Southern Africa Road Trip 2019

What better way to get away from the dark, cold advent of November in Britain than by flying 5,000 miles south and spending a few weeks touring round remote Northern South Africa and Namibia?  So, in early November our little group of 4 set off from Johannesburg Airport in a 4 berth Camping Truck duly hired from www.bushlore.com. We unfortunately experienced a 24 hour delay due to the Virgin Atlantic flight being cancelled. Joined by my good friend Andy, my son Jordan and best friend Matt we set off, probably all with completely different expectations as none of them had travelled like this through South Africa or Namibia before.  

We missed our first stop over campsite which meant that on our first day we drove nearly 600 kilometres to find ourselves in deepest Northern Territory, Red Sands Country Lodge. A good place to start with a rudimentary but comfortable campsite with restaurant, enabled us to get our first taste of camping and using the trucks equipment. For those that haven’t used this type of vehicle before it’s all very simple and as we became more experienced we were able to arrive and be set in less than 10 minutes each time so no time or effort wasted there. The equipment and kit provided as part of the package is exceptional, so a big thumbs up to Bushlore, I’m sure there are also a number of other companies that can provide similar so shop around.

Pushing on the next day we move from Tarmac roads to dirt and sand which was to be the majority of our route through the Northern Cape and Namibia and if you aren’t used to it take your time getting familiar with driving on this type of road and heed the advice to let down your tyre pressures as within only a few miles we slid off the track, luckily no damage was done!

After a very hairy last few final miles running on empty we reached Askham a last stop little settlement of a petrol station, bar and small shop and then up a final desert road that introduced us to the ‘real’ Kalahari and eventually into the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park our home for the next few days. Getting there just before the gate closed meant we could enter Twee Rivieren but as we were entering Botswana we had to go back the following morning to go through immigration. 

Twee Rivieren is possibly the best equipped camp in the Kgalagadi but a little soulless and commercial so don’t linger too long. The following morning at last we were on our way North further into the reserve and into the Kalahari, distances are very deceiving once game viewing, you can look at a map and think a short drive will not take you long, but that doesn’t allow for animal sightings and just enjoying the environment so allow twice as much time.

 

 For those that haven’t been on safari before it takes a while to adjust and enjoy but once you do the place just sucks you in and the landscape will take your breath away on a regular ongoing basis, I find the Kalahari and Namibia 

exceptional in that respect. We travelled all day up to the Nossob Camp where we had a chalet which was a real luxury but worth it. We spent the next 3 days self-driving and also taking a guided morning drive all of which were fantastic, Lion, Cheetah, Brown Hyena, Side striped Jackals, Vultures like I had never seen before as well as their numerous prey, Springbok, Gemsbok, Kudu etc.

Our only disappointment was that we would like to have camped in one of the Wilderness Camps but found out on arrival they were all booked and from some fellow travellers discovered that they are so popular you need to book about a year in advance!

 Our time in the Kgalagadi came to an end as we entered Namibia through the Mata Mata Rest camp only to have our meat supplies taken from us on the border, apparently you can’t take meat or wood across. We subsequently realised that we had actually smuggled both our firewood and a few packs of sausages (boerwurst) which made us feel much better about it.

 For those that haven’t driven in Namibia or similar remote regions before it is part of the experience to see and realise that there is nothing and no one around and driving over a ridge to a horizon where there is no human presence or signs as far as the eye can see. Once you get used to this its then a major disappointment to reach civilisation again.

 The landscape changes fairly regularly too, sometimes pure desert, sometimes scrub, sometimes mountainous and then sometimes you think you’re on the moon, which was absolutely the case for our next stay Quiver Tree Forest. Possibly the most bizarre sights and site we had seen with the Quiver Tree being a unique plant in itself and surrounded by an area called the ‘Giants Playground’ dumps of volcanic stone piled into hills and mounds.

 By now we had honed our camping skills and our set up and location made this one of my favourite spots.

 Once you have relaxed into the experience that’s when you really appreciate your surroundings. I was fortunate to be spending the trip with good friends and family and despite our age differences each night spent cooking and talking round a camp fire underneath the most amazing stars cannot be underestimated and the memories will be with me forever. In an age where everything we do is led or dictated by technology and we are encouraged to live life at such a fast relentless pace there is little time to relax, this type of holiday or break is the ultimate down time…. just try it!

The next transition was from Desert to Canyon, Fish River Canyon to be exact, second only to the Grand Canyon in terms of size. If we had more time there is a trek down into and through the canyon which is a 3 day trek on foot but looks pretty interesting. The other thing with Namibia is that there is always a surprise around the corner and we happened upon the most fantastic RoadHouse café, restaurant, bar, museum, hotel in the middle of nowhere on the road from Keetsmanshoop to Hobas Rest camp.

Our last stop in Namibia was down on the Southern border at Noordoewer and yet again it was the setting, camping right on the Orange River with the most amazing views that made this a very special stopover. On the river with access to Kayaks and fishing tackle, amazing bird life and so so so peaceful it was perfect …. Again! 
The next day we were taken 4 miles down river to then go on a paddle downstream back to the campsite whilst fishing and enjoying the river. We were left with a mild warning “if the wind gets up you may struggle to get back before dark”.
How we laughed as we made our way leisurely down a pond like river ….. 2 hours later with a strong headwind we were going no where quickly! Eventually we made it back after some Olympic style efforts! He wasn’t wrong!

The next day saw us through the border post less numerous bars of chocolate to the guards, the one thing I would warn it is very difficult to gauge the mood of the immigration officials? They are all generally miserable, they mumble, they are never clear as to what they want and they are clearly open to offers of anything? So for want of a better pun be ‘at your guard’ when going from country to country and expect it to take some time, some border posts are better than others.

Back onto tarmac roads and up into the mountains by Springbok for a night in the hills, then down to the coast at Lamberts Bay, an interesting town on the Atlantic coastline. Not sure what we made of this one a recommendation by Bushlore who clearly hadn’t been there for 20 years, great location on the beach, that’s the best we could say, it was very run down and in bad need of an update, but the walk along the coast line was worth it. As we watched seals frolicking in the waves near the shore we were stunned to then watch a very large shark drift through the waves clearly looking for ‘said’ seals only 5 metres from shore!

That evening went back into the small town and were able to have our first Seafood meal of the trip and well worth waiting for, Crayfish at 1.1 kg sat by the harbour with a cold beer … fantastic.

 I asked Bushlore to pre book a lot of our campsites and stop offs along the way, they definitely need to be booked in advance and whilst adequate I think some of the recommendations weren’t that great. In hindsight and with our recent experience I would do my own research and book all of it myself. Can’t fault the truck, equipment or service though.

 With the majority of the road trip over we took a leisurely drive down to Cape Town the next day, back to civilisation I really wasn’t looking forward to being around people and buildings (luckily for me I had spent 3 weeks in Kwa Zulu Natal staying on a reserve prior to meeting the boys, so I was used to solitude). I was also not looking forward to Cape Town on the assumption that it was going to be the least African City I had been to?          Wrong, Wrong, and yet again Wrong!

We were staying in it has to be said a very nice home in Bakoven next to Camps Bay. Little did I realise that it is generally known as ‘Millionaires playground ‘having said that, everyone seems to go around on a bike or running dressed in Lycra?

 But, yes, Cape Town and the surrounding area blew me away. As a place to winter from the cold and dark of Europe it’s a bit of a ‘no brainer’, it’s cheap, it’s warm and bright, it’s relaxed, the people we met everywhere were friendly, the Atlantic coastline and beaches are some of the best I’ve come across (just don’t go in the sea!).

 We were fortunate to have a semi resident friend Jamie to give us our own private guided historical and topical tour for the day around the peninsular including taking in Hoits Bay and its township, Farmers Markets, Wine Estates, Boulders Beach (disappointingly commercial and now inaccessible other than by an £8 charge to walk the boardwalk) finishing with dinner at sunset at a Beach Restaurant in Hoits Bay. It was a fantastic introduction to Cape Town which prompted the boys at end the day, for the umpteenth time, to say ‘I think that was my favourite day of the trip’.

It had indeed just got better and better as we had gone along and embraced everything that we encountered both good and bad, and believe me there wasn’t much that was bad.

 Visits into the city for real African dinner and entertainment were provided at Marcos, a recommendation from our Zimbabwean Uber driver, great food and music until the early hours. A visit to the Old Biscuit Factory, Cape Towns equivalent to Camden Market/ Borough Market. Table Mountain for sunset, spectacular but very cold so take a jacket or Hoodie even when the sun shines.

The mandatory trip to the V& A Waterfront was frankly a waste of time, go to Gunwharf Quays/ Bicester Village etc for the same experience, same shops, same restaurants without the Table Mountain backdrop.

 Overall, Cape Town was a wonderful experience, it has pretty much everything you could want to enjoy a break in a warm climate, although I’m told it can be cooler and damper we were lucky to have sun and warmth. I’m aware of its reputation as being a dangerous place to go, but we saw none of that and never felt remotely at risk if you take the sensible precautions you would take in any city in the world. You have to accept that you will get your fair share of traders, beggars etc but most are polite if persistent and we experienced no aggression, but then again we were 4 guys? I have travelled throughout Southern Africa mostly on my own and have never had problems, just be careful, confident and don’t dress like a tourist.

 In summary, the trip was all I expected and more and left me yearning to get back, my plans are already underway for a similar trip this year 2020. Superlatives in describing South Africa, Namibia and the Western Cape will never do them justice it’s something you only appreciate fully by experiencing it. I was fortunate to have amazing travel partners thank you guys for making it such a special trip, thank you to Jamie for making Cape Town a fab 4 days, thank you to everyone we met along the way and thank you Bushlore for providing the truck and equipment.