In August, our colleague Claudia travelled with her family from our neighbouring country Namibia to South Africa’s Mother City. The approx. 3000 km (1865 mi.) road trip took them from Namibia’s capital city, Windhoek, past the fabulous Sossusvlei dune landscape, through the quiver-tree forests of Keetmanshoop, into the eerie ghost town of Kolmanskop, onward to the imposing Fish River Canyon and finally along South Africa’s West Coast ending off their trip in Cape Town.
The journey could not have been more varied: seemingly lonely desert and mountain landscapes erupted into a rainbow of colours at varying times of the day, but most particularly at sunrise and sunset. Their travel companions: here an Oryx (‘Gemsbok’), there a springbok, a tortoise or the wild horses of Garub along the way. Standing at the edge of the mighty Fish River Canyon – marvelling at the second largest in the world after the Grand Canyon. Like a mirage, the Orange River emerged out of nowhere, forming the border between Namibia and South Africa as a lush green oasis. With water on the horizon, one could already see the first spring blooms, which shortly thereafter weaved into magical carpets of flowers in South Africa’s Namaqualand. Onward the journey went along the shores of the Cape’s West Coast, with hardly another soul to be seen on the many pristine white beaches along the way!
Claudia’s conclusion:
If you wish to travel to Namibia, we suggest planning your trip well in advance! Namibia only has a population of around 2.5 million residents and the accommodation offering is thus limited! As such, it’s good to book early, particularly if you want to reside in top lodges such as Wolwedans or Little Kulala. There are also wonderful guest farms, which might not be quite as luxurious, but offer the wonderful, warm hospitality of Namibia’s people. It might be a rustical choice such as the Namseb Lodge, perhaps a more comfortable option with incredible views, such as the Eagle´s Nest Chalets of Klein Aus Vista or the spectacular mountain suites of Naries Namakwa Retreat might be for you. For Claudia & family, it was just the mixture of the accommodation options that made this trip truly special
Click here to view Claudia’s site inspection trip:
African Moments Site Inspection Trip: Namibia’s South & South Africa’s West Coast – August 2018
