General rules for driving in Namibia:

They drive on the left side of the road. The speed limit is 120km/hr on tarred roads and 100km/hr on gravel roads. The main roads are a mixture of tar and gravel. Roads are graded starting from B being the best, to D which are dirt roads. B are the national roads of Namibia and are generally tarred roads. C or D roads are the secondary roads, and these are gravel/dirt roads.

Long distant driving in Namibia, Gravel roads:

It was my first time driving on a long distant gravel/dirt road and the car handles completely different on these roads. There were times I was driving 100km/hr and I felt like I was driving in a rally, as the vehicle swayed across the gravel road. Even though I was sticking too the speed limit, it was clearly too fast. I soon got used to the gravel road and my driving improved as I went. My tip would be to take it slow, get to know how the vehicle handles the road and not break in corners if it is your first time driving on gravel.

What to look out for when driving in Namibia:

Undulations, potholes, ditches and river beds which can become flooded in rainy seasons, are things you need to look out for. There are times when large rocks sit just below the gravel surface. Hitting them at high speed could cause quite a bit of damage to your vehicle. There have been fatalities in the past on the road to Sossusvlei, so take breaks and be safe when driving. After driving a fair distance, I found that driving at about 80km/hr, I was handling the 4 wheel drive better on these gravel roads.

Maps:

The routes are straight forward and most of the time you will find yourself driving on one road for a long time. We downloaded offline maps for emergencies, but only used it once to check the location of our accommodation. (We arrived at night due due to the long drive there.)

Driving at night:

Driving at night on gravel roads in remote areas such as close to Sossusvlei, is discouraged but possible. There is no hard shoulder on the gravel road and there are not always fences between the farms/land and the road. More than often, wildlife wanders onto or run across the road, so you have to be alert, even when driving during the day. There are also no lights on the road due to it being so remote.

Tyres:

Always check the conditions of the vehicles tyres before you leave. To give you an indication of how harsh the gravel road can be, the side of the gravel road was littered with remnants of car tyres every few kilometres. We saw at least four different vehicles stopping to change tyres on our trip to and from Walvis Bay to Sossesvlei.

Spare tyre:

If you are renting a vehicle as we did, always ensure you have a full size spare tyre, as a ‘biscuit’ just won’t do it when you are stuck a few hours away from another town! When driving out to some of the more remote parks, so ensure you done all your safety checks before you drive. There were very few cars along route driving to the desert, so help will be a long way away if required! We found other drivers friendly and stopping to assist if it looked like someone needed assistance. Make sure you know how to change a tyre. I watched some YouTube videos to make sure I knew what to do in an emergency. We were fortunate not to have any burst tyres or other issues on this trip.

Things to see on route:

Ensure you have lots of time and take a leisurely drive if you are able to. Artistic houses, animals, trees, mountains and changing landscape can be seen when driving. I welcomed the more colourful landscape closer to Sossusvlei, as the landscape can be bland at times, but this is part of the experience of driving in Namibia.

The radio signal is non-existent in part of the desert, so ensure you have your playlist or downloaded music on hand. We had a good dose of rock music to keep us going on the long stretches of road with barren landscapes. There are areas where the landscape is dry and there is not much to see. Stopping to take photos en-route was fun.

Solitaire:

Solitaire is a small settlement close to the Namib-Naukluft National park. This place is small but filled with character and makes a welcome stop in the desert. It consists of a petrol station, a general dealer shop, a bakery, shop and newly added overnight accommodation. It is mostly used as a stopover en-route to Sossusvlei, as towns are few and far in between and it is the only fuel station between Walvis Bay airport and Sossusvlei. Try some of the famous apple pie when you stop for fuel. Solitaire is known for its rusting American vintage cars dotted around. I am still wondering where this idea started and how the vehicles got there, but it is a hit with all the tourists!

Northward bound:

Driving from Windhoek to Tsumeb was easier than driving south, as the road was tarred and in better condition. I drove this road with a normal sedan and smaller vehicles, without any issues. As with the trip to the desert, the towns are few and far in-between. The roads seems to stretch for miles and miles with unchanging muted toned landscapes, with an occasional wild animal spotted whilst driving. Two attractions I can recommend when you are in the Tsumeb area or passing through, is the largest meteorite found on earth, and Lake Otjikoto, a large circular sinkhole.

Hope you find this article useful and can use some of the tips when planning your road trip to Namibia. “Lifes a journey, not a destination”, enjoy the ride! Until next time my fellow travellers. Adventure awaits!

Kim

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After our Dune 45 climb yesterday, Big Daddy Dune, as named by locals, is our challenge for the day.The towering giant, standing at 325 meters tall, dwarfs the surrounding dunes. Big Daddy Dune is the tallest dune in the Sossusvlei area, but not the tallest dune in Namibia, that title belongs to Dune 7.

Early mornings:

I wake up, it is still dark in our tent and I cannot see thing. A quick check on my phone and I see it is only 4am. I am so excited to see the sunrise this morning, I cannot go back to sleep. A few minutes later, head torches on, we get ready and pack our tent. Today is going to be extraordinary. We hop in our vehicle and head to the internal park gate. We are the fortunate ones, staying inside the park means that we have access to the park an hour earlier than the public.

It is 5h50am when we arrive at the internal gate. There are 2 cars ahead of us in the queue already. A gate attendant opens the gate promptly at 6am and our adventure begins. Already some safari vehicles and 4 x 4’s are speeding past us, trying to get to the dunes first. There is a 60km speed limit inside the park and Big Daddy dune is located 65kms away from the internal gate.

A bumpy start:

We arrive at the 2×4 public car park, which is as far as you can go with a normal vehicle. Only 4×4’s can proceed past this point, so we wait for the first  4×4 shuttle to arrive. The sand is so soft in this area and only 4×4 vehicles are allowed to drive in this part of the park.

The shuttle drivers were slightly late, but we hopped onto the 4×4 shuttle and off we went. The shuttle driver was trying to make up time, so we could get to the dunes to see the sun rising. He drove at such a fast pace, we made it to Big Daddy dune in a record 5-minute drive. We hardly sat in our seats as we were airborne most of the time, hitting the bumps in the sand at full speed! It did make for a fun but very hairy drive. On our way to Big Daddy dune, we passed a 4×4 vehicle stuck in the sand.

Sightings at Big Daddy Dune:

When the driver stops at the dune, we pay our fee and he points us in the direction of the dune. There are limited signage and sometimes they are so small, it can be easy to miss. Stepping out of the vehicle, we see a jackal hunting in the distance. We tried tracking it, but it soon disappeared and we head back towards Big Daddy dune. Just as we are admiring the dunes, the jackal appears about 3 meters in front of us, with some freshly scavenged breakfast. We watch this spectacle and for a moment we forget that the sun is starting to rise.

After some photographs, our focus is back to the towering dune in front of us. One side of the dune is in shadow, and the other side is bright orange red. This view is totally worth waking up early for! I can see why this is one of the most photographed areas in Namibia. Starring up at the golden peak glistening in the distance, we are hopeful that we can make it up in time before the sun starts to beat down on us. With hydration packs in hand, we are off.

The climb:

I tried to walk as fast as my legs could carry me to try and make it to the top of the dune before the sun was too high in the sky.  By the time we reach the first peak, the sand is feeling softer by the second and my legs are disappearing deeper into the sand after each step. As we ascend, the views are becoming better, so we move on. The sun is savage in the desert, and it is not even 9am yet.

As I take a break at the second peak, a sand lizard makes a brief appearance and darts off. I am so focused on getting to the top that I forget there is life to see on the dunes. Some other insects and sand geckos make their way deeper into the dunes as we are climbing. I fumble to get my camera out, but the heat and climb has sapped my energy and I cannot get it out fast enough. The sand gecko scurries off quickly. I am still optimistic we will catch a glimpse of a sand snake or a sand scorpion in the dunes. Sadly, we don’t see any.

The final peak is in sight:

The closer we get to the third and topmost peak of Big Daddy Dune, every step feels like the top of the dune is moving further away. This was the hardest part of the climb as it is quite steep, and the sun is hotter than ever. I apply another layer of sunscreen. Looking back, we notice that some people who were walking behind us have given up, taking a shortcut down the dune instead. I face forward and continue the climb. We did not make it this far to give up now.

At the top of Big Daddy Dune:

Parched with thirst and boots filled with sand, we make it to the top. We spent about an hour and forty minutes climbing this dune, including taking photos along the way. I am ecstatic. This was no easy climb. The views over the desert are picturesque and worth every drop of sweat and effort in the heat to get here! I have never seen anything like this in my life, 360 degree views of red star dunes as far as the eye can see. Deadvlei and the trees below, are tiny specs in the distance. I understand why the locals love this area so much and why tourists flock to this area. We are some of the few who climb this dune, make it to the top and enjoy this view. We sit down and take in the sights below with the wind blowing to remind me of where we are.

It’s all downhill from here:

After taking in the view of star dunes from the top, running down the side of the dune is fun. We run down a path that was already there, to lessen the movement of sand on the dune.

There is wind blowing over the sand and it makes a ‘singing’ noise every time we step into the sand as we are running down. It takes less than 3 minutes for us to reach the bottom, even though we are stopping to take photos on the way down. We shake all the sand out of our boots onto the bottom of the dune before moving on. Stepping onto the dead marsh when you get to the bottom of the dune starts another magical experience.

Read about Deadvlei in my next blogpost.

Until next time. Adventure awaits.

Kim

Tips for climbing Big Daddy Dune:

Go early or start later in the afternoon, when the sun is less harsh. Carrying water with you is essential when climbing this dune, don’t attempt it without at least a litre of water. This climb requires a fair level of fitness or tolerance, especially if you are climbing anytime from 10am onwards. The heat and sun in the desert is savage! The climb can be done with moderate fitness levels if you take lots of breaks in between and drink lots of water.

It helps to stay inside the park, as you can get to the dune and hour before the main gate opens and stay an hour after the main gate closes. You may not be able to see the sunset from Big Daddy dune if you are not staying inside the park, due to its location.I will be posting more information on Sesriem Park.

Where we stayed:

While there is luxury accommodation inside Sesriem Park, we decided to camp instead. Due to all the activities and time spent outdoors, it may be a waste of money to pay for luxury accommodation if you are overnighting only. We spent less than 6 hours in our tent, so it was the correct decision for our accommodation that night. For more information about this area, see the Sossusvlei website.

The shuttle:

The shuttle fee costs R170 or Namibian dollars for a return trip, from the 2 x 4 car park to Big Daddy Dune/Deadvlei/Sossusvlei. The driver did not give us any tickets when we departed, so make sure you know the name of the driver to ensure you are let onto the shuttle on your way back. Or ensure you have proof of payment or ticket so they don’t try and charge you twice!

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Visiting Sossusvlei in Namibia, has been one of my travel dreams. Somehow I never got to visit the area. I was always fascinated by photos of this orange landscape and Dune 45. The Sossusvlei area is best known for its dunes and the dunes are considered as some of the highest in the world. What makes this area so unique is orange red sands found here. This year, my husband and I made a spur of the moment decision and headed to the desert for my birthday.

Dune 45:

We arrive at Sossusvlei and first on my list to do in the park, is Dune 45, the curved dune. Blown by wind from all directions, the dune can take many shapes and extended dune arms can form. The sands are red in colour due to their high iron oxide content.

Standing at 85 meters tall, Dune 45 is one of the most famous and popular dunes in the park. It is named Dune 45, due to its proximity to Sesriem gate. Why is it so popular? Located 45 kilometers in from the main gate, on a tarred road, it is easily accessible with all types of vehicle. It is one of the most photographed dunes in the world.

First Impressions of Dune 45:

We arrive at the dune just after 5pm, slightly earlier than when the crowds arrive, to watch the sunset. This was going to be my first proper dune climb as an adult. The sun is still quite harsh but there are no visitors yet, perfect for taking photos of the dune. It’s hard to believe these perfectly formed dunes were formed by wind and sand blown all the way from the coast.

Five minutes and a few photographs later, a bus load of tourists arrive. Gazing up at the gigantic pile of red sand in front of me, cameras in hand, we start the climb. Treading on sand that is about 5000 years old, feels like walking through time.

Mountains of red sand:

We are the first to start climbing, so there are no footprints in the sand yet. Walking up with no path ahead makes the walk more challenging. At times it can feel like hard work as with every step you take into the soft sand, it feels like you are sinking deeper into the dune and not going forward fast enough!

The sun is still beating down and the wind starting to pick up the higher we climb. Sipping water from a hydration packs helps. Every break I take climbing, I appreciate the view around me. After we pass the bottom peak, a slightly steeper climb awaits us to get to the top peak. I can see the sunset is going to be epic. Stopping to take photos helps me catch my breath, even for just a moment. With our eye on the prize, we continue up.

Golden Hour at Dune 45:

We reach the top and are rewarded with the most amazing views of sand dunes as far as the eye can see. The wind is blowing quite strong at the top peak and we sit down to take in this dune valley.

Perched on the dune ridge, everyone is quiet, watching in awe as the sun rays playfully dance on the dunes below and the landscape starts to change. The sun begins to set and that is when the magic happens. It is then that the landscape turns from orange to gold. This is what we came to see. I look down at the golden sands below my feet and think the term golden hour had to be coined here.

Stunned by the silence and mesmerised by the colours of the ever-changing landscape, for a moment I forget about the wind blowing. Watching the sunset from this dune with my husband, was breathtakingly beautiful and an experience I will never forget.

Take only memories:

We are staying inside the park so we leave the dune after 7pm. Cameras in bag, and a layer of sand stuck to our faces, we make our way down. The temperature is finally dropping and there is a chill in the air. There is still a handful of people taking in the moment and sitting lower down on the dune as we make our way down. Running down is a breeze after the steep climb.

I reach the bottom of the dune with boots filled with sand and I am walking lopsided. My left boot has more sand in it than the right. We take our boots of, shake out the sand and take only memories with us.

Just in time:

We drive back to our campsite in the dark and make it back to the internal park gate a few minutes late but fortunately it is still open. Unfortunately for some other unlucky visitors, the main external park gate closed an hour ago already, and they cannot get out of the park. Hopefully they will not have to spend the night in their car. We make our way to Sesriem park restaurant for a well-deserved meal and to chat about the magic we just experienced.

Today was adventurous, but tomorrow is going to be even better!

My next blog post features Climbing Bid Daddy Dune and experiencing DeadVlei.

Until next time. Adventure awaits.

Kim

Tips for climbing Dune 45:

If you want to watch the sunrise or sunset from a Dune, this is the best one to do so, as it is located closer to the main entrance and therefore more accessible.

Climbing Dune 45 was good preparing for climbing Big Daddy dune the next morning. The walk is not too hard and having a bottle of cold water helps making it to the top easier! Walking on the harder face of the dune makes the walk slightly easier. Walking in the footsteps of someone else on the dune also helps and is easier than creating your own path in the sand.

How to get to Sesriem Park:

Dune 45 is in the Namib-Nakluft National park, also known as Sesriem park. We drove down from Walvis Bay. It is a straightforward drive but on a gravel road. It is best to drive here with a 4-wheel drive vehicle or a higher clearance vehicle. There is a daily entrance fee to get into the park to access the dunes. Dune 45 is located along the side of the tarred road within the park. You do not need a 4 x 4 vehicle to access this dune.

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Kagga Kamma Private Nature Reserve nestles in the Southern Cederberg mountain area. My husband and I decided to celebrate completion of our part time studies with a well-deserved break, and this reserve was a perfect choice.

This trip started with a bang! As we approached the campsite, we had a bit of a hiccup/ “Voetspore” incident in Kagga Kamma reserve. Our car got stuck in unexpected soft sand, on the only road to the campsite. We wanted adventure but the last thing we needed was getting stuck 20 metres from the campsite as the sun was setting. Fortunately, it did not last too long as we dug our way out and drove out within a few minutes.

Camping at Kagga Kamma:

There are only five campsites located at Kagga Kamma nature reserve. I loved the campsite as it was remotely located away from the other accommodation on site. The night sky was spectacularly lit by all the stars. This meant star gazing like you have never seen, as there are no lights on the individual campsites.

One of the benefits of going to visit in Autumn, other than cooler weather, was having the camp area to ourselves. The facilities are very clean and well maintained. There is a large swimming pool located next to the campsite, for use by campers and self-catering accommodation guest.

The Rock Dassies of Kagga Kamma:

The campsite is located next to some large rocks, which is home to a colony of about fifty rock dassies. They are also referred to as rock hyrax or rock rabbits. They seemed to have hierarchy in this area and were thriving here. There may not be enough natural predators here to control their numbers, as we found large thriving colonies in varies areas on the reserve.

It appears that campers are feeding them, as they would come up close to us at our campsite. I named one of them ‘Tenacious D’, as it was trying to steal our food at every opportunity it could. This dassie followed us from our campsite and went into stealth mode. The next thing I saw in the corner of my eye while I was reading on the sun lounger, was a dassie trying to steal some liquorice out of a packet on my lap.

Things to do at Kagga Kamma:

There is no shortage of activities at Kagga Kamma. It is set in such a serene environment. If you are visiting to get away from the hustle and bustle, that is exactly what you will get.

There are unique San and Khoi rock art in locations on the hiking trails at Kagga Kamma nature reserve. Part of the fun is that you walk the route and find the rock paintings yourself. There are guided tours if you prefer not to go at it on your own.

They offer various other activities, including spa treatments. We booked our activities at the reserve. The food at restaurant at the reserve was quite good and there is a pub as well. The small shop at reception sells some necessities including firewood.

Quad biking:

This was my first-time quad biking. We chose the hour ride on the grounds, as that we the only time slot available on the day. It takes you on sandy and rocky paths so you can really test the quad bike. At first I found turning a bit challenging, as I owned a motorbike previously and my head kept on telling me I was going to fall over when I turned. Within minutes I got the hang of it though and soon I was speeding along the paths at the pace of our tour guide. We managed to see some birds of prey hunting for snakes on our ride but not any snakes. Overall this was an hour of good fun and by the end I was standing and riding.

Hiking:

There are various hiking trails on the reserve you can choose from. We choose to hike the blue hiking trial, which was only four kilometers but it offered the opportunity to view rock paintings. It involved quite a lot of climbing over rough terrain and looking for the rock art/paintings.

The landscape is a rugged and desolate terrain. It is hard to believe that the San and Khoi lived here and the thought of hunting in heat in harsh terrain to find food, is daunting. It’s a truly unique environment, one I had not experienced before and a lot different to the Central Cederberg Mountain area I visited on a prior trip.

Kagga Kamma’s San & Khoi Rock Art:

There is a rock art site right next to the pool adjacent to the campsite. This is perfect if you want to see art with minimal effort or no climbing.

To access the other Rock art at Kagga Kamma requires moderate fitness levels. The blue hiking route on which the majority of the paintings are found, involved scrambling quite high to see them. Climbing through crevices and searching high and low is all part of the fun. There are five rock art sites on this route and we found four of the five sites.

I do recommend wearing a hat and taking water with you as it gets quite hot during the day. There are guided walks as well.

How to get to Kagga Kamma Private Nature Reserve:

The reserve is located 265 kilometers from Cape Town. Driving to the reserve involves a lengthy stretch of quite rough gravel road, well over 20 kilometres. We did it in our hatch back and it was not a pleasant drive. The bumpy ride is short lived though and the stay at the nature reserve makes up for this.

What vehicle?:

The Kagga Kamma website does recommend a higher clearance vehicle for visiting the reserve. There are potential areas on the main route within the reserve where you can get stuck in the soft sand. Keep and eye out when you are driving for potential areas of soft sand and you will not need a four wheel drive vehicle.

On Route:

There are hundreds of unusual rock formations along this gravel route, especially as you get closer to Kagga Kamma reserve. At times the landscape becomes almost other worldly. This terrain was something I have not seen in South Africa yet.

Bucket list for next time:

We discovered that Kagga Kamma offers an open air ‘room’ that you can stay at on the reserve. I would absolutely love to experience staying in this open air ‘room’ entails sleeping under the stars and waking up with a view across the reserve. I added this unique experience to my bucket list!

Until next time, adventure awaits! Kagga Kamma campsite

Mrs L.

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Our day started way before dawn, it was an early (4am) start, for a somewhat unusual experience. Red eyed and armed with coffee flasks, we left Pretoria and headed for Hartbeespoort dam. This was going to be an exhilarating experience, one to tick off the bucket list. We opted for an early morning paratrike and arrived at the paragliding club to see the sunrise and enjoy the views from the skies. I have been skydiving before, but this was going to be my first flight, taking to the skies in a car. The Skywalk paragliding club came highly recommended by my sister in law, so I had to try it.

Safety first:

I was going to do a tandem paratrike ride with the chief Instructor of the club, Ronnie. I was given a suit to wear over my clothes as the temperatures are a lot cooler in the skies at that time of the morning. You also wear a helmet with a clear visor and a headset, so you can communicate with your instructor. I hoped into the trike and after some brief safety instructions, we were ready for take off.

Take to the skies:

With the engine going, we drove down the field for a short bumpy ride on the grass towards the dam. While my brain was still processing the fact that I about to take off in a car, we quickly ascended and were airbourne. We chose a perfect day, as there was very little wind. The wind does not affect the trike ride too much though, as the paratrike has an engine and does not solely rely on perfect wind conditions or the Highveld thermals in order to fly.

The fresh breeze in my face and roaring engine made for an absolutely thrilling flight. I love being in the sky and the hot air balloons lifting off in the distance made this experience even more magical.

A unique view:

I was given the risers to steer the paratrike for a short while, under the guidance and watchful eye of Ronnie. It was so much fun flying through the skies in a paratrike, I was keen to fly higher. The maximum altitude a paratrike can fly at is in this area, is 7500 feet. Somehow being in the sky is so peaceful and for a moment I felt as free as a bird, admiring the beauty below. The flight offers the uninterrupted views of the Hartbeespoort dam below and the Magaliesberg mountains beyond.

All good things must come to an end:

My flight lasted about twenty minutes. It was such a smooth ride and landing was effortless, I could hardly feel us touching down. When my flight was over, I was not ready to get out, but another first-time flyer was waiting their turn. The sound of the para motor engines droning above was already calling me back to the skies.

Paratrike Flight Tips:

Wear closed shoes, gloves and long-sleeved clothing, there is a chill in the air that high up, especially if you are on an early morning flight.
There are low ride and high ride options. If you are afraid of heights and still want to try this, the instructor can fly slightly lower. The owner Ronnie, whom I did the tandem with, is safe and reassuring, perfect for nervous passengers.

Take it all in and enjoy the flight, after all, it’s not every day you get to take to the sky in a paratrike!

The club I flew with is the Skywalk Paragliding school, click here for details. I’ve added paragliding to my bucket list and hope I get to do a tandem flight sooner than later.

Until next time, adventure awaits.

Mrs L.

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