The word desert often conjures up images of endless sand. Not very often is it associated with wonderment.

Whether you find yourself in the Kalahari or the Namib Desert, all you need to do is take a closer look.

We dust off five ways to enjoy these desolate, yet beautiful spaces.

1. Wishing upon a star

Camping out in the desert gives you more than you bargained for. The silence puts you in touch with nature and your inner-self.

You're definitely humbled by your surroundings - not an ounce of luxury but the magnificent scenic views more than make up.

Beauty unparalleled appears at night. City-dwellers are taken aback by the clarity of the stars in the desert night sky. The depth of the darkness also allows the moon to take centre stage. Brush up on your astronomy before you head off, it will definitely be worth it.

2. Catching a surf on the dunes

The desert is filled with delightful dunes, both big and small, making Sand boarding quite a popular activity.

The slightly modified snowboard allows you to carve patterns as you head down the hills and show off your skills. Or, you can have the opposite effect and show off your underwear (by mistake of course) as you tumble head over heels.

It may not be snow but it sure does have the added benefits like its loads of fun and you won’t induce frostbite, for example.

For the perfect red dunes that are enormously high, the Namib Desert is the place to visit. 

3. Touch Mother Nature's desert roses

Many may not be aware but Mother Nature has produced some of the most amazing wildlife and plant life in the desert.

In Kalahari there are over 400 identified plant species present (including the wild watermelon or Tsamma melon). The camel thorn and the Hoodia cactus have survived thanks to their adaptability to the Kalahari environment.

Wildlife isn’t that scarce in the desert area either.

The meerkat is commonly found in desert region. They mainly prey on insects and like other members of the mongoose family. They are immune to venom allowing them to eat scorpions and snakes without being poisoned.

The Gemsbok another desert animal is a large African antelope with very long horns, sometimes used in defense against the Kalahari lions, which is a sub-species of the normal king of the jungle. It lives in smaller groups and covers larger home territories. It also hunts smaller prey.

Weaver birds, named for their ability to weave very large communal nests, are most commonly found in the desert. The communal nests can measure up to 6 meters long and 2 meters high, and can weigh as much as 1 000 kg while housing up to 300 birds.

4. Hot air ballooning

Nothing beats drifting along in a hot air balloon across the desert region. It allows a different vantage point to truly appreciate the beauty of the desert and its inhabitants. There are many operators in the desert area like Pulse Africa Tour Operators. They are a dedicated team of African travel specialists with only one thing on our minds: to create the most exciting personalized holiday for you and your family.

5. Inspiration for the artist

Some of the most amazing images and paintings can be found in the desert. Rock art has fascinated man for generations. They are old. They tell stories… of the beginning of the earth, of how the world has grown. Artists travel to South Africa to experience the desert, and take inspiration from it.

Artist and photographer Paul Augustinus’ makes the desert his inspiration for all his photographs and paintings.

Because of the diversity of colour, artists and photographers identify with the richness and contrasting of the colour and textures that can be captivated in all photographs and paintings.

So, what might seem as just sand and barren land is a lot than what we giving it credit for. So go and explore our natural beauty.

Set the bush baby in you free and tackle a resort in one of our packages.