Garub Pan | Luderitz

Information

Landmark: Garub Pan
City: Luderitz
Country: Namibia
Continent: Africa

Garub Pan, Luderitz, Namibia, Africa

Garub Pan is a vast, flat salt and clay crust situated in the Namib Desert, approximately 20 kilometers west of the Aus Mountains and 105 kilometers east of Lüderitz. It lies within the Tsau //Khaeb National Park (Sperrgebiet).

Visual Characteristics

The pan is a stark, white-grey expanse of sun-cracked silt and saline deposits. It is surrounded by the shifting red linear dunes of the Namib to the west and the dark granite foothills of the Aus range to the east. The landscape is hyper-arid, with vegetation limited to sparse, yellowed desert grasses and hardy shrubs clustered around the edges.

Location & Access Logistics

The site is located directly off the B4 highway. A well-marked gravel turn-off leads to a wooden observation hide overlooking a permanent man-made water hole.

Access: No permits are required to visit the viewpoint, as it sits just outside the restricted diamond zone.

Transport: Reachable by any vehicle type via the paved B4, though the final 2 kilometers are unpaved.

Historical & Ecological Origin

The pan is part of the ancient drainage system of the Koichab River. It gained historical significance as a critical water stop for the railway line during the German colonial era. Ecologically, it is the primary habitat for the Wild Horses of the Namib, a feral population that has adapted to the extreme desert environment over the last century.

Key Highlights & Activities

Wildlife Viewing: The observation hide provides a vantage point to watch the wild horses, gemsbok (oryx), and springbok as they come to drink.

Photography: The site offers high-contrast vistas of the white pan against red dunes and the distant blue silhouettes of the Aus Mountains.

Railway History: The remains of the Garub railway station and water infrastructure are visible nearby.

Infrastructure & Amenities

Infrastructure is minimal. There is a shaded wooden observation deck (hide) and an information board detailing the history of the horses. There are no restrooms, water for human consumption, or food vendors. 4G cell signal is intermittent, often requiring line-of-sight to the Aus towers.

Best Time to Visit

Early morning and late afternoon are optimal for wildlife activity and photography. During the heat of the day, animals often retreat from the pan to find shade in the mountain foothills. Winter months (May–August) offer the most comfortable temperatures for observation.

Facts & Legends

The wild horses are a biological anomaly, surviving on a diet of wind-blown grasses and supplemented by mineral-rich water from the borehole. Legend suggests they are descendants of Baron von Wolf’s stud farm at Duwisib Castle, though historical records point to abandoned military mounts from World War I.