Solitaire is a quirky desert oasis famous for its legendary apple pie (baked fresh daily at Moose McGregor’s Desert Bakery) and the photogenic graveyard of vintage, rusty cars—perfect for capturing that iconic Namibian vibe.

Elim Dune Walk: A serene, beginner-friendly hike up Namibia’s oldest dune, offering panoramic golden-hour vistas of the Namib Desert. Unlike towering dunes like Big Daddy, Elim’s softer slopes make it ideal for a relaxed sunset stroll. Watch the desert transform in hues of amber and crimson, spot hardy Nara melon plants, and keep an eye out for tracks of nocturnal wildlife

Pre-dawn drive to Dune 45. Summit for sunrise

A surreal, otherworldly clay pan in Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft Park, famed for its skeletal camel thorn trees (dead for over 600 years) set against the blazing orange dunes of Sossusvlei and bright white cracked earth. A photographer’s dream, especially at sunrise when shadows elongate and colors intensify. Climb nearby Big Daddy (one of the world’s tallest dunes) for a bird’s-eye view, or wander the pan’s eerie beauty

Sesriem Canyon Hike through the 18-million-year-old gorge

Evening Sunset Drive and Spot oryx and springbok and learn more about the area.

Drive back west through the Kuiseb Canyon, where desert meets riverine landscapes and drop off