N A M I B I A – 13 sunrises, 13 sunsets

Greetings from Namibia!

I have recently finished a tour around Namibia and I don’t want to say that this was a once in a lifetime trip because the more I saw of Namibia, the more I liked it.

I started off from Cape Town with a friend of mine. It takes around 8 hours to reach the border of Namibia but the scenery is beautiful and the roads are in a good condition. The border control went well, the Namibian dollar (ND) is bound to the value of rand (ZAR) so you don’t have to change money in advance coming from South Africa. The sun started setting soon after we had made it across the border and beautifully started off our journey across Namibia. We stayed near the Fish River Canyon for our first night and woke up to a lovely, chilly sunrise among the mountains.

Namibia had me at the first sunset and rainbow

The second part of our trip was the around 6-hour drive up to Windhoek where we managed to see some wild horses and stopped at a roadside to make some coffee and roast marshmallows.

We saw some wild horses around the Fish River Canyon

We arrived happily to our Airbnb in Windhoek and headed straight out to see the city. Namibia boasts with the title of the second most rural country in the world (after Mongolia) and the capital city seems more like a busy town after Cape Town. We discovered online that Joe’s Beerhouse is a tourist must and allows you to jump right into the Namibian food and beer. All I really wanted to do in Windhoek was to have a signatory beer and enjoy some of the city vibes before heading on the road again. We finished off the night at a wine bar with a look over the city lights. Sadly, Namibians only produce a few wines and those aren’t generally sold at bars. Most of the wines available are from South Africa but luckily, beer is the go-to drink anyway.

And then had a Windhoek beer in Windhoek with a little tasting platter of Namibia’s famous game meats; springbok, oryx, zebra and kudu.

I must say; zebra wasn’t particularly tasty. The meat is rather dark and dense for my taste. Oryx is a much lighter meat and maybe reminded me of pork. Springbok is like the standard game meat if you can say that there is such, though kudu tasted a bit better and was more tender. I also have to add that I don’t actually usually eat meat but will always make an exception to taste the national delicacies which are why I actually enjoyed this touristic tasting platter but also am failing badly at describing how the food tasted like.

Our first night in Etosha National Park

Etosha is around 5 to 6 hours north of Windhoek depending on your stops. We did our grocery shopping on the way and already discovered little difficulties due to the fact that the very religious country shuts several shops down on Sundays. Heading to Etosha, you must keep in mind that the park gates close at 6 pm and you will not be able to enter after that and must camp outside. We approached Etosha from the east side as we were staying at the Namutoni camp for our first night. We were reaching the gate a few minutes before 5 pm but the misfortunes we had experienced due to the weekday caused us to speed a little bit just in case we were mistaken about the gate closing time. Luckily, we made it before 5 pm and the staff confirmed that the gates would stay open for another hour. We were a little surprised by the price of entry to the park: for three people and a car the entry cost ND500 which was 160 each plus 20 for the car. Online the campsites show prices like ND200 or 220 per person, however, the campsites (at both camps) cost us a further ND790 for three people. I felt like this was not clear based on the websites and since the park only accepts cash, I would arrive well prepared.

Especially during the tourist season, I would definitely recommend booking your stay before your arrival. Some of the web pages were confusing regarding the campsite bookings but the camps respond to emails very swiftly. Each campsite is equipped with a private fireplace (no wood), a car park and spots for your tents. There is also a shared bathroom area and a kitchen room which is not equipped. Each of the Etosha camps has a watering hole where animals usually gather after sunset.

None of us ate malaria medication but Etosha is on the border of malaria region and medication is recommended if you were to head further north from the national park. I would suggest bringing heavy mosquito repellents just for your peaceful sleep.

The animals usually gather around the waterholes during the day

Download yourself a good offline map app or download locations from google maps to assist you in navigating around Namibia. Most of the roads in Namibia are clearly labelled and driving around is made rather easy. I picked up my car from the Windhoek international airport and purchased a one-week ND40 (plus 7 for the card) sim card with 1,5 g data which proved to be very useful. Etosha has several parts that are outside phone reception but an offline map will help you to find all the watering holes. Even the small roads in Etosha are labelled but the conditions vary.

The national park is absolutely huge, driving through it takes hours especially when you stop at every watering hole and are trying to save your car from too much harm. I would not stay outside the park in the cheaper camps and lodges thinking to pop into the park because as lovely as it is, Etosha is no walk in the park. It took us around 5 hours (we were loving life) driving from the Namutoni camp for 75 km to the Halali camp in central Etosha. Admittedly we sat having a picnic in our car watching and waiting for animals at several waterholes. The park most definitely was not a disappointment, except for the fact that we never managed to find a lion. Then again, my friends nearly got eaten by a lion there a few days before our arrival as they punctured a car tire right next to a lion who had just made a kill. Apparently, that was some F1 garage speed tire changing.

A very rare sight of the extremely timid kudu drinking with a giraffe

There are dozens of waterholes around the park, pack some snacks in your car and be prepared to wait a little bit for the coolest animals. You won’t be allowed to leave your vehicle but you will get quite close in your car. You will also have to drive rather carefully to spot some animals near the roads and to avoid hitting springboks and zebras who rather casually enjoy crossing the roads. Zebra crossing as you may.

Some very picturesque animals including an elephant who nearly sat on my car.

You must keep in mind that the animals are wild. I was approaching this elephant on the road very carefully until it gave me a long angry look. I stopped the car and the elephant kept on staring. Eventually, it moved right in front of my car and started flapping its ears and trunk and gave us a good show. However, I don’t think it would have appreciated me getting any closer than I did. Lesson learned.

After a lot of touring and sightseeing, we finally arrived at the Halali camp. It is the biggest camp in Etosha and we found it much better than the popular Namutoni. The camp again cost us ND790. Contrary to the waterhole at Namutoni, the one in Halali was full all night and gave us some of the best animal sightings. They also had a small restaurant and a shop if you have cravings for some more food.

Our ride to Damaraland which truly gives you the feeling that you are in the middle of nowhere.

On our ride up to Windhoek, my friend taught me that you must take petrol from every station you pass. The country is huge and you don’t want to end up in the middle of nowhere with an empty tank. Hitchhiking is not recommended in Namibia because of the lack of people passing you and most tourist will have a full car already. Same can be said about running out of petrol, there might not be anyone around for a long time to help and you can get badly dehydrated in the sun so make sure that your tank is as full as possible. Etosha does have some petrol stations but we didn’t realise how much we spent driving around the park so I was nearly out of my comfort zone when we got to the first petrol station outside the park (90km away).

Driving to Damaraland (and around Namibia in general) the scenery changed a lot and the drive was beautiful. The landscape in Namibia is very rich in variety and will entertain you during the long drives. Damaraland is stunning and it is very lovely to get so far away from the cities and the other busy areas. There are mountains as far as your eyes can see.

Fascinating rock formations and a good photo shoot spot

Our camp was a lovely little base underneath a small mountain. The weather was favourable and we spent the day jumping around the rock formations nearby. I had a quick dip in the pool before we climbed up the mountain for sunset. I must say about Damaraland that there apparently are plenty of animals still around, especially elephants but you must be lucky to see them driving around in your own car. So it seems like the place that you can fully enjoy when you are willing to spend a lot of money and partake in the guided tours and others.

Sunset viewed from the top of the hill in Damaraland

The little mountains were amazing for looking at the horizon and experiencing the true peace and silence of the nature around you.

The last sunrise at Damaraland and the local Damara people

I woke up very early on our last morning in the camp, the stars were still shining and the sun hadn’t started its climb. I grabbed my sleeping bag and allowed the stars to show me the way up the mountain. I climbed to the back and sat there for nearly two hours enjoying the beautiful sunrise and some precious alone time. It was really breathtaking and just fantastic to see how the world below you is slowly waking up. The sleeping bag was absolutely necessary as mornings are the coldest time.

The Damara people are very friendly and you will see plenty of them on the roadsides. They would expect you to buy something in order to be allowed to take photos. I bought a beautiful pearl bracelet. Some tourist guides will always advise you to trade goods with the locals in order to help them preserve their culture and it is good if you are able to do so. We gave them some fruits as well which seemed to make them very happy.

The famous Skeleton Coast drive that tends to claim car tires

We drove some of the skeleton coast route and did not lose a single tire. You must have some real patience though. My passengers were asleep in the car and I was zoned into my music. We decided not to drive the whole way or to seek for the abandoned ships as I had been told that they were not visible to the road and that the route is merely just bad for your car and uncomfortable. It was fascinating to drive in the middle of the salt flats for hours and be completed by yourself but I don’t feel like we missed out. Sadly we did not go to see the furry seals at the Cape Cross because it was much further north and driving across the flats takes quite a long time.

A happy arrival to Swakopmund with all four car tires intact

Swakop is one of the big cities in Namibia, has plenty of restaurants and cafes and apparently you can even go clubbing there. It is also famous for the skydiving which is meant to be the most scenic in the world. Unfortunately, it was a bit misty when we arrived and skydiving was not included in my budget but one day I would like to try it there, too.

We spent two days in Swakop eating well and enjoying the ocean which provided us with some beautiful sunsets.

A day trip to Walvis Bay to see the flamingo colonies

Walvis Bay is around 40 min drive away from Swakop which allows you to make nice day trips there. You can stop during the drive to see how the Namib desert meets the ocean and spend an afternoon in the town looking for flamingos. There are huge colonies there and you will see them very closely especially during the slow tide and the summer months.

A fabulous getaway at the Moon Mountain Resort in Solitare near the Namib Desert

I spent one day at a friend’s resort near Sossusvlei where I was spoiled rotten as you can see. It was necessary to get out of the tent for one night and to be well fed and caffeinated. The meals were plenty and delicious and I got to spend an afternoon at my private pool reading a book and drinking some Pinotage. The bright orange sunset over the desert was one of the most impressive I have ever seen. I also got to enjoy my breakfast at the sunrise. The resort is fabulously built on a mountain slope so nothing will block your 360-degree view.

Sossusvlei is certainly an interesting place! Firstly, you must know about the very interesting concept of ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ which very much confused us. Most of the camps that allow you to enjoy the vlei are in the area of Sesriem, it isn’t actually possible to stay anywhere at the dunes. However, the other camps are ‘outside’ the Sossusvlei area (such as Oasis camp) whereas the camp called Sesriem is ‘inside’. This means that the fully paved beautiful road to the dunes actually starts from the Sesriem campsite itself. The road opens an hour before to those who are staying in this camp (before sunrise) compared to those who are staying at other camps. This is vital if you want to make it to the famous Dune 45 for sunrise (it is 45 km from the camps). You will also be able to stay in the park an hour longer in the evening while others must leave. Oasis camp costs ND170 a night while Sesriem is ND220. There is also an ND80 per 24h charge for accessing the vlei regardless of which camp you stay at.

We had booked one night at the Oasis camp and another at Sesriem, realising how long it would take us to fully enjoy the vlei we were looking to spend another night at Sesriem. However, their online booking showed full and we weren’t able to reach them before our arrival. Luckily, they have a system of ‘overflow’ camps which you cannot book online but have plenty of space so staying at the camp an extra night was not an issue after all.

There are several vleis (valley in Afrikaans) in the Sossusvlei area. There is a general parking spot for all 2×4 cars from which you can take an ND170 return lift further into the vlei. Right by this parking spot is a route you can walk to the Hiddenvlei. It is named after the fact that most people choose not to have a look at it and continue directly further into the area. I really enjoyed the Hiddenvlei and had a lovely start for the dunes as I could hop around the sand with no one else around. Remember to take plenty of water with you and sunblock.

From there I proceed with the shuttle ride to the parking which leads you to the famous Deadvlei and the highest dune in Sossusvlei; the Big Daddy. In all honesty, I don’t know if I would have enjoyed driving that route even if I had a 4×4. I would really recommend wearing closed shoes as the sand gets boiling hot during the day.

Evidence of the ultimate scorching heat at the Deadvlei in the Sossusvlei

And a quick trip to the empty Hiddenvlei

I climbed the Big Daddy (325m) at noon which was a challenge but very rewarding as I got the whole dune for myself for a lovely little picnic

After I had hopped around the dunes at my heart’s content, I decided to head towards the camp and enjoy the sunset at the Elim Dunes which are only 5km away from the Sesriem campsite. The dunes have surprisingly a lot of hiking to do before you reach the summit and my legs were definitely spent after the long day. The sunset was truly beautiful and the several layers of distant mountains simply appeared like paintings.

A beautiful sunrise at the Dune 45

I joined the crazy race at 6.45 in the morning to reach the Dune 45 before sunrise. The sun actually started peaking as I was arriving at the parking so I gathered my remaining strength and sprinted up the dune. The dune is famous for its odd shape and forms the perfect sunrise spot. There are hot air balloon companies who offer a breakfast in the air at sunrise but these cost about ND6000 per person. My doctor actually recommended it to me when I told him that I was heading to Namibia but I felt like something should be left for the next time as well. He said it was truly worth every penny and I did see two balloons rising in the horizon as I sat on the dune.

And the early birds who came to enjoy the moment with me

Hopping down the dune is surprisingly fun and felt a bit like moonwalking (as far as I can imagine it).

As we drove back to Windhoek from Sossusvlei, we took the D1275 mountain pass from Solitare (where the cool abandoned car photos everyone has are from). This is a great shortcut and the views from the Spreetshoogte Pass summit are brilliant!

That’s all for now, thank you for reading 🙂

Mira

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