Discovering the joys of camping in Namibia (page 10 of 30)

You can also show them the photos from Jean-François and Jaques’s TTT (Blancond).

Yeah, I read both of theirs too, and you’re absolutely right—their photos are *angelic*! 😇 But I think yours has the most photos, and my goal was to be punchy... 😛

Hi Isabelle,

I read your travel journal with great pleasure—it brought back some wonderful memories. The photos are stunning. We did almost the same route last October and came back absolutely enchanted. Good luck with the rest! Liliane

Welcome, Liliane, to this travel journal—I’m so glad it’s taking you back to Namibia! 🙂 In October, the nights in the desert should start getting more pleasant 😉.

Saturday, August 3: Rostock Ritz / Swakopmund

Last night, we could hear our Spanish neighbors snoring—it’s really a shame the campsites were placed so close together. They’re only separated by a small reed fence, even though there’s plenty of space around. There are only 4 sites, and I don’t find it very peaceful because of the lack of privacy. We poked our heads outside around 7 a.m. to watch the sunrise.





Today, we’re heading to Swakopmund, which is 250 km away. Around 9 a.m., we made our first stop a few kilometers after leaving the Rostock Ritz to take a photo at the Tropic of Capricorn.



The scenery is really beautiful as we pass through Guiseb Pass.









The road is a bit winding at times, and the riverbeds are dry.





We continue toward Ganab on the D1998, then take a track to Bloedkoppie, which is easier to drive than the C17. To visit this area, you need to buy a permit, which we got in Sesriem. All you have to do is say where you want to go and, most importantly, the date, since the permit is only valid for one day.

At the intersection, if we had turned left, we would’ve done a loop around the massif, but turning right toward Tinkas leads to the parking lot for the Sculpture Rock Trail.





For our part, we’re heading to the end of the track, behind Bloedkoppie. There are very basic campsites around.

Watch out! The end has some sand, and you’ll need to switch to 4x4.





We don’t plan on doing the Sculpture Rock Trail since we don’t have time, but we still take a little hour-long walk among the honeycomb rocks and quiver trees.

Before leaving the site, we head towards Tinkas up to the trail parking lot. Two quiver trees welcome us—next time, we promise!







Our second stop of the day is to see the Welwitschias, so we get back on the C28 road, which is very well maintained.

It’s barely 3 PM when we turn onto Welwitschia Drive. The landscapes here are also arid but stunning.









The track leads to the Welwitschia Plant, over 1,500 years old. It’s well protected behind barriers, but still impressive in size—you feel pretty young standing next to it!

« Welwitschia mirabilis is known as one of the world’s strangest endemic plants. Its specimens grow in the coastal desert of Namibia and Angola, forming green mounds that can reach enormous sizes.

When observed up close, you realize these mounds are actually made up of just two ribbon-like leaves produced by a basal meristem. These leaves are attached to a very short, underground trunk. They grow continuously and can reach lengths of 2 to 4 meters. Growth is slow—some plants are estimated to be over 1,000 years old. Over time, these two leaves become shredded into narrower strips, giving the plant its final appearance of having many long, narrow leaves. »





A few other beautiful specimens are nearby. What’s weird is that there’s no other vegetation around—it’s like only this plant can survive in this type of soil.

To get to Swakopmund, we stayed on Welwitschia Drive to see the Moon Landscape scenery.







The most beautiful viewpoints are mainly just before the intersection with the D1991.







We arrive at Sea Breeze GH at 6 PM, where we’ll stay for two nights. It’ll be a nice break after five nights of camping. The Guest House is really great, located north of Swakopmund. When we enter the rooms, we get a sense of luxury—they’re very clean, and the bathrooms are spotless ;).





Tonight, we wanted to have dinner at two of the restaurants recommended by Tourmaline, The Tug and The Wieg, but both were fully booked. Following our hostess’s recommendations, we head to Blue-Grass, which is a 10-minute walk from Sea Breeze. It’s really good—squid and fish for the main course, and malva pudding and cheesecake for dessert. Plus, the service is super fast. The restaurant is right by the water, and the daytime view must be gorgeous.





We continue here

hi there I’ve been reading your amazing travel journal with interest. We’re also planning for August 2020. We’re basing our trip on your itinerary but keeping it more focused/limited—no south to Fish River Canyon or north to the falls. We’re going for a more relaxed pace, staying several nights in the same place and avoiding really tough tracks. We’ll see less, but that’s okay.

I’m in touch with Tourmaline. I have questions about their 4x4 insurance conditions, especially what’s *not* covered if something goes wrong. I’ve never driven a 4x4 on rough tracks, and Tourmaline’s warnings plus the rental contract terms are making me a bit nervous... Do you have any advice on the type of contract, especially regarding the excess/deductible?

Thanks for your thoughts. Have a great day.

Hi Gerard, Oh, I’m already so jealous you’re going to Namibia next year! 😊 You’re absolutely right to take it easy and make the most of each place—it’s true, we sometimes felt like we were just skimming the surface 😅. But when it’s your first time in a country, you just want to see everything! 🤩 As for the vehicle, you’re spot on—the included insurance doesn’t cover much at all, and what’s offered is just a partial deductible buyback. We solved the issue by getting an Infinite Visa card that covers 4x4s. Luckily, we didn’t have any problems, so I don’t really have any advice to give on that. Happy planning!

Hi Isabelle,

I don’t think I’ll need to write a travel journal since the places you visited and the photos you shared are so similar to ours. However, on the way to Swakopmund, we didn’t take the tracks that loop through Bloedkoppje, Weltwitschia Drive, and Moon Landscape. I had considered including them in our itinerary but was worried it would take too long and be too time-consuming. So, we skipped them and took the C14 track via Gaub Pass and Kuiseb Pass to Walvis Bay before heading to Swakopmund. Thanks to your lovely photos, I can still see what we missed… 😉 Thanks for that and for the travel story… Given the "pile" 😉 of Namibia travel journals lately, I’ll wait a bit before publishing mine… But I’m slowly preparing by writing the texts and sorting the photos… And that’s no vacation 😎

thanks for the quick reply.

thanks, I'll look into it

Hi Jean Luc, Your trip must’ve been totally different from ours—no grocery shopping, no cooking, no dishes to do 😏😉. A little feedback on the different lodges might be helpful for those who don’t want to camp or who want to mix both options. It’s true that it takes time: I write in my travel journal every evening during the trip, so when we get back, all that’s left is sorting the photos 😎.

hi there I was just about to ask the same question. Tourmaline is offering me the same itinerary as that amazing travel journal. If I reduce the number of stops, is it possible to do Khalahari Anib campsite => Sesriem camp in one go? Same question for Sesriem camp => Swakopmund? Are there any more direct routes? thanks

Of course I'll post a travel journal... I'm exaggerating just a tiny bit when I say it was almost the same trip...😉 But when I saw some of your latest photos, they were really just like ours. Though there will be differences, as you so rightly said: no braai, no starry sky (we saw some but I didn’t manage to take photos. Still need to work on that), no open-air shower, ... Plus, lodges aren’t always in the same spots as the campsites. And you saw lions, while we... ????? Suspense 😎 For the journal, my wife writes it by hand almost every evening. I type it up on the computer, adding my little notes or memories. Looking back at the photos helps me remember too. Then there’s the photo sorting....🤪 On top of that, I’ve got a pile of journals to keep up with every night, which keeps me from "doing my homework" 😉

Hello, I was just about to ask the same question. Tourmaline is offering me the same itinerary as this wonderful travel journal. If I reduce the number of stops, is it possible to do Khalahari Anib campsite => Sesriem camp in one go?

Yes, of course. The road taken to get to Namibrand is the same until Maltahöhe, then you have to go north to Sesriem and south to Namibrand. I think time-wise, it should be pretty much the same.

Same question for the Sesriem camp => Swakopmund route? Are there any more direct tracks? Thanks

It’s doable, but it’ll be a very long day of driving, and the road isn’t great. You won’t be able to go to Bloedkoppie or do the Welwitschia Road. However, you can plan the Welwitschia Road on your way back from Swakopmund, but for that, you’ll need to plan your next stop not too far away.

Hi Gerad,

Is it possible to do Khalahari Anib campsite => Sesriem camp in one go?

Same answer as Isabelle.

Same question for the Sesriem camp => Swakopmund route?

Lots of tracks, not always in great condition, and it won’t leave you much room for photo stops (and there are plenty of opportunities), fuel/Diesel stops, or the chance to enjoy a tasting at Solitaire’s bakery—let alone any possible detours along the way that you won’t be able to consider. Before leaving Sesriem, you’ll probably want to catch the sunrise over the dunes, which will also take up some time before breakfast... In short, it’s doable, but not a great idea.😉 It *is* vacation, after all...😎

Just after midnight, a group of Italians with two cars set up camp, thinking they were all alone in the world, at the fourth spot. Oh, camping...🏴‍☠️

Unfortunately, this can just as easily happen in a lodge or a hotel...🏴‍☠️ Worse, even at home with new neighbors. 🤪🤪🤪

Some people manage to ruin the most beautiful places in the world.😕

Just after midnight, a group of Italians with two cars settles in, thinking they’re all alone in the world, at the fourth spot. Oh, camping…🏴‍☠️

Unfortunately, this can just as easily happen in a lodge or a hotel...🏴‍☠️

Yeah, totally agree 😄

Worse, at home with new neighbors. 🤪🤪🤪

Sounds like you’ve been there—do you have new neighbors?

Some people manage to ruin the most beautiful places in the world.😕

Unfortunately, there are disrespectful people everywhere 😞

Okay, I still had to find something negative about camping, otherwise people will think I actually like it 😂😂😂

That sounds like firsthand experience—did you get new neighbors?

The issue was with a former place.😛

Okay, I still had to find some downsides to camping, otherwise people will think I actually like it 😂😂😂

Camping’s like anything—don’t overdo it!😉

(And do it in the right conditions... not necessarily comfort-wise, but location-wise!🙂)

Sunday, August 4: Swakopmund / Walvis Bay

For today, we planned a full-day excursion—morning dedicated to a catamaran cruise and the afternoon to a 4x4 tour in Sandwich Harbour. This excursion was booked through Tourmaline with Sandwich Harbour Tour.

We need to be in Walvis Bay by 8:30 AM, and from Swakopmund, it takes about forty-five minutes to get there since all the activities start from Walvis Bay, so the roads are pretty busy. We give ourselves some extra time and leave at 7:30 AM after a good breakfast. Ah, it’s so nice to be pampered!

The parking lot is right next to our meet-up spot. Perfect, there are still a few spaces left. The weather on the coast is nothing like what we’ve had these past few days. It’s overcast when we board, but it’s not too cold.

Here we are, settled on the catamaran deck for our little sea excursion. Pelicans and Nicolas, the seal of the day, put on a show for us. There are three English families with us, one Italian family, another French family, and a French couple. It’s really nice—we even get blankets to warm up because, despite our layers, it feels chillier out on the water.







We get explanations about pelicans and especially about oysters. They grow really fast here because there’s so much plankton. The guide is super interesting and shares lots of fun facts.

An hour later, we spot flamingo colonies—time flew by!





We pass the lighthouse around 10 AM. When it was built, it was at the tip of the peninsula, but today the peninsula extends another 2.5 km. The sand gains more than 20 cm per year.



All along, there are colonies of seals on the sand—there are over 70,000 on the peninsula. Jackals roam around. Namibia, along with Canada, is the only country allowed to hunt them for population control because there are over 2 million seals along the Namibian coast. The meat isn’t good because it’s way too fatty, but the skin is used to make shoes or bags. We spot kayakers playing with the seals in the water.







We pass Pelican Point—the ocean is a bit choppier here.



Just after, we see a few dolphins—there are about 500 adults in the area. When we turn back, it’s already 11 AM. A dolphin races alongside the boat just below us for a good while.







To pass the time, we have a little oyster tasting along with some canapés and sparkling wine. It’s really cozy.



In the bay, Angolan oil tankers are waiting because, with oil prices so low right now, it’s not worth extracting.





It’s 12:30 PM when we dock, and the sky is now bright blue. The clouds have completely cleared. We’re lucky—there’s been fog all day for the past three days.