Ultimate
Namibia Self Drive
Days: 21
days – 20 nights
Accommodation: standard – mid-range
Options: self-drive
Departures: June/July 2014
Prepared by: Alison
Berg
Route
Accommodation
DATE PLACE ACCOMMODATION INCLUDES/ACTIVITIES
29th Windhoek Terra Africa Guesthouse Bed & breakfast
30th & 1st Sossusvlei Desert Homestead Dinner, bed & breakfast
Self-drive to
Sossusvlei
2nd & 3rd Skeleton Coast Jakkals Water Swakopmund Bed & breakfast
Swakopmund
4th & 5th Jakkalswater Jakkalswater All meals & activities
6th Erongo Aiaiba Rock Lodge Dinner, bed
& breakfast
Visit Spitzkoppe
7th Damaraland Twyfelfontein Country Lodge Dinner, bed & breakfast
Visit
Twyfelfontein engravings
8th Damaraland Palmwag Lodge Dinner, bed & breakfast
Visit Damara
villages
Desert Elephant
9th Kaokoland Opuwo Country Hotel Dinner, bed & breakfast
10th & 11th Kaokoland Epupa Falls Lodge Dinner, bed & breakfast
Epupa Falls Traditional
Himba villages
12th Etosha Dolomite Camp Dinner,
bed & breakfast
West side self-drive
game drives
13th Etosha Okaukuejo double rooms Bed & breakfast
Okaukuejo side Self-drive
own drives
16th & 17th Central Namibia Roy’s Camp Dinner, bed & breakfast
Visit Bushmen
community
18th Windhoek Terra
Africa Guesthouse Bed &
breakfast
19th Windhoek
fly out
Sunday 29th
June Windhoek
Welcome to
Namibia! You will be collected at the
airport by Caprivi Car Hire Company who will transfer you to your guesthouse.
Windhoek
Surrounded by the
stubble-covered Auas Mountains and the endless Khomas Hochland, Windhoek lies
in a long valley fed by ancient hot springs in the central highlands of
Namibia.
The springs of Windhoek
(pronounced VIN-took) attracted pastoralists long before time was measured with
alarm clocks, breakfast runs and train schedules. But since 1840 random claims
and several skirmishes for dominion over the precious water have culminated in
a city with more facets than a flawless diamond.
Pensions and neo-Gothic
churches jostle with craft markets and shebeens as the German heritage of early
years is led astray by the vagaries of Africa's whims. The town itself is small
as capitals go with around 230 000 inhabitants making up a little over 10% of
the national population.
There are many useful
words to describe Windhoek and, as your most likely point of arrival and
departure, all those words will sing like a rufous-tailed palm thrush at the
break of dawn: small, clean, safe, convenient, modern, interesting, cheap,
warm. More words exist but we'll let you make them up after your visit.
In Windhoek there are
many interesting historical buildings, museums, galleries and craft shops. The
city has several good restaurants and modern shops and services making it an
excellent base camp from which to launch your Namibian adventure. If you're the
museum-visiting type, then don't miss the Owela Museum,
Alte Feste Museum, the Geology Museum and the Transport Museum. Interesting historical
buildings to tick off your list are the Clock Tower, Elephant
Column, the War Memorial, Christus Kirche, Alte Feste and the Ink Palace
(Parliament).
Galleries featuring Namibian art and craft
include the Bushman Art Shop and Museum and the National Art Gallery of
Namibia. There are also street markets where local artists sell their crafts,
fabrics and art. Other interesting features:
National Botanical Garden, Meteorite Fountain, National Theatre of Namibia and
the Warehouse Theatre. In the rumpled Khomas Hochland mountains, Daan
Viljoen Game Park is a reserve with typical highland savannah
vegetation and wildlife. Though small, the game is diverse and abundant.
Birding is excellent with around 200 species recorded and you can follow one of
three trails through the park looking out for wildebeest, eland, gemsbok, kudu,
red hartebeest, impala, mountain zebra, springbok, klipspringer and steenbok.
Accommodation: Terra
Africa Guesthouse
Includes: Bed & breakfast
- 9 individually
decorated rooms; en suite bathrooms; air-conditioning and heating; ceiling
fans; satellite TV (cable); tea and coffee making facilities; mini-bar;
wi-fi; electronic safe; airport shuttle service
From its vantage point in the
heights of well-wooded Olympia, Guesthouse Terra Africa has a wonderful view of
the capital city and its southern valleys. Doubling as an art gallery, the
interior is no less dramatic and the guesthouse exhibits a well-planned design
throughout.
Guesthouse Terra Africa has nine
en-suite rooms decorated with a strong nod to the colours and textures of the
Namibian landscape, each receiving individual attention. Autumnal warmth
pervades and the result is plush and relaxing.
Owner Rolf Hansen puts a special
emphasis on personal service and attention to detail, where planning your day
and making dinner reservations are all in a day's work.
Life at the guesthouse in
Windhoek's year-round sun revolves around the heated pool in the thick of a
lush tropical garden inhabited by a variety of indigenous birds. The art
gallery has paintings, photographs, sculpture and jewellery by renowned
Namibian artists and Rolf presides over a wine bar stocked with award-winning
vintages from South Africa's famous Cape wine regions.
All the rooms at Terra Africa are
air-conditioned with en suite bathrooms. Garden rooms open onto the terrace and
poolside patio, sun deck and several secluded lounging areas scattered
throughout the garden. Guests also have access to free wi-fi. Breakfast is
served on the patio on warm mornings or in the breakfast room. Most shops are
within a 5-minute drive from the guesthouse and Windhoek Hosea Kutako
International Airport is about 30 minutes from town
After breakfast travel
south to the Namib Desert for the next two nights. This is a lovely drive passing through desert
type savanna, open plains and rolling hills.
The vegetation changes
from acacia savannah to desert shrub and then open landscapes, hills and passes
… changes as you head south-west.
Stopping at scenic sites, giant sociable weaver nests, watch some
wildlife like Chacma baboon, Springbok, Oryx and Ostrich makes the drive part
of the holiday. Namibia is a country
where the journey is often more important and interesting than the actual
destination.
Directions:
- drive south on the B1
to Rehoboth. Approx. 5km south of
Rehoboth, turn west onto the C-24 driving -through the small settlements of
Klein Aub and Rietoog, before turning west again onto the D1206. After approx.
35km one arrives at Bullsport.
-From Bullsport turn
briefly south on the C-14 to Maltahohe (approx. 500m) before turning west again
on the D-854. Follow this road to a T-junction approx. 75km and then turn north
on the C-19 for 3.3km before reaching the Desert Homestead and Horse Trails on
your left side.
Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei is one of
the most spectacular sights in Namibia with red sand dunes rising 300m into the
air. Climb a sand dune, explore the Dead Vlei or balloon over the great Sand
Sea. A visit to the Namib-Naukluft Park usually means you are going to
Sossusvlei by way of Sesriem.
And with good cause as
this is the start of the Great Sand Sea and the classic larger-than-life dunes
that meet everyone's notion of a desert.
Star dunes with up to
five crests rise 300m into the air and rank among the biggest in the world; the
dune valleys are marked by vast clay pans where the Tsauchab River gave up its
fight to reach the sea. More than 60,000 years ago, the encroaching dunes
stopped the ephemeral river from reaching the sea with over 50km still to go.
Besides the dunes and
pans of Sossusvlei and Sesriem Canyon, a sideshow of activities and sights has
developed around the region and there are plenty of game lodges that provide
additional desert-adapted activities. Plants and birds are the dominant life
form in this dessicated realm and they support a tiny world of mammals,
reptiles and insects that, in the absence of coastal fog, seldom wander far
from the river course and its pans.
Sossusvlei is one of four pans in among the
towering dunes, the others being Dead Vlei - so
named because of the petrified camel thorn trees that survived for a few
hundred years after the dunes blocked the river; !Nara
Vlei - which has a number of endemic !Nara bushes eking an
existence from the scarce water that occasionally makes it down from the
Naukluft Mountains; and Hidden Vlei which is a barren
amphitheatre some distance beyond Dead vlei.
To protect the fragile
wilderness, only day trips are allowed into Sossusvlei. You can drive the 60km
road lined with enormous iron-oxide dunes, precious gemsbok and gnarled acacia
to within a few km of the pans and dunes in a 2WD.
If you don't fancy the
extra hike you can get to within a short walk from the pans in a 4x4 and some
judicious sand-track manoeuvres; or you can use the shuttle service. Beat the
haze and the people by getting there at sunrise when the dunes are burnt sienna
and the sky is almost too blue for your polariser.
Give yourself an hour
at sunset to climb Elim Dune, which is about 5km from
Sesriem and you'll probably want to stop and get some postcard shots along the
way.
Sesriem Canyon is a narrow gorge 30m deep that
is evidence of shallow seas and wet periods of days gone by with layers of
round eroded pebbles embedded in the calcrete strata. The canyon is usually
filled with pools of water good for a refreshing dip after the exhausting
dunes.
Ballooning over the Great Sand Sea gives an
excellent perspective of the expanse of dunes and the total silence - between
flame-blasts - lends an eerie touch to this exhilarating experience.
Sossusvlei brings out
the creative photographer in everyone -
provided you beat the mid-day haze. Surreal shapes, colours, textures and landscapes
are accentuated by the ancient trees and desert-adapted wildlife like gemsbok,
springbok and ostrich.
Accommodation: Desert Homestead Tel: 063 683 103
Includes: Dinner, bed &
breakfast
20 thatched
chalets; en suite bathroom; private verandah; swimming pool; restaurant;
bar; separate TV loungeWhile close to Sesriem and Sossusvlei The Desert Homestead is more about a tranquil experience of the Namib Desert on horseback than the spectacle of the great sand dunes.
The lodge is made up of beautiful
thatch-roofed pastel-walled chalets that lend themselves to the quiet charm of
this magical region. Inside the 22 chalets, the serenity continues: soft, white
linens against dark furniture and whitewashed walls. Private verandahs look out
over the plain that is framed by craggy mountains in every direction.
The main lodge is a light and airy
mix of open relaxation and cosy retreat. Hearty homestead meals are enriched by
the setting and with home-grown ingredients. The swimming pool provides languid
refreshment after a hot day's riding
Sunrise and sunset rides wind
through riverbeds, over hills and across endless plains soaking up the
remarkable terrain and its birds, plants and animals. The effect is sublime.
Morning outings turn back after an almighty continental breakfast taken beneath
the rising sun; evening outings culminate atop a vantage point with the setting
sun and the tinkle of ice on glass.
Wednesday & Thursday 2nd & 3rd July Swakopmund
A drive north (and then
west) goes through the gradual change from mountains and dunes to rolling
grass-covered hills with scattered acacia trees to Swakopmund, a quaint resort
town by the sea with an obvious German heritage at odds with its bleak
surrounds.
Look out for the
endemic Hartmann's mountain zebra as you leave; stop at Solitaire, about 80km
from Sesriem for some home-made bread and an ice cold drink; Kuiseb Canyon has
some shady picnic spots; you can see springbok and pure-bred wild ostrich
across the vast gravel plains of the Namib; the lunar landscape; look out for
the Welwitschia plant.
Directions:
- After breakfast,
drive back to Solitaire and then west on the C14, through the Gaub and Kuiseb
Canyons to Walvis Bay. This drive will take about 4/5 hours but will make a
super stop for lunch. I suggest the Raft Restaurant, situated on the lagoon,
about 325kms
- From Walvis Bay,
drive north (C34) along the Skeleton Coast to Swakopmund, which is only 30
kilometers away so you should be there mid-afternoon.
Swakopmund
Surrounded by the
ancient Namib desert and the inhospitable - but bounteous - Atlantic Ocean, the
two towns are alive with activity and adventure.
When the British
annexed the natural harbour of Walvis Bay, Germany was left with mile upon mile
of barren shoreline in which to find a decent port. They chose an area north of
the Swakop River for want of a better location and set to work building a port.
It failed. And that early failure saved what was later to become Swakopmund.
The town's early growth
spurt - with typically German art-nouveau and neo-Gothic styles - faltered
early in the 20th century when Germany's control of the country was ceded to South
Africa losing all maritime operations to Walvis Bay.
Swakopmund wallowed in
stagnation until a tar road connected it to the highlands of Namibia and
thousands of affluent Windhoek residents. The old parts remain a charming relic
of times gone by and the town has developed into a delightful seaside resort
with recreation and relaxation high on its list of priorities.
For Walvis Bay, on the
other hand, the future was never in doubt. On a coastline almost 1600km long,
Walvis Bay is one of only two natural harbours - the other is Lüderitz - and
this has guaranteed the bustling town a steady maritime trade and a host of
industrial offshoots.
Industry aside, Walvis
Bay has many attractions, not least of which are its massive populations of
seabirds and shorebirds in a vast lagoon and south of the town at Sandwich Bay.
Swakopmund has many interesting
German-influenced buildings from the early 1900s in a variety of styles:
Kaiserliches Bezirksgericht - or State House; Woerman House and Damara Tower;
the Alte Bahnhof - a fairytail railway station; the Kaserne; the neo-baroque
Lutheran Church; and Haus Hohnezollern - purportedly a brothel in its hey day.
The Swakopmund Museum has displays of
archaeology, ethnology, flora, fauna, history and mining; the Marine Museum is an engaging display
of inshore reef marine life; coastal birds and a cross-section of the Benguela
Current.
For its size,
Swakopmund has an astonishing array of restaurants that serve mainly
seafood, steak and many German staples. We will recommend a few when you make
your booking.
Swakopmund and Walvis
Bay have a lot on offer for the adventure-seeker: quad-biking, sand-boarding,
dune-boarding, horse-riding, mountain biking, skydiving, surfing, surf and
offshore fishing, dolphin cruises and diving - although the water temperature
is below friendly. And Rossmund Golf Club is developing into one of the world's
best desert courses.
Walvis Bay is famous
for its wetland birds. The greater wetlands
area consists of the tidal lagoon, man-made salt pans and an arm of sand that
ends at Pelican Point. The Walvis Bay lagoon has been recognised as by the
Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. The bay supports
over 40 species of bird and its population exceeds 150,000 - the greatest concentration
of shorebirds and seabirds in southern Africa. Half are intra-African migrants,
just under half are Palearctic migrants and the remainder coastal residents.
Notable species include
flamingos, plovers, grebes, European and African black oystercatcher pairings,
pelicans, terns, plovers and gulls.
South of the town and
virtually inaccessible is the impressive Sandwich Bay, which also has a
massive population of wetland birds.
Accommodation: Jakals
Water Swakopmund Tel: 081 128 3411
Includes: Breakfast
Namibian born, I (Valereis) was raised
appreciating the sunshine, abundant of wildlife, scenic splendor and
beauty and the diversity of country. This inspired me to qualify as a biology
teacher. For four years I was actively involved with game capture traveling
throughout the country of grandeur and of contrasts studying many aspects of
its inexhaustible inheritance. During my travels I stumbled across the farm
Jakalswater in the Erongo Region. Experiencing the bliss of this overpowering
vast natural habitat, I decided to purchase the farm and to develop it into
guest farm and a tourist destination.
On this hauntingly beautiful landscape we found so many artifacts of the
pre-colonial times, that we could establish a museum resurrecting the past:
• “Dorland Trekkers”- “Transportryers “- Ox wagon transport along the “Baiweg” – road to the Harbors.
• The Narrow gauge railway line from Swakopmund to Windhoek via Jakalswater.
• The Battle of Riet between the British Imperial forces and the German troops which ended on Jakalswater.
Our guest house in Swakopmund, Jakalswater - Zwilling enhancing this fascinating history, joining the Zwilling (twins) the farm historical experience with a tranquil Swakopmund base.
Valereis and Johannes invite you to enjoy the vast Namib, the amazing fauna and flora, to enjoy the enrapturing photographer and painters paradise and to experience first hand, the exciting history of the past. For the young at heart the Swakopmund area, with the ambiance associated with a small German village, offers the following: ballooning, beaches, boating, canoeing, a casino, fishing, skydiving, horse riding, shopping/curios, a museum, a aquarium, a golf course, desert tours, dolphin cruises and quad-biking.
• “Dorland Trekkers”- “Transportryers “- Ox wagon transport along the “Baiweg” – road to the Harbors.
• The Narrow gauge railway line from Swakopmund to Windhoek via Jakalswater.
• The Battle of Riet between the British Imperial forces and the German troops which ended on Jakalswater.
Our guest house in Swakopmund, Jakalswater - Zwilling enhancing this fascinating history, joining the Zwilling (twins) the farm historical experience with a tranquil Swakopmund base.
Valereis and Johannes invite you to enjoy the vast Namib, the amazing fauna and flora, to enjoy the enrapturing photographer and painters paradise and to experience first hand, the exciting history of the past. For the young at heart the Swakopmund area, with the ambiance associated with a small German village, offers the following: ballooning, beaches, boating, canoeing, a casino, fishing, skydiving, horse riding, shopping/curios, a museum, a aquarium, a golf course, desert tours, dolphin cruises and quad-biking.
81 Strand Street Swakopmund
Friday & Saturday 4th
& 5th July Erongo
Today
is a great drive through the Welwitchia plains to the Jakals Water Guestfarm.
Valereis
will give you the directions to the farm.
Sunday 6th
July Erongo
Welcome to Ai Aiba - The Rock
Painting Lodge, a place of unimaginable beauty and history.
Set afoot massive granite rock boulders, overlooking the magically beautiful Erongo mountain range, is Ai Aiba - The Rock Painting Lodge.
Set afoot massive granite rock boulders, overlooking the magically beautiful Erongo mountain range, is Ai Aiba - The Rock Painting Lodge.
The overwhelming panoramic view
from the restaurant and bar is amazing. The crystal clear pool invites you to
refresh and relax. Your view sways leisurely over the endless landscape. Here
you can enjoy the tranquility and purity of Africa.
Ai Aiba is an active member of the
Erongo Mountain Nature Conservancy, an association of farmers dedicated to the
protection and preservation of the unique fauna and flora, as well as the
magnificent granite landscape of the Erongo.
Directions:
-
From Swakopmund, the route is more
scenic. Follow the B2 from Swakopmund to Usakos. At Usakos, turn left on the D
2306 towards Okombahe. After about 50 km turn right on the D 2315 towards
Omaruru and continue along this road for about 10 km until you see the signs to
turn left at the Ai Aiba Lodge. Distance: Swakopmund- Ai Aiba approx. 195 km
Accommodation: Ai Aiba Lodge Tel:
064 570330
Included: dinner
& breakfast
· The Lodge consists of a
main building with a thatched roof dome, which hosts the welcome area with
reception, guest lounge, public bar and restaurant which can seat up to 50
guests - serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Monday 7th July Damaraland
Destination Damaraland
where enormous granite outcrops and dolerite dykes have been carved by ice,
wind and rain over eons. Grassy plains,
tree-studded riverbeds and endless open skies add to the grandeur and make this
area one of the most scenic in Namibia.
The drive to Damaraland takes up to five hours because there is much to
see and do along the way.
If time permits this
afternoon, visit the Twyfelfontein rock engravings and paintings, the Petrified
Forest and the Organ Pipes. If the day
was too interesting and arrival at the lodge is too late, visit Twyfelfontein
the next morning
Directions:
- This is quite a long
day so I suggest you start quite early heading north along the Skeleton Coast
on the (C34) to Cape Cross seal colony, about 130kms
- Back-track towards
Henties Bay for about 40 kilometers and then turn left (east onto C35). This
road will take you through the pro-Namib, about 110 kilometers to the small
town of Uis, a derelict tin mine of yesteryear! The White Lady Restaurant
serves lunches and you can refuel here.
- From Uis, you travel
north along the C35 for about 115 kilometers to Khorixas
- Damara Mopane Camp is situated on the C39, 27km east
of Khorixas
Twyfelfontein
Damaraland features
vast khaki plains, sheer rocky mountains and incredible desert-adapted
wildlife. Track rhino and desert elephant, explore the rugged land or sit back
and enjoy the dramatic scenery.
Damaraland is where you
will find Namibia's wildlife; that typical African safari with teeming plains
herds, fearful predators, noble giants and an underworld of fascinating plants,
insects, birds, reptiles and mammals.
Southern Damaraland,
from Swakopmund up to the Huab River, has many geological and historical
attractions and is a popular region for rugged off-road camping expeditions.
The land rises slowly up towards the great escarpment and volcano-induced peaks
break up the endless plains.
Northern Damaraland up
to the Hoanib River has the greatest concentration of game. The terrain rumples
into grassy hills dotted with mopane and acacia trees as you travel north-east
over the plateau towards Etosha National Park.
The area is divided
into several enormous private game reserves, known as concessions, that support
most species of Namibia's large game and provide some of the best birding and
wildlife experiences in the country - and southern Africa for that matter.
Southern Damaraland
Giant inselbergs,
formed millions ago when lava was all the rage, rise sheer and jagged from the
barren plains of the inner Namib Desert. Most impressive of these areSpitzkoppe and the Brandberg Massif - which, in addition to
being the highest peak in the country, has the allure of ancient rock paintings
and the intriguing White Lady of Brandberg.
Two very large volcanic craters, also millions of
years old, hold evidence of Namibia's earliest inhabitants and, at 22km across,
Messum Crater is an astonishing sight. It has lost most of its outer ring but
has the most fascinating rock formations and ancient plants such as the
welwitschia, a variety of lichens, lithops and other desert-adapted flora.
Near Khorixas there is
a nucleus of fascinating geological formations: Vingerklip is a striking finger of
rock that rises vertically out of the plains while around it the lava-formed
flat-tops wouldn't look out of place in Arizona.
The Organ Pipes are a series of
dolerite pipes that, oddly enough, resemble organs pipes - though these ones
were created 100 million years ago and are probably a bit out of tune by now.
Over 200 million years
ago, a great flood swept enormous trees into the desert. These trees were
fossilised by the sand and formed what is now a Petrified Forest.
Among the red sandstone
boulders and hills at Twyfelfontein is the most impressive
collection of petroglyphs in Africa. Around 2,500 ancient rock paintings and
engravings feature animals, tracks and abstract symbols. The exact age is
unknown but archaeological evidence indicates that hunter/gatherers lived here
more than 7,000 years ago.
Accommodation: Twyfelfontein
Lodge Tel: 067 697022
Includes: Dinner, bed & breakfast
En-suite double rooms; reception; lounge; curio shop; open dining
room; bar and swimming pool; airstrip
Built from thatch and local stone,
the 56 en suite rooms and main living area do a remarkable job of blending in
with the red-rock and bleached grass that surround the lodge. The rooms are
basic, comfortable and make way for the splendid restaurant, bar and swimming
pool area.
Twyfelfontein is where you go to
experience the phenomenal age of the Namib's interior. Ancient volcanic rock
formations are the canvas for San rock paintings and engravings and the
delicate ecosystem supports some amazing flora and fauna. Like the Welwitschia,
which lives for about 2,000 years and sprouts a single pair of leaves that lie
in a tangled heap on the ground.
Nature drives; hiking and cycling;
nature walks; and guided excursions into the surrounding wilderness areas, San
rock art and geological structures
The lodge is in a private
conservancy and some of the interesting geological features in the
Twyfelfontein area include the Organ Pipes, Burnt Mountain, Doros Crater and
the Petrified Forest. You will also see a variety of desert-adapted animals
including elephant, rhino, springbok, oryx and ostrich co-existing with the
local Damara people
Palmwag
Lodge offers the independent traveller an exceptional Damaraland and desert
experience. Located between the Skeleton Coast and Etosha, the lodge is an
excellent stop between north and south Namibia
Directions:
·
Visit the Twyfelfontein rock engravings
this morning, Namibia’s “open air museum” where one of the guides will take you
for the walk along the rocks to see the engravings and Bushman Paintings. They will ask you if you want the short, or
the long walk. I would suggest the long
walk, which will take about 1.5 hours.
·
After Twyfelfontein, back to the “T”
junction close to Xaragu and then travel west (turn left) along the C39. Drive for about 85 kilometers until you get
the Palmwag Lodge sign where you turn left (C43). A short way from here you will get the
veterinary control fence, very close to the lodge.
·
This road goes through quite a high pass,
commonly known as “Lang Asem” which, in Afrikaans, means, Long Breath as it is
quite a climb to the top!
Accommodation: Palmwag
Lodge 067 697 012
Includes: Dinner,
bed & breakfast
Accommodation comes in the form of
thatched bungalows, tented rooms or self-contained camping. The tents and
bungalows have en suite bathrooms and a choice of two-bed, three-bed or family
units.
The camp has some well-planned
hiking trails and you can go on several different full day and overnight
excursions into the Damaraland bush in search of the desert-adapted elephant
and rare black rhino. Birdwatching is excellent with a number of Namibia's
endemics and near endemics and animals you might see are oryx, springbok,
zebra, kudu, ostrich, bat-eared fox, brown and spotted hyena and your night
time chorus will include a large number of smaller species
After breakfast, you head north through the open plains of
the Palmwag concession and just before Sesfontein, turn north to Opuwo. This
drive will take about 4-5 hours but can be longer if there is game to view
along the way, and/or, stopping at traditional villages.
The Himba people are traditional pastoralists who rely on
their hardy cattle and goats for survival - have fascinating traditional garb
that, until recently involved a daily coating of goat fat and red mud
ostensibly as protection from the fierce heat of the sun. Their cultures,
lifestyle and dress have been well documented and they live side by side with
the wildlife in the region much like the proud Masai people of Masai Mara in
Kenya.
Directions:
Opuwo Country Hotel is on the outskirts of Opuwo on
top of a hill. The turn off is on the main street, follow the signs
Accommodation: Opuwo Country Hotel (Tel: +264
65 273 461)
Includes: Dinner and Breakfast
· Comfortable rooms with en
suites
· Dining area, bar, lounge
·
Himba village visits
Situated on a hilltop to
the north west of Opuwo, the lodge overlooks the valleys and mountains, giving
magnificent sunsets at 360° views. An ideal base from where to explore the
culture and traditional-rich lifestyle of the Ovahimba people. The impressive
thatched main building is within easy reach to Kaoko Otavi, Epupa Falls
and Swartboois drift.
The drive from Opuwo to
Epupa Falls is about five hours on the direct route; if you've got a 4WD
vehicle the back roads traverse the truly wild country and the drive will take
most of the day.
When you're there: Meet Himba villagers and
discover their fascinating ways; scenic drives through Kaokoland; hikes;
birdwatching and game viewing; excursions to the Kunene River with Himba
villages along the way
Directions:
-
From Opuwo
continue north on the C43 via Oukongo, Ohandungu, Epembe, Okonwati and Omuhonga
to Epupa.
-
- On entering Epupa keep an eye open for the tiny signpost
for Kapika - this will lead you into the Epupa settlement and across the
football pitch - once you have scored a goal - follow the track up the hill
towards the thatched buildings!
Kaokoveld
The
Kaokoveld, a vast and empty wilderness occupying the north-western quarter of
Namibia, is roughly divided in two by the Hoanib River. The north is known as
Kaokoland and the south as Damaraland
. Although these administrative divisions fell away after Namibian independence
the colloquial demarcations have persisted.
The
Kunene is a perennial river that rises in the highlands of Angola and carves
its way along the Namibian border through wild and arid mountains before
reaching the Atlantic. The rivercourse is an astonishing contrast of
sub-tropical growth amid the rocky outcrops and treeless plains of Kaokoland.
The
attraction of Kaokoland lies in its wild and uncharted valleys and mountains.
Rugged trails take you through impossible terrain that test the engineering of
your vehicle and the skills of your driver. Wading through flash floods or
bumping over rocks is all in a day's work. It is the most isolated and
undeveloped region of this mostly isolated and undeveloped country.
The Himba people - traditional
pastoralists who rely on their hardy cattle and goats for survival - have
fascinating traditional garb that, until recently involved a daily coating of
goat fat and red mud ostensibly as protection from the fierce heat of the sun.
Their cultures, lifestyle and dress have been well documented and they live
side by side with the wildlife in the region much like the proud Maasai people
of Masai Mara in Kenya.
The Kunene is a crocodile-infested river
with a profusion of makalani palms, sycamore figs, leadwoods and jackalberry
trees. Two of southern Africa's rarist birds are found along its banks: the
Cinderella waxbill and the rufous-tailed palm thrush. Adventure-seekers can
shoot the rapids in inflatable rafts on guided expeditions.
Epupa Falls, remote and
wonderfully difficult to reach, is one of only a few waterfalls in Namibia.
Water cascades into a spectacular chute and there are several natural rock
pools where you can take a refreshing - and much needed - dip. Ruacana Falls,
about 120km east along one of the most rugged tracks in the country, is another
excellent birding site although the falls have been reduced to a series of
sluices from the hydro-electric dam upstream.
Hartmann's Valley and Marienfluss
are two vast wilderness areas in the west of Kaokoland. This is off-roading
territory and the valleys support a fragile arid ecosystem. Marienfluss is the
more accessible of the two and, being more easterly, it has more vegetation,
birds and animals than the desolate Hartmann's
Accommodation: Epupa Falls Lodge
Includes:
Dinner & Breakfast
- On the Kunene
River within earshot of Epupa Falls; en suite safari-style tents; electric
fans; restaurant; bar; swimming pool; island and sundowner beach
The lodge is situated on the river
a few hundred metres from Epupa Falls, Namibia's largest waterfall and a rather
scenic cascade it is. Activities on land and water abound including rafting
down gentle ungraded rapids, gentle sundowner cruises (hungry Nile crocodiles
make swimming in the river off-limits but the lodge has pool almost in the
river anyway), gentle bird-watching (Cinderella waxbill among others);
eco-friendly quad bike trails into the mountains, hiking; and an essential
must-do is discovering the ways of the local Himba people - semi-nomadic
pastoralists who have been roaming this mesmerising land since the earth
defrosted.
Saturday 12th
July
Etosha
Western Side
Today is quite a long
drive to the Western side of the Etosha National Park.
Directions:
- Drive back to Opuwo
- Travel east along the
C41 until you find the “T” junction (50-60 kilometers) where you turn south
(right) towards Kamanjab
- This road is commonly
known as the White Road, made of limestone, a good road but not really
interesting
- Self-drive visitors
to Etosha must note that entry through the western entrance to Etosha at
Galton's Gate (45km) is only permitted with previously booked accommodation for
Dolomite Camp.
Dolomite Camp is
located in western Etosha National Park, near the Dolomietpunt waterhole. It is
the first camp to be built on this side of Etosha, opening up a section of the
park previously not accessible to mainstream tourists. Wildlife here includes
Hartmann's zebra which does not occur in the eastern section of the park. The
surrounding vegetation of mainly karstveldt and mopane shrubland is different
to the rest of the park.
The camp is set amongst
dolomite formations, ensuring game drives are conducted in one of the park's
most scenic locations. The dolomite hill, the setting of the camp, boasts
hundreds of seasonally blooming plant species, a lure for botanists and
photographers alike.
The western section now
open to the public measures approximately one-third of the total area of Etosha
Park itself. Although the main wildlife spectacles occur in and around the
waterholes and vegetation of the Etosha Pan, game viewing is also very good in
this area. There are no fewer than 15 waterholes in the vicinity of Dolomite
Camp (although unlike other sections of the park here the access roads to many
of these waterholes are not clearly marked). The hilly and rocky terrain here
also becomes a wildlife retreat for the entire park during the wet season.
Dolomite Camp is much
smaller that the three more established camps in Etosha (Okaukuejo, Halali
& Namutoni) and the emphasis here is on a more exclusive experience with a
focus on personal service and smaller numbers. The staff are friendly and well
trained and although the overall experience may not be as smooth as that
offered by the privately owned lodges which surround Etosha, we believe
Dolomite Camp offers excellent value for money.
On arriving at Dolomite
Camp guests are required to park their vehicles in the parking area at the foot
of the hill. From this area you, and your luggage, are then transported (by
golf cart) up the hill to reception. From here you will be shown around the
camp and to your room. As Dolomite Camp is an unfenced camp, guests are not
allowed to walk around after dark, and a member of staff will escort you to and
from your room (all rooms are equipped with a phone - which can be used to
request an escort).
The camp's interior
blends and harmonizes with the immediate environment. Facilities include a
reception, guest lounge, fireside boma, laundry service, 2 x restaurant areas,
swimming pool and secure parking. A fairly long and steep path from the bar and
restaurant area leads to the accommodation, this distance and uneven surface
can lead to issues for some older or less fit visitors (although golf carts are
available to ferry people around the camp). There are 20 elevated thatched
en-suite chalets,
nestled amongst dolomite rocky outcrops. Privacy and dramatic panoramic
landscape views are guaranteed.
Accommodation: Dolomite
Camp NWR Tel: 065 685115
Includes: Dinner
& breakfast
· Bush Chalets: 12 west-facing single or double chalets are equipped with
2 beds, lounge area and comfy chairs, mosquito net, tea/coffee station, in-room
safe and a wardrobe. Savour spectacular sunset views. The east-facing chalets
have similar facilities but with striking sunrise views.
Wildlife and game
viewing opportunities in Etosha are exceptional including: elephants, lions,
rhino, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, Burchell’s plains
zebra, springbok and many other species of plains game, a great variety of
birds including many raptors.
Game drives at Dolomite
Camp traverse the exclusive western sector and visit natural waterholes where a
great variety of wildlife passes through to quench their thirst in these
parched lands. Your thirst for excellent game viewing, quality accommodation
and a unique African safari will also be quenched.
Optional extra activities
Game drives twice daily
in the exclusive western sector of Etosha National Park; birdwatching; scenic
and photographic drives.
Sunday 13th July Etosha
Southern Side
Today is a lovely game
drive through the park from the Western side to the Southern Okaukuejo Rest
Camp.
Etosha National Park
Etosha is one of
Africa's great game parks. With 114 species of mammal and 340 species of bird
you are sure to see a great variety of wildlife on your safari.
Etosha is one of the
few places, maybe the only place, where some of the best game viewing would be
during the heat of the day when plains game in their hundreds congregate at the
waterholes to drink.
As vegetation in most
areas is sparse, the animals have learnt to drink during the day when predators
are inactive and it is the safest time to be out in the open. It is not
uncommon to see up to 7 different species of game at any waterhole.
The park supports 114
species of mammal and over 340 species of bird including numerous endemics and
rarities. At the heart of the park is a salt pan that is surrounded by sparse
shrubs and grassy plains that become hilly mopane woodlands as you move away
from the sunken saline desert.
Like everything in
Namibia, the pan is ancient - 2 million years or so - and was formed when a
great continental upheaval diverted the Kunene River towards the sea, leaving a
massive inland lake that soon dried up. Usually a shimmering white horizon, the
pan fills with water after a good rainy season and becomes a vast knee-deep
lake.
About 30 springs and
waterholes along the pan's southern edge attract large concentrations of every
representative species in the park - especially in the dry season, which runs
from April to September.
The list of mammals and
birds is long and Etosha National Park is an excellent self-drive destination:
the roads are excellent and the waterholes clearly marked. All you have to do
is drive there, turn your engine off and wait.
Wildlife you are likely to see,
at close quarters if you spend some time at the waterholes, includes a growing
number of rhino - both black and white - and the endemic black-faced impala and
Damara dik-dik. The Namibian trademarks, gemsbok and springbok, are common and
there are good numbers of southern Africa's big game including elephant, lion,
leopard, cheetah, caracal, brown and spotted hyena, eland, roan, kudu,
wildebeest, red hartebeest, Hartman's mountain (only in the west) and
Burchell's plains zebra, and black-backed jackal.
Birding is excellent,
particularly after good rains when up to a million flamingos may congregate in
the pan. Etosha is one of only two places in southern Africa where blue cranes
and greater and lesser flamingos breed. Raptors are common with 46 species
recorded including the Bateleur, martial, Wahlberg's and tawny eagles; and
Egyptian, African white-backed and lappet-faced vultures. Ostriches, secretary
birds, kori bustards and black korhaans are easily spotted around the pan; and
there are several specials including violet wood-hoopoe, Rüppell's bustard,
Caspian plover, pygmy and red-necked falcons, three varieties of babbler and
the pink-billed lark.
Photography at Etosha National Park
is exceptional: the waterholes allow for unobtrusive close-ups and dramatic
angles of the wildlife while the salt pan throws up a backdrop of shimmering
white beneath a parched blue sky.
Etosha, by comparison
to the other great parks of Africa, is an undiscovered gem. A handful of lodges operate on the
perimeter of the park and they offer sunrise and sunset game drives into the park as well
as on their own private reserves. The park has only
three places to stay inside its gates: the government-owned Namutoni, Okaukuejo
and Halali resorts. They each overlook one of over 30 waterholes and theEtosha Pan.
Next to Etosha Pan is Fischer's Pan. During the rainy
season, it is often filled with water and is an excellent birdwatching site.
West of Okaukuejo is an unusual stand of Moringa trees - normally found on
rocky hillsides - called The Phantom Forest for its inexplicable
presence on a sandy plain.
Accommodation: Okaukuejo
Rest Camp Tel: 067 229800
Includes: dinner & breakfast
· Okaukuejo Waterhole
Chalet- Situated close to the waterhole, these comfortable double rooms have an
en-suite bathroom
· En suite bungalows;
restaurant; bar; swimming pool; air conditioning; kiosk; shop; petrol station;
camp site
Okaukuejo (pronounced
oka-KOO-yo) is a simple lodge with bungalows, a bar, a buffet restaurant, and a
generous swimming pool. They have useful facilities like a filling station, a
shop, and camping; it also houses the administrative and research offices of
Etosha National Park.
One of only five lodges
inside the park - all owned by Namibia Wildlife Resorts - Okaukuejo has a
floodlit waterhole that is famous for producing some spectacular wildlife
action. Elephants, black rhino and lion frequent the permanent water source and
they often do it at the same time.
Activities
Inside Etosha National
Park; game drives; floodlit waterhole at the lodge
Etosha is an enormous
game park with several pans formed from an ancient inland sea. Many springs and
waterholes line the edges of the pans and they attract a random and continuous
display of the 114 mammals and 340 bird species to be found in the park.
Although you can drive
for great distances visiting any number of waterholes in Etosha, most of your
game viewing will be done from the lodge in an easy chair because you'll be at
one of the best waterholes in the park
Monday
& Tuesday 14th
& 15th July Etosha
Eastern Side
Today you will travel
east through the park stopping at waterholes along the way. The whole day is actually a game drive! I would suggest you take it slow, stopping at
the Halali resort for lunch and then an afternoon game drive in the area. See Goas (below) – a very good waterhole!
Good waterholes to
visit on the way to Halali:
Nebrowni: good for oryx and
springbok
Gemsbokvlakte: plains game such as zebra,
springbok & oryx
Olifantsbad: black-faced impala
& red hartebeest
Salvadora: lovely view of
Etosha Pan – good for seeing game very close
Rietfontein: a big waterhole with a
wide variety of animals
Predators can be seen
anywhere, the luck of the draw!
After Halali, I would
suggest:
Goas: we
often see lions, elephants, kudu and impala here
Keep a look out
for the resident leopard (not easy to find!)
Okerfontein: this loop is lovely
along the edge of the pan where we often see cheetah, elephant and other game
Kalkheuvel: again, a very good
waterhole – look out for dik-dik as well as eland
Chudop: always lots
of zebra, kudu and often hyena
Twee Palms: turn left as you come
out of Namutoni for the Twee Palms drive which loops around Fischer’s Pan – a
variety of game and if there is still water, a good possibility of flamingoes
and other waders
Klein Okevi: a small waterhole
with lots of birds and various animals
Tsumcor: good for
elephant, giraffe and oryx
Andoni: this waterhole
is quite far away (at least 40 minutes driving) but well worth a visit as it is
a wide open area, similar to the Serengeti
Klein Namutoni: this is the closest waterhole to
the camp and is good for late afternoon where you can stay out as late as possible
– good for giraffe, dik-dik, impala etc
Please
make sure you leave the park before sunset as your lodge is outside the gates.
Accommodation: Mushara
Lodge Tel: 067 229 106
Includes: dinner & breakfast
- Ten thatched
chalets; one family unit; two single rooms; all en suite;
air-conditioning; mosquito nets; mini bar; telephone; swimming pool;
airstrip
Mushara Lodge is a comfortable and
tranquil lodge, 8km from the eastern gate of Etosha National Park.Ten
free-standing thatch and stone bungalows form a semi-circle around the large
pool. The rooms have been decorated with flair and and an experienced eye for
the interesting details. Each is spacious with an en suite bathroom, separate
toilet, air conditioning and a mini bar.
The main living area is a lofty
thatch, timber and stone construction with a cosy and discreet atmosphere
created by cunning use of screens, chunky chairs, throws, mirrors and large
vases. The fireplace, wine cellar and library will make those winter evenings
something to relish and under Mariza's guidance, the food is excellent.
Nature walks on the grounds;
guided game drives to Etosha
Wild animals keep the lawn trim
and you can take yourself on many nature walks around the lodge. Daily guided
game drives into Etosha will reveal the fascinating world of the African bush
and at the many waterholes and springs, exceptional game viewing is almost
guaranteed.
Wednesday
& Thursday 16th & 17th July Eastern Namibia
Looking at a map, the
roads from Grootfontein, east of Etosha, to the Caprivi strip and Bushmanland
are daunting straight lines. Roy's Camp is a happy break in the monotony and a
handy stopover between north and south, and east and west.
Directions:
-
174 km - about 2 hours 27 mins
-
174 km - about 2 hours 27 mins
-
Head west
toward C 38
-
Continue
straight on C 38
-
Turn right on
B1 to Tsumeb
-
At Tsumeb
continue on C42 to Grootfontein
-
Turn left on
to B8 for approx 55 km
-
Roy’s Camp is on the left and is one km off the main road
Accommodation: Roy’s Camp Tel: 067 240 302
Includes: dinner & breakfast
· Quirky bungalows with
en-suite shower and toilet; private barbecue; bar; restaurant; swimming pool
and lounge deck; curio shop which specialises in locally made artefacts;
camping facilities
Bird and game watching; walking
trails; game tracking trips; farm drive; Bushman community interaction
The camp has two short walks with
numbered trees and plenty of birds to identify; wildlife is limited to small
antelopes and nocturnal omnivores; although eland are not uncommon. Organised
visits to a Bushman village, 80km east, should be booked in advance and are
well worth the time.
Today is
quite a long drive approximately 6-7 hours. I suggest leaving not too late as
you do not want to travel at night or arrive in Windhoek at dark. You can visit
the Hoba Meteorite along the way back to Windhoek for your last night in
Namibia.
Directions to Terra Africa Guesthouse
- Travel south on
the B8 refuel at Otavi
- Travel south on
the B1 to Otjiwarongo
- Travel south on
the B1 to Okhahandja and visit the largest wood carvers market here before
heading to Windhoek.
- Remain on the
B1 Main Road into City of Windhoek. This road turns into the WESTERN
BYPASS. Remain on this bypass until the traffic circle/roundabout.
- Turn left onto Auas Road and drive in a northerly direction.
- Remain on Auas Road up to the second major Traffic Light junction
(just yonder of the traffic circle/roundabout).
- You should now be on the crossing of Auas Road and Sean McBride
Street.
- Turn Right onto Sean McBride Street and continue with this road
until the T-junction onto Robert Mugabe. Turn Left and continue on Robert
Mugabe Avenue.
- At the Major Traffic light Junction (crossing of Robert Mugabe and
Laurent Desire Kabila) turn RIGHT onto Laurent Desiree Kabila Street.
- Take the first turn-off Right: George Hunter Street
- Take next major turn-off Right: Kenneth McArthur Street.
- Guesthouse Terra Africa, 6 Kenneth McArthur Street is the 3rd Property on your right.
Saturday 19th
July Windhoek
This morning you will drop your vehicle off at
Caprivi Car hire offices at 07h30 the handover will only take approximately 10
minutes and then you will be transferred to the airport.
Caprivi Car Hire details
Physical address:
135 Sam Nujoma Drive,
Windhoek/Namibia
Tel: +264/(0)61/256323
Fax: +264/(0)61/256333
24- Hour Emergency Number:
+264/(0)81/129 3355
Excellent summary. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI stayed with Valereis and Johann in Swakopmund and on their farm but have not been able to contact them. Please send me their email and telephone no
janefmueller@gmail.com
Good post, I like the way you start and then conclude your thoughts. Restaurant Frankfurt-Oder
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