Namibia - An unforgettable trip in a 4x4 vehicle with roof tent

After a flight of just over 10 hours, we landed in Namibia. Apart from briefing and picking up the vehicles, the only thing on the agenda today is shopping. We then make ourselves comfortable in the camp over dinner and discuss the coming tours and days in peace.

The "supposedly" best apple strudel in Namibia can be found here. The perfect starting point for the upcoming tour of the 10.754 million hectare Namib Naukluft National Park and home to the oldest desert in the world, the Namib. There is plenty to see, marvel at and climb here: - Dune 45 is a star dune in the Sossusvlei area of the Namib in Namibia. Contrary to popular belief, the dune is not located at road kilometer 45, but is the 45th dune as seen from the Atlantic Ocean. Consisting of five million year old sand and ranging in size from 80 meters to 170 meters, a stop is definitely a must. - Deadvlei is a small clay pan surrounded by dunes in the Namib. The base of Deadvlei is an ellipse stretching in a northwest-southeast direction with a size of around 0.6 square kilometers. The "Big Daddy" rises above the south-eastern end of the depression. At the north-western end, the Deadvlei is open to the terminal depression system of the Tsauchab, one of the large blind-ended dry rivers of the Namib Sand Sea. The many dead camel thorn trees in its north-western half are characteristic of the Deadvlei and give it its name. Due to the extreme dryness, they rot very slowly and are therefore still preserved today. Examinations of the wood have shown that the tree skeletons have a total age of around 850 years and that the trees died in the second half of the 14th century and the first half of the 15th century. There are also animals living in Deadvlei, including geckos in the sand, birds living in the camel thorn trees and oryxes roaming the landscape. Who hasn't seen the pictures of an oryx in front of the red dunes? - Sossusvlei is not far from Deadvlei and is a beige salt-clay pan surrounded by sand dunes, the vlei, in the Namib. It only carries water rarely and in good rainy years. Then, however, a lake a few centimetres to several meters deep forms for a short time in the vlei at the end of the Tsauchab. Incidentally, Sossus means "blind river" in the Nama language. "Blind" refers to the fact that the Tsauchab River, which flows towards the Atlantic from a mountainous region inland after heavy rainfall, silts up in the sand dunes of the Namib Desert at Sossusvlei - around 50 kilometers from the sea. It has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Namib Sand Sea since June 21, 2013. The entire area, including the surrounding dune landscapes and vleis, is generally referred to as Sossusvlei. The surrounding orange dunes are among the highest in the world, rising to over 380 meters above the pan. The orange color of the sand is caused by iron oxide, while the black areas of the dunes consist of magnetite. - Big Daddy is a star dune to the west of Sossusvlei on the edge of Deadvlei in the central Namib. It is considered the highest dune in the area and one of the highest in the world. Big Daddy is said to reach a height of 325 meters to 380 meters.

On one side the oldest desert in the world, on the other the South Atlantic. The immediate surroundings of this very German city offer a very impressive backdrop, some would say a little too German. The program here includes a "Little Five" safari and exploring the city on foot.

Our first stop in Namibia is the Matterhorn of Namibia. Facts about the Spitzkoppe: The Spitzkoppe (also Spitzkuppe, Spitzkopje or Spitskopje) is an inselberg with a height of 1728 m 120 km east of Swakopmund in Namibia, which towers 700 meters above its surroundings. Due to its striking shape, it is also known as the "Matterhorn of Namibia" and is one of the most photographed mountains in the country. Here we set off again the next day around midday, heading for Swakopmund on the Atlantic coast.

Without rain, the "Omandumba Guestfarm & Bushcamp" is a dreamlike spot without internet, with an open-air shower and toilet. Neighbors are neither to be seen nor heard on the spacious pitches. The surrounding area is perfect for hiking and exploring.

Not much needs to be said about Etosha National Park. Here we spend two nights in different campsites, both located right next to a waterhole, to keep an eye out for the odd visitor in the evening hours. Facts: The Etosha National Park is world-famous and well worth a visit. With an area of 22,935 square kilometers, it is the most important protected area in Namibia. The park lies on the north-western edge of the Kalahari Basin and covers almost the entire 4760 km² Etosha Pan. It is just under 400 kilometers from the capital Windhoek and 125 kilometers from the border with Angola. The name "Etosha" comes from the Oshivambo and means "great white place". On March 22, 1907, the governor of German South West Africa, Friedrich von Lindequist, declared 99,526 km² of what is now Namibia a nature reserve after the once abundant game population had been reduced to the brink of extinction by poaching and reckless big game hunting, seriously endangering the population's meat supply. The conservation measures were successful and led to a gradual regeneration of the game population.

The next stop is a sensationally beautiful spot on the Cubango River with a view of Angola. Affordable campsites directly on the river with their own wash house, electricity, barbecue and sufficient distance from the neighbors. Activities such as game drives or boat trips are also offered and can be booked at your convenience. The trip to see the hippos in the morning hours is highly recommended.

You will find an incredibly friendly and beautiful atmosphere at this camp. In addition to a beautifully situated terrace overlooking the Kwando, you will find clean and well-kept wash houses and a pool for free use. The campsites are separated from each other by bushes and trees and it is the ideal starting point for one of the smaller national parks, which are absolutely worthwhile as long as they are accessible during the rainy season.

An optional stop is offered here. Spacious campsites surrounded by greenery under trees alive with monkeys, plus electricity and communal wash houses can be found at this campsite. The terrace and various activities on land and water are inviting. You also have the option of continuing directly to the next station.

The more attractive station for stopping and staying near Katima Mulilo is here. Also located directly on the Kwando and with the option of booking activities at will. Two days of rest before the last week of our trip can do us good to take a deep breath. From here we also head to Tsumeb.

The municipality of Tsumeb is a mining town and was the capital of the Oshikoto region in Namibia until August 18, 2008. It had 19,200 inhabitants in 2011, although only 12,190 inhabitants are reported for 2019. Tsumeb is located around 400 kilometers north of the capital Windhoek in the so-called Otavi Triangle (also known as the "Maize Triangle") together with Otavi and Grootfontein, the intensively farmed area of the Otavi Mountains with higher rainfall.

Another must-see in Namibia, a place that is both worth seeing and steeped in history. Even though the service at Waterberg Plateau Campsite was non-existent from start to finish, the campsite and surrounding area are highly recommended. The whole area offers plenty of opportunity to explore, the landscape and the fauna are indescribable. Each campsite has its own wash house, a covered terrace and a fireplace. The Battle of Waterberg is also a historical event that you should definitely pay more attention to in order to learn more about the shared past of Namibia and Germany.

Mount Etjo Safari Lodge has campsites about 3 kilometers away. These are hidden in the bushes at a waterhole which guarantees visits from smaller and harmless animals. All activities and meals can also be used and booked by visitors to the campsites. The campsite is called "Dino Campsite" as you can go on a relaxed hike to discover dinosaur tracks.

Now it's time to say goodbye. From the vehicles, the people who have shared this journey with you and a country which I hope you enjoyed as much as I did and which has inspired you to return. If you don't have any souvenirs yet, you can still get them.