Three More Months in Southern Africa (page 3 of 4)

One more happy traveler.

This weekend, I’m getting back into it... pinky promise! 🐘

You’d better... dinosaur’s honor!

(Oh come on! 😏)

Hello to Françoise, Nathalie, Michel, and Jean-Luc (who I clearly can't compete with 😏)!

2) Namibia: Mariental and Sesriem (5-7 April 2018)

After this admittedly eventful but ultimately beautiful start to the trip in the Cape region, it’s already time to change the scenery... and the country.

April 5th marks a day of transition: a flight to Windhoek (10:00 AM–11:30 AM), picking up the rental cars, and driving to Mariental (310 km), on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. We arrive at our accommodation around 6:00 PM, just before nightfall.

The next morning, my brother-in-law and I wake up at dawn to enjoy the property a bit. But I won’t be recommending the place, given the owners’ unfriendliness. 🙁







Today’s destination is a classic Namibian highlight: the Sesriem region. We arrive without any issues in the early afternoon after 275 km of driving. After grabbing a snack in the village and checking into our rooms at the Sossusvlei Lodge, we end the day exploring the Sesriem Canyon and Elim Dune—not without getting a flat tire in between. 😉

Sesriem Canyon



Thanks to my parents’ generosity 😇, the standard is noticeably higher than my solo trips. The comfortable lodge with a pool is a welcome upgrade from a tent or sleeping in the car, and the grill buffet replaces cooking on a camp stove. 😏 That evening, I try zebra and eland for the first (and probably last) time in my life.

But we’re really here to admire these unique landscapes—clay pans surrounded by towering red sand dunes and dotted with century-old acacias, frozen and parched under the scorching sun. The famous "Deadvlei," which I skipped in 2016 to explore more remote areas, was well worth this return to the land of the brave. This time, the awe is shared by all.

The desert antelope (oryx) in its natural habitat

Photo or painting?

The travel journal is still as beautiful and well-told as ever 🙂

Great, we're gonna love this travel journal series! :)

Hey Franck and hey everyone,

I’m jumping back on the bandwagon! 🙂

So happy to be reading all of you again!

Well, well, this username rings a bell 😄 Everyone comes back from Bof saying “meh” !

Cool, it’s happening again—and Namibia this time! Love it… but now I’m reminded I need to sort through this summer’s photos.

So glad you're picking up your travel journal again!

I’ll admit, it’s not *just* for your gorgeous 😇 photos. I’m planning a self-drive trip to Zimbabwe in May 2026 (4x4 with camping and lodges), and info on the country—aside from Victoria Falls—isn’t exactly easy to come by.

Can’t wait to read more! And lots of luck with the writing! 😉

Pascale

Welcome to Agnès, Pierre, Mayrig, Isabelle, and Pascale! It really feels like a mix of pleasure and nostalgia, taking me back four or five years... 🙂

Pascale, Zimbabwe is a great idea! I really enjoyed my time there. Just avoid trying to go off-road with a city car (story to come 😇), but since you're planning to use a 4x4, you should be fine. 😉

3) Namibia: Walvis Bay, Cape Cross, and Brandberg (April 7-9, 2018)

With only 9 days to spend in Namibia with family, there’s no time to get creative! Between Sesriem and Etosha, three stops naturally stand out: Walvis Bay, Cape Cross, and Brandberg. Unfortunately, we had to skip Spitzkoppe, which had been a highlight for me in 2016.

On the afternoon of April 7, after our amazing exploration of Deadvlei and Sossusvlei, we head toward Walvis Bay (315 km). The Namibian roads aren’t too bad, but that doesn’t spare us from a second flat tire, just before the Tropic of Capricorn... Considering I only had one flat in three months of travel in 2016! 😇

During my previous trip, I skipped Walvis Bay to prioritize Swakopmund, a bit further north. This morning of April 8, I savor the sight of pink flamingos on the nearby lagoon. A truly beautiful spectacle. 🙂 The next stop is noisier... and smellier! 😏 It’s the Seal Cross Seal Reserve (170 km from Walvis Bay), famous for its massive colony of Cape fur seals. The racket competes with the strong smell... and my mom kept a tissue over her face the whole time. 😛







With the time spent repairing our tire that morning (even more complicated on a Sunday), the day was already well underway when we reached the White Lady Lodge, about 200 km from the seal colony. The bungalows are quite rustic (arachnophobes beware 😏), but the atmosphere is pleasant, and the food is delicious. Before breakfast, I walk around the property to photograph some birds.



Southern grey-headed sparrow Helmeted guineafowl

The group struggled to get going this morning, and it was already past 10 a.m. when we reached the parking lot (only 10 km from our accommodation) for the hike to the White Lady rock painting—which, in reality, depicts a shaman. What had seemed like a simple walk on my last visit turned into quite the challenge under the scorching sun for some family members. Tip: bring plenty of water! 🤪

Agama planiceps (Namib rock agama)



In 2016, I had a great time with the (mandatory) guides at the site, one of whom even actively participated in the recap video of my trip, available on the first page of my travel journal from back then. At my request, she gave me a memorable demonstration of one of Africa’s fascinating click languages, Damara (or Khoekhoegowab). By a wonderful coincidence, I run into her on the trail as she’s returning to the parking lot with her group. We recognize each other and share a moment of laughter, reminiscing about that shared memory. 🙂

After dinner, we head toward the town of Outjo and the "Ijaba Lodge at Buschfeld Park," 248 km away. Etosha is for tomorrow, and everyone’s excited!

The shape of the pool is hilarious. Pure coincidence or the work of a nostalgic expat? (Your photos haven’t aged a bit 😉)

It’s with a heavy heart that I’m boarding this time... Namibia was on the agenda for July 2020, with the rest of the story we all know, and 20,000 rands in non-refundable deposits still sitting with Namvic, probably for good now... Since the end of Covid, I’ve checked flight prices every year for our usual July dates, and the fares have skyrocketed (1,200–1,300 € instead of 800 €), making the destination way out of budget for the five of us. Every time there’s a feature on TF1 or elsewhere about this incredible place, we just want to cry. Thanks for picking up the travel journal! 🙂

If you're going for 3 weeks or a month, you can start your trip from Joburg. Flight prices are way better—competition does that!

Yeah, I noticed flights to JBo are still available, but that means we wouldn’t go through Namvic anymore...

PS: I’m no longer getting notifications for new replies to threads I’m following. Is anyone else having this issue?

PS: I’m no longer receiving notifications for new replies to threads I’m following. Am I the only one in this situation?

Hi Guillaume. Mine’s working fine. Check below the message to see if the box is ticked?

Hi Bruno, The 3 boxes are checked, and my account settings are all good. I just found the emails in my spam folder, so by marking them as "not spam," the issue should be resolved. Thanks!

Funny shape of the pool. Pure coincidence or the work of a nostalgic expat?

No idea! Not being French, I hadn’t even noticed. 😉

Sorry to hear about your misadventures, Guillaume... I didn’t realize the destination had become less accessible, financially speaking. 🤪

As for me, I was planning to go back (as a couple) in the summer of 2025, but plans changed (due to a new job), so it’ll have to wait for another time!

Welcome to Bruno, too, our dear Haut-Savoyard! 😉

When flying into Cape Town, tickets are sometimes cheaper than to Johannesburg, which I noticed this spring. Vehicles can also be cheaper. You’ll need a bit more time to reach the border, but you can also combine it with a visit to KTP and Cape Town.