January 2017

As you sweat your way across the Richtersveld, one of the unmistakable icons that’s sure to leave a lasting impression is the peculiar ‘Halfmens’ tree. Scientifically known as the Pachypodium namaquanum, this strange succulent plant can be spotted occasionally on the Richtersveld’s barren slopes. Its quirky, prehistoric profile is most often characterised by a single, skittle-like stem, and a ‘top-mop’ of leaves that stands out against the desert’s clear blue skies.

It’s not on the beaten track, that’s for sure. Trace your finger up a map of South Africa’s West Coast, turn inland just before the northern border, and you’ll understand what I mean. The /Ai /Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is surrounded by some of the world’s vastest, wildest expanses: The Atlantic Ocean to the west, the arid Kalahari Desert to the East, and the Namib Desert to the North.