2017 Road tripping in Namibia 1/3

Arrival

Smooth arrival after a long flight - straight to desk in arrivals, shortest transfer ever & then a laidback onboarding & pick up of our fully kitted out 4x4 (Nissan NP300). On then to Daan Viljoen National Park, just outside Windhoek, with a short detour via Checkers grocery store for some supplies (not the most efficient shop after so many hours on the go!!).

First night set up & exploring the vehicle's functionality :)

Our full itenary is here. Section 1 has essentially been a journey of nature reserves - first Daan Viljoen, then Waterberg Plateau, followed by Onguma (at Etosha's gate); all the while working our way determinedly north. Whilst trying not to melt. It's been hot. HOT HOT. High 30C (90's F?) throughout.

Daan Viljoen is a "city reserve" as I'd call it, being so close to Windhoek. The focus on nature/ game is a little more haphazard, it's more about getting to a nice setting & out of the city. The facilities were great - "en suite" camping for us ;) And the restuarant & pool area was popular & vibey whilst we were there.
And the nature is accessible if you want to get to it. We did 2 of the reserves hikes (Ben's posted on these, walk1 & walk2) & the looped drive - seeing wildebeest, zebra, baboons, kudo, giraffe, gemsbok, tsetsebe, warthog to list the bigger animals.

After 2 days, we picked up a special guest (Mum) & headed up north to Waterberg Plateau. This is one of the Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), the Namibian national parks body. We arrived about 5pm, after ~4hrs drive, including the last stretch "Warthog Highway" - loads of warthogs interspersed along either side of the road like a bizarre procession.
The very last stretch is a sandy road that I could imagine might need 4x4 at times. In the campsite the shade was a little sparse, with plenty of thorn trees to keep you (literally) on your toes. All worth it though for the spectacular rock formation that is Waterberg Plateau, seeming to burn rusty red in the sunset... & the incredible starry night skies so very far from light pollution. Though as Namibia only has ~2.1M people, maybe it's not as rare to be remote here.
We had some baboons with attitude milling about the camp (I had a stand off with one too interested in the contents of our car boot), & very noisy neighbours in the natter of franklins that decided to settle in the tree next to us (well, it sounded that way at least!). Whilst they're cute enough clucking around you at day, their rowdy alarm calls through the night... not so very much. Another worthy mention was Mum (65) learning how to setup & get into the rooftop tent!

Ben & Mum did the hike up to the plateau (Ben's post), afterwards we retired to the poolside to alleviate some of the intense heat. Lovely pool & restaurant again, a little higher up the escarpment & a fair bit cooler. Saw loads of damara dikdiks (tiny buck - pics to follow), mongooses & amazing butterflies.

The last of our "warm up" section was 2 days at Onguma, on Etosha's eastern gate. Pics & brief to follow - we're checking out & heading into Etosha!!!! Can't wait- here's a little painfully unedited but snippet of one of our most sombre/ eerie sightings on our previous visit...

Waterberg Plateau - Ben

After leaving Daan Viljoen and collecting our new travelling partner in Windhoek, we began the car journey north to the Waterberg Plateau. A journey of 4 hours was punctuated by a few police roadblocks, negotiated with no problems, a rest stop at a road-side cafe, and a small accidental detour.  As we drove along, we were flanked by scores of warthogs grazing in the roadside verges. Further along the route, we picked up a lady hitching at the side of the road, and it turned out she worked at the camp, and was heading back to work after eight days holiday. Thankful for some accurate directions, we dropped her off at the staff accommodation and headed in to the camp.


Waterberg Plateau National Park was set up as a reserve for rhino (Black and White) and endangered antelopes. The camps site was situated at the foot of the spectacular red stone cliffs that border the plateau. A number of self-guided walks around the park provided options to explore on foot, but venturing on to the plateau was limited to a lengthy guided game drive in either morning or evening. Sarah and I decided to tackle the Mountain View trail. Two hours of walking and clambering, not always in the correct direction, brought us out on top of the plateau. The view stretched from left to right across the plateau and took in the park and the vast expanse of the Waterberg region, sections of dry bushveld separated by dead straight sandy roads which disappeared off towards the horizon.

Rooibos Trail - Ben

The second walk of the trip was along the 9km Rooibos trail, which started at the Daasn Viljoen Boma. We began the walk at 6.30am to avoid the midday heat, yet even with the early start, the temperature was warm. The trail began with a gradual southernly climb from the centre of the camp towards the park gates. We immediately interrupted a warthog digging in the sand, and sighting us, he flicked his tail to attention and briskly trotted off into the brush. The increasing altitude offered an impressive panoramic view across the city of Windhoek and its suburbs, nestled against the mountains rising in the west. To the east of the city, the corrugated metal shacks we had passed on the journey to the park reflected the sunlight.

Compared to the sandy riverbeds of the Wag N Bietje trail, the stony path of the Rooibos trail offered little for the hiker concerned with a silent approach. Each footstep crunched the pink shimmering stones and alerted nearby animals as to our presence. At first, a herd of Gemsbok galloped into the distance as we passed by. Then a pair of Zebras barked on hearing our footsteps, before trotting away beyond our sight. After 4km of ascent, the path turned sharply west, and began to descend. We crunched our way down, with little other life visible, and an increasing temperature apparent. The well-marked descent ended as the path intersected with a dry riverbed. The shade and cool breeze was welcome here. As we followed the sandy path, it was clear we were not the only ones using this thoroughfare. As well as the recent human footprints we had followed since beginning the walk, there were also the marks of a large cat, which themselves were mirrored by the tracks of a much smaller cat - a adult leopard with a cub possibly? These tracks followed the footpath and as we approached a bend in the dry riverbed, a shift in the wind sent the strong smell of another set of remains drifting towards us - another young zebra and possibly signs of a struggle, but no leopard.

We walked on, now keen to escape the increasing temperature, soon turning away from the riverbed and climbing toward the top of the Daan Viljoen camp. The dry conditions were most apparent here - where a modern restaurant had once overlooked the AX dam, now all that remained was a ruined building, with smashed windows and a ransacked interior, and in front a sand filled pit. The dam, as yesterday, was completely dry. We zig-zagged our way down through the camp, back to our site. A warm walk, but definitely worth the effort.

A Bietje walk - Ben

Before the trip we had chatted about the prospect of doing a few self guided walks while we were away. Daan Viljoen has two self guided trails - the short (3km ish) Wag N Biete trail and the Rooibos Trail (9km). After a strong coffee and a couple of rusks, we began the former trail starting at 8.30am. Wag N Biete, I'm told, translates as Wait a Bit, and corresponds to the thorn covered trees which are abundant throughout Southern Africa. An unsuspecting hiker may be forced to Wait a Bit, or longer, as they untangle themselves from the tree's prickly embrace. The walk begins by the main reception and the footpath immediately drops down to follow the course of a dry river bed. The well marked path snakes across soft sand, sometimes zigzagging over the occasional boulders which litter the valley floor. The heat began to rise quickly as we walked and it was soon apparent how challenging life is for the animals within the reserve.

After passing a herd of Wildebeest we came across the remains of a younger member of, maybe, that herd. The drag marks on the ground highlighted the attempts of other animals to make the most of this. Elsewhere, life carried on despite the stifling heat and arid ground. Fantastic coloured lizards with fiery orange heads and vibrant yellow tails sunned themselves on the cliffs that lined the gorge. Bee Eaters and Sociable Weavers danced from tree to tree. The route passed by a small, once riverside, cemetery. Some headstones erected in the early 1900s, others beyond identification. Other graves forgotten and slowly being consumed by the sand. Very soon we had reached the terminus of the walk which overlooks the Stengel Dam.

A short climb from the riverbed takes you to an cliff top outcrop upon which is painted 'the End'. From here we saw, not a lake lapping against the dam wall, but an arid sandy clearing. We returned via the same route in need of some water.

WILDLIFE GAME RESERVES 101

If you've been to a game reserve, sorry, this post probably isn't for you! If you've never been & need an intro into the basics - here you go!

Types of Game Reserves

First off, it is not safari. In Southern Africa at least, it's referred to as a game/ nature reserve. There are different types, so here's 2 key distinctions.

Private & Government run: In South Africa for example, there are a number of government conservation bodies (SAN parks, KZN Wildlife & others), that run nature & game reserves. If a game reserve is refered to as a National Park (Kruger, Etosha) it implies that it is government run. As a rule of thumb, these parks are far more financially accessible with a great cost range for accomodation & are self drive. Private reserves are run as a private business & can be exclusively high end - that cameo of honeymooners being driven around by game rangers by day, 5 star dining by night after a dip in the pool, with accom to match! I have to confess, I can't talk to this market much though it sounds like a fab treat!

Nature vs Game Reserves: From what I can tell in Southern Africa the difference is in the conservation focus of the reserve - preserving the habitat primarily or the game. There are likely to be some wildlife in both, but generally if a reserve has the big 5 it'll be a game reserve.

Government run parks

As you're very much looked after at the high end private reserves, this is focused on the government run reserves.

Booking: Most game reserves have more than 1 accommodation camp. Often different camps will have a different target audience - more/ less privacy, more/ less expensive, more/ less rustic. The bigger camps are also likely to have a range of accommodation options, from camping to lodges.

Costs: Assuming you are staying overnight, you will usually pay an entrance fee, a daily conservation fee & your accommodation cost (varies depending on what 'level' of accommodation you choose).

Arrival: You will need your own transport if you are not part of a tour group. You enter through one of the entrance gates, BEFORE close which is usually before dusk. Here you will park up & register at the entrance office, paying your fees & receiving the keys for accommodation (unless you're camping of course!). You then drive through the entrance &, usually, will immediately be in the game reserve - as you can probably imagine this means that your sightings can start at arrival - we've started with grazing elephant before (but don't expect that! It was lucky). Depending on your preference, you can take a long or short route through the park to your accommodation camp. You will need to arrive at your camp before the allotted time (camp gates run on dawn & dusk - aligning opening & closing times to this) & check in at reception.

Viewing: best times are early morning (dawn) & early eve (dusk). You pick the route, get in your car & off you go. Be sure to have sufficient food & water if you're out for the day & don't underestimate the distances - there are strict speed limits for a reason & you could be stopped for a while if you get lucky with a good viewing (or cut off from a path if you get unlucky with a pissed elephant - from experience).

Gearing up for a return to Namibia!

There's history behind this trip

It's part of unfinished business from our 2010/2011 Southern Africa trip, where our 4x4, Dolly, finally & spectacularly broke down one last time.
We had to get towed some 320kms south to Windhoek & from there got a InterCape bus (which also broke down, incidentally 😣) another 1,500kms south to Cape Town.

So we never saw the Skeleton coast, Swakopmund, Soussevlei & other treasures. Something we're planning to change this time around!

Before (with Dolly)

After!

On the previous trip, we had the final breakdown as we left Etosha - where we will be returning to this time round, before moving on to the new sights. Etosha wrestled it's way to being my favourite game reserve - no mean feat (have to mention the great Kruger & my more local fav, Hluhluwe Imfolozi) & also I can't say I don't have expectations (no recommended)!

For more an "intro" into the 101 of game reserves, please check out our post 'Wildlife Game Reserves 101' which is wip at the mo!

Detail Breakdown

Dates: 17 Dec - 7 Jan (23 days)
Inbound/ Outbound: Windhoek Airport, flying KLM Dublin-Amsterdam-Windhoek rtn
Transport: Rented vehicle from Britz, fully kitted including 2 rooftop tents
Accom: All camping (rooftop tent!). All planned & prebooked (just 23 days to play with)

Yes, Ben can be quite a planner!! With our limited time, we've tried to do as much as possible without overdoing it. Seeing as we've the rooftop tents, I don't imagine moving place to place will make much impact - seeing as you'll need to pack up to use the vehicle anyways. Focus is on wildlife & nature, broken by Swakopmund - an adventure sport hotspot popular with travellers.