A Magnificent Loop in the Southern Rainbow Nation (page 12 of 14)

I have this one. It’s super comfortable and quite roomy. That’s why I chose it—I don’t like feeling too squeezed in a sleeping bag. I’ve never been cold in it... even at 0°C (or lower) in the Algerian desert last week 😉

Okay, thanks—but isn’t 1.7 kg a bit heavy? You weren’t cold in it, but what’s your lower limit? Because I think my thermostat’s broken—I’m always cold 😅

The bushcampers I usually rent.

Oh yeah, the rigid structure, but that’s not a tent! 😛

What’s your itinerary like?

It only really gets cold at night in desert areas. Elsewhere in winter, I’ve never had less than eleven degrees under the tent, and the sleeping bags and blankets provided by the rental companies have always been enough for me—even though I’m someone who gets cold easily.

The luxury tent...😛

I have a similar one tested in Nepal—great inside without layering up, but as soon as you step outside... 😛

What’s a clamshell tent?

I was actually referring to one of Agnès’s posts where she broke down the pros and cons of each type of 4x4 with a rooftop tent, but I’d need to dig it up again...

Thanks JF,

You have to remember that the cold in a rooftop tent comes through the floor, so even with 3 blankets, you can still get cold. After 2 nights, we found a solution: we unfolded emergency blankets under the mattresses, and it was immediately better. 😉

The worst part is that we had aluminum emergency blankets, but I didn’t even think to take them out to put under the mattress 🤪!

Unfortunately, dressing inside a sleeping bag isn’t effective—in fact, it’s the opposite. You should stay lightly clothed and keep the sleeping bag as close to your body as possible. If you want to add layers, do it on top of (or under) the sleeping bag.

I knew that (one of the few memories from the army, where they say you should sleep naked in a sleeping bag!!), but it’s really hard to put into practice. As the cold increased, I kept adding layers instead of doing the opposite... 🤪

Another effective trick is to create a kind of "collar" at the opening of the sleeping bag (with clothes) to "seal" the air volume inside as much as possible.

Thanks for the tip 🙂

Silly question! Is it less cold if we sleep in the car?

Tested out of necessity in Death Valley after a sandstorm made it impossible to pitch the tent. I had no preconceptions before trying it and wanted to test it one day. But the experiment wasn’t conclusive. The car doesn’t protect you from the cold, and on top of that, it becomes damp cold by early morning because a car doesn’t ventilate like a tent does.

What’s your itinerary?

It can only really get cold at night in desert areas. Everywhere else in winter, I’ve never had less than eleven degrees under the tent, and the sleeping bags and blankets provided by the rental companies have always been enough for me—even though I’m also someone who gets cold easily.

Okay, so if you get cold easily too and you’re going back, it should work out 😊 Our itinerary will be pretty classic for our first trip to Namibia: Kalahari (just one night at Anib Lodge), NamibRand, Sesriem, Rostock Ritz, Swakopmund, Brandberg, Grootberg, Opuwo, Epupa, Etosha (5 nights in different camps), and Otjiwarongo before heading back to Windhoek.

Silly question! What if we sleep in the car—is it less cold?

Tested out of necessity in Death Valley after a sandstorm made it impossible to set up the tent. I had no preconceptions before trying it and had wanted to test it someday. But the experiment wasn’t conclusive. The car doesn’t protect you from the cold, and on top of that, it turns into a damp cold by early morning because a car doesn’t ventilate like a tent does.

Okay, thanks for the info—bad idea 😅

I’m also reassured about the temperature questions—it should only be a concern in Sesriem and Namibrand. 🙂 Another silly question: I’m planning almost the same route as Isabelle, but swapping the 2 nights in Epupa for 2 nights in Purros. Is that crazy in that area, considering we’ll have a ground tent, with elephants or other roaming animals around?

No problem for Purros. Ask for spot 6, it's the most beautiful.

Don’t worry about the elephants—you won’t hear them coming 😉

It’ll be less cold there than in Sesriem.

With the cold, for me, the main issue isn’t the night itself, but the evening and morning 😮. When you’re cold, you’re in your sleeping bag by 8 PM, and the longer you wait, the colder you get... and I won’t even mention the morning when you have to leave your sleeping bag 😉

Etosha (5 nights in different camps)

That’s a lot of nights 😏! It seems like after your various trips to Southern Africa, you’re on the hunt for big cats!! It almost looks like you sacrificed some "must-sees" along the way (Spitzkoppe, Twyfelfontein) just to maximize your chances of finally spotting them in good conditions... 😛

Did you read what I wrote to Guillaume... don’t forget the emergency blanket. Plus, it doesn’t take up any space 😉

Hello Agnes,

Taking reliable sleeping bags and sleeping two in one

when it’s really cold isn’t ideal, because they’re rectangular and you’ve got too much air around your feet... that’s why extreme-cold sleeping bags are sarcophagus-shaped.

Yeah, a nightcap is your best friend in cold weather ;)

Etosha (5 nights in different camps)

That’s a lot of nights 😏! You’d think after all your trips to southern Africa, you’re on the hunt for big cats!! It almost seems like you sacrificed some "must-sees" along the way (Spitzkoppe, Twyfelfontein) just to maximize your chances of finally seeing them in good conditions... 😛

You got it 😄

Did you read what I wrote to Guillaume... remember the emergency blanket. Plus, it doesn’t take up any space ;)

Yep, got it! 😊

The desert part—I only camp there during the southern summer...😇

In winter, I’ve always slept indoors in southern Namibia or the desert part of South Africa.

It was okay in the Richtersveld cabins, which weren’t much better insulated than a tent at Tatasberg, but it was freezing in Mokala.🤪

Jeff’s idea of using an emergency blanket seems like a good weight/bulk/benefit trade-off.

You’re only sleeping a few nights in the south, and at the start of your trip anyway. Check the weather just before you leave and decide then if you need a heavy-duty sleeping bag. Like here, temperatures can vary a lot from one week to the next, and from one winter to the next.

With the cold, for me, the main problem isn't the night, but the evening and the morning 😮. When you're cold, you're in your sleeping bag by 8 PM, and the longer you wait, the colder you get... and I won't even mention the morning when you have to get out of your sleeping bag 😉

Did you get that cold???😮 (Outside of the desert)

True, mornings are the hardest. I’ve never stepped outside before the sun came up, either.

I think we were in T-shirts at Fish River Canyon at sunset, and we had breakfast outside (08:30, not 06:00...).

On the other hand, at Mokala, no desire to linger outside in the morning or evening. Even during the day, it didn’t get above 17°C...

No problem for Purros. Ask for spot 6, it's the most beautiful.

Thanks!

Don’t worry about the elephants—you won’t hear them coming ;)

You’re actually making me nervous now... From what I recall, there have been one or more tourists killed in recent years, crushed by elephants, or at least badly frightened. If the accidents happened because tourists got too close during the day, thinking they were in a zoo, that’s one thing. My main concern is about safety in the ground tent. If we place it right next to the car, is there a risk of elephants approaching at night, passing by—or even over it—potentially crushing us? Should we keep food away, like with bears (the fridge in the 4x4 is an issue)? With five of us, a ground tent is the only option. If there’s a real risk, I’d rather skip this stop—it’s just a vacation, after all...