Page 12 - SAFFER 04

The

Red Desert

he Red Desert, situated just 10 kilometres south of Port Edward in KwaZulu-Natal, is reputed to be
the smallest desert in the world - it measures 200 meters in diameter and 110,000 square meters (11
Thectares) in total. The powdery red sand, through exposure to natural elements, has transformed into
almost rock-hard valleys and man high dunes.

This desert is believed to have been formed in the 1800s when the land was occupied by Zulu tribes under
the reign of Chaka, King of the Zulu nation. It is alleged that overgrazing by their cattle and subsequent wind
erosion led to the area’s desertification amid the lush vegetation.

The desert is surrounded by tropical vegetation, grasslands, forests and wetlands and is home to a variety
of endemic plants, small mammals and birds. From the nearby grasslands atop the cliffs that line the
Umtamvuna Gorge, one has a magnificent view of the Indian Ocean and the Umtamvuna Estuary.

The Red Desert has now been declared an internationally protected heritage site and access is strictly
controlled in order to protect the archaeological artefacts going back millions of years, as well as the game,
plant and birdlife. Visit http://www.reddesertnaturereserve.co.za/ for more details.

These photos were taken in April 2017 during a visit to the site when we still had unrestricted access, and we
were able to play the make-believe game of being “thirsty, barefoot and lost in the desert” on a dry and hot
summer day.

Visit Hester at https://www.hesterleynel.co.za/

| 12