Discovering the joys of camping in Namibia (page 16 of 30)

After eating the oranges, he heads toward the table but doesn’t go get the food in the bag. Then he comes to the car and heads to the back, which we’d left open. Afraid he’d completely rummage through the trunk looking for the orange net, I open the door and slam it shut—startling him and making him run off.

It’s really not recommended to bring oranges or other citrus fruits with you. Elephants can open a trunk to get to the fruit. I don’t know about you, but for us, this was mentioned in Tourmaline’s road book, and I also read it on VF.

Yep, I can confirm there are showers at the entrance of the campsite. We didn’t use them—one night without a shower is easily doable.

🙂 🙂 🙂

Otherwise, like Pierre, we never dared to try kayaking. Just seeing the water gave us the chills 😮. Same when I see kayaks flirting with icebergs 😮

1 elephant in two weeks. And even then, personally, I didn’t see it—I was driving!

Looks like you shouldn’t go to Namibia for wildlife in March-April...

Indeed, March and April don’t seem to be the best months for wildlife in Namibia. In 2018, we met several tourists who hadn’t seen any elephants in Etosha, and they said you needed binoculars just to spot zebras and antelopes.

That said, April is perfect for KTP ;) and also for the landscapes in Namibia.

Otherwise, like Pierre, we’ve never dared to try kayaking—just seeing the water gives us the chills😮. Same when I see kayaks flirting with icebergs😮

I thought you were more of a daredevil.😄

Personally, but that’s just my opinion, I think it’s a shame to be on a boat with a crowd, champagne, oysters, and a sea lion they bring on board. Kayaking is still way more "adventurous."[;]

I thought you were more adventurous.

... that’s why I’m still just a beginner [;)

After eating the oranges, he heads toward the table but doesn’t go for the food in the bag. Then he comes to the car and moves to the back, which we’d left open. Worried he’d completely rummage through the trunk looking for the orange net, I open the door and slam it shut—startling him and making him run off.

Indeed, it’s strongly advised not to bring oranges or other citrus fruits with you. Elephants can open a trunk to get to the fruit. I don’t know about you, but for us, this was mentioned in Tourmaline’s road book, and I also read it on VF.

Oh well, we didn’t know 🙁 I just checked Tourmaline’s documents—it explains how to behave when facing an elephant but nothing about citrus fruits 😮

Hi Isabelle,

I hope you made it home safely after our meet-up. As for us, we got back last night from Victoria Falls after 32 hours of flights (5 in a row) and waiting in airports. I’ve started reading your post on the forum 😉 and I’m already laughing 😎. I’m also noticing some differences in our experiences. My replies will be a bit delayed compared to those who’ve been following you from the start.

to make sure I wouldn’t be put off camping in winter

You’re even worse than us 😎—but we were already used to sleeping in the car in the US.

Are you ready to join this adventure with us in our Hilux?

Here we go! But when it comes to the Hilux, isn’t that just another word for Namibia? That’s pretty much all we saw!

Well, no, but I took everything I was recommended…

If you don’t mind me asking, how many kilos of luggage did you have? Because we definitely don’t know how to travel light.

And to pass the time a little during this flight

You’re cheating 😉!

since we took a double cab, there’s space in the back

Exactly—our two big (diving) bags never left the back seats, and we had no issues. Maybe just don’t bring anything too flashy.

It’s only 3 PM, we’re at the exit

That’s why we chose Air Namibia (arriving around 6–6:30 AM), but I get your choice.

I also think it’s not a bad idea to have gone through an agency for all those details that help us stay relaxed.

We made the same choice and didn’t regret it, especially after our vehicle issue (we’ll talk about that later 😉).

to head to the Superspar Maerua

Like you, but we were pretty disappointed—we much preferred the METRO shopping center a bit farther away (GPS coordinates if you need them).

we want to take the time to settle in, organize a bit, pack the back of the 4x4, set up the tent, and prepare our beds.

Same reaction, and in the end, everything went smoothly. The instructions were clear, and we/you understood everything 😉. The gear provided by Asco and others was really great.

elands and gnus are at the watering hole

You were lucky—we didn’t see any elands. For gnus, I’ve been calling them by their local name: wildebeest.

take a shower as soon as you can

Why, did you see some dust? 😎

Springbok on the grill with vegetables and caramelized apples cooked in the embers

It’s usually a bit hard to find vegetables, in general.

Looking forward to the rest of your adventures.

Hi Isabelle,

I hope you made it back safely after our meet-up. As for us, we just got back last night from Victoria Falls after 32 hours of flights (5 in a row) and waiting in airports. I’m starting to read your story on the forum 😉 and already laughing 😎. I’m also noticing some differences in our experiences. My replies might be a bit delayed compared to those who’ve been following you from the start.

Hello Alain Pierre, Ah! You’re back! It feels like ages since we returned, but luckily this travel journal keeps taking me back there every day 😎. If you read all the comments and reply to each one, you’ll be up all night 😏. Well, since you’re retired, you’ve got all the time in the world... though I imagine Isabelle is going back to work tomorrow 🙁. Hang in there!

Well, no, but I took everything we were recommended…

If you don’t mind me asking, how many kilos of luggage did you have? Because we really don’t know how to travel light.

Not that much... 15 and 17 kg, but just the essential clothes (had to do laundry... vacation hard labor 🤪)

since we took a double cab, there’s plenty of space in the back

Exactly; our two big (diving) bags never left the back seats, and no issues. Maybe just don’t bring anything too flashy.

It’s still super convenient not having to take the bags out, and there’s less dust in the cabin too.

It’s only 3 PM, and we’re leaving

That’s why we flew with Air Namibia (arrival around 6-6:30 AM), but I get your choice.

I don’t think you made the most of that extra morning... it seemed like you were still missing some essentials when we met 😇

to head to Superspar Maerua

Same as you, but we were really disappointed. We much preferred the METRO shopping center, a bit farther away (GPS coordinates if you need them).

Yeah, that could be useful next time, but you’ll tell us all about it in your travel journal 😉

At first, we were kinda playing it like "Isa" 😛😏! Being a bit chilly, not really keen on splashing around in 12°C water, "just" to see some seals. If the water’s not at least 22°C, we don’t swim. The perk of living in the Var! I showed the family some photos of the activity, but not many were up for it—maybe they were wrong....

Yes, you were wrong—it was the best paid excursion of our trip! To fight the cold, you get really warm and waterproof wetsuits. At least that’s how it was for us with Eco Marine Kayak Tours. It’s absolutely amazing to play with the seals, be at their level, and see every little movement they make in the water. Plus, we got several photos and videos of ourselves taken by Eco Marine Kayak Tours.

Carmen

Thanks, Carmen 🙂. After reading all your experiences (thanks also to Attila, Jacques, Sybille, and Max), I’m changing my plans and booking the Kayak-sandwich Harbour combo. I made sure to check the tide coefficients for that day beforehand to see if we risk getting stuck like Jacques in the afternoon! By the way, how do you do it several months in advance? I found this site that gives forecasts months ahead, but not yet for 2020 😏... Guillaume alias Pierre 😛

I also wondered which Pierre JF was referring to in his message. 😄

Wednesday, August 7: White Lady / Grootberg Lodge

We really loved this stop and the colors of Brandberg. But what’s that jackal doing—seals are far away!





We head back onto the C35 for 70 km north—the gravel road is still in rough shape in places. To get to Twyfelfontein, we turn onto the D2612, which is even more challenging. A few kilometers before the site, the landscapes are stunning, with red rocks.





We arrive around 11 AM. For the guided tour of the rock paintings, a guide is mandatory. Our guide’s name is Mona Lisa, and we’re with a German family of five. Then, a family of four Italians joins us.



The walk is very easy—it’s a bit hot today, but it’s not bothersome since there’s almost no elevation gain. When we reach the site, it’s pretty impressive. There are rocks everywhere with engravings.







"This is a significant concentration of petroglyphs, with nearly 2,000 figures recorded. The site consists of a valley flanked by sandstone mountains that receive very little rainfall and experience a wide range of daytime temperatures.

The site has been inhabited for 6,000 years, first by hunter-gatherers and later by herders. Both ethnic groups used this place as a sacred site for shamanic rituals. For these ceremonies, just under 2,500 rock engravings were created. It’s one of the largest concentrations of rock art in Africa."









At the Old Farmer junction, we take Dancing Kudu alone. The rest of the group returns to the center. Actually, the guide only accompanies you on the Lions Man’s trail, but the path to Dancing Kudu is very well marked.

There are only two engravings to see, but from the top, we have a lovely view of the valley, and the walk is nice.











These two walks took us about an hour and a half at a leisurely pace.

After a short lunch break, it's already 1:30 PM when we get back on the D1912 and then the C39 toward Palmwag, which is a very smooth drive. We pass by the Damaraland mountains and continue on the C43 to Palmwag. To get to Grootberg, we turn onto the C20 for about twenty kilometers.





We leave our vehicle in the parking lot at the bottom, and a shuttle takes us up to the Lodge. The climb is steep, after all! We arrive at 4 PM, and wow—what a sight! The lodge overlooks the canyon directly; it’s stunning. We weren’t expecting this view.





We wanted to do the nature drive, but it’s too late—in winter, the departure is at 3:30 PM. No big deal, though; we stay comfortably settled on our terrace, enjoying the view. The accommodations are really nice, built with stone and thatched roofs that blend perfectly into the landscape.







Dinner by a cozy wood fire is excellent. At the end of the meal, the lodge staff treat us to songs and dances.



To return to our accommodation, we have to be accompanied by a guard because lions are roaming around.

We fall asleep dreaming of elephants, lions, and maybe even a nighttime visit! And who knows—maybe tomorrow morning, a lion will be lounging on our terrace?

To be continued here

Hi Isabelle,

Thanks for the follow-up! 🙂 Your travel journal is still such a pleasure to read.

We arrive around 11 a.m. The guided tour of the rock paintings requires a guide. Our guide’s name is Mona Lisa, and we’re with a German family of five, then an Italian family of four joins us.

That’s quite a crowd! 😮 Back in 2016, we were alone with our guide. But we did an earlier tour.

Didn’t you take a photo of Lions Rock?

Carmen

Hi Isabelle,

When we wake up at 7 a.m., it’s still quite cold outside

For us, apart from the first 2-3 days, we were up at 6 a.m., but I’d told Isabelle the temperature would be between 0 and 28°C, and we actually had much warmer weather (between 5 and 39°C). Some mornings, I even put on my fleece.

The landscapes are quite monotonous.

Unfortunately, that was our general impression too, with a few exceptions.

Sometimes, certain stations may run out of fuel

That happened to us in Namutoni!

Oryx

Lovely photo of the mother and her baby.

A black eagle with its prey

Looks like it’s plucked it 😎!

We’re experiencing our first Namibian massages

😎!

Our spot is number 9

Our spot looked *very* similar to yours—I just checked, it was number 18. But we’re a bit less picky than you about the toilets (they weren’t the same ones anyway).

Big Daddy... simply stunning, endless dunes as far as the eye can see

I think your photos really capture your comment (or vice versa).

We spend a good while admiring this typical landscape

Did you find it easy to take photos without people in them? 😉

We still take a short walk for about an hour among the honeycomb rocks and quiver trees.

It’s really pleasant, and those trees are so unusual.

On our hostess’s recommendation

That’s the beauty of these situations—unexpected discoveries.

See you soon.

Hi Isabelle,

Thanks for the follow-up. 🙂 Your travel journal is still such a pleasure to read.

We arrive around 11 a.m. For the guided tour of the rock paintings, it’s mandatory to have a guide. Our guide’s name is Mona Lisa, and we’re with a German family of five, then an Italian family of four joins us.

That’s quite a crowd. 😮 Back in 2016, we were alone with our guide. But we did an earlier tour.

Didn’t you take a photo of Lions Rock?

Carmen

Yes, there were a lot of people (well, relatively speaking!) at the site. Our group was one of the smallest. 🙂

No, it was when we got back to the Visitor Center that we remembered Lions Rock from seeing photos of it. So we don’t know where it was since we didn’t see it—it must be recognizable, right? 🏴‍☠️

When you wake up at 7 AM, it’s still pretty cold outside

For us, except for the first 2-3 days, we were up at 6 AM, but I’d told Isabelle the temperature would be between 0 and 28°C—we actually had way hotter weather (between 5 and 39°C). Some mornings, I even put on my fleece.

Yeah, it sounds like even in the south, you guys had much warmer temps than we did😎.

Sometimes, certain stations can run out of fuel

That happened to us in Namutoni!

😮 🤪

A black eagle with its prey

Looks like it plucked it😎!

It’s an eagle that doesn’t like feathers😉 or maybe it stole it from the butcher’s stall? 😇

Our spot is number 9

Our spot looked "suspiciously" like yours—I just checked, it was number 18. But we’re a little less strict than you about the toilets (ours weren’t the same either).

Yeah, but you’re used to camping, even wild camping...

We spent a good while admiring this typical landscape

Didn’t have too much trouble taking photos without people in them? 😉

Nope, we just politely asked them to check if it was better elsewhere😄

Thursday, August 8: Grootberg Lodge / Opuwo

Tonight was the first time it wasn’t cold—we even got hot in our stone chalets. This morning, we slept in and only got up for the sunrise, but unfortunately, it rose behind us. It would’ve been amazing to see it from our terrace. We slowly opened the curtains and were a little disappointed not to see any lions… we really thought we might! 😮.

After breakfast, we stayed a while longer to enjoy the stunning view in front of us before reluctantly leaving the lodge. If we could do it again, we’d stay two nights and take a day trip.



We were taken to the parking lot to pick up the car—it was 9 AM and already 21°C. The driver pointed out lion paw prints in the middle of the tire tracks. So it’s not a myth—there really are lions at Grootberg Lodge! 😮.



Our destination for the day was Opuwo, 280 km away with no planned stops along the way. The landscapes during the descent from the Grootberg Pass were gorgeous.





On the way to pick up the C39, we swerved onto some rocks to avoid an oncoming grader and ended up with a flat on the rear left tire. There we were, trying to change it. By the time we got everything out and removed the spare, the grader driver had turned around and took pity on us. In less than half an hour, the tire was replaced—no jack needed, a grader lifts a 4x4 just fine. Oops! 😇





Before reaching Palmwag, we passed through the sanitary checkpoint. Traveling south to north, there’s no inspection—products from the south are considered safe, but those from the north pose a risk.

We stopped at the concession to see if they could repair the tire, but as we suspected, it wasn’t possible because the gash was on the side. On top of that, they didn’t have our tire size. Luckily, we had a second spare.

It was already 11 AM when we got back on the C43, with 120 km to the turnoff for Sesfontein. The scenery was nice, and we saw our first giraffes.









Then it was back on the C43 for the 130 km to Opuwo. The road was a bit rough in places, and a few ostriches livened up our drive—one even tried to race us!







Herds of cows and goats, along with villages by the roadside, showed more human presence than in the south. The dust was everywhere because of the wind 🙁.









We arrived in Opuwo at 3:30 PM and looked for a gas station to fill up since there wouldn’t be one at Epupa Falls. The kids harassing drivers was a bit annoying. A man told them to leave, and we asked him where we could buy a tire. He pointed us to a place nearby and met us there. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the right size either. So he came with us to the edge of Opuwo to another garage, but they didn’t have it either. However, they ordered one since we’d be passing through Opuwo again Saturday morning—we could change it then. The issue was paying in cash with no receipt, but we didn’t have a choice. Oh well, we won’t be able to get reimbursed by insurance.

After that, we did some shopping at the Spar—it was nothing like the one in Windhoek. We didn’t like this town at all; we didn’t feel comfortable there.

The Opuwo Country Lodge, where we’re staying tonight, is just outside Opuwo. We arrived at 5 PM. The lodge looked beautiful—the reception really made us want to stay… but no, tonight it’s camping for us. We shouldn’t get used to luxury, after all.

Our campsite (No. 4) was a bit of a pain to set up—all on a slope with two small plateaus that made it hard to maneuver. The view overlooked the shacks outside town. This campsite won’t go down in history, but it’s a necessary stop on the way to Epupa—otherwise, the drive would’ve been way too long.



Two armed guards patrolled the camp all night—it was reassuring. The evening was really pleasant again, a nice change from the start of the trip. Tonight, we caramelized the last of our oranges—delicious! 🙂.



Heading north here

Hi Isabelle, Your adventures are still as fascinating! We wanted to do Grootberg and spend 2 nights there last time, but it was fully booked, so we had to settle for another lodge. Opuwo is definitely a very special town, and I remember the road to Epupa being pretty rough... Jacques

Hi Isabelle, Your adventures are always so exciting!

Hi Jacques, I don’t know if we can call it adventures for seasoned travelers, but for us, driving through Namibia’s roads was truly a wonderful experience.

We wanted to stay at Grootberg last time and spend 2 nights there, but it was full, so we had to settle for another lodge.

Ah, yes! I really recommend it, and you should definitely stay for two nights 🙂.

Opuwo—it’s true, it’s a really unique town, and the road to Epupa was pretty rough in my memory... Jacques

Yes, that part wasn’t our best memory 🙁. But it’s okay, everything else was so magical 😉.

Hi Isabelle, We stayed 2 nights at Grootberg Lodge. It was really nice, but given the presence of lions in the area (2 horses had been attacked and killed in the previous weeks or months), horseback riding and hiking activities had been canceled....😕 We still had the elephant tracking we’d done at Brandberg and the rhino tracking, which, in my opinion, was really overpriced...😕 Anyway, we walked a bit around the lodge and relaxed a lot—reading, enjoying the view, the pool (by the edge, not in it😉), and the restaurant.... As for Opuwo, it’s not exactly a pretty town—it’s dusty, and the solicitations at the gas pump are *really* persistent—but we still found some charm in its bustling activity, the different ethnic groups walking through town or meeting at the supermarket... A bit like a frontier town. I’ll stop my comments here, otherwise I won’t have anything left to write in my travel journal (which isn’t progressing much🤪) Looking forward to the rest of yours—I’m really enjoying reading it!