Namibia
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Hennie and Jeff found us through Travelspinner.com and travelled around Namibia
The trip of a lifetime! We felt like rock stars, flying in and out of camps and lodges, with never a moment’s doubt about a pickup or transfer. The recommended itinerary – arrived at after quite a bit of back and forth, since we were limited by time and had peculiar wishes, such as a preference for landscape and culture rather than game – suited us perfectly. I’d recommend Rob Slater to anyone planning a trip to Namibia.
Safari Consultants booked us 4 days with Johan Burger through Kunene Tours, and this camping segment proved to be the highlight of the trip. We found Johan super easy going, super well informed and prepared, and seemed to have radar as far as finding game was concerned – in short a dream camping trip was the result. We saw way more wildlife than we expected, and got as close to the land and culture as I think it’s possible to get in 9 days.
Namibia
Regions
Kaokoland
Kaokoland stretches north from Sesfontein and the Hoanib River Valley to the Kunene River, the border with Angola, and can only be accessed by four-wheel drive. Few people travel far into this land, and those that do, usually do so with an experienced guide, which is highly recommended.
For self-contained 4×4 travel, either self-driving or on a guided safari, the most accessible region is the stunning Hoarasib River Valley, which can be explored for several days from a base at Purros, the closest thing to a town or village in the region. The region is also a stronghold for desert lions and desert elephant, who often come into conflict with the local Himba and Herero villagers, and in the long term tourism into the area should help protect the fragile populations of both. There is one luxury lodge near Purros, and an airstrip for fly-in safaris, but otherwise camping is the usual accommodation choice.
From the Hoarasib stretching northwards is a vast wilderness which is home to the nomadic Himba people, pastoralists who are well known for being ‘not very well known’! In this area you can explore several spectacular valleys and mountain ranges, including the stunning Hartmann Valley which leads to the Kunene River, the Hartmann Mountains, Marienfluss, and the spectacular Van Zyl’s Pass.
The Hartmann Valley is one of the most stunning, remote and awe-inspiring places in Africa. Technically it is no more beautiful than other parts of Namibia, but the real magic is in its remoteness. It is an area of wide open plains flanked by mountains, and sometimes populated with huge herds of springbok and oryx which move through the area. Towards the northern end of the valley, you come across more and more red ‘sand’ which reminds you of the Namib Desert, before reaching the spectacular Kunene River valley, a verdant strip which snakes through the rocky mountains en route to the Atlantic. One luxury lodge and a couple of more adventurous camps exist on the banks of the Kunene, accessed either overland or by air into the Hartmann Valley airstrip.