‘Disgusting’: Namibian authorities fume after naked tourists strip off at Big Daddy Dune

Namibian authorities have harshly criticized a group of tourists who posed naked on the popular ‘Big Daddy’ dune in the Namib Desert.

Three male visitors are said to have stripped off their clothes to take photographs and videos during a dune safari after climbing the sandbar, which is more than 300 meters high.

The resulting images were then shared on social media and widely circulated. That led local officials to say they were “shocked” by the incident and to claim the act was a public indecency violation of park regulations and national law.

How did the incident at Big Daddy Dune come about?

The authorities were alerted for the first time about the naked tourists when horrified visitors saw the trio and reported the incident.

The three men have not been publicly identified and are also believed to have left Namibia before any punishment came to them.

The Big Daddy dune, located in the Namib-Naukluft National Park, is one of the three largest in the area and is a popular tourist attraction for Namibia.

It is the highest dune in the Sossusvlei area and the dunes surrounding it are dwarf. It’s a very challenging climb to the top, with steep sandy trails and often grueling heat.

He naked Tourists have received harsh criticism from the African nation’s tourism board.

Federation of Namibia Tourism Associations vice-president Kenneth Nependa told the Namibian Sun newspaper that the incident was “disgusting” and was dismissive of tourists who think they “can do whatever they want” in the country.

Citing other examples such as “tourists writing graffiti on Bushman rock art in Spitzkoppe”, “tourists hanging from trees in Deadvlei and now naked tourists climbing Big Daddy”, he warned disrespectful visitors that “the law will take its course”.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism agreed with their approach, telling local outlet The Namibian: “It is a punishable act, according to the laws of the country. When we were informed of this, we were surprised at the lengths people could go to.”

“We condemn these types of actions because they not only go against our morals but also violate the laws of the country,” added Romeo Muyunda.

Will tourists be punished for going naked in Namibia?

The Namibian government is said to be considering a future ban on naked visitors entering any of the country’s national parks.

In recent months there has been a flood of naked tourists that have bothered the authorities.

In October last year, a foreign visitor to bali He was filmed meditating naked in a Hindu shrine. With a population of around 90 percent Hindu, the action caused a stir on the Indonesian island.

That incident came after police reportedly detained another tourist in Bali after posing naked next to a sacred tree in April 2023.