The Fish
River Canyon
The
Fish River Canyon is the largest canyon in the southern hemisphere and is approximately
160 km in length and about 27 km wide.
The canyon is about 550 metres deep at its deepest point. The canyon is absolutely stunning and views
from the various viewpoints are breathtaking.
The main viewpoint is about 10 kilometres from Hobas and there are
various walking trails that can be done in and around the area. The well-known Fish River hiking trail
starts from the main viewpoint and wends its way along the canyon ending at
Ai-Ais. The trail is about 80 kms long
and takes about 4-5 days. The trail is
however only open to visitors from 15 April until 15 September each year. The trail is enormously popular and should
you wish to do it you will need to book through the central reservations office
in Windhoek. A fair level of fitness is
required before visitors are allowed to embark on the hike and you will be
required to submit a recent medical certificate of fitness and will be required
to complete an indemnity form.
As
the trail was not open during our visit and because we were hardly fit enough
to attempt it, we had to be content with a visit to the main viewpoint and a
brief walk around the area. Access to
the Park costs N$10-00 for adults and N$1-00 for children (per day). Entrance for vehicles cost N$10-00 per day.
The Fish River Canyon
Keetmanshoop
After
our visit to the Canyon we headed to Keetmanshoop. We spent one night in Keetmanshoop before pushing on to
Luderitz. Keetmanshoop is situated on
the main B1 route and provides a convenient overnight stop on the way to
Luderitz. The route to Keetmanshoop and
from Keetmanshoop to Luderitz is tarred and is in relatively good
condition. Keetmanshoop is not a great
tourist destination and we would suggest avoiding it if possible. We camped at the Municipal Camp and
Caravan Park. Camping costs about
N$20-00 per person per night. Although
the ablution facilities were excellent, the campsite itself is quite dismal as
it is situated in the middle of town and very near to a main road and railway
line. It was however perfect for our
purposes as all we needed to do was to put up our tent and sleep. Other options for accommodation include the Lafenis
Rest Camp on the way in to Keetmanshoop which offers camping and bungalow
accommodation. There is also that
Canyon Hotel which is very popular although much more expensive. The Canyon does have a great pool and bar
though - worth a visit if only to cool down!
Dining options are very few and far between in Keetmanshoop. We had dinner at Lara’s Restaurant on
the corner of 5th Avenue and Schmeide Street. The Lonely Planet describes Lara’s as having
strange decor and even stranger music - they are quite correct! The menu and wine list were very limited but
we were able to secure two schnitzels and a bottle of Chateau Libertas for
about N$100-00.
Aus
Aus is a
convenient spot to have lunch and a break on the way between Keetmanshoop and
Luderitz. The best route to Luderitz
from Keetmanshoop is on the tarred B4 route.
The route travels through the desert and is very hot and dry. Make sure that you have enough water for
both you and your car! Also look out
for sand on the road as there is quite a bit of sand that drifts from the dunes
onto the road.
There
is not much to see at Aus except for the ruins of an internment camp where the
British (and South Africans) interned German soldiers during the First World
War. The allied powers housed their
German prisoners in tents and as you can imagine it was scorchingly as Aus is
surrounded by desert. The soldiers did
not sit on their hands while they were interned and decided to improve their
lot by building brick houses. They set
about building a myriad of small houses and buildings to provide shade and
shelter. They also offered to build
houses for their captors who were too proud or pigheaded to accept the offer
and so spent the whole 2 years sweltering in their tents! All that remains of the camp now is ruins
but is still possible to see the outlay of the camp settlement. Don’t forget the sunscreen though - it is
deathly hot wandering around the ruins!
Ruins of Internment Camp at Aus
Visit
Namib Takeaways and Rest Stop on your way back through town. They serve ice-cold beers and cool drinks
and delicious sandwiches and German delicacies. This is also a good spot to fill up with petrol or diesel before
setting off for Luderitz.
On
the drive to Luderitz keep your eyes peeled for the wild horses of the Namib
that are found along this route. There
are actually signs warning you about horses on the road. No one really knows where these horses come
from but they have lived in the desert for almost 100 years.
Wild Horses of the Namib
Luderitz
Luderitz
is correctly described by the Lonely Planet as “a surreal colonial relic”. It’s a complete anomaly! A bit of Bavaria in the desert. In addition, the Namibian Coast must be one
of the most barren, windswept and inhospitable coasts anywhere. Camping in Luderitz is difficult as there
is not much available. The only option
is the very windy Shark Island which although beautiful is unbearable! I think that camping costs about N$60-00
per site per night but for that you have the pleasure of gale force winds
throughout the night!
Luderitz
We
opted to stay in a hotel and chose the new Nest Hotel which is situated
on the Luderitz Peninsula. The Nest is
part of the same group as the Canyon hotel in Keetmanshoop and is fairly
luxurious. A double room cost us about
N$510-00 for the night. Unfortunately
the night that we stayed at the hotel there was a breakdown in the Luderitz
water supply and so we were unable to shower or bath. We did have a swim in the pool though! The hotel also offers excellent dinners and breakfasts and has a
decent wine list. Some other
accommodation options include the Bay View hotel, the Luderitz
Guesthouse and Haus Windeck.
There are also a couple of youth hostels in Luderitz.
We
dined at our hotel so did not try any of the restaurants in Luderitz. We were advised however that the On the
Rocks restaurant was not worth a visit as the service was shoddy and the
quality of the food poor.
Laundry
in Luderitz
By the time we
hit Luderitz we were absolutely desperate to have some laundry done but there
is no Laundromat in town. We were
however given an excellent tip by some fellow travellers. The town florist does laundry in her spare
time and is more than happy to do laundry after hours or over the weekend. Her phone number is 203 050 and after hours
202 018 / 203 919. She is very
efficient and was able to do our laundry within a morning and two black bags
full of laundry only cost about N$120-00.
Luderitz
over the weekends
If you are planning to arrive in
Luderitz on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday make sure that you have already stocked
up on all your food, drinks, firewood and ice, as there is nothing open over
the weekends. There is a Sentra in town
but this is closed after 13h00 on a Saturday.
There is also not a single café - all we could find was a video store
that sold cokes!
· Kolmanskop
Visiting the ghost town of
Kolmanskop is a must for visitors to Luderitz.
Guided tours take place Mondays to Saturdays at 9h30 and 10h45 and on
Sundays at 10h00. It is well worth
taking a tour, as the guides are able to provide you with a lot of interesting
information about the town. Kolmanskop
was established as a diamond-mining town in 1908. Diamond mining operations were conducted at Kolmanskop for many
years and the town was very wealthy sporting a bowling alley, concert hall, hospital,
school and ice factory. With the advent
of diamond mining operations at Oranjemund however Kolmanskop was gradually
abandoned until the last inhabitants left in the early 1950's. Since then the desert has encroached on the
town and is gradually reclaiming it. To
visit the town you need a permit as Kolmanskop is situated in the diamond
mining or Sperrgebiet and access is restricted. Permits can be obtained at Luderitz Tours and Safaris in Bismarck
Street (Tel 202719) or contact Mrs Esterhuizen - her number is 203075.
Kolmanskop
Luderitz Tours and Safaris also
offer various tours around Halifax Island , Dias Point, Agate Beach, Aus and a
Historical City Tour by car or on foot.
You can also book to visit Bogenfels (a 55 metre high rock arch on the
coast that is not accessible without a permit as it is in the Sperrgebiet) and
Elizabeth Bay. Luderitz Tours and
Safaris recommend that you allow 4 days advance booking if you wish to do any
of their tours into the Sperrgebiet.
· The
Felsenkirche
This
beautiful church is perched on the highest point in Luderitz and has gorgeous
stained glass windows. The church is
locked during the day but is opened once a day when the bells are rung. During the summer the church is opened at 18h00
and during the winter at 17h00.
· Other
Luderitz tit bits
- Internet and Email - Club Internet in
Bismarck Street
- Carpet Factory - Bismarck Street - 202
070(tel)
- Luderitz Museum - Diaz Street - open
between 8h30 and 11h00 and again between
16h30 and 18h00 Monday to Friday
and Saturday between 9h00 and 11h00
- Make sure you pack warm clothes - the wind
in Luderitz blows all day and is freezing!!!
We toured Kolmanskop and then spent the rest of
the day driving around the Luderitz Recreational Area which includes Diaz
Point. We also took a walk along Agate
Beach. As we could only afford one
night at the Nest hotel and could not face camping at the dreary shark island
we headed off after our second day in Luderitz.
Koiimasis
Koiimasis
is a private farm situated on the edge of the Namib Desert and it provides a
convenient overnight spot on the way from Luderitz to Sossusvlei. The farm can be reached by driving north
along the C13 from Aus. One turns right
from the C13 on to route 707. Route 707
was described to us as the most beautiful road in Namibia – not far wrong! The road runs along the edge of the Namib Desert
providing the most spectacular views of the red dunes of the desert. After travelling about 80 km’s along the 707
turn right onto the P409 (a farm road that is not more than a track!). The entrance to the farm is well signposted.
Koiimasis
is an ostrich farm which is run as part of a greater nature conservancy. There are five large campsites
available. No bungalows are available
at this stage but some may be built in the near future. Check out the unique ablution block! The owner of the farm, Wulf Itzo, is a real
character and an excellent host. He
will no doubt offer to braai ostrich meat for you and to take you on a game
drive on his farm. We agreed to the ostrich braai and game drive and, although
both were thoroughly enjoyable, were quite pricey so enquire beforehand! Camping costs N$60-00 per person per
night. The farm is magnificent and very
private! We ended up staying two
nights.
Koiimasis
Schloss
Duwisib
We
visited Duwisib Castle en route from Koiimasis to Sossusvlei. The Castle was built by Baron von Wolf
during colonial times. The stone castle
is a real anomaly – a part of Germany in the desert! The whole story is quite sad.
The Baron built the castle just prior to the First World War and
returned to it after marrying his American bride. The couple loved horses and travelled all over the world in search
of breeding stock. While on a trip to
South America the First World War broke out and they were unable to return to,
what was in those days South West Africa.
The Baron went off to fight in the war and was killed and his wife never
returned to Duwisib Castle. Their
original furniture still remains in the castle today. It is rumoured that the wild horses of the Namib are the
offspring of the Baron’s horses that ran wild after he did not return to the
castle.
Although
the castle has not been very well maintained it is well worth a visit. There is also a camp site next to the castle
where one can overnight. Camping costs
N$80-00 per site per night. We did not
stay at Schloss Duwisib so cannot report on the conditions of the
campsite or ablution block.
Duwisib Castle
Sossusvlei
Sossusvlei
is
situated in the Namib Naukluft Park – a park which comprises 40 000
square kilometres and is one of the largest nature conservation areas in the
world. The Park is divided into 4 sections,
Sesriem and Sossusvlei, the Naukluft, the Namib and Sandwich Harbour. Most of the park is classified as arid and
semi arid.
The
closest campsite to Sossusvlei is at Sesriem. There are 18 campsites, which cost N$ 130-00 per site per
night. There are communal ablution
blocks. No bungalows are
available. There is a kiosk that sells
wood, fuel, food, drinks and beer.
Entrance to the Namib Naukluft Park is N$10-00 per day for adults and
N$1-00 per day for children. An
additional N$10-00 per vehicle is also payable. We had not booked at Sesriem and when we arrived there we found
that it was full. There are various
other options available – not many are close to the park entrance however. The most expensive option is the luxury Movenpick
hotel at Sesriem which has a swimming pool (very necessary as it is extremely
hot!). A double room costs about
N$1350-00 (bed and breakfast) for the night! Definitely out of our budget.
There is another campsite about 5km’s from the entrance to the park that absorbs
the overflow of campers from Sesriem.
This campsite is very bleak and unappealing. In the end we drove about 45 kms from Sesriem on the Hammerstein
road and camped on a farm called Bethanie. The facilities were not great but they served their purpose and
cost only N$10-00 per person per night. Bethanie also has a swimming pool.
The
Sesriem Canyon and Sossusvlei can be viewed between sunset and sunrise and are
absolutely magnificent! Make sure that
you stop at the much-photographed Dune 45 on the way to Sossusvlei. Sossusvlei itself is about 63 kilometres
from the entrance to the park. 2x4
vehicles have to stop at the parking lot 5 kilometres from the vlei and their drivers
have to walk the last part of the route to the vlei. It is exceptionally hot and this should not be attempted by the
faint hearted. Should you decide to do
the walk make sure that you have lots of water and sunscreen!
4x4
vehicles can drive right to the vlei from where various dune walks can be
attempted. Once again, the same caveats
apply – it is very hot – so make sure you have sufficient water and sunscreen!
We did not need to deflate our tyres to drive the last 5 kilometres to the
vlei, as although there is sand on the road, there is a hard under layer which
can be driven on quite easily without deflating the tyres. Also check out Hiddenvlei and Dooievlei!
Sossusvlei
Naukluft
We
did not stay at Naukluft but we understand that there are beautiful campsites
and hiking trails available in the Naukluft area. Details can be obtained from Tourist Information of from the
Central Reservations Office.
Walvis
Bay
We
headed from Sossusvlei to Walvis Bay through a large portion of the Namib
Naukluft park. The drive is
beautiful! We arrived at Walvis Bay at
about 20h00 in the evening and checked into the Walvis Bay Protea Hotel
– double rooms cost N$320-00 bed and breakfast. We were really impressed with the Protea hotel – the room had a
superb bath, TV and MNET and comfortable beds.
Walvis
Bay used to be part of South Africa and is quite South African in character –
we were able to stock up with groceries at Pick and Pay and get some
additional camping supplies at Cymot.
We also did our laundry at a hotel around the corner from the
hotel. Walvis Bay is not a great tourist
town and there is very little to see.
The town is very industrial and has a big harbour. After a morning of doing errands we headed
for Swaopmund some 40 km’s away.
Swakopmund
A
visit to Namibia would not be complete without a visit to Swakopmund. It is a must! Swakopmund is quaint and atmospheric and very German in
character. Various camping options are
available in Swakopmund. The cheapest
is at Mile 4 campsite which is literally 4 miles out of Swakopmund on
the Henties Bay road. Campsites at mile
4 cost N$20-00 per
person per night. Sites with
electricity cost N$10-00 extra. The
campsite is very bleak and dismal but the ablution facilities are adequate. There are some very run down rooms available
at Mile 4 which are not recommended. After
spending one night at Mile 4 we decided to camp at the Alte Bruke resort
which is in Swakopmund itself. Camping
at Alte Bruke is quite luxurious. Each
site has its own fireplace and private bathroom. Sites cost N$100-00 per night but are well worth it for the
luxury. We ended up spending two nights
at Alte Bruke before heading up to Skeleton Coast. If you don’t want to camp there are a whole host of Bed and
Breakfasts, hotels and pensions that can provide accommodation. The Swakopmund Tourist Information in
Kaiser Wilhelm Street can provide you with brochures and price lists for most
of the establishments in Swakopmunt.
A
great place to dine in Swakopmund is the very German Restaurant Brauhaus
that serves superb Eisbein and other German delicacies. The Out of Africa Coffee Shop serves
excellent coffee and breakfast.
Definitely plan to spend at least a morning strolling around the centre
of Swakopmund checking out the curio shops, bakeries and malls. Also worth a visit is the Swakopmund
Aquarium. It only costs about
N$10-00 per person to visit the Aquarium and there is a lot to see.
Swakopmund
has become a centre for all sorts of extreme sports including dune boarding,
deep-sea fishing, desert picnics, sundowners, hot air balloon rides and
parachuting etc. The Swakopmund
Adventure Centre offers information about all sorts of extreme activities
that can be done in and around Swakopmund and is happy to make bookings for
you. The Adventure Centre also provides
information about accommodation, youth hostels, trips and transport and offers
Internet and Email facilities.
We
chose to do a deep sea fishing trip that was organised for us by the Adventure
Centre. The trip cost about N$400-00
per person and involved a day out on a boat skippered by a Swakopmund local
called Hakkie. All the rods, line,
bait, lunch and drinks were provided for the day out at sea. We travelled about
10 km’s from the Swakopmund coast on Hakkie’s boat before he located a shoal of
fish on his fish finder. The fishing
was very easy – all we needed to do was drop our lines over the side of the
boat and the fish seemed to be biting.
Nev and I caught about 20 fish between us – mostly black tails and some
galjoen (both great eating fish.). It
was a thoroughly enjoyable day and is recommended! The best part is that when you return to shore Hakkie and his men
clean all the fish so that they are ready to be put on the braai when you take
them home.
Swakopmund
is very historical and there are lots of museums and monuments to visit – these
include the Woermann House, the old Jetty (which was closed for
renovations when we were there), State House, the Lutherische Kerk
and the War Memorial. Trips to
the Rossing Uranium Mine also leave from Swakopmund every Friday
morning. It is also possible to do
tours of the Hansa Breweries on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Our
Swakopmund Fishing Trip
Skeleton
Coast
After
leaving Swakopmund we headed up the coast to the Skeleton Coast National
Park. We drove via Henties Bay
and camped at the Mile 108 campsite.
The Mile 108 campsite although cheap is absolutely awful and should be
avoided at all cost!!! Camping at Mile
108 costs N$20-00 per person per night.
There are no flushing toilets and merely “long drops” or pit
latrines. The smell is disgusting. Hot showers cost N$ 2-00 per person but the
shower block is miles away from the campsite.
It is definitely preferable to stay in Henties Bay which, although
further from Skeleton Coast, is much nicer!
The
Skeleton Coast National Park stretches from the Ugab River to the Kunene
River. This stretch of coast is barren
and inhospitable and s infamous for its treacherous sand banks to which many
shops have fallen prey. Entrance to the
park costs N$20-00 per person per day for adults and N$1-00 for children. An additional N$10-00 is payable for
vehicles. Day visitors who want to
drive through the park must obtain their transit permits at the park entrances
at Ugabmund or Springbokwasser. Day
visitors are not permitted to visit Terrace Bay or Torra Bay and are not
allowed to enter the park later than 15h00 in the afternoon. There are overnight spots in the park is at
Terrace and Torra Bay. At Terrace Bay
there are single and double rooms are available as well as campsites. Campsites
are also available at Torra Bay.
Overnight visitors must reach the checkpoint at the Ugab river mouth by
no later than 15h00 to ensure that they reach their overnight spots
timeously.
We
had been assured by the MET office in Swakopmund that the Skeleton Coast park
was open and so we trekked up the barren and inhospitable coast to Mile 108
where we overnighted so that we could enter the park early the next
morning. The horror of Mile 108 was
indescribable and when we reached the entrance to Skeleton Coast we were
advised that the Ugab river had flooded and so all access to the Skeleton Coast
park had been closed. We were
disappointed to say the least! However,
after our stay at Mile 108 we realised that the only people who venture up the
West coast of Namibia to Terrace or Torra Bay are only the hardiest
fishermen. Camping up there is not for
the faint hearted. It was however a
pity that we did not get to see the Skeleton Coast Park. It is definitely advisable to pre-book
accommodation at Skeleton Coast and to find out about conditions before setting
off up the coast.
Skeleton
Coast
After
the Skeleton Coast disaster we headed back to Swakopmund and then on to Etosha.
Something
else to visit en route to the Skeleton Coast is the Cape Cross Seal Reserve - one of the first explorers who set foot on
the Namibian Coast was Diago Cao who landed at Cape Cross and erected a marble
cross. Today one of the largest
colonies of Cape fur seals can be found here.
Etosha
The
Etosha National Park is situated in Northern Namibia and is one of Namibia’s
premier holiday destinations. Etosha is
one of the largest game reserves in the world and is open all year. It is best to visit Etosha during the winter
months (between May and September) when the park is relatively dry. During the rainy season there is so much
water around that the animals have no need to visit the many waterholes in the
park and so are not visible to visitors.
We spent 6 nights in the park - two nights at each of the three
camps. We did not see much game of the
“Big 5" variety but saw large numbers of zebras, wildebeest, giraffes,
gemsbok and springbok. It took a week
of game viewing before we saw an elephant and it was only on our last morning
in the park that we finally saw a pride of lions. We did see some fantastic birds though including flamingos on the
pan - flamingos apparently migrate to the Etosha pan during their breeding
season. Some of the other animals that
we saw included red hartebeest, black back jackal, warthogs, damara dik dik and
steenbok. Etosha is a fantastic place
to visit, however, despite the fact that we did not see much game. The park is excellent value for money and
provides a balanced combination of game viewing and relaxation.
The
park can be reached by travelling north from Windhoek along the B1
(tarred). Petrol (both leaded and
unleaded) as well as diesel is available at most if not all the towns along the
route. We travelled to the park from
Swakopmund and bypassed Omaruru, Otjiwarongo and Otjou, entering the park at
Okaukeujo. We left the park at Numatoni
and travelled back to Windhoek via Tsumeb.
Park Usage Fees (per person per day as at
March 2000)
Adults - N$30-00
Children - N$1-00
Vehicle - N$10-00
These
fees are payable each day that one spends in the park, irrespective of the time
of entry and departure.
Etosha
Tit Bits
· We did not
book our camping in advance and it was not necessary as we visited the park out
of season. It would probably be wise to
book should you wish to stay in accommodation at the park or should you wish to
visit the park during the high season.
Bookings can be done through the Central Reservations office in
Windhoek.
· It is
important when entering the park that one leaves sufficient time to reach the
gates of the camp before sunset. The camp
gates close sharply at sunset and any tourists outside the gates will be given
a warning (which is endorsed on your permit) and may even be fined for
lateness. We thought that these rules
were flexible but found out that they were not on the first night of our stay
at Okaukeujo when we arrived back from our game drive after sunset and were
given a warning in no uncertain terms by one of the park wardens! This rule also needs to be adhered to when
travelling between camps in the park.
· We spent
two nights at Okaukuejo, Halali and Namatoni respectively. The best game time for game viewing is early
in the morning and in the evenings before sunset. On most days we headed out when the gates of the camp opened at
sunset. It is almost impossible to
sleep late in the park as the activity starts early with everyone bustling
around and packing up before their game drives. This was certainly our experience of the campsites - staying in a
bungalow may well be different!
· Each camp
has a book where tourists and visitors record game sightings and it is useful
to check the book before setting out on a game drive. Despite this we always seemed to arrive at a waterhole after a
kill or after the only rhino in the park had moved along!
· The roads
in Etosha are quite good and can easily be travelled on in an ordinary 2-wheel
drive vehicle. A four-wheel drive
vehicle is not necessary. The park
staff are very good at keeping guests informed about the condition of roads,
road closures, animal sightings etc.
· The speed
limit in the park is 60kmph.
· No banking
facilities are available at any of the camps but credit card is widely
accepted.
· Firewood
can be purchased at all the camps.
Petrol and diesel is also sold at all the camps.
· There are
landing strips at all the camps.
· All the
camps in Etosha are fenced off so there is no wildlife in the camp at night -
unless you count overlanders!
Okaukuejo
Camp
Okaukuejo
is the southern most camp in Etosha and can be reached by following the B1 route
from Windhoek through Otjiwarongo. To
reach Okaukuejo one enters the park through the Andersson Gate. Okaukuejo is the administrative headquarters
of the Etosha Park and is the most modern of the camps. There are various options available for accommodation
at Okaukuejo ranging from a luxury bungalow (2 rooms, 4 beds, fridge, kettle,
bedding, towels, own bathroom) at N$360-00 per night to a bungalow (1 room, 2
beds, own bathroom, bedding, towels, fridge, kettle, hot plate) at N$220-00. Camping costs N$130-00 per site. The camping ablution blocks are adequate and
the camp has a swimming pool, restaurant, shop, bar and public telephone. The camp also has a gorgeous water hole. The
only problem, once again, is that Okaukuejo is a regular spot for the overland
trucks and so the camp is quite crowded and noisy.
Halali
Camp
Halali
is situated between Namatoni and Okaukuejo and is about 70 kilometres from
each. The facilities at Halali are
more run down than those at either Namatoni or Okaukuejo. The bungalows and other accommodation is in
the same range as that at Okaukuejo although there are no luxury bungalows at
the Halali camp. Campsites are the same
price as those at Okaukuejo and once again there is a swimming pool, water
hole, shop, bar, kiosk and adequate ablution blocks. Halali is a much smaller camp than the other two and is not
frequented by overland trucks which means that it is a lot quieter than the
other two.
Namatoni
Camp
Namatoni
is situated on the Eastern side of the park and can be accessed through the
park or by travelling North from Windhoek on the B1 in the direction of
Tsumeb. At Namatoni there is a fort
that was erected during German colonial times as a police station and veterinary
control point. Once again a range of accommodation
is available at Namatoni in much the same price range as that available at
Okaukuejo and Halali. There is also a
pool, adequate ablution blocks, water hole, restaurant, shop, kiosk and public
telephone. The Namatoni camp is more
modern than Halali and the facilities are in better condition although are not
as modern as those at Okaukuejo.
Aside
from the camps in the park there are various lodges on the outskirts of the
park.
Windhoek
After
spending six days in Etosha we headed for Windhoek via Tsumeb and
Ojiwarongo. Windhoek is a great city
and well worth a visit! The government
buildings are magnificent and there are a whole host of embassies situated on
the koppie in the centre of Windhoek.
We battled to find a spot to camp in Windhoek but there are lots of
backpacker’s spots and youth hostels – some of the popular ones include The
Chameleon Backpackers Lodge, The Cardboard Box and the Puccini
International Hostel. We stayed in
self-catering accommodation at the Windhoek Town Lodge – a room with on
suite bathroom cost N$180-00 and was more than adequate
but was not luxurious.
On
our second night in Windhoek we stayed at the Daan Viljoen Game Park. It is an absolute must! The Park is situated 25km West of Windhoek
along route C28. The park is really
stunning and there are some superb walking routes. There are no wild animals in the park so one can walk anywhere. Camping costs N$90-00 per site
per night and the campsites are situated along a river and are really
beautiful. There is also a restaurant
that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Access to the park costs N$10-00 per person per day for adults and
N$1-00 for children. An additional fee
of N$10-00 is payable per vehicle.
