Category: Namibia

Thursday 20th November

A night in a real bed, luxury, BUT we were both awake early and left for Sossusvlei Dunes at 5.30am. The staff were already up and gave us our packed breakfast and coffee or tea before we left. Back to Sesriem to the Sossusvlei Dune Park. It opens at 6.15am, we were there about 6.30 am and were the 36th vehicle through the gates. The road was tarred through the reserve which made travel more comfortable. We stopped a few times en route to the end of the valley, to take photos. We left the tarred road for the last 4km, BUT we hadn’t put our tyre pressure down for soft sand and had a few worrying moments, where we had to reverse for a bit to try again without getting bogged down in the sand. We saw dune 45 that Sarah and John climbed, quite a few were doing it, it was a bit of a procession and we decided not to do it (too hot, too crowded, and too much of a whimp). We drove on to Sossusvlei and did the walk to Dead Vlei. It took about 11/2 hours, and was really hot on the return journey. The dunes are amazing, they go on for miles towards the coast and the length of Namibia. The colour is astounding, a rich amber/ terracotta colour. The shadows created by the early morning sun make it beautiful. We’ve taken a few photos and hope we can give a bit of an idea of the scale and beauty. 

Back at the Lodge just after lunch, lazed, plunged, read and researched the next leg of our journey.

 

 

Wednesday 20th November 

Our camp last night was near to the Duwisib Castle and they have a small restaurant, so we decided to breakfast there this morning. Full English but the coffee was instant. 

On the road at 9.00. Drove the scenic route to Sesriem through the Namib Rand Nature Reserve. This borders the Namib/Naukluft National Park where Dunes start. We dropped into Sesriem to check out permits for Sossusvlei and for later on an off road trip towards Swakopmund. It was baking hot there, and I think it made our mind up that we must start very early tomorrow morning in order to be able to climb the dunes in the coolest part of the day. So it’s packed breakfast about 6 am and off to the dunes. We then drove another 50km to where we are staying for two nights, Moon Mountain Lodge. This is a canvas camp, huge rooms with en-suite all canvas and built on stilts. It looks over a huge plain towards the dunes. We are high with lovely views. Our room has its own plunge pool on the terrace. Quite different to last night! We had a beer in the bar and a dip in the pool. We were reading and the wind started to blow. It’s very fierce and you wonder how the canvas copes with it. I went out to get my towel on the terrace and one of the chairs and both our towels were in the plunge pool! Oops. Paul has just gone down to reception to ask for replacements.

We have dinner, bed and breakfast, so lap of luxury tonight. A girl has just arrived with two bath mats! Hopefully she’ll be back soon with bath towels. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday 19th November

We spent a very cold night at Klein Aus Vista, as soon as the sun went down last night we needed extra clothes. We needed to find the sleeping bags from under the mattress. We’d used them for extra padding, last night we needed them for warmth. We assume it was the height of the resort at 1,400m. We survived! This morning, up a little later at 5.50am, we had a cuppa and decided to take a walk before it got too warm. We walked for an hour and a half taking in a great view point over what I can only describe as a sand glacier! Check out the photo! We then caught up with emails at the main lodge over a coffee. 

Our journey to Duwisib Castle took 4hours as we decided to take in a much blogged about route D707. It was off the main route and at least half of it was stunning. The silver grass contrasting with the amber dunes and road, quite beautiful. Again only a few on the roads, this time about 6 in four hours, so by Namibian standards very busy! 

We arrived at Duwisib to find an eccentric castle, reminded me of Castle Drogo. Built by an eccentric German for his even more eccentric American wife, and filled with European furniture all transported here from Europe and eventually by ox cart. Some of the pieces are huge, can’t imagine how long they took to transport them in 1906. Now owned by Namibia, NWR.

Camp site a bit down at heel, so looking forward to our two day Lodge stay tomorrow. 

 

 

Saturday 17th November 

Up at dawn as usual now. This is so unlike Me and even Er  is not usually this early. The early going to bed and the heat makes a difference. After the border immigration at Mata Mata formalities were  over we were on our way at 9.00 am, now  in Namibia on our way to Hobas near to the Fish River Canyon. One night here. The scenery on the way was stunning, miles and miles of desolate gravel roads for 460 kms. We did not pass a single car and there were no more than six to eight vehicles coming the other way. The “dune roads “ were  fascinating rolling through a red ochre landscape  then dry  river beds opening out onto flat desolate open spaces for miles and finally Dolomite hills that look man made but go back millions of years with Quiver Trees  atop. 

Arrived Hobas camp at 3.30 pm, not bad on gravel roads, they are very well maintained and a speed of 90 to 100 kph is fine. 

Went to the Canyon at 6.30pm for the sunset, stunning ! Back tomorrow for the sunrise before the short drive to Ai-Ais for another night stop. 

 

Wonderful trip so far only to be enjoyed by being independent, traveling off the main routes can be very rewarding. The Fish River Canyon is a  World Heritage site and hardly a soul to be seen. Lovely!  

Sunday 18th

5.30 rise is now becoming the norm. No real hurry this morning but wanted to get back to the Canyon before the sun got too high and the day warmed up. Arrived at 7.30 am, not that hot so walked the 3 kms to another view point. All views totally stunning, so much so that photos don’t do it justice. The mind is the best photo, being in the place is what it is all about,  photos are just  memories all be it very important. 

Completed the off road 4×4 trail along the Canyon edge, Irene having kittens. Saw Gemsbok, Springbok and the highlight about 10 Hartman’s Mountain Zebra. The Ai Ais National  Park is famed for the Canyon and it’s wilderness and flora and fauna not as a game park, although as it is not fenced, there is a small number of species around, even some leopard. 

Drove from the Canyon to our next night stop and Ai Ais Hot Springs Rest Camp. The camp is an oasis between barren and rugged lower sides of the Canyon with hot springs which is why the camp developed although it is again miles from wherever! 

Lovely pool and camp ( not wild at all, all mod cons, electric hook up, nice ablutions, petrol, restaurant and a nice pool area. Arrived here early about 1 pm, decided to go for a cool and  refreshing swim, shocked when diving in that the water is about 60 degs centigrade. There are hot springs here after all. Nevertheless once one adjusts to  the temperature it is very therapeutic especially after all the driving we have done so far ( about 2000 kms). 

 

Monday 19 November

Ai Ais to Aus today staying at the Klein Aus Vista camp at which we arrived at 5.30. We could have arrived earlier but we wanted to take the much longer Off road route. The scenery was a lot better winding through all the rocky outcrops and once again drove for over three hours without seeing a car or people. Before hitting this route we dropped into the Orange River valley which forms the border between Namibia and South Africa. Stopped at a town called Rosh Pinar to stock up with some much needed supplies, water, some fresh veg and a little fresh meat, just to tidy us over for the next 2 nights. It was a small town which has grown from the nearby zinc and copper mines. It looked quite prosperous and luckily the Spar supermarket reflected this. 

Nice little camp with 8 spots. No electric and no lights, perfect. A few kms away is a “inn” which is owned by the same people as the camp. It has a nice terrace and restaurant and believe it or not a swimming pool. Off there now to catch the sunset with a sundowner and download some blog and catch up with some e-mails.