The Dorob National park is located in the Erongo region and is bordered by the Ugab River and the skeleton coast National Park. Formerly known as the Walvis Bay Reserve, the Dorob National Park was declared a Park in the year 2010 with the word Dorob loosely translated as dry land which was given to it by the locals due to its dry nature. The Park before was under the management of the Cape reserve but after Namibia got her independence, the management of the then reserve came under the government of Namibia.
The Dorob National Park is also a home to the famous C34 road that crosses through the Park all the way from the town of Swakopmund and this road has a lot of tourist attractions that will keep you entertained even before you get to see the wild life that lives within the National park and these have been listed below so that you get to choose what you would want to see as you explore the Dorob National park.
- The Wlotzkasbaken, this is an extremely remote area which is located along the C34 road and it is s settlement that is rural in every sense that is no piped water, electricity and the landscape looks like the moon. It is a perfect stop over for you so if not just to experience what a rural settlement life is all about.
- The Henties Bay, this is a one stop Centre for tourists who would like to cool off from all the heat that is mostly experienced in the area. It has a cool breeze and its strategic location near the border of South Africa has made it a top destination for both south Africans and Namibians.
Camping through Dorob Park
Camping around the Dorob National Park can be carried out throughout the year although you will need to first find out if camping is available the time that you would want to visit the National park. There are specific places where you can camp that have been gazetted by the Park authorities and you are expected to follow all these rules for your own safety. Pack up bag and go enjoy watching the stars while in the Dorob National park.
Game watching in Dorob
Game viewing through the Dorob National Park is carried out throughout the whole year due to the conducive weather and you will find that the some animals roam around the coast which makes it easy for one to watch the animals. The animal species that live within the Dorob National park include the springbok, cape fur seal, brown hyenas, black backed jackal, spotted hyenas and many more other species but you will need to get a tour guide who will drive you through the Park as that is mostly the only way that you will be allowed to gain access to the park.
Birding in Dorob
The Dorob National park is known to have about 270 bird species which you will be able to see almost throughout the whole year due to the presence of the Atlantic coast. Some of the bird species that you will get to see while here include the cape teal, Burchell’s courser, the blue jay, the pink lesser flamingo, the Damara Tern and many more other coastal bird species and migratory ones. Do not forget to take your camera and binoculars plus appropriate clothing as you head out for fishing in the Dorob National park.
Enjoy hot air balloon rides
The hot air balloon rides in the Dorob National Park are carried out in the morning because this is the best time when the air is still and these will take you over the Park and into the nearby Namib Desert where you will get to see the sand dunes that are located within the Desert, the animals that live within the Park and take a photo safari while you are within the National Park above in the hot air balloon.
Trekking
Trekking is one of the many activities that you can carry out in the Dorob National Park and this can also be done almost throughout the whole year. There are a few marked trek routes through the National park and while trekking through the Park you will be able to see some wild life, birds, enjoy a break at the coast and also meet with a few locals who live around the National Park. You will however need a tour guide to take you through the trek routes so that you do not get lost and remember to take lots of water while on your trek through the Park.
Fishing
Fishing in the Dorob National Park is normally done at the coast and this is because of the presence of the trans-Kalahari highway that helps in the easy transportation of the fish to the different parts of the country and some into the neighboring countries. The coast has a lot of fish species that will keep you busy and you will find the fishing equipment for hire at a small price. While fishing you might also be able to spot a few dolphins and whales that migrate to the coast due to the waters in the Atlantic and the most commonly caught fish species here include the pilchard fish and the mackerel fish species.
Explore Swakopmund
The town of Swakopmund is located near the Dorob National park and while you explore the National park you can also add this coastal town to your tur destinations. There are several activities that you can carry out when you get to Swakopmund and these include:
Go sky diving in Swakopmund,
this is one experience that you should not miss out on while in Swakopmund. You might also have gone sky diving elsewhere but sky diving in Swakopmund is different due to the beautiful landscape that you will be rewarded with and the good thing about sky diving here is that it is extremely cheap as compared to other places.
Drive to the Desert snake Park,
this is not a place for all those that have a fear for reptiles but it is one of the destinations you should check out while in Swakopmund. There are several snake species that you will see here and some of these include the Adder snakes, black mambas, boars, cobras, rattle snakes and many more other species.
Visit the jetty,
this was constructed about 100 years ago and it is one of the many platforms which you can use to actually view the whole Swakopmund town. It connects the town to the Atlantic coast and many tourists can be seen taking a walk on the jetty as they enjoy the cool breeze and some good sea food which is provided by the restaurant that is located along the Jetty.
Drive through Walvis Bay
Just like Swakopmund, the Dorob National Park which was called Walvis Nature Resreve is located near Walvis Bay. Walvis Bay is the only harbor that Namibia has located at the Atlantic Ocean and the best activities that you can carry out here include:
Explore the Dune 7,
found between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay the Dune 7 is one of the tallest dunes in the Namib Desert and should be on your list of destinations while in Walvis Bay. The major activities that are carried out around the Dune & are trekking and hiking, quad biking, sand boarding and a photo safari. Note that most of these activities are carried out in the morning before the heat becomes unbearable and remember to carry lots of water in order to keep hydrated.
Visit the Walvis Lagoon,
a boat cruise along the Walvis lagoon will enable you to enjoy the cool breeze in the area while also watching the different bird species that breed along the lagoon. The commonest bird species that you will get to see include the stark’s lark, cormorants, the dune lark, the orange River white eye, the Palearctic terns, crested grebes, the great white pelican, the black terns, pink lesser flamingos and many more other species.
Visit the Walvis Bay salt mines,
they are quite large in size and the salt that is mined in the area supplies almost the whole of Southern Africa. The salt is mined by the locals and a trip to the mines will give you an insight on how the salt is mine and get yourself some salt.
When it comes to accommodation facilities, there are several of these that are located within the nearby towns that is the Henties Bay, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. These come in three categories that is the budget friendly accommodation facilities, mid-range accommodation facilities and the high end accommodation facilities. You can get to the park either by using a train, drive through Swakopmund to the National park or by boat and all these can be used throughout the whole year although you will need a 4×4 car to get you through the Park and although the Park itself might have a lot of wild life that lives within it but the surrounding areas will make up for the shortage that you might find while taking a safari sin the Dorob National park.