In 2009 we went to Namibia.
Our top 3 highlights:
– Sossus- and Deadvlei
– Kolmanskop
– Fish River Canyon
Day 1: Arrival in Windhoek – Keetmanshoop
When we arrived in Windhoek, we got our rental car straight from the airport. We had reserved a Mitschubishi X-trail, but we got a Hyundai Tucson, with only 3.000 km on the clock. Brand spanking new, it had just arrived in Windhoek straight from South Africa. Not quite the same car, but … we were very happy with it, we even started calling it “H” affectionately and rather unimaginatively. It got us through some soft sand, over some extremely sharp stones, and through some rivers and streams, whenever we needed the car it came through for us. Top Car!
Anyway, from the drove to Windhoek, in order to take in some provisions, load up on fuel and drove to the south, towards Keetmanshoop. We wanted to get as much mileage under our belt that first day, as we knew we would have a pretty tight schedule with everything we wanted to see in the short period of time we had.
We drove straight down to Keetmanshoop, over a very well paved two lane road through the Kalahari desert, where we arrived just before dark, with an almost empty tank, 540km. A quick refuel and we started to look for a place to stay. We finally ended up in the Quivertree Forrest Restcamp, where we decided to take a cabin rather than try and set up our tent in the complete darkness.
Day 2: Quiver Tree Forest & Fish River Canyon
We spent quite a rough night, because of the huge insects that fluttered around our mosquito net and even managed to bite through the net (I’ve heard or seen so many bugs together). We got up before dawn, to get to the Quiver Tree Forest before sunrise. The sunrise was amazing and the bizarre trees looked stunning in the magical morning light.
Link: Photos of the Quiver Tree Forrest
Afterwards, we planned to go to the Giant’s Playground, a collection of boulders oddly grouped together, but we found the dirt road too poor to drive. On the way back, we drove passed a fence and what we see? Two Cheetahs basking in the sun. What an incredible animal. We got a little closer and took some reasonable good pictures. Anna was so focussed on taking the picture, she hardly realized that she was being stalked by one. Fortunately there was a fence between them.
As it was still early, we decided to drive to the Ai-Ais National Park, in order to view the Fish River Canyon. Well, that’s a canyon and a half! We have seen some canyons, such as the Colca Canyon in Peru, which is so deep at times that the bottom cannot be seen, but this was really impressive. Perhaps because it was so quiet! Sometimes we were the only two people in one of the lookout points, and the silence and vastness, can really make you feel insignificant and small. Talking about the view, it was absolutely incredible! The pictures cannot really do justice to the awe-inspiring spectacle of the canyon, which has been carved out by river over millions of years more than 2,000 m below.
This was, one of those places where ‘H’, our car helped us tremendously. The terrain was very difficult, because of the sharp stones; there was already another car with three flat tires parked at one of the lookout points. If you get a puncture here, it will take hours before anybody can help you, and give you a lift to the civilized world. By the way, the driver of the vehicle with the 3 flat tyres was nowhere in sight.
Link: Photos of the Fish River Canyon
In the afternoon we drove as far as possible in the direction of Lüderitz. However, this journey was just a little too far to drive in one day. We made it to Klein Aus Vista just before sunset and rented a nice little cabin called the Eagle’s Nest. We were glad we did not sleep in a tent that night, because it absolutely pouring down with rain that night.
Day 3: Lüderitz & Lüderitz Peninsula
From Klein Aus Vista it is about a 2 to 3 hours drive, through rolling countryside, with the Sperrgebiet on the left side of the road, prohibited area because the diamond mines, and on the right the vast Namib – Naukluft National Park, an area larger than Switzerland, towards Lüderitz. The road cuts through this area like a knife, and, if you’re lucky, you’ll get to see the rare Namib Desert Horses.
Upon our arrival in Lüderitz, we first looked for a place to sleep. We were allowed to put up our tent on a small lawn in an enclosure. A great place to take our tent for a first test.
We then explored the Lüderitz Peninsula. Again you cannot leave the road here because of the Sperrgebiet. The peninsula is very beautiful, but it is often foggy and strong westerly winds prevail, as it was when we were there. You can find wrecked ships here though as well as the signs where the first Europeans, the Portuguese, came ashore.
Link: Click here for photos of the Lüderitz Peninsula
Day 4: Kolmanskop & Duwisib Castle
On day 4, we went to see the abandoned diamond mining city of Kolmanskop, a ghost town, where in early 20th century the diamonds were literally up for grabs. This town is extremely photogenic, with the houses in ruins, the colourful wallpapers fading and peeling of the walls, whilst the dessert sand enters these houses and makes for eerie scenes. Do be careful when you set off to explore here without a guide though, because there are scorpions, snakes and you might even end up facing a brown hyena!
Link: Photos of Kolmanskop
The afternoon we spent on the road again, to cover as much ground as possible. We left the paved roads for dirt roads for a few days. The dirt roads in Namibia are generally well kept, and smoothed over regularly, and weren’t a problem for ‘H’.
Around 18.00 we arrived at Duwesib Castle, where we decided to put up camp. This bizarre castle was commissioned by ‘Baron’ Captain Hans Heinrich von Wolf in 1908, and everything was transported through the dessert by horse and Carriage from Lüderitz to be assembled here. Unfortunately, for the baron, he never got to enjoy his own castle, because before the castle was finished the First World War started and he enlisted in the German army and died during the Battle of the Somme.
More coming soon …
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