A long & not so winding road
On of our group consultants, Liz Shaw, recently went on a private holiday trip through Namibia. She and her father were kind enough to write a little review about their trip and all the fantastic experiences they had. From their stunning sunsets at the waterholes to their travels through Namibia’s sandy (and dusty!) roads and being followed at night by Jackals while being lost in the wild… Read on for part one of Liz’ very interesting article!
14 days self drive Cape Town to Windhoek – November 2010
I have only been to Namibia once before on an overland tour and it was this trip that encouraged me to return, this time with my parents and partner.
This is a short (ish) account of our adventure written by my father (Michael) and me (Elizabeth/Liz)
Day 1: Cape Town to Gecko Creek, Cedarberg
We departed Cape Town late on the Sunday morning – our rental Nissan Tilda fully loaded with everything we may need for the next 2 weeks in the Namibian desert – sun-screen, plenty of water and a cool box of beer – ready for anything! As today was my father’s 62nd birthday, I had booked us into ‘Die Strandloper’ beach camp restaurant in Laangebaan. 10 seafood courses and 4 hours later we were ready to continue our journey to Cedarberg – suitably replete and the cool box a little lighter. We began our 2-hour journey to our first nights stop at Gecko Creek.
Gecko Creek is beautifully set nestled in the Cedarberg Mountains on a private concession with a variety of buck, small mammals, a resident wolf and a bird watchers delight!
On arrival at Gecko Creek, we were greeted by the resident wolf – Hoka, who immediately marked his territory by peeing on each of the car wheels. At first, we were a tad intimidated, however our fears were unfounded and Hoka took an instant liking to Chris (my wife) who stroked it repeatedly. As Ingrid – the onsite manager – showed us around the camp we were warned about it being the beginning of snake season, as we neared the ablution block we actually saw a Coral snake slither across the track in front of us!
Elizabeth and Doug set up their tent as we were shown to our cabin set beautifully on the side of a hill with wonderful views down the valley. We then encountered more wildlife when we were literally attacked by a startling who happened to be nesting in our cabin eaves! A night to the somewhat distant toilet block was filled with apprehension as we anticipated attacks from Starlings, Coral Snakes or indeed a wolf! The adventure begins!
Day 2: Gecko Creek to Felix Unite, Orange River
After a beautiful sunrise over the Cedarberg Mountains, we bid our farewells to Ingrid, Hoka and the tranquil Gecko Creek camp onwards to the Namibian border. After a stunning 4-hour drive and a brief stop at Springbok to pick up supplies we arrived at Vioolsdrift, the Namibian border crossing. After we had completed the necessary paperwork we drove into Namibia and onto Felix Unite campsite on the Orange River, a mere 10kms from the border.
Felix Unite is set on the banks of the Orange River, accommodation and campsites all elegantly situated. Doug and myself set up camp under a tree next to a braai block and quickly set off for the pool to cool down after the mornings long and hot drive – the Namibian heat already overwhelming us. (Being English means my parents and I are ill equipped when it comes to the intense African sun!)
As Elizabeth & Doug set up their campsite, Chris & I were assigned a thatched Cabana, well equipped with en-suite facilities and magnificent views down to the river. After a swim and a few drinks at the poolside bar – most welcome as we had experienced the first section of Namibia’s dusty gravel roads! – We had a Braai at the campsite followed by a sound nights sleep. We were awakened by the plaintive sounds of a baby crying which turned out to be a little kid goat lost on the riverbank – the management were informed and the goat rescued. We set off on our next stage.
Day 3: Felix Unite to Canon Roadhouse, Fish River Canyon
Today we drove a mix of tarred/gravel roads. In the morning we visited (a somewhat deserted) Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa Resort where we relaxed in the rather too warm swimming pool (fed by the local hot spring) before continuing the hot & dusty (soon to be common theme!) drive to Canon Roadhouse – a veritable oasis in the desert. Tent was pitched and lodge room occupied, with a little time for a rest by the pool before we set off to experience the sunset over the Fish River Canyon.
After lying by the pool and sampling some of Namibia’s finest beer we left the haven of Canon Roadhouse. We arrived at the Fish River Canyon in time for ‘sundowners’ in front of the spectacular canyon- magical! We happened to bump into a Jenman tour that were also taking in the beautiful sunset and stunning backdrop. With the sun set, we promptly returned to Springbok steaks served at the Canon Roadhouse restaurant then a short stroll for Doug and me to the camp as the starry sky washed over us – stunning.
Day 4: Canon Roadhouse to Hammerstein Lodge – Sossusvlei
After a hearty breakfast in the restaurant we headed off in the direction of Sossusvlei marvelling at the apparent barrenness of the surrounding countryside (little knowing we ain’t seen nothing yet!) & gritting our teeth at the dustiness & bumpiness of the gravel tracks we were travelling on. En-route we came across nothing much but dusty sandy landscapes – the odd excitement of a tree ensued and even more thrill when we discovered weaver birds nests nestled high in the branches. We were started to understand the naming – The Skeleton Coast! We stopped for supplies, petrol and an ATM in Keetmanshoop – a small old-fashioned town – feeling as if we had gone back in time. After a long journey, we came across another oasis in the form of Hammerstein Lodge.
We eagerly signed up for the ‘Cat Walk’ and quickly dropped our luggage off at our chalets before heading on the walk. The lodge runs daily ‘cat walks’ to meet their resident Caracals, Cheetah and Lisa the Leopard – we even got to pet Max the Cheetah! On the walk back to our room rather excited after our big cat exposure we were greeted by a Springbok (I felt a little guilty for enjoying the previous nights dinner so much) and the resident Zebra which came up for a nose rub. We bumped into another Jenman truck doing a similar route yet much further– The Northern Experience, Cape Town to Victoria Falls. We swapped stories of our adventures and I was given some great tips on how to handle the Namibian roads.
Day 5: Hammerstein to Solitaire
The theme today was to be sand and lots of it! After a 5am breakfast we drove to Sesreim and on paying the conservation fee drove (on a tarred road – joy of joys!) to the dunes of Sossusvlei – a remarkable phenomenon – the highest sand dunes in the world!
To get right into the dunes we needed to avail ourselves of the 4×4 taxi truck and then we walked (difficult task in sinking sand) into the dunes to find the ‘dead vlei’ a dried up pan with inert-looking trees sticking up. The colour and graceful curves of the dunes is truly memorable.
We considered climbing Dune 45 but we were all too tired, we returned to Sesreim and had a beer instead!
Although I had pre-booked accommodation for every other night of the trip I had left day 5 free to allow us some freedom and flexibility. After reading a concoction of guide books we all decided that en-route to Walvis Bay the quaint town of Solitaire sounded the most appealing. Looking for a town, we actually sped straight past the small cluster of buildings, which turned out to be the entirety of Solitaire – a bakers (we soon discovered this was famous for its apple crumble pie – yummy!), a tyre repair shop & petrol station, a grocery shop and our lodgings for the night – Solitaire Lodge. Doug & I set up our tent and explored the town (which took all of 3 minutes) before lying by the pool while mum and dad had a power nap. After yet another stunning Namibian sunset at ‘Solitaire International Airport’ (so the piece of wood on the sand said) we had yet another great braai savouring the Namibian meats and beers. We all slept well with full bellies and the serenity of the dunes etched in our memories forever.
Day 6: Solitaire Lodge to Walvis Bay
Desert & sand, bleak & inhospitable, that is the summary of day 6. The highlight of the day was crossing the Tropic of Capricorn (funny there was no line across the road!) where we posed for photos by the sign.
Somewhere between the Gaub & Kusieb passes the boot catch broke due probably to the constant vibrations caused by the road surface and the lid opened spilling out some of the contents.
This was not noticed at first but luckily, somebody driving behind noticed our possessions strewn across the road and eventually caught up with us and returned them. We tied the boot closed with the tent guy ropes and continued on our bumpy journey.
We arrived in Walvis Bay driving through a sand storm and tracked down the local Nissan dealer who kindly replaced the boot catch free of charge! We caught up with Elizabeth & Doug’s friends Lindi & Marty at their restaurant ‘Anchors on the Jetty’ where we had lunch & dinner & everybody caught up on gossip.
After a long and stressful journey through the Namib-Naukluft Park, it was great to arrive in Walvis Bay and to catch up with old Cape Town friends, Lindi & Marty who had moved to Walvis Bay. I had mixed feelings – missing the tranquillity of the desert but enjoying the ‘civilisation’ of a town – but soon fell for the charm of the town soothed by a plate of fresh seafood served at Anchors for both lunch and dinner!
Day 7: Walvis Bay
After a hearty breakfast at ‘Anchors on the Jetty’, we signed up for a 3-hour catamaran cruise with Mola Mola tours to explore the Walvis Bay lagoon – entertained hugely by the skipper, Walter who fed Popeye the one-eyed seal who slipped aboard, together with aerial feedings of pelicans and gulls. We sailed the lagoon with sightings of dolphin and many seals on a colony on the foreshore. The voyage culminated with a wonderful spread of local oysters, other fishy treats and champagne.
We spent the afternoon exploring the small ‘working town’ of Walvis Bay and the local saltpans with the multitude of bird life in the area. A family braai finished off our nautical day.
Day 8: Walvis Bay to Khorixas Lodge – Damaraland
The time in Walvis Bay allowed us to stock up with supplies and was a bit of a luxury for me and Doug to be out of our tent! We said our farewells to Walvis Bay and continued our journey north through Swakopmund and up the coastal road past Henties Bay where we left the tarred road and headed towards Khorixas on the sand/gravel road C35. About 50kms after Henties Bay driving well under the speed limit, we hit a sandy patch of road and the car went into a skid.
I was driving, and remembering friendly advice fought the instinct to brake and allowed the car to skid where it pleased until it went up on two wheels and then the panic struck! After mounting the sand curb the car slowly came to a stop and we all quickly jumped out to discover the bumper some meters away and a wheel embellisher missing! We managed to tie the bumper back on with our trusty tent guy ropes (these were more useful then ever imagined!) and continued our journey shaken but unscathed.
Lesson learned: In Namibia, we strongly recommend hiring a 4 x 4 vehicle.
(On returning to Cape Town, I was informed that the C35 has the highest accident rate in Namibia!)
Khorixas is a very small town set in the stunning Damaraland district well known for the traditional Himba people who inhabit the region. We stopped at a few stalls and marvelled at the collection of dolls and semi precious looking stones the women were selling. We arrived at our destination -Khorixas lodge and relaxed after our hot, dusty and eventful journey. We spent some time in the pool and then finished the day with another braai marvelling again at the quality of Nambia’s meats and beers –my two favourite things!
Day 9: Khorixas Lodge to Etosha National Park – Okaukuejo
After breakfast, we drove about 50kms to the Petrified Forest. On paying an entrance fee, we followed a track through the space vegetation coming across a number of petrified tree trunk like objects lying randomly around the place.
I for one had envisaged a “forest” of standing petrified trees and although the history is somewhat interesting was disappointed with the site (particularly after enduring some particularly bad gravel roads!). We later discovered that the petrified trees were said to be washed into the area during floods! After returning to Khorixas we dropped into a garage and had our tyres checked (for damage from the previous days adventure!) We rejoined a tarred road (hurrah!) to Outjo where we stopped for supplies ahead of entering Etosha National Park.
After filling the car with the next three nights supplies including Kudu steak, (since visiting Namibia I have gained a great affection for game meats!) we continued our journey onto the Anderson gate of southern Etosha. After a smooth journey through the park stopping for a couple of giraffes and a secretary bird we arrived at Okaukuejo camp. The camp has a great selection of accommodations ranging from camping to divine Waterhole chalets overlooking the bustling waterhole. We promptly set up our tent next to the far edge fence of the camp while mum and dad checked into their Bush chalet just a short walk from the waterhole. We quickly set off for a sunset game drive and immediately came across Zebra, Giraffe, Wildebeest & Springbok. We returned to camp and climbed the lookout tower to get a 360deg view of the park and watch yet another beautiful African sunset watching as the rather ungraceful giraffe plodded off into the distance.
We had yet another braai which was disturbed a few times by begging Jackals and then we all went to the waterhole for the evening’s entertainment. Giraffe, Elephants, Rhino (with babies!) Gemsbok (the yummy dinner of the night) and even lion came down to the water – magical! My parents retired just after midnight and Doug & I continued to enjoy the nature and starry-lit sky. On our walk back to the tent, we somehow lost our way and I started to panic when I noticed we were being followed by Jackal. After finding our bearings and feeling a tad vulnerable I ran back to camp leaving Doug behind to fend for himself if the Jackals were to attack! When we clambered into our tent the sounds of lions playing rather too close startled me. I fell into an uneasy sleep with the sounds of lions and jackals increasing my anxiety. A wonderful day finished off with a touch of nature at its best!
Day 10: Etosha National Park – Halali
Up at 5:00am for our first game drive of the day before returning to the rest camp for breakfast, packing the car and the drive to Halali rest camp with further game viewing on the way. Having visited Kruger National Park (SA) on two occasions, Etosha compares very favourably with the density of game that can be viewed. After checking in at Halali rest camp, we had a very welcome draught beer at the bar followed by a swim in the pool – most refreshing!
We had a further game drive still pursuing the elusive big cats and we visited the lookout point on the Etosha Pan, a vast, empty space taking up 25% of the national park. We then returned for another braai followed by a stint at Halali’s waterhole (not quite as productive at Okakuejo’s waterhole but still has its charm) entertained by a family of Rhino. The highlight of the day was a close sighting of the elusive spotted Hyena as it wandered past the car.
Day 11: Etosha National Park – Okakuejo
Another 5am start for a stunning sunrise game drive – plenty of rhino (black & white), springbok, giraffe, zebra, eland, gemsbok, warthog, wilder beast, elephant and a wild cat – a great start! After a quick breakfast (all eager to continue with the safari) we packed up and set off for our second night at Okaukuejo. During the drive, we saw Jorge again (the Jenman guide we saw on day 4) who told us of two lion sightings they had had this morning at two different waterholes.
We quickly made our way to the first waterhole where, as Jorge had said, there were three lions lazing under a tree! The lions were quite far away so we quickly continued onto Salvadora waterhole (Jorge’s 2nd suggestion) in the hope to get a better sighting! After an hour or so of seeing nothing but a dead zebra we came across several vehicles parked and people pointing excitedly into a clearing. We could not see anything as we all scanned the horizon until suddenly we noticed a lioness lying next to the car. Imagine our surprise when she got up and started walking towards us! As she got closer we thought it a good idea to close the windows – but we need not have worried as she disappeared into a culvert under the road, presumably to join the rest of the pride who were sheltering from the midday sun. This was the best lion sighting I have ever had and I finally felt satisfied with our safari adventure. Thanks Jorge!
A final dinner at the Okaukuejo restaurant followed by a visit to the waterhole was a great ending for our 3-day safari in Etosha – definitely the highlight of the whole trip! We fought sleepiness as we enjoyed the varied animal life at the waterhole including five lions passing by! Doug snoring signalled time for bed lest he scared the animals so we all turned in.
Day 12: Etosha National Park to Bush Pillow – Otjiwarongo
After our last 5:00am rise and game drive (still eager for more big cat encounters) we had breakfast, took a last look at the waterhole – two elephants being the main attraction, then we checked out and said goodbye to Etosha – the last three days being the highlight of the holiday! The drive to Otjiwarongo was uneventful, even pleasant as we were now on tarred roads all the way. We arrived at Bush Pillow Guest House somewhat exhausted after 3 days of game viewing. Here we snacked (all braai’d out!) on pizza, cheese & biscuits, watched DSTV in our room and caught up on sleep!
As we entered the town of Otjiwarongo I was sad to have left the wilderness of Etosha at the sight of factories and shops – I kept expecting to see a springbok leap across the road, searching for the ever elusive big cats in the bushes on the curb side. Doug and I explored the town, its attractions seeming to be petrol stations and churches. We were glad to come across a takeaway shop for pizza –yey to junk food! (The first takeaway shop we had come across said that pizzas needed to be ordered with 24 hours notice – they must be very good pizza’s!)
Day 13: Bush Pillow – Otjiwarongo to Chameleon Guesthouse – Windhoek
After a lie in (much appreciated after 5am starts! We began our journey to Windhoek. We stopped at Okahandja for biltong from a renowned supplier. On arrival in Windhoek the first stop was the famous brewery, home of Windhoek & Tafel beers! We sat in the car and savoured the moment before asking whether a tour was possible – apparently this has to be arranged in advance but no matter we preferred to drink the beer anyway – the visit was of passing interest! We checked into the Chameleon Backpackers and chilled by the pool. We also managed to return our battered (but much loved) Nissan Tiida back to the rental firm and request a new one for Elizabeth & Doug’s long drive back to Cape Town. For our final evening together, we celebrated at Joe’s Beer House (a Windhoek legend) which seats 600 people, and ate some of the animals we had seen in Etosha – a great ending to our adventure!
Day 14: Windhoek to Home
The end of a holiday is always bleak, but never have I had such a holiday downer as waking up at 4am to drive over 1500kms back to Cape Town. Mum and dad took the intelligent option and flew back, whilst Doug and me spent the next 16 hours in the car staring blankly out at sand, driving on roads so straight they make your eyes burn. We did it though, with lots of sweets, steak sandwiches and coffee to guide the way. It was worth the trouble, I had a great 2 weeks in Namibia and I can say for all of us that it was definitely a once in the life time holiday, which we will never forget!
