Rather than just make the end destination our goal we decided to visit some of the old favourites along the way. The initial broad outline would include the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Mabuasehube, north, along the western side of the Okavango Delta panhandle, and from there into the Caprivi strip. The plan was to return home via the length and breadth of Namibia.
The timing of this trip was going to be fairly critical as we knew that the 2009/10 summer rains in Angola and Botswana had again caused massive flooding and destruction along the main feeder rivers flowing through the Caprivi, southwards along the Okavango/Kwando rivers, and into the Delta itself.
After much deliberation we decided to tackle the trip during September/October 2010.
Day 1
Ploddy is ready - the freezer is full of provisions for the next week or so
- the booze box is overflowing, the small fridge is packed to cater for the
day's travel – and the perishables are the last items to be packed in the
coolerbox. Lets GOGOGOOO.
The day dawns a sunny but coolish 13°C. Our first stretch is an easy 425 kms, north up the N7, via the wheat fields and vineyards of the Swartland. We skirt the farming communities of Malmesbury, Moorreesberg and Piketberg before ascending the picturesque Piekenierskloof Pass, 520m above sea level - down the north side into the Olifants River valley with the impressive crags and crevices of the Cederberg mountain range in the east.
The Clanwilliam Dam comes into view round about lunch time. The surrounding mountains, a very full dam - some of the sluice gates are open - the warm sunshine - provides the ideal setting to enjoy padkos (literally road food - snacks and provisions for a journey).
a shady lunch spot on the banks of the Clanwilliam Dam
The day dawns a sunny but coolish 13°C. Our first stretch is an easy 425 kms, north up the N7, via the wheat fields and vineyards of the Swartland. We skirt the farming communities of Malmesbury, Moorreesberg and Piketberg before ascending the picturesque Piekenierskloof Pass, 520m above sea level - down the north side into the Olifants River valley with the impressive crags and crevices of the Cederberg mountain range in the east.
The Clanwilliam Dam comes into view round about lunch time. The surrounding mountains, a very full dam - some of the sluice gates are open - the warm sunshine - provides the ideal setting to enjoy padkos (literally road food - snacks and provisions for a journey).
a shady lunch spot on the banks of the Clanwilliam Dam
Nearly 80kms further north we turn east, through the town of Van Rhynsdorp situated in the folds of the towering Matzikamma and the table-top Gifberg mountain. The town lies in the Northern Cape region of Namaqualand, well-known for its carpets of blooming flowers during spring. The R27 takes us past the picturesque village of Nieuwoudtville, dubbed the bulb (as in flowers) capital of the world by the locals :-)
Some 70kms on we cross the Oorlogskloof river and arrive at our first overnight stop, the Blou Nartjie Guesthouse and Restaurant, in the town of Calvinia. At R490 for a night's accommodation, including breakfast, the guesthouse has become a popular stop-over for us when travelling through this region. The family-run restaurant is relaxed and good value - the two resident Basset hounds are friendly and welcoming.
the neo-gothic restaurant - originally a synagogue......
Kathy enjoying the late afternoon sun outside our en suite accommodation
Day 2
It's a chilly 5°C while packing Ploddy. With breakfast over, and a quick stop to top up the small tank with diesel, we continue north along the R27. The good tar road has little traffic and other than a farm house dotted here and there, the landscape is rather uninteresting with mostly low scrub, grasses, dry pans and rocky outcrops. It's a looong 150kms along a quiet road, before we arrive at the dry and dusty Northern Cape Province town of Brandvlei. From here it is another 142kms of the same to the next small town of Kenhardt. The only real spot of interest along this stretch is the Quiver Tree forest about 8kms south of the town. This tree gets its name from the San practice of hollowing out the tubular branches to form quivers for their arrows.
We soon cross the grand Orange River, the longest river in South Africa. The new name, in politically-correct modern day parlance, is the Gariep, the name given to it by the original indigenous Nama people of the area. Here the river divides into several streams and one crosses them via a number of narrow, single-vehicle, bridges.
We pass through the oasis town of Keimoes – an oasis because it lies in an otherwise quite arid region whilst the immediate surrounding area, and the river, is green, green, green, with vineyards (the famous sultana grapes amongst others), lucerne fields, wheat fields and fruit orchards. And little does one realize, whilst rushing through, that this lush green town in the semi-desert consists of more than 120 islands - with people living on most of them!!
50kms up the road we arrive at the large and bustling town of Upington, situated on the northern banks of the Gariep river. As this will be the last large town before entering the Kgalagadi wilderness area, we fill both fuel tanks, pop in at Skaapland to purchase some of their delicious droëwors and biltong, and stop off at a Superette to buy enough firewood to last us well into Botswana.
A short 10kms north of Upington we arrive at our destination for the night, Monate Lodge. We have stopped here on previous occasions to the Kgalagadi and, as in the past, find their campsites well-kept and the ablution facilities well maintained and clean. At R150 for the night, what a pleasure!
The weather is still on the chilly side and rather breezy.
the well-kept campsite with power-point and water - not much shade from the young camelthorn
Day 3
We crawl out of our cosy roof-top tent rather reluctantly - it is 0.5C outside. No matter – we’re on our way to the KgalagadiTransfrontier Park (KTP) today - yippeee – only 267kms and we'll be there. Kgalagadi means Land of Thirst - this semi-arid wilderness area, is located in the Kalahari regions of S.A. and Botswana, but, as we would find out, it is currently anything but arid due to the unusually high rainfall the area has experienced over the past couple of summers.
We arrive at TweeRivieren, the most southerly and largest of the camps in the park, and complete the formalities at the new KTP reception and Border Post building. We stop off at the shop for some last provisions, fill the small fuel tank again, and make our way north, along the Nossob river, towards our overnight stop at Rooiputs.
The last 13kms takes us along a detour, a tweespoor track that runs parallel to the main gravel road which is being repaired due to the severe flooding during last summer
setting up the camp at Rooiputs - at last nice and warm at 30°C
Kathy looking towards the distant dunes while enjoying a late afternoon sundowner
the Kalahari never fails to create this calm and tranquil feeling once the sun dips below the horizon
A more stunning campsite one cannot find in these parts of the KTP. It is unfenced and there is no luxury of electricity. The usual semi-enclosed shower cubicle (bring your own water and bucket-shower) and semi-enclosed long-drop toilet, is shared by two campsites, but hey, at R114 a night it is well worth the wilderness experience. The chance of seeing predators around and about is always there - and the deep-throated roar of lions and the eerie howls of jackal at night is virtually guaranteed.
Day 4
Eish - the morning temperature is down to 5C - but there is no need to rush to break camp. The distance to our next stop at Nossob Camp is only 147kms. We have our mandatory coffee and rusks and then head north.
We soon come across a family of suricates looking for their morning breakfast…..
.....sentries warming themselves in the early morning sun while on the look-out for predators
The area has obviously had a good dollop of summer rainfall as the Nossob river bed is more vegetated than we have ever seen it during previous visits. We continue along the meandering gravel river-bed road when we come across a pride of 6 lions lazing about in the morning sun - and yes, their tummies look full.
this male is camera shy and completely disinterested in our presence.....
for once a chat flycatcher doesn't fly away as soon as we approach ......
.....and the Kalahari robin is quite relaxed while scrounging for insects on the ground
As the day progresses the temperature creeps up to 34°C, but
the six hours along the road to Nossop is most enjoyable. We intend to spend two nights at this camp. When planning the trip we wanted the luxury
of a chalet as we would be camping for nearly 2 weeks thereafter.
Unfortunately, despite booking the accommodation some months earlier, we could
only get a chalet for the first night, and a campsite for the second. Ah well,
as long as it doesn't rain - or the dreaded Kalahari wind doesn't start
blowing.......
as it turns out we are allocated a lovely chalet with an uncluttered view into the distance.....
Day 5
......we opt for a perimeter campsite under one of the alien mesquite trees
In the afternoon we again top up the diesel tank, buy some
last-minute essentials at the over-priced shop, and retire early, full of happy
anticipation of the following day's roller-coaster dune ride into the
wilderness of Botswana.
In the early hours of the morning, as is often the case at
Nossob thanks to the nearby waterhole, the silence is shattered by the roar of
black-maned Kalahari lions - the decibel level seems so high in the silence of
the night that one has the sensation of them being mere meters from one’s tent
(this camp is fenced so there is no chance of that happening) - another special
moment (no, minutes) which tends to remain with one forever.
Day 6
This is a short 106kms, on a tweespoor over red
sand-dunes and through thorn-tree woodlands, to Motopi, the half-way point to
Mabuasehube Game Reserve. The name is derived from the Senalonga language and
means 'red earth'.
It's another 6-hour day due to our customary style of
stop-start driving - this is our way of savouring the experience of a
wilderness area - one misses too much if one rushes through it......
......and at this time of the year the Kalahari candle thorn displays its blooms
The Motopi campsites (there are 2 of them about 10kms apart) are quite unique in that they are very isolated and have no facilities. This means that if the other campsite is not occupied that night your nearest neighbours are at least 100kms away - wild, wild, wild and quite stunning. During the night, once the birds have retired and gone to sleep, the silence is astonishingly loud - no lights other than the zillions of stars up above - this is a bush experience that we have found only a few times during our travels around Southern Africa - another very special spot - at R122 per night. Unfortunately, some overlanders who use this route don’t honour the unwritten law of keeping a campsite clean and taking their garbage out with them - we spend a bit of time picking up rubbish that has been left behind.
We have passed through here on previous trips and have always booked Motopi 2 - we find it more 'cosy' compared to Motopi 1…...
time to relax - after a (bush)shower* - binocs close to hand - the drinks will come out shortly.....
* Bush shower: Soft plastic bucket with attached shower rose - 3 litres of water - hang up in a tree branch - stand under it and let gravity play its role.
Day 7
The chirping of the birds wakes us early - nothing unusual about that when on safari :-) The early morning temperature has crept up to 12°C and there is a cloudless sky above - we know it will creep into the early thirties by mid afternoon. Our destination today is a camp at one of the most northern pans in Mabuasehube GameReserve (or Mabua, as frequent visitors call it) by the name of Lesholoago - it is 100kms distant. Mabua consists mainly of 4 large pans, some 10 to 20kms apart, interlinked with sand tracks. Our camp is situated on the NE rim of the pan, with another campsite on the SW side, approximately 1.1kms away as the crow flies - so again, one is quite isolated from other campers - and this is what makes Mabua so special. One can see buck and predators in many game reserves, but invariably, as soon as one sees something of interest, there are numerous other vehicles around, jostling for the best position. This does not happen at Mabua thanks to the relatively few camp sites and the need to be completely self-sufficient - the availability of water is not always guaranteed and there are no shops, malls or fuel-stations within a hundred kilometres - and no fences. This will be another WOW wilderness experience which we intend to enjoy for 3 nights and 2 days.
having crested the sand-dune we approach Lesholoago Pan from the west.....
It isn't long before we are busy setting up camp – we’re here for 3 nights so out comes the ground tent and we position it under a Camelthorn tree.
.....the A-frame provides some shelter, and note the enclosed long-drop towards the rear - luxury :-)
a routine check around Ploddy reveals, as usual, that all is well with our faithful truck - this of course cannot be done without a cold one close to hand :-)
The sun has set, the fire is lit, and we’re busy munching away in the perfectly still night when we hear a sound emanating from the vicinity of the tent which is situated on the other side of Ploddy. A quick shine of the torch reveals nothing and we continue with our meal. A short while later we again hear a strange noise. This time we walk around the car and there, in the light of the torch, we catch sight of a huge male spotted hyena, lopping off into the darkness with our tent's rubber door mat in its jaws. The animal ignores us so we follow it, shouting at the top of our lungs 'DROP THE MAT......DROP THE MAT - but it probably can’t understand English - we are in Botswana after all. By now we’re close to leaving the comfort of the fire-lit campsite so I pick up a few sizeable stones and started lobbying them at him. The first few miss – but finally one lands on his back. This he doesn’t enjoy - he stops, looks back at us, and, as he opens his mouth to growl, the mat drops to the ground, and he canters off into the darkness. Our mat is retrieved but our hearts are thumping from the adrenalin pounding through our veins, realizing that we should never have left the safety of the fire.
With the excitement of the evening behind us we have another glass or 2 of red wine, giggling somewhat hysterically over our encounter with the hyena, and retire, rather shakily, for the night.
Day 8
It is our custom in the morning to check for any game tracks that may have been left by night visitors (of the 4-legged variety) around the campsite. While studying the terrain we notice that the tent has a slight kink at one corner. A closer inspection reveals bite marks in the tent and a corner tent-pole has been virtually bitten in half. We conclude that it must have occurred when we heard the first noise the previous night - bloody hyena. A quick splint tied to the broken pole with duct tape solves that problem - hopefully for the rest of the trip.
Days 9 and 10
The 2 full days in the Park give us enough time to enjoy the scenic pans and the wildlife in this wonderful wilderness area. The birding is particularly splendid with numerous opportunities to add new ticks to the twitcher’s list.....
As the sun sets, needless to say, we are rather apprehensive - would the heinous monster return. Yep – while lying in bed we hear the slobbering beast approaching the campsite – but this time he closes his jaws around one of the front tyres of the truck - the animal obviously has a rubber fetish....... I scream and shout, unzip the tent, and, very tentatively, shine the torch around the corner. Fortunately this starkers apparition (me) has the desired affect - he vanishes into the darkness of the night. A close inspection in the morning light reveals no damage to the tyre. But it shows again that one needs to be vigilant and aware of the goings on around and about when in wilderness areas – had it been a lion we would have remained tjoop still in our rather fragile tent.....
a Burchell's Sandgrouse cools down in a waterhole at Mabuasehube Pan.....
.....a Rock Monitor skulking off into taller grass.....
.....one of the many cheeky Yellow-billed Hornbills that keep us amused around the campsite.....
.....but time catches up with us once again - let's enjoy the last evening - a new adventure lies ahead.....
Day 11
The first half of today's leg will be uncharted territory for us. The route takes us out the eastern gate of Mabuasehube, then north for about 33kms along the cutline boundary of the park…..
.....the 'duel highway' takes us along the eastern Mabuasehube boundary
This eventually turns into a narrow sand track. After 110kms we arrive at the village of Hukuntsi (meaning 'four corners' in Bangologa (a Tswana dialect) - one of the four major villages in this region of the Kgalagadi desert. Here we turn NNE for another 110kms to the village of Kang, where we join one of Botswana's main (tarred) NW/SE arterial roads, the A2 - also known as the TransKalahari Highway. The idea is to find an ATM as we need some local currency, the Botswana Pula - and also to fill the fuel tanks. Mmmm..... no ATM in this village - only what they call a Mini ATM, which, in effect, is a shop that exchanges your currency for theirs, but one is limited to what they have in their till at the time - and the exchange rate is very much in their favour! So that isn't an option, and knowing we have more than sufficient fuel to get to the next large town, we turn north to our overnight stop 25kms further up the road - the Kalahari Rest Lodge. We had spent a night here in one of their en suite rooms on a previous trip, but this time decide to camp - (we had found the rooms rather pokey, and their chalets too expensive for our needs). The day's log totalled 295kms and it’s a warmish 35°C as we drive up the gravel road to reception.
4 rather nice, semi-enclosed and comfortable campsites, each with its own ablution facility
The previous time we were here we had the most wonderful dinner of rump steak in their restaurant. After having had braais for a number of days we decide, as evening approaches, to again enjoy a delicious juicy rump. Oh dear.....what a disappointment. The steak is as tough as an old pair of wet running shoes. Management is conspicuous by their absence and perhaps that may be problem - the quality of the meat purchased was quite obviously inferior to that which we had experienced on the previous occasion - and are somewhat miffed when paying the bill - nearly R300 for the meal and drinks. Ah well, the campsite and clean ablutions are well worth the R153 for the night.
Day 12
The mornings are still on the cool side at 11°C. Our travelling time today is again going to be fairly short - about 311kms, tar all the way. But we now need to restock both food and drinks at the next opportunity. The bustling town of Ghanzi, some 250kms up the road, will do nicely. The name stems from the Naro language ("Gaentsii"), meaning 'swollen buttocks', referring to the good health in early years of the antelope, and later cattle, which congregated around a pan in the area.
We also fill the tanks as from now until our arrival in the Caprivi, fuel may become a scarce commodity. We find a 'normal' ATM from which we draw sufficient cash to see us through Botswana – it’s always a bit of a guess as to how much cash one needs as one never knows whether the next fuel station will accept a credit card or insist on cash - so one errs on the up side - one of the quirks of travelling in Africa :-)
Continuing north, we encounter our first Veterinary Control Point since arriving in Bots. Botswana has defined restrictions regarding the movement of raw meat from one region to another due to the dreaded foot and mouth disease that occurs on a fairly regular basis in some areas of the country. Luckily we had bought all our meat down the road in Ghanzi and, if necessary, could prove it with till slips. The rule apparently is that one can transport meat south to north and west to east, but not in the reverse directions. Regrettably there are times when the officials manning the control points are hungry - and then confiscate.....
We’re allowed to keep our meat and are given a document confirming the origins of the produce which we can present at control points further north.
Around lunchtime we arrive at El Fari, our next overnight stop - gosh (for want of a better word in a family travelogue), what an absolutely super place. There are probably not more than 6 campsites in total - well spread out - one hardly sees one's neighbours (if there are any) - and a communal ablution block that must be the pride of Botswana, absolutely spotless and well-presented - and only R109 a night for the site.
El-Fari campsite - as it was a one-nighter, we erected the roof-top tent.....
Day 13 and 14
We look forward to the day's drive as we are leaving the semi-arid and sandy Kalahari biome and entering a different ecosystem altogether - the Kalahari wetlands and marshes of the Okavango Delta, and the Okavango river feeding it. The distance is another easy 327kms to a 2-night stop-over at Guma Lagoon Camp.
Many years ago we travelled to the Delta and Chobe National Park - through Moremi, Savuti and on to Ihaha on to the banks of the Chobe River, with our good friends Jan and Ellen van Gend. But this trip up the western areas of the Okavango Delta pan handle is new to us. The excitement mounts as we turn NW, onto the A35 (also tarred), at the village of Sehithwa. Lake Ngami is on the right but from the roadside there is no evidence of any flooding. 40kms up the road we come across the first flowing river, the Taokhe, since entering the Kgalagadi/Kalahari region, now many days ago. A little further on we arrive at another Veterinary Control Point. The certificate that was issued at the previous one allows us to proceed with our stock of meat. Interestingly, we see a number of small fires burning around and about the control point. Apparently these are used by the local community that traverses this road, and the vet fence, on a regular basis. The locals use these fires to 'singe' any meat they may be carrying. This then allows them to take it across the vet 'border' - no longer raw meat, you see!
We pass through the small villages of Nokaneng and Gumare. We come across a fuel station - may as well top up our tank. But they won’t accept credit cards. Not wanting to deplete our hard cash reserves we drive on. It’s not really a big deal as our two tanks hold a combined 280 litres, and we haven’t travelled all that far since the last top-up.
185kms from Sehithwa we arrive at the turn-off to Guma Lagoon. A gravel road takes us to the village of Etsha 13. Here the road changes to a rather soft and deep sand track. We are still at the outskirts of the village when we feel the truck starting to labour a bit through the deep sand. We stop to lower the tyre pressures and it isn’t long before we’re surrounded by the village children wanting to see what the Feursteins are up to. Soon we’re on our way again but then find that the well-used sand track to the lodge has been badly affected by the heavy rains and flooding of the delta perimeter. This necessitates finding new tracks in order to bi-pass the waterlogged ones - thank heavens for GPS's and Tracks4Africa software.
We arrive at Guma Lagoon a little before 14h00 - the air temperature is a rather warm 42°C. After booking in (luckily the campsite isn't full) and having a good look around, we quickly come to the conclusion that we are going to enjoy our stay here. Situated on the banks of the Okavango River, the area looks absolutely stunning, and it seems like a good place to relax and recuperate for a couple of days.
the campsite is stunning - situated on the edge of a forest of shady trees.....
the lodge on the banks of Guma Lagoon on the western side of the delta panhandle.....
Sitting here, sipping a few cold ones from the lodge's bar, and
watching the ever-changing scene - another WOW time in Africa.....
....and......and we have our own private ablution facility next to our campsite - how cool is that......
We wake at first light to a cacophony of bird songs - songs
and tweets and chirps - an intensity which we have never heard before -
absolutely stunning - we don't want to leave....... Our bird list grows
substantially over the 2 days we chill out here. The lovely campsite is R220
per night - a more relaxing venue would be difficult to find.
The only downside is the lack of mains power which leaves us with a slight dilemma as our fridge and freezer run off our truck battery system. Will the 2 auxiliary batteries cope over the 2 days without us needing to go for a drive to charge them? We keep a close eye on the voltage monitor and find that there is no need to stress at all - they are coping admirably.
our stay at Guma Lagoon is most enjoyable and we will be back.....
Day 15
We leave Guma Lagoon with fond memories but know that there is
more uncharted (for us) territory to explore in the Caprivi Strip.
Back on the A35, we turn north to our next planned (but
again not pre-booked) destination, Mahangu Lodge. We encounter another 2 Vet
Control Points - pass through without any hassles - pass a couple of villages
off the side of the road – and eventually arrive at the town of Shakawe. Here
we look for fuel and find a single, no-name-brand pump, a few hundred
metres down a dusty track. We decide to give it a miss as one is never sure
whether the fuel at these isolated spots has been 'enhanced' with water or paraffin.
We also need to stock up with provisions and find a well-stocked supermarket - quite
a surprise considering the size of the village - we enjoy surprises like this :-)
From Shakawe we turn NW and follow the banks of the Okawango
river. After 22kms we arrive at the
Botswana/Namibia border control post. Thanks to a very quiet customs office
and, once again, friendly and efficient officials, we complete the formalities
in a jiffy.
We’re now in Namibia and find ourselves on the C48, a very corrugated
gravel road which is quite surprising as Namibian non-paved roads have always
been very good. After some 20kms we turn
off to Mahangu Safari Lodge (meaning 'food of the local people') situated on
the banks of the Okavango River.
The lodge itself looks very safari-ish and comfortable. But we don't intend to spend that many $$$
on lodge accommodation. Not having booked in advance we are fortunate to get the
last campsite on the banks of the river. It isn’t the best river site, primarily
because we will need to follow the shade (mid 30°C heat) - also the gravel
top-soil, instead of sand, makes the site look a bit man-made. After some deliberation, and viewing of other
sites, we take it – we’re sure we’ll come to enjoy it over the period of our
stay.....
.....quite frankly - can one really find a better dinner setting than this.....
The site is situated next to a well-worn hippo path leading to their nightly feeding grounds, a short distance inland. It’s quite
eerie to hear these massive beasts 'tip-toe' past the tent at night.
Day 16
The plan this morning is to go for a game drive to the
nearby MahangoGame Reserve, widely considered as one of Namibia’s most varied and
fascinating conservation areas. The daily entry fee is a reasonable R70 which
allows one to use the full spectrum of the road network within the park. Not
that it is huge mind you, but the abundance of game, large and small, the
lovely woodlands of zambezi teak, wild seringa, wild teak, baobabs and other
vegetation, home to a variety of birds, together with the marshes and the
Okavango river running through it, makes the outing a memorable one.....
.....lunch under one of the huge trees on the banks of the wetland areas.....
.....the ellies also having their lunch-time treats.....
....and the bird-life is prolific.....this little bee-eater is quite relaxed......
.....thanks to Kathy's eagle eyes (I miss it) we see this
beautiful tiny pearl-spotted owl.....
.....and back at the campsite the birding is just as good..... the greater blue-eared glossy starling
We spend the late afternoon at the lodge's deck, sitting
under the jackalberry trees, enjoying a sundowner or two......
We return to our campsite, start the fire, and prepare the
evening meal, with just the quiet sound of the full-flowing river stirring the
stillness of the evening - another glorious night in Africa...
Once again our departure from this idyllic setting is
difficult, but hey, new adventures lie ahead.....
It is
unfortunate that the region is quite smokey due to the numerous bush fires that
cast a glow over the horizon at night. Apparently at this time of the year the
local indigenous people start these fires to clear ground for the planting of
their staples. They also burn the old
grass to encourage new growth.
We feel sure we’ll be back one day, but perhaps at a
different time of the year. At R160 per night we can explore this lovely
wilderness area for days without breaking the bank.
Day 17
Today’s route continues north on the C48, past the popular tourist
attraction of Popa Falls, through the village of Divundi - we still have oodles of fuel so no
need to fill the tanks. At the junction
with the B8, we turn east into the Caprivi. This relatively narrow strip in Namibia (approximately 35kms
wide) carries on in an easterly direction for close to 200kms, with Angola over
the northern border and Botswana in the south. The B8 is a good tarred road but again there is evidence of
bush-burns having taken place along both sides of the road, at times kilometres
in length. There is a good deal of pedestrian traffic and it is quite evident
that the local communities are very poor. Although their thatched huts and
kraals appear to be well maintained, there is not much evidence of
any subsistence farming - the people looked rather undernourished.
195kms further on we turn north, off the B8, to the Susuwe
Environment Office. Here we pay R225 per night for the 2 days that we are going
to spend at our next destination, Nambwa Community Rest Camp. We return to the B8, cross over the road, and keep going
south for about 13kms….
…..through dense bush along a very sandy track…..
.....until we finally reached Nambwa.
We had heard that site No. 2 was the best of the six and
fortunately it’s available for the duration of our stay.
another WOW campsite - situated on the banks of the Kwando
River - couldn't be a better setting.....
Nambwa is tops. The 2 camp attendants keep everything
spotlessly clean – the thatch-roofed, reed-walled ablutions are a delight to
use - the shower water is solar-heated - all in all another wonderful place to
relax and enjoy a unique wilderness experience.
Day 18
The following morning sees us exploring the area south of
Nambwa…..
…..through the wonderful forests of the Susuwe Triangle.....
.....along the Kwando River where the hippos keep a close watch on us with their beady little eyes.....
We find ourselves having to drive through a 50m long water-filled depression
that turns out to be somewhat deeper than anticipated - the water is lapping
over Ploddy's bonnet (yea, we know, we should have walked it first). Ploddy chugs through it without missing a
beat - but our hearts are beating double-time from the adrenalin rush :-)
We drive as far as Horse-Shoe bend – at some stage in the past the river bashed its way along a different course. A little further on the track becomes more and more waterlogged – time to turn back.
We drive as far as Horse-Shoe bend – at some stage in the past the river bashed its way along a different course. A little further on the track becomes more and more waterlogged – time to turn back.
.....the bird life is prolific - a crowned plover searching for food at the edge of the marshland....
back at camp, in the late afternoon, a family of elephants come sloshing through the shallow waterways on their way to an island where they feed off the nutritious vegetation - it just couldn't get better......
Day 19
But today there is a change of plan. Our original intention was to make Nambwa our last stop before turning back west - and follow the long trek home. But instead, after chatting to fellow overlanders, we decide to explore more of the Kwando river wilderness areas. The suggested destination is Kwando Camp, situated on the eastern shores of the river.
So, back to the B8, we turn east instead of west. We cross the Kwando river bridge and immediately come across another Vet Control Point - but as we are travelling west to east we’re waved through. After a further 10kms the village of Kongola appears on the right. Here we turn south onto a reasonable gravel road. After a further 25kms we see the sign for Kwando Camp - the road leads us back towards the river.
The camping area is virtually deserted and at R160 a night the site is relatively cheap…..it did fill up later in the afternoon.....
…..but we are disappointed - it's not on the banks of the river…..
…..but the bar and public areas at the lodge are lovely…..
…..and some of the guests enjoy an early dinner…..
We initially thought of spending two nights here, but not having the river
flow past the front doorstep (yes, we have been spoilt) we decide to leave the
next day. But we don’t want to leave the
region before exploring the game reserve situated further south.
Day 20
Mudumu Game Reserve is about half-way to the wetlands of Mamili NationalPark. Travelling south for about 20kms we
arrive at the Nakatwa Office where we pay a nominal R70 entrance fee. We follow the Kwando in a northerly direction,
but game is rather scarce, or perhaps just shy.
We stop for lunch at a small grassy ‘hippo munch spot’ on the banks of
the river…..
.....the mass of water winds its way southwards and eventually contributes to the vastness of the Okavango Delta…..
We have now travelled a total of nearly 3 150kms - from today the
distance to home will reduce on a daily basis.
Back at the junction to the B8 we stop for a few necessities at the Kongola
‘supermarket’ (surprisingly well stocked), and also fill the fuel tanks. We turn west, back towards the Kwando bridge and the Vet Control Point. As we are now travelling east to west we are
requested to pull over. The officials search
for red meat, but at this stage all we have left in our freezer is chicken, so
no problemo.
While enjoying a glass of wine the previous evening we decided we really
should not miss the opportunity of viewing the Poppa falls. It is a relatively short 220kms to our next overnight bivouac so we stop off
and do what tourists do - sightsee…..
…..as suggested earlier, the ‘falls’ are really just a series of rapids…..
…..but the guide accompanying us through the bush to the river ‘assures’ us
that the ‘falls’ are much more impressive when the Okavango comes down in full
flood - oh yea J
We had decided to overnight at the nearby Nunda Safari Lodge - the name given to the fruit of the jackalberry tree by the local Hambukushu people - a mere 4kms or
so from the falls. Upon our arrival we
are shown a choice of available campsites…..one of them along the river bank
…..guess which one we choose…..
…..although compact, the campsite is well positioned and very private
The afternoon temperature has crept into the mid 30’s. We set up camp and decide to go for a lovely refreshing
dip in the lodge’s swimming-pool.
And for the record, the ablution block in the camping area is well-maintained and a delight to use.
Amazingly the
mornings are still fresh (13°C) . We had expected temperatures to be much
warmer this far north. The day’s run is
going to be a bit over the 200km mark so there is no frantic necessity to break
camp early. We depart a little after 8 and once again return to the main
east/west arterial B8, but turn west this time. We had thoroughly
enjoyed our experiences in the Caprivi Strip and are unanimous in our verdict -
we will be back one day.
Our intention is to
overnight in the town of Rundu, at the Sarasungu River Lodge on the banks of
the…..yep, Okavango River. However, on
the recommendation of a safari tour operator that we spoke to a few days
earlier, we thought we would try n’Kwazi Lodge instead.
The trip west is
uneventful and about 10kms before Rundu we arrive at the turn-off to the lodge.
Unfortunately it is not at all what we had expected – this is not for us. We’re
not impressed with the facilities provided, nor the campsite - a great pity as
the lodge is run as a local community upliftment initiative, but has been
allowed to become quite shabby and neglected. We decide to push on.
Arriving in Rundu we look for Sarasungu to ascertain whether a
campsite is available (again hadn’t pre-booked). It turns out that we are
the first campers to arrive on the day and have a choice of any site. But
before setting up camp we decide to return to the ‘CBD’ to restock as we are now
seriously low on provisions - food, cold drinks and ‘other refreshments’.
…..the outlook, through the strands of a wire fence across
to Angola on the other side of the river, is not of virgin vegetation and bush,
but rather the ramshackle conglomeration of an informal settlement. The wire
fence also leaves one with the distinct feeling that the area is not all that
safe. This is later confirmed by the fact that a couple of guards patrol the
camping area throughout the night - and hopefully also the river bank to keep
the crocs in their place..... J
We decide to spoil ourselves and have dinner at the
restaurant – regrettably the venison dish is well below par - as is the wine -
but the beer was magnifique :-). Our stay in Rundu is one that we will not want
to repeat.
It is an early start as we want to arrive at our next destination by
lunchtime. Availability of fuel over the
next few days is unsure so we top up just to be on the safe side.
The idea today is to get to Namutoni Camp, in the world-famous EtoshaNational Park, and stay there for 3 nights.
Due to the park’s popularity we phone ahead to book a campsite. Ouch - only 1 night is available. This is not part of the plan - but hope that
things will change by the time we arrive.
From Rundu the B8 takes us in a SW direction. For a while villages dot the countryside but
these peter out as we get further away from Rundu. Close to 150kms down the road we turn off the
hard-top onto gravel. The route now takes us in a westerly direction and we eventually arrive at the most eastern entrance
to the park – Namutoni Gate.
Upon going through the formalities at reception we find out that 3 nights are
in fact available, and had been available all day – hehehe, it’s fun travelling
in Africa!! All’s well that ends well - we
are happy chappies as we really do want to chill out for a few days.
But Etosha has become expensive for travellers paying with rand - R544 per
night for no better facilities than were provided at most of our previous
campsites, for half the price, or even less…..
our campsite with power connection and a water tap a short distance away
Choosing a site on the perimeter of the camp turns out to be a good move as a
number of large overlanding trucks
arrive daily, each carrying 15-30 tourists.....
.....the middle of the camping area literally turns into a tent-town
The problem is not so much the number of people in the vicinity of our
campsite – they are in fact surprisingly quiet (exhausted?) – but these hordes
also need to use the ablution block which was never designed to cater for such
large numbers. It doesn’t take a rocket
scientist to figure out the problems that can arise at morning and evening ablution
hour. To avoid the scramble we decide to
ablute mid-afternoon, and then long before most of the sleepy foreigners emerge
from their tents in the morning.
Nevertheless we make the most of our stay at Namutoni and in fact get to
enjoy the comfort and homeliness of our site….
…..kudu – there is nothing better than a cool drink on a warm day…..
.....zebra – who don’t seem to mind or even be aware of the mid-day heat…..
…..a small pride of lions - big daddy keeps a watchful eye on the surroundings….
We had been to Etosha many years ago, when the price of accommodation was
still quite acceptable. But now, as our
time at Namutoni draws to a close, Kathy and I ponder whether we would want to
return. One ventures into wilderness
areas not only for the fauna and flora but also the quietness and solitude of a
bush experience. Ideally there really should
be an entirely separate camping area for the huge tourist-filled trucks - their
presence takes away that feeling of tranquility and peace that one so looks
forward to when on safari. Although the
park is quite unique in its location and viewability of game, we come to the
conclusion that this, together with the cost of camping (never mind the
horrendous prices charged for chalet accommodation), will probably deter us from
returning – c’est-la-vie.
Day 24
The morning dawns slightly warmer at 15°C.
It is going to be one of our longer days on the road – a total of 470kms -
to the town of Okahandja and an overnight stop at the Okahandja Country Hotel. After having spent the last 14
days in a tent we decide to go for a bit of luxury - DB & B – yipeee.
We get onto the B1 south, the well-maintained north-south arterial road that
runs the length of Namibia. 110kms later
we arrive at the town of Tsumeb - famous for its sinkhole lakes and the world's biggest meteorite - stop off at the SPAR to replenish our
depleted stocks - and pop into the liquor store to top up our booze box.
Continuing southwards we pass through the smaller towns of Otavi
and Ojiwarongo (in Herero - place where fat cattle graze) before finally turning off at the outskirts of Okahandja to our
destination for the night.
The discussion at the hotel’s reception:
‘Could we have a room for the night please?’ – ‘sorry, no room available due
to a wedding reception with guests coming from far and wide’.
‘We would like to book a table in your restaurant for dinner’ – ‘sorry,
fully booked’
‘Its been a hot afternoon, may we use your swimming pool? – ‘sorry, the wedding
reception is taking place around the pool’
Ok, so we revert to camping L - and when we hear it’s only R140 for the night we feel
somewhat better J. The site is clean, well-kept and the ablution facilities are spotless –
always a major plus factor for us - certainly a venue to remember for future
use.
Day 25
We wake up to a decidedly chilly 10°C and it doesn’t get much warmer by the
time we depart at 8ish. Again, although not
necessary, we top up the fuel tank before leaving town, just in case of
shortages along our intended route. Still on the B1 we continue south, past the outskirts of the capital and largest city in Namibia,
Windhoek. Soon we veer right
onto the C26 and travel through some stunning scenery - farmlands (lots of
opening and closing of gates) - past
Mount Charlottenberg (2 138m).....
.....then over the scenic Remhoogte Pass
(1 556m)…..
…..we look for a shady tree to use as a lunch stop – it never materializes - we eventually stop on the road (we are hungry and haven’t seen another vehicle for hours) - the temperature has dropped into the low 20’s so it's quite pleasant in the sun…..
We drive alongside the boundary of the Naukloof Mountain Zebra Park and then parallel
to the dry Tsauchab river. Only in times of exceptionally heavy and prolonged
rain does this river carry water. It’s approximately 100kms long and is best
known for the cut through the spectacular Sesriem Canyon and, further ‘downstream’, the usually
dry Sossusvlei in the Namib Desert. The vlei marks the end of the Tsauchab river’s
attempt to reach the Atlantic as it is blocked by some of the largest sand
dunes in the world.
So, via a very circuitous route, we eventually arrive at our
destination. The driveway to the Tsauchab River Camp reception
area is decorated with metal artworks assembled from bits and pieces of cars,
tractors and who-knows-what-else. Some
of the creations are easily recognizable while others are a mystery to all but
the creator - which happens to be the owner of the lodge.
Upon seeing that we have a 4 x 4 we’re asked whether we would like to
overnight at their Oerwald Camp about 12kms into a gorge in the Tsaris Mountains. We jump at the opportunity. And what a wonderful spot it is
on the Tsauchab River - the roots of wild fig trees cascading down the banks of the watercourse - a natural spring supplying crystal-clear water to the river - and we had it all to ourselves (normally it is reserved for groups only). At R270 a night we may stay for 2 nights if
all goes well. There is a resident attendant that manages and maintains the camp and also stokes the
‘donkey’ to generate hot water for the shower.
the well-maintained campsite with mature sweetthorn trees and decent ablution facilities
A very picturesque scene, while at the same time quite bizarre to see this green oasis amongst the surrounding rocky and desolate landscape.
But, as night falls, the temperature keeps dropping and a bitterly cold
wind begins to whistle down the kloof – one of our less pleasant nights in the
roof-top tent.
Day 26
Even the early morning cup of coffee doesn’t help to raise the body temperature
much, and ominous black clouds are
gathering against the windward side of the mountain - a decision has to be
made.
Ok, so the air temperature is 7°C – a freezing wind blowing – life is too
short to have to put up with these conditions when there is a simple way out –
we’re packed and gone by 8 o’clock.
Had we stayed a second day we would have popped across to Sesriem and the
dunes of Sossusvlei. But under the
circumstances….. and anyway, we have been to the vlei on a previous trip.
Our road continues south to our next overnight destination, Klein Aus Vista,
near the small town of Aus situated at the southern edge of the Namib Naukluft
National Park.
We get onto the scenic C27 but soon do an about-turn due to the most severe
road corrugations imaginable. It’s not
long before we’re happily cruising along the smooth C14 and only need to slow down for the
many concrete, low-water causeways through (dry) river beds. As one travels along these roads one is
continually overawed by the huge, dry, barren plains and the rugged mountain
scenery of Namibia…..
The town of Helmerinshausen comes and goes….. towards the middle of the
afternoon, and 424kms later, we arrive at Klein Aus Vista. Although the temperature has not risen above
13°C all day the idea is still to camp. The camping area is well known for its scenic beauty….. and, with a bit
of luck, one may also see the wild
desert horses that frequent the area not too far away.
Our luck is out for the first time this trip – the campsite is full. In fact the receptionist informs us that the
whole establishment is fully booked for the night – except for one en-suite
chalet. Having heard how expensive
formal accommodation is at this resort, we now need to haggle the price down to
a more acceptable level for our pockets.
After a short debate with the manager we agree on R695 for the night,
breakfast included. We move in and are quietly
rather pleased that we are not camping in this icy weather J
…..and later the rain does bucket down…..
We have sundowners at the lodge’s not so cosy pub (renovations are on the go) – but (one of us) enjoys a pint or two of the local Camelthorn brew from a brewery of the same name situated in Windhoek – mother’s milk J
Day 27
We hustle across the few hundred meters to breakfast wearing not only all of our warmest gear, but also frozen facial grimaces - the air temperature has dropped to 4°C.
Our intention was to overnight at Norotshama River Resort in Namibia but, because of the inclement weather, we decide to hot-foot it back to South Africa via the border posts of Noordoewer/Vioolsdrift - and continue on to the town of Springbok, some 448kms south of our current position.
the C13 descends the Namibian Huib-Hoch Plateau, through the gap in the Swartkloofberg…..
…..what stunning scenery – Namibia is just so different – one can never see
enough of it.
…..the river divides South Africa and Namibia and flows west into the Atlantic Ocean
One drives amongst the most awesome peaks and crags of the Richtersveld desert
mountains which stretch along both sides of the river…..
The terrain eventually flattens out towards the east and changes into a sandy
desert-like region, with a lush green contrast of the riverine bush along the river
banks. We pass through the
Aussenkehr area known for its export quality table grapes - the Gariep river
brings life to the surrounding arid lands.
At Aussenkehr the gravel road turns into a paved black-top, obviously for
the benefit of the grape-carrying trucks plying their trade from the vineyards
to the markets in S.A. and elsewhere.
Just before arriving at the Noordoewer Border Post we make the most of the
cheaper fuel prices in Namibia, and fill the tanks for the last time on this
trip.
The border formalities, as they have been all along, are painless, and it isn’t
long before we find ourselves motoring down the N7 to our final night at the caravan park in the Northern Cape town of Springbok.
It’s 18°C when we arrive at the camp reception - we look at each other and
unanimously agree that camping is out – we want a chalet. It isn’t only because of the temperature, it’s
also because we aren’t too keen to spend time breaking up camp on our last
morning.
And again, our luck is out – no chalets available - the only other ‘indoor’
accommodation offered is a ‘rondavel room’, with the use of communal ablutions
and kitchen. At R210 for the night we say
‘what the hell’, lets do it……it’ll be a roof over our heads during one of the
coldest nights of our entire trip…..
…..our room is barely large enough to accommodate a double bed and a little
side table.....
…..believe it or not.....
Fortune is on our side as in our freezer we still have a wonderfully hot
(spicy hot) chicken curry that Kathy had pre-cooked before we left home, and
just never got round to consuming…..
Day 28
The 4°C this morning causes Ploddy’s windows to frost up. We warm up with a last cup of coffee and rusks,
and 565 uneventful kilometres later we pull up at our front door.
Some stats for the trip:
Diesel consumed: 816.62
litres
Diesel cost: R
6 350
Average diesel price per litre: R7.91
Fuel consumption: 12.51
l/100kms (8kms/l)
Cost of accommodation/campsites: R 6 883
Total trip cost: R13
433
Cost /person/day: R249
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