We travel through Namibia in a Hilux with two roof tents. After the Etosha National Park, we are now heading south, through the desolate Kaokoland and Damaraland.
All about our Namibia roundtrip here: overlanding namibia
The original plan was to go to Kaokoland after Etosha. Kaokoland is one of the few remaining truly desolate areas in Africa, populated only by the Himba people who traditionally live in small villages scattered around the area. No shops, no diesel. The roads in the area can hardly be called roads. It is absolutely necessary with four-wheel drive and rescue equipment, because you will definitely get stuck in loose sand. The sand here is also of a particularly difficult variety, very fine-grained, much like talc. Driving solo here, as we do, is not recommended.
There are also some more passable roads here for those who are not interested in pure offroading. We wanted to take the C35 north to Opuwo, then the D3704 south again to Sesfontein, and then a detour to Puros. Puros is a small village that is popular with overlanders because it gives a good impression of Kaokoland’s wilderness and beauty. And most importantly, the guidebook Tracks4Africa writes that these roads are pretty good.
Bad roads
That’s not how it went. The night before departure, we met some Germans who had just driven the opposite way, from Angola’s border and south. They had shipped the car to Namibia in 2019 and had been around a lot. They say that the 100 km long D3704 is heavily corrugated, and the road to Puros is very washed out. They had spent many hours getting over at a river crossing where it was now 1.5 meters straight down where the road had sloped down towards the river earlier.
Four road classes
Instead, we set course for Palmwag on a reasonably good D-road. The roads in Namibia are classified as B, C, D and F roads. B is very good, paved and 2-4 fields. C is also paved, but narrower. D are gravel roads. These can be pretty good, or miserable, depending on how often they are graded. Washboards form quickly, providing everything from light shaking to bottoming of the springs in the deepest dumps. The roads are wide and you drive where it seems to be the least bumpy. Sometimes there are lots of very loose sand, especially in the many river crossings. They can be extremely steep down and up again, so one must be very careful when driving. F-roads are pure off-road trails.
Palmwag
Palmwag is located in the far south of Kaokoland, on the border of Damaraland. It’s a tiny little place with a small gas station and no shops of any size. But the nature is beautiful, with mountains on all sides. We stay two days at Palmwag Lodge which also has nice pitches for camping, with shower and WC.
To get to Palmwag Lodge we have to cross Veterinary Fence, through a guarded gate. There is foot-and-mouth disease in the north of Kaokoland, but not in the south. Namibian authorities have good control over this, but there is a lot of smuggling of cattle from Angola where they have no control. So it is not allowed to bring raw or dried meat to the south. Now we drove north, so it was okay. But when we were going south again, we had to be careful not to bring any of this.
Interesting hike
We join a guided 2-hour hike in the afternoon. We could easily go alone, but guiding is an important source of income for many, so it was not allowed to go alone. And it’s nice to go with a guide who can tell and answer questions. Our guide was well versed in botany, and we got a thorough introduction to Namibia’s plant life. Milk Bush in particular made an impression. This is an extremely poisonous shrub, a few meters tall, which Bushmen had previously used as an arrow poison. Just by poking it with a stick, toxic white milk leaked out
The guide could tell that some time ago 16 people died from this poison. There were miners from the north who did not know the plant who had found some dry branches and roots from it, and used this wood for grilling. When the wood burned, the poison followed the smoke and penetrated into the meat. Only one man survived because he got drunk and fell asleep before they ate. Can imagine it was a bit of a hangover to wake up and find 16 dead comrades around. Sometimes alcohol is not to be blamed, quite the contrary.
Before leaving Palmwag, we have a hearty breakfast where we try to eat 12 eggs and two packets of bacon that we can not take back through Veterinary Fence. We nearly succeeded.
Brandberg – The burning mountain
Brandberg means The Burning Mountain. And it turned fiery red at sunset. A sacred mountain for the San People (Bushmen) who once lived here. The Bushmen have left their mark in the form of cave paintings known as The White Lady. They were discovered in the early 1900s and are estimated to be more than 2000 years old.
We stay a couple of days at Brantberg White Lady Lodge at an incredibly nice camp. A large area by a dried up river bed with tall, shady trees. The lodge itself is also a pleasure to visit. Lovely to relax in a green garden with pool and shade.
White Lady
It’s an hour’s hike up to The White Lady. The trip goes up a valley in a dried up river bed. Quite easy to walk, but a little crawling over large rocks. It is hot, around 30 degrees and scorching sun. The valley is dry, but here and there water trickles out in the dry riverbed and makes small bright green oases. The guide says that they do not get paid, so it is only tips from the tourists they live off. There are 12 guides. Now in June there are maybe 20 trips in one day, in the high season 100. So each guide gets only one, or at best two trips per day. We give him 300 NAD in tips. Do not know if this is a lot or a little? He wants us to send him old clothes when we get home, and we get his address.
The cave paintings are well worth the trip, and show people hunting, dancing and various animals. Fascinating to hear about how the different colors are made where, for example, crushed stones that contain animal urine give white color. And the white lady is not a lady, but probably a shaman.
Lightly dressed ladies
On the way to the Erongo mountains we stop at one of the countless stalls along the road where the locals sell various products to tourists. We have driven past many, each time with a sting of bad conscience. Few cars pass daily, and this is the only income for many. When we pass the people run towards the car, waving with decorative objects in their hands.
As soon as we had stopped, 5-6 lightly dressed ladies lined up and started singing and dancing. A young man came up to us and said we had to pay to take pictures. We arrived at an appropriate amount. Immediately after, another car stopped, so we became a small group who witnessed the performance. The song was really beautiful and it was all quite exotic. We probably thought that they had undressed to give the tourists a taste of the “real” Africa for a suitable fee. Okay, they do not have much else to make money on. Dressed up ladies dance for the tourists in Norway as well.
It turned out that we had stopped at a Himba camp, we found out after a bit of googling. The Himba are a semi-nomadic people living in northern Namibia, Kaokoland and Damaraland. They live of cattle and move once in a while. And they refuse to embrace modern times and live in the traditional way. So they do not stand up for tourists, but go dressed like this in everyday life. Their society is a matriarchy where women arrange all the practicalities, while men look after cattle, and in ancient times were warriors. But, as we read at a museum which we later visited in Swakopmund, their culture is under pressure from modern society where children are influenced through the school system.
Sundowner in danger
The Erongo Mountains are a relatively large mountain area with great hiking opportunities. We had set out for a camp up in the mountains, but eventually realized that we would not reach it until dark. Instead, we turned onto Camp Mara. A very bumpy road led us to a small farm down to the river bank. No sign of life except for two dogs that came running. Eventually we found an open door and were greeted by an incredibly nice lady who said we would love to camp there. She also had a well-stocked fridge with both beer and wine. This was well received. It was Saturday and alcohol sales stopped at one o’clock we had recently found out. The sundowner was in danger! For overlanders, the beer when arriving at a camp is a sacred institution. As soon as the table and chairs are unpacked, we sit back contentedly with a sundowner in hand, tired after many miles on dusty roads.
Snake tracks in the sand
Just before we were to drive down to the camping area, the lady came with a disturbing information. She had seen snake tracks down by the camp. To emphasize the seriousness of this, she showed off her arm, which we had secretly been watching. It lacked large portions of the meat from the elbow down. She had been bitten by a Spitting Cobra, had been in hospital for 6 months and only barely saved her life. Maybe not the best way to introduce the camp. Good luck, she wished us as we drove. We know that there are many poisonous snakes in Namibia, but this evening we looked around extra carefully. Getting up at night to pee was a nerve-wracking experience. Fortunately, no snakes appeared..
An aggressive bastard
We were the only guests in the very nice camp, with electricity and water closet. Can be recommended.
The next day we talked more with the lady. It was not at the farm she had been bitten, but during a tent trip to the north. She had slept with an open tent, the snake had crawled in, spat in her eyes and then bit her in the arm. Really an aggressive bastard. Spitting Cobra is known for being aggressive. They do not give way if you encounter them, but go on the attack. They spit very accurately against the eyes and you will go blind if you do not rinse the poison out with water and come under treatment. But statically speaking, there is very little chance of encountering these as a tourist, even though many of the locals are bitten every year by different snakes. It turned out that neither guests nor the residents of the camp had ever been bitten by snakes there, so we probably did not have to worry.
When leaving, we were shown around the three immensely tastefully decorated rooms they had to rent out. They were not much more expensive than camping they were, so we regretted that we had not asked for a room the night before .
Spitzkoppe, Matterhorn of Africa
Everyone we have talked to has recommended stopping by Spitzkoppe. The mountain Spitzkoppe is called the Matterhorn of Africa where it rises pointedly and majestically over the open plain landscape. Spitzkoppe is not just a mountain, but a small mountainous area with almost organically rounded boulders of different heights. The boulders are sprinkled with huge marble-like pebbles that at every moment seem to want to roll down.
The area is a giant campsite with scattered pitches. No danger of being disturbed by the neighbor. The absolute closest you can get to wild camping. At the camps there is no water, but barbecue areas and an outdoor toilet, or “Long drop toilet” as it is called here. We were lucky and managed to capture the only space with a water closet and shower. It is located at the first exit to the left after the gate into the nature park, marked “Village Tent Camp” for one reason or another.
Nice hiking opportunities
Inside the park it is nice for a hike, or you can climb the cliffs. Many of them are easy to come by. The granite is very rough and gives a good foothold, and it is not particularly vertiginous. Down in the camp there was no mobile coverage, but up on the nearest rock it was 3G. No guide is needed for hiking.
At night it was full moon and with no artificial lighting that disturbed, the moonlight created a fantastic light-shadow effect that enhanced the organic shape of the mountains. Grosse Spitzkoppe, who from this side is not particularly sharp, rose a couple of kilometers away, bathed in moonlight. It was almost as expected that van Gogh would come strolling with the easel under his arm, ready for an African “Starry Night”.
Carousel. Swipe left, or let it go by itself.
In the next article, we move on to Swakopmund and the Skeleton Coast.
All about our Namibia roundtrip here: overlanding namibia
