As the Kuiseb River nears the coast, it splits into multiple pathways and disappears into the dunes, creating a landscape of shifting sand, dry river beds and desert-adapted shrubs. For hundreds of years, this area has been home to the Topnaars, descendants of the Khoisan, who survive by keeping cattle and sheep and growing a nutritious melon variety in the dry river beds. The delta is also known for its archaeological riches, which include a score of ancient middens, Topnaar burial sites and petrified elephant tracks.