Off on an adventure in Namibia! (page 2 of 9)

Love the Namibian travel journal! We're leaving in two months for 15 days too, but with a much more classic itinerary. We won't be doing the South or Epupa—we're focusing on the central region. So if I understood correctly, the famous way to get off the beaten track is to sleep inside the 4x4? Did you have any issues on the ground since wild camping is banned there? Can't wait to read the rest and long live the new Uzbek travel journal! 🙂

Love the Namibian travel journal! We're leaving in two months for 15 days too, but with a much more classic itinerary. We won’t be doing the South or Epupa—we’re focusing on the central region. So if I understood correctly, the famous off-the-beaten-path transport method is sleeping inside the 4x4? You didn’t have any issues on-site since wild camping is banned there? Can’t wait to read the rest and long live the new Uzbek travel journal! 🙂

Yes! Nights in the trunk of our 4x4! As for wild camping, there’s so much space that we didn’t see anyone... except for a surprise coming in a few days...

To be continued tomorrow...

You know how to keep us in suspense 😏

During my month-long stay in Namibia, the only (slightly) negative aspect was the number of kilometers. So, from South to North in 15 days—I want to see it all!

But even though I pride myself on having a pretty understanding wife, I could never make her sleep in the trunk of a car, even if it’s a 4x4…

So I’m still enjoying your Namibian adventures just as much, if only for the logistics 😄 Got a photo of the room? (Without invading the couple’s privacy, of course)

Hi Franck,

I can only dream when I see this amazing travel journal, but in a few days, I’ll get to teleport to Namibia myself. This will be our 4th trip to this addictive country. Bring on the desert solitude! Get ready, oryx, zebras, giraffes, and other wildlife.

But to pass the next six days, I’ll read and savor Franck’s travel journal.

African regards, Loïc

During my one-month stay in Namibia, the only (slightly) negative aspect was the number of kilometers. So, from south to north in 15 days—I want to see it all!

But even though I boast about having a pretty understanding wife, I could never make her sleep in the trunk of a car, even if it’s a 4x4...

I’m still enjoying your Namibian adventures just as much, if only for the logistics 😄 Got a photo of the room? (Without invading the couple’s privacy, of course)

If yours is understanding, I’ll admit mine is *extremely* so! As for the kilometers, I’ll spoil the suspense—it worked out. Over two weeks, we covered the south, center, and north. I was reasonable; I didn’t include the Caprivi Strip

Sorry, I didn’t think to take a photo of our love nest...

See you in a bit for the rest! Franck

Hi Franck,

I can only dream when I see this amazing travel journal, but I’ll have the chance to teleport to Namibia myself in a few days. This will be our 4th trip to this addictive country. Bring on the desert solitude. Get ready, oryx, zebras, giraffes, and other wildlife! But to pass the next 6 days, I’ll read and savor Franck’s journal. African regards, Loïc

Hey Loïc! You’ll have a few more days to read before you leave. I’ll publish one entry each day... Have a great trip!

April 14 – Day 4

Just behind our open-space campsite, there’s a mountain. And what a beautiful mountain it is... I bet the sun loves putting on a show here too. That’s why you find me at dawn on our fourth day, scrambling up like a rutting oryx to conquer this summit—where I’ll witness the grand illuminator’s arrival on Earth, solo and VIP-style. By the way, if I’m speaking in the first person singular, it’s not for dramatic effect—it’s pure logistics. Traveler’s diarrhea: 1, my Flo: 0! She had a rough intestinal night. So I shamelessly abandon her amid a symphony of gurgling to celebrate the dawn of this new day of wandering across the lush savanna. Yeah, it could be worse—I could’ve spent the night in the bathroom...







Once our infernal duo is reunited, what on earth can we do with such unstable guts? No worries—no major physical feats today, just road-trip-style contemplation. Our announced goal: the gold rush to the Sesriem dunes, where we hope to arrive by afternoon. The GPS says four hours of dirt road. We’ll take seven! No, it wasn’t the “behind a bush” stops that threw off the schedule. The culprit? The incomparable beauty of the landscapes we crossed.





Don’t they say, “The longer it takes, the better it is”? Because wow, is it good! In April, the NamibRand unfolds an unreal palette of colors—like watching TV in color for the first time! Few places in the world have had this chromatic effect on me: Landmannalaugar, Grand Prismatic, Sud Lípez... The NamibRand now joins the pantheon of these surreal spots where neither words nor photos can capture the vastness and beauty of the tones and contrasts. I’m trying, but sorry—I don’t think you’ll quite get it... And if you add oryxes, springboks, and our first zebra, it’s a full house, my dear Patrice Laffont!





The NamibRand is more something you cross than visit: limited access, mostly private land, no trespassing, keep out! Yeah, right! All you need is a dash of audacity to take perpendicular tracks leading straight to private farms or luxury lodges. You innocently drive in, go all the way to the porch... then, with a faux-annoyed look, blame your GPS, turn around, and leave with your eyes full of images no one can ever take from you. Huggy’s got three hot tips for you—don’t miss them under any circumstances: Wolvedans, Kwessi Dunes, and Sossusvlei Desert Lodge.

Day 4 (continued)











So, what about Sesriem? A nice cold beer and a quick dip in the pool to cool down and settle our nerves—and our stomachs, which are doing their mea culpa... All our geo-gastric indicators are telling us it’s time to climb Dune Elim and wrap up the day with a sunset. Let’s go!



Today’s math exercise, kids: Every time you take a step forward, you slide half a step back. If the dune is 200 meters high, how many times will Flo complain about hauling her 40 kilos of soggy weight up the soft sand? Pass in your papers—you’ve got two hours!





Now that we’re at the top, here’s an excerpt from Franck’s roadbook: "From the top of Dune Elim, you’ll have a view of the stunning red dunes, the breathtaking blue mountains, the golden savanna—all made even more magical by a gorgeous sunset beside a beautiful woman." The red dunes, the blue mountains, the golden savanna, the sun... and my Flo! Mission accomplished in style!

Franck, your travel journal is amazing. I love the photos and the text. Even though I know these landscapes well, I never get tired of them. We're just 5 days away from our 4th Namibian trip. I hope you plan to continue your trip report for the next 5 days. Your beautiful album will help ease my legendary impatience (my wife’s words). To be continued... African regards, Loïc

Re - Hi there, I’ll be following along too—so many memories! Two travel journals at once! Wow!

See you,

Re - Hello, I’ll be following along too—so many memories! Two travel journals at once! Wow!

See you later!

You’re everywhere at once! 😎 I’ve got a ton of travel journals already written that I need to post here... Happy reading!

I’ll do my best to ease your impatience—you can reassure your wife! 😉 Thanks for the encouraging messages! Franck

You're everywhere at once! 😎

It's not my fault if you write such great travel journals about countries I've visited. Oh well!

April 15 – Day 5 Let’s play a game! Draw me the landscape of your dreams—the one that fuels your wanderlust. Start, for example, by sketching a perfectly flat ground of immaculate white. To add a touch of adventurous tension, imagine it cracked by drought... Then, why not surround this flat expanse with towering vertical dunes? They’d be so impressive they’d rank among the tallest in the world! And don’t skimp on the red hue for the sand—it’s what’ll give it the best effect! To further highlight the contrast and mystique of the place, plant dozens of black, skeletal acacias in the middle of this scene—trees that died nearly six hundred years ago and were petrified by the desert’s dry air. Above it all, an essential element: color the sky a clear royal blue, synonymous with perfect brightness. Finally, in this desert landscape, you could add the detail that would leave no doubt about the surreal nature of the place: a body of water lapping at the base of the dunes... Now close your eyes—you’re right in the middle of this dream... A warm, gentle breeze caresses your face... But wait—what’s coming toward you? Oh yes, it’s Franck and Flo!... Thank you for everything. Thank you for dreaming up and bringing to life this setting where we’ll be exploring this morning. A setting that will be our true reality!

Because yes, if we came all the way to Sesriem, it’s for Dead Vlei the white, overlooked by Big Daddy the red—the seventh-tallest sand dune in the world at 350 meters, or three and a half times the size of the Dune of Pilat in Arcachon Bay. It’s also one of the main reasons we came to Namibia! But let’s not count our oryxes before they’re roasted—every respectable adventure day starts with a sunrise! And we’ve chosen the top of Dune 45 as our 4K Dolby Surround open-air theater. Wow! No matter the venue, our magician knows how to reinvent himself every day to deliver unforgettable performances—and this one is no exception!

Day 5 (continued)



Here we are at last! The moment the cheering crowd’s been waiting for! My future Windows wallpaper! But first, two challenges stand between us and the holy grail. The first: trekking five kilometers through soft sand to reach the site’s parking lot. Level 1, completed! The second: if we want to brag about the ultimate way to reach Dead Vlei, it’s by racing down from the top of Big Daddy. And what goes down must go up... and boy, is it tough for those of us with a little extra weight! A satanic force called “gravity” keeps pulling your foot halfway back down with every step. Your thighs are burning, your shorts are soaked, and the climb is slow—but you’re still making progress, crossing the finish line to the cheers of the crowd you just added to your drawing! A little personal shout-out: huge congrats to my little Flo for her unshakable willpower, which got her to the top despite her stomach bug just kicking in!











So, was all that sweat worth the blisters? Oh, absolutely! A landscape like this can only stir up wild emotions from deep within your soul! One of the most incredible views I’ve ever had the chance to see!

Day 5 (continued)

From way up there, perched on the summit of Big Daddy, Dead Vlei looks like a tiny world at the foot of the impressive black dune we now have to race down! "Full speed ahead, Mr. Duss, full speed ahead!"



We burn through every hard-earned meter of elevation in seconds for a magical landing in the land of the deceased acacias... Dead Vlei... I mean, can you believe it? We’re at Dead Vlei, which some consider one of the most beautiful places in the world. One of the most photogenic. One of the most mysterious, too, with those eerie sentinels casting their shadows on the white clay. And why doesn’t this vast expanse of red sand swallow up this tiny patch of whiteness in a gust of wind? Anyway, we’re here and enjoying this exceptional site, surprisingly almost privatized just for us! To freeze time, we scrutinize every branch of every tree from every angle. "Flo, have we already taken a photo of this one?..."

Day 5 (continued)

After that waking dream, we’re back to our motorized reality for another stretch of the journey with a few stops. The first is Solitaire, a remote outpost and a major spot on Namibia’s map... In reality, it’s just a Route 66-style gas station with a bakery famous for its apple pie. Personally, I prefer my mom’s, so I’d actually recommend their blueberry cake instead—or better yet, go visit my mom if apple pie is really your guilty pleasure!





The road then crosses the Tropic of Capricorn. A sign marks the occasion, perfect for a "been there" photo.



Next up is Kuiseb Pass. Let me tell you, this place is mind-blowing! Just an hour ago, we were driving through the red sands of the Namib Desert, and now we’re in a landscape that looks straight out of Scotland! Rolling green hills stretch as far as the eye can see. This country is seriously amazing, right?





Finally, we reach our day’s destination: Mirabib Rock, aka the middle of nowhere. A massive boulder standing alone in the middle of a vast desert plain. Add our faces, completely isolated in the world, camping here tonight after watching the sunset with drinks in hand, and you’ve got a pretty good summary of our Namibian adventure! The best, really!

There are so many places that look magical in photos but turn out to be a letdown in person!

The Namibian dunes, though, are just as stunning and breathtaking in real life as they are in pictures! 😛

There are so many places that look magical in photos but what a letdown when you get there!

The Namibian dunes, though, are just as stunning and captivating in real life as they are in pictures! 😛

You're right, I wasn't disappointed by the Dead Vlei pan at all. But I have to say, I was *very* pleasantly surprised by the scenery around it that you don’t see as much on social media. Like the photos of the climb up Big Daddy, for example. I was lucky to see water there, which is pretty rare... Absolutely gorgeous!