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Published: June 25th 2009
Grey Ghost of Africa
Driving near Namutoni, Etosha NP.It's been very slow work for this blog entry from Namibia for well over a year and a half now. Although I do remember where I got the idea for the title of this blog. I was eating my daily breakfast of cornflakes and UHT milk straight out of the aseptic box when I noticed the milk was spiked with vitamin D. Namibia has only 365 days of sunshine a year so why add vitamin D?
I crossed into the panhandle from Botswana and traveled to Rundu, Tsumeb, Etosha, Uis, Spitzkoppe, Cape Cross seal colony, Swakopmund, Dune 7 for sandboarding, Naukluft Mountains, Sossusvlei dunes, and Fish River Canyon in 15 days. Exhausting and very hot. Few pics of South Africa too which was quite cool, especially after Namibia.
Travel related details
Botswana-Namibia border crossing at Mohembo continuing to Rundu
A remote and straightforward border crossing. It is a long drive from Maun and petrol is almost non-existent. Maybe there is fuel at Sehithwa or Shakawe, both in Botswana. There is definitely a liquor store in Sehithwa. There is a road tax to be paid upon entering Namibia, the equivalent of ~$20 payable in $N or ZAR rand and there
are no money exchange facilities at the border. Last opportunity to change money is at the turnoff several kms before the border. Don't think you can bring meat across the border. Namibia is one hour behind Botswana. It is a couple of hours from the border to Rundu where there is petrol, banks with ATMs, a supermarket, and accommodation. I camped at Ngandu Lodge. They also have bungalows and a decent restaurant where I devoured an ostrich steak. The kitchen staff were friendly and let me leave beer in their fridge which was no small deal. Cold beer is a necessity after the long, hot, dusty drives that are the norm in Southern Africa.
Tsumeb
I camped one night in the yard at Mousebird for a few USD. Nice place. Tsumeb is a very quiet town on the weekends. Little was open save for the supermarket and petrol station. There didn't appear to be a tourist information office. It's few hours from Rundu and a few more to Etosha.
Etosha National Park
Incredible park but I was not at all impressed with the facilities especially compared to Kruger which was much better equipped and far cheaper. I showed
Giraffe and Kudu
One male kudu with his harem. up without a reservation at the gate near Namutoni camp. Since I was solo camping, it was easy to get through the gate to the office and reserve a campsite at Halali camp for one night, maybe 2. I don't remember the price but it was a lot since I had to absorb the car entry and campsite fees which can be defrayed by all entering together. Then there are the per person entry and campsite fees on top of that. And the campsites are lousy - basically a fire pit and electric outlet with no other cooking facilities in the kitchen block. Really poor value but the pool was nice. Stayed 2 nights at Halali and the last at Okaukuejo which had a much better water hole for night game viewing. The daytime wildlife viewing is good near both camps and you can drive around all you like until the camp gates close just before sunset. 2WD is perfectly adequate for the park roads. Night drives are with park service vehicles only and cost extra. The restaurant at Okaukuejo serves up a hearty all you can eat dinner buffet complete with several game meats. Tried kudu which was very
Giraffe and Zebra
Water hole near Namutoni, Etosha. good and definitely did not taste like chicken.
Etosha to Spitzkoppe
Left the park towards Outjo where there is a fantastic German bakery and a gift shop with helpful tourist information. Good place to stock up on petrol, food, and (especially) cash after Etosha. Made the mistake of heading from Outjo to the petrified forest with the intention of continuing to Twyfelfontein. But after the lameness of the petrified forest (a couple of large logs and some welwitschia) I u-turned back towards Uis. If Skeleton Coast is part of your plan, by all means visit these sites. But they are far too out of the way to dedicate a separate trip. What sounded great was the drive along the south of Brandberg as recommended in Outjo but I did not have enough time. Camped in Uis.
Spitzkoppe
I drove down the road from Uis which has one short, sandy section that's not easily crossed in 2WD. Entry fee was minimal, on the order of $3, free camping is permitted almost anywhere, and there were bungalows that may have been closed and a small restaurant serving cold beer. I suggest arriving midday, tooling around, catching both sunset and sunrise,
Zebra and Impala
Etosha Pan in background. then heading for the coast or north towards Etosha in the morning. I went to the Cape Cross seal colony which was a couple of hours drive. Don't plan to arrive at the seal colony too early as I don't think it opens until 10 am.
Swakopmund
Accommodation and food Stayed 3 nights at Pension Prinzessin-Rupprecht-Heim. Again, dropped in without a reservation and was lucky to snag a very nice room with a shared bathroom for ~$20/night which included an amazing breakfast (and lunch if you know what you are doing). There are a bunch of hostels and small hotels/B&Bs too. Some amazing value restaurants serving fantastic seafood. Lighthouse and Kucki's are both excellent. Good, cheap South African wine is on every menu.
Sights and Activities Snake farm (feedings not for the faint of heart); aquarium was OK; Kristall Gallerie is worth a visit; good pictures can be taken from the clock tower (ask about access at the gift shop); walking around the dunes right outside of town; there is also 4 wheeling which follows distinct dune paths and is not as environmentally destructive as it sounds; went sandboarding at Dune 7 with Wayne (used to run Spawning
Ground backpackers in Walvis Bay) who'll drive you to the top of the dune in a 4x4 and take pictures with your camera at the bottom; guidebook mentioned Dune 7 for sunset but that had to be a mistake as sunrise may be good there given the east facing orientation; good sunsets can be seen along the coast road to Walvis Bay backed up by west facing dunes; wish I had time to see the Swakopmund Museum; I think the brewery is closed; a very helpful woman works at the Namibia information center.
Naukluft Mountains
Stayed here for the night on the way from Swakopmund to Sesriem. There was a discount if booked in the Swakopmund NWR office. As is the norm, the campsites were minimally equipped so you need your own supply of firewood or a camping stove. Hiked the Waterkloof Trail which was all right but not a butt kicker. Take lots of water. Antelope hang around the park office and campground.
Sesriem and Sossusvlei
Like Etosha, I rocked up without a reservation but here it was easier to share an already booked campsite. The sites are expensive and accommodate ~10 people so finding a site
On the look out for predators
Giraffes near Halali, Etosha. that still had space was easy. The park office is used to this. Camping in Sesriem is essential in order to get a road permit for the first gate opening into Sossusvlei 1 hour before sunrise. Can manage the park in 2WD except for the short stretch near the end of the road to the Sossusvlei parking area. I parked at the gate before it opened then asked the driver of a 4WD pickup behind me if they were going straight to Sossusvlei and if I could catch a ride from the 2WD parking lot. I think this is fairly common.
Sesriem to Fish River Canyon
I left Sesriem in the late afternoon which was ill advised because it was soon totally dark and no sooner had the sun gone down that a small herd of rather large kudu ran out in front of my diminutive Opel. It was white knuckle the rest of the way to Maltahohë where I stayed one night at the friendly Hotel Maltahohë for ~$35 for a nice single room with private hot water bathroom. Good restaurant/bar at the hotel. Petrol is available in town but not much else. Fish River Canyon is a
Zebra, Oryx, Impala
Water hole near Halali, Etosha. few hours from Maltahohë.
Fish River Canyon
There was also a discount for campsites at this park if booked in advance in Swakopmund. I think it was ~$12/night for another totally lacking campsite at Hobas but there was a pool. Ais-Ais was closed. All canyon hiking is heavily regulated and requires some sort of medical evaluation before the staff will allow you into the canyon. The checkup has to be completed and documented before you arrive at the park. There is a drive along the canyon rim and sunsets are cool but I was kind of blasé since the US southwest is much more dramatic with far less bureaucracy.
Namibia-ZAR border crossing at Noordoewer-Vioolsdrif
Another remote crossing but well traveled and easy. There is petrol at the Namibian border town but not much before that coming from Fish River Canyon. Plan accordingly. Once through the border it was maybe 6 hours to Stellenbosch.
Stellenbosch
I stayed one night at a quaint B&B for ~$20 which I was lucky to find through the tourist office. Then I moved to Travelers Inn and had a dorm room all to myself for 2 nights. Spent one day at a couple
of wineries, another driving to the Cape of Good Hope and back. There are great restaurants all over Stellenbosch and good nightlife too.
Cape Town
Sadly not much to say as the weather was horrible which put a damper on one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There are hostels up and down Long St. and the one restaurant I remember was an all you can eat beer boiled shrimp deal. Turkish bath was a good way to kill a rainy day. Saw "The Dark Night," a poor sequel to "Batman Begins."
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stephen wood
non-member comment
love the red desert, sunsets and the wild life, sound like a good trip. looks like a great way to dry out your body and psyche from the mossy northwest. how was sand boarding? is it as fast as snowboarding?