, but it was so quiet in the gorge with us that we unfortunately did not see them. But maybe you did! We did see the iconic tubular trees that we witnessed in large numbers earlier in the Quiver Tree Forest. They grow around the rock walls toward the sun.
Challenge during the hike
After at least 2.5 hours of walking, we suddenly found ourselves at the edge of a steep slope, in front of a pool in a very narrow gorge. The greenish water and red rock walls create a beautiful picture here. Attached to the slopes are both left and right chains through which you can reach the other side. An exciting and adventurous challenge. Tip: The right side is shorter than the left side.
End Olive Trail
The moment the valley exits onto the 4×4 jeep trail you approach the end of the Olive Trail. The last few kilometers the trail is fairly flat and you zigzag between pools and rocks until you return to the parking lot. Tired but satisfied, we drove back to NWR Naukluft Camp where we slept among the baboons for the evening. We guarantee you will go back feeling just as fulfilled.
