Mainly Namibia

[bPeteb]

Same here, this and the other 2 TRs have been great to follow along with.

One question, or maybe two, what is the appeal of Sossusvlei and why not the Caprivi Strip?

Zambezi regions (not Caprivi Strip any more) and Sossusvlei are so very different. Sossusvlei is in the Namib Desert. Zambezi region follows the Zambezi.

 

[Cossie]

Zambezi regions (not Caprivi Strip any more) and Sossusvlei are so very different. Sossusvlei is in the Namib Desert. Zambezi region follows the Zambezi.

The sand dunes don’t appeal that much, I would go to the coast, obviously but that funny little area up north has always appealed, possibly more wildlife as well, dunno.

 

[kpc]

The sand dunes don’t appeal that much, I would go to the coast, obviously but that funny little area up north has always appealed, possibly more wildlife as well, dunno.

The sand dunes in Namibia are amazing so Sossusvlei is worth a visit if you visit Namibia.

 

[bPeteb]

So we entered Damaraland, home of the Bushmen San people. Although they are not numerous any more in the area where we will be, having moved more to the north east.

Accommodation was the Gondwana Damara Mopane Lodge. A central admin, bar and eating building and then 60 individual chalets built in a fan out the back of centred around a pool.

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Each room is a brick built hut surrounded by a low wall containing gardens where they grow their veggies. Plenty of water here ( but no waterholes for game).

Although the complex is built in a mopane forest and there’s lots of shade around, the rooms were still hot as Hades when we checked in at 3 pm. The air-conditioner got put on for full blast then and it’s still going strong 24 hours later now.

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Clearly Kiboko has way more sway than Intrepid premium. We were all in the front row of cottages

Interesting how everyone sees beds differently. We didn't ever comment to each other about the firmness/softness of the beds. We have a firm mattress here at home possibly explaining we had no issues in any accommodation.

 

[RooFlyer]

One question, or maybe two, what is the appeal of Sossusvlei and why not the Caprivi Strip?

The dunes at Soussusvlei are an amazing sight early in the morning. I would have chosen to visit without the climbing.

Re the former Caprivi strip, now Zambezi regions. Can't recall in bPeteb told the story in his TR, but it originated when the Germans, in control of 'German South-west Africa' (now Namibia) wanted a route to the Zambezi River so they could use it as a shipping connection to the Indian Ocean and access to German East Africa (Rwanda/Burundi/bit of Tanzania) .



Thwarted by Victoria Falls. ooops.

 

[drron]

Zambezi regions (not Caprivi Strip any more) and Sossusvlei are so very different. Sossusvlei is in the Namib Desert. Zambezi region follows the Zambezi.

But when we were in Botswana we happened to meet up with a Botswanan anti poaching unit. They said no anti poaching units on the Namibian side so the animals learnt to prefer Botswanan territory. Certainly on the river cruise lots of elephants on the Botswanan bank but none on the Namibian bank.
Also when we were with the patrol they pointed out a herd of buffalo on an island in the middle of the river. A canoe headed out from the Namlbian bank and the buffaloes headed back to Botswana. When they were safely back one of the unit stepped into the open with rifle raised. The canoe did a rapid u turn. However if the canoe didn't retreat they would open fire. If only 1 person just wounded. If more than one at least 1 was likely not to get back to Namibia again.

 

[VPS]

I can answer that. I mostly travel by myself and my evenings are usually unoccupied by long lunches or dinners and if there is an afternoon free, I'm usually 'recovering' rather than dashing about. yes, boring!

Plus if I don't do it on the go, it'll never get done.

I travel alone too but just never find the time - by the time I've had dinner and read all the other TR and other AFF stuff I'm too tired

 

[RooFlyer]

@JohnM @Daver6 just a small part of the experience!!

cc @bPeteb

More in the dunes

Snatch-rope extraction

Giraffes

 

[kpc]

That corrugated road in Namibia video brings back nightmares

 

[JohnM]

That corrugated road in Namibia video brings back nightmares

Then you probably wouldn't like parts of the Canning Stock Route...

 

[jastel]

Have you been on the Bruce Highway lately...there are LITERALLY Bomb Craters in it....

 

[jastel]

That doesn't look like 42 tonnes of Ammonium Nitrate damage....

A truckful literally blew up the highway here a few days ago...it is still closed.
PLUS you have a whole OTHER lane to use.

But yes roads are cough everywhere.

 

[RB]

Great report & fantastic photos. Thanks for making the effort

 

[Ripcurlgirl]

I can't recall the genesis of this trip. About a year ago I think I was looking at the map for somewhere I hadn't been before, and where I could see interesting things. Namibia had always be of interest, and I noticed Intrepid had a 'Premium Namibia' 10 day tour. I'm more and more attracted to tours these days, especially in non-first world countries. I was happy enough driving around Chile last December and Japan a few months ago, but I decided I'd see a lot more on a small group tour here, being driven around with everything organised.

So that was the first plank.

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What else then. I've been to South Africa many times for work and had driven around a lot of it - mainly the south (wine areas) and around Jo'burg (gold mines). What else? Been to the countries in southern and east Africa except Angola and the new-ish South African 'homelands' and visited game parks in Kenya/Tanzania. Madagascar was put aside for a separate visit.

Not much appealed. Looking at the timing of the flights from/to Oz - and knowing that I want at least a day between beginning and finishing a tour and the arriving/departing flights, there was going to be a 4 day gap at the start. Somehow I decided to visit the Madikwe game reserve in NW South Africa.

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At this stage I brought in my trusty travel agent and asked them to construct an itinerary with QF flights SYD-JNB, onward flight to Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, driver to Madikwe, a nice lodge there, then out and flights to Windhoek where I would join the tour, then back home.

Then the fun began. The TA asked "Why would you want to start at Gaborone? There's nothing there". And in addition to the flight cost, its going to cost $900 to get to the game park and back and also a border crossing which might be lengthy.

HOW MUCH? Its an hour or two - almost a thousand bucks in the third world country? I started a thread asking for alternatives but none were forthcoming and we found no alternative to the expensive drive.

TA came up with plan B. There is a 'shuttle' air service between Madikwe and JNB which seemed to be the usual way of getting from JNB. So the TA priced some lodges and the flights and we came up with Tau Lodge. Flights A$1,200 there and back.

Tau Game Lodge | Luxury Big 5 Safari Holiday | South Africa Holiday

Tau Game Lodge, a South African luxury safari lodge in the malaria-free Madikwe Game Reserve. Big 5 game safaris, and state of the art event facilities too

www.taugamelodge.co.za

Live web cam

Three nights was moderately expensive and, coupled with the flights, it had better be good! So everything was locked in about 6 months ago. Almost.

About 6 weeks ago the flight people said that I was the only passenger each way, so if no-one else came forward I'd need to pay for two. Ummmm ... no.

So I and the TA start pricing hire cars - again I started a thread on this, but in the end I couldn't get comfortable with the cost/insurance/safety/rental car usual hassle equation.

So final, plan C. TA comes up with Day Trip Daytrip: Private Car Transfers with Sightseeing essentially a private car transfer - they operate around the world. Lock it in; A$800 for two four hour transfers. Meh. I'm on holiday. Flight people then come back and say a pax has popped up for one of my flights and they'd put a flight one way, car return package for ... A$1,000. Nick orf.

As usual, I've got some health things to look after. Not serious this time - arthritis in a finger knuckle and in foot. Got the finger injected with steroi_ on Monday and the foot will be done tomorrow. Finger not doing so well, but still has a day or so to take full effect; Saturday is a rest up foot day and fly out Sunday.

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HBA-SYD QF J
Rydges at SYD
SYD-JNB QF J
Premier Hotel at JNB
Car JNB-Tau Lodge return
Tau Lodge 3 nights, 2 game drives/day, full board
JNB-WDH SAA J
Pre tour night in The Weinberg THE WEINBERG
Premium Namibia tour
Post tour night in The Weinberg
WDH-JNB Airlink J
Premier Hotel at JNB
JNB-SYD-MEL-HBA QF J

HLO

Namibia will be country #99, but who's counting

My husband & I travelled to Namibia for their independence elections in 1989. South Africa was still under apartheid rule so we refused to go there & flew into Harare, Zimbabwe instead. We stayed a few nights with a friend's Mum who lived in Harare then trained it up to Vic Falls, crossed by foot into Botswana & into the Caprivi Strip where we hitch-hiked our way along with UNTAG (United Nations Transitional Assistance Group) and into Namibia where we met up with a friend working on the elections so had access to a Landrover. It was the second time we had been to the continent - the first was in 1986 when we purchased a Landrover in England & drove through France & Spain before crossing into (Spanish) Morocco. We then wove our way south & south-east through Africa, finally flying out of Nairobi about 6 moths later. Those trips were wonderful.