Caravan Journey and Ideas for Planning a Through Hike in Namibia, Africa

Of all seven continents we deliberate to go to this 12 months, Africa was the one one we deliberately deliberate properly upfront and the one I used to be most enthusiastic about. Part of that pleasure got here from realizing our main mode of transportation can be a caravan reasonably than our personal two ft, however largely it was as a result of the landscapes and wildlife can be not like something I had ever skilled.

When we first began researching Africa, Morocco appeared like the plain alternative. Logistically it made essentially the most sense, and we had our sights set on through climbing the Atlas Mountains. During our analysis, nonetheless, we realized that many High Atlas trekking routes require hiring a licensed information as a consequence of rules launched after a collection of security incidents. That despatched us again to the drafting board.

Planning this around-the-world journey actually started throughout our annual work season in Antarctica. I all the time inform those that Antarctica is without doubt one of the greatest locations on the planet to plan an journey. You’re surrounded by an unimaginable assortment of educated coworkers and friends from each nook of the globe. Since everybody shares communal meals, conversations nearly all the time drift towards journey.

That’s the place the concept of visiting Namibia was born.

Lane and I knew nearly nothing about Namibia earlier than a coworker started telling us about it. He described how simple it was to journey independently, how properly the nation caters to self-drive tourism, and the way unimaginable the landscapes have been. It didn’t take a lot convincing or a lot further analysis to understand this was precisely the journey we have been searching for. We might even see 4 of Africa’s Big Five animals throughout the journey.

Within weeks, Lane and I have been sitting inside our three-person tent (our dwelling in Antarctica) reserving flights to South Africa, the place our African caravan journey would start. From there we deliberate to discover a number of bucket-list locations earlier than heading north by means of Namibia, spending most of our time visiting nationwide parks alongside the best way.

We even discovered an 75-mile through hike that regarded like the right journey.

Setbacks

If you’re planning an in a single day backpacking journey in Namibia, there are some things you completely have to know. You can’t merely present up on the trailhead and begin climbing such as you typically can within the United States or many different nations.

For an in a single day backpacking journey in Namibia, right here’s what you’ll want:

• Reserve your climbing allow properly upfront. Dates typically replenish months forward.
• Obtain a medical certificates signed by a physician confirming you’re match sufficient to finish the hike.
• Hike in a bunch of at the very least three individuals for security causes.
• Be ready to comply with the park’s gear suggestions. Official steering favors sturdy climbing boots over light-weight path runners due to the rugged terrain.

One workaround for the three-person minimal is becoming a member of one of many Naukluft climbing Facebook teams. It’s pretty widespread for smaller events to attach with one other permitted group earlier than the hike begins.

Two of Namibia’s Best Multi-Day Hikes

• Naukluft Trail within the Naukluft Mountains (typically thought-about Namibia’s premier backpacking route)
• Fish River Canyon Trail, which descends into Africa’s largest canyon and one of many largest canyons on Earth. It’s thought-about the second largest canyon on the planet, behind Grand Canyon National Park.

Because of the allow necessities and our last-minute planning, we in the end determined to skip the backpacking portion of the journey and totally embrace the street journey as an alternative.

After ending the difficult 800-mile Hayduke Trail solely weeks earlier, the change in tempo was precisely what we would have liked. Trading climbing footwear for a steering wheel and our backpacking tent for a completely outfitted caravan felt downright luxurious.

Road Trip Highlights

Here’s our dwelling on wheels.

Our caravan included a queen-sized mattress, kitchen, eating space, toilet, out of doors seating, and even an outside cooking house. We truthfully couldn’t think about a greater solution to expertise South Africa and Namibia.

The caravan parks have been not like something I’d skilled earlier than. Both nations are extremely properly arrange for impartial street journey, with campgrounds scattered all through the area.

Many campsites included:

• Private bogs and sizzling showers
• Electrical hookups
• Braai (barbecue) amenities
• Running water and dishwashing sinks
• Shaded campsites and wonderful safety

Prices typically ranged from inexpensive public campgrounds to luxurious non-public lodges with caravan websites, making it simple to match your funds and journey fashion.

Our journey started at Boulders Beach, dwelling to a thriving colony of African penguins. Although I spend a part of yearly working in Antarctica, this was really my first time seeing penguins within the wild. Lane, however, had been lucky sufficient to go to an Emperor penguin colony throughout our earlier Antarctic season, so I used to be positively the extra excited one at this cease.

Next we visited the Cape of Good Hope. This was the place it lastly began to really feel like we had arrived in Africa. Watching ostriches wander close to the shoreline and different wildlife was one thing I’ll always remember.

Over the subsequent a number of days we slowly made our approach north towards Namibia, staying at caravan parks alongside the coast. Those first few days helped us settle into life on the street as we realized the way to cook dinner within the caravan, select campsites, and develop a cushty each day rhythm.

Crossing into Namibia felt like getting into one other world.

Traffic disappeared nearly immediately. Vast open landscapes stretched to each horizon, and paved highways ultimately gave solution to lengthy gravel roads disappearing into the space. At instances it truthfully felt like driving by means of the set of Dune.

Favorite Scenic Drives

• C13 alongside the Orange River close to the border with South Africa by means of the Richtersveld area. Incredible mountain surroundings and our first sightings of baboons.
• NamibRand Nature Reserve on the drive towards Sesriem. Herds of mountain zebras roamed the panorama, and it’s additionally potential to see giraffes, oryx, and springbok. Top Pick
• D1275 Took you over to mountain passes resulting in our campsite close to the Naukluft Mountains, with sweeping views throughout the encompassing valleys.

Favorite Caravan Parks

• Vensterklip Guest Farm & Restaurant – stunning property with good restaurant and bar
• Mount D’Urban Camp (Top Pick) — Beautiful landscaping, unimaginable sunsets and sunrises, a swimming pool, and one of the crucial thoughtfully designed campgrounds we stayed at.
• Spreetshoogte Campsite – Campground close to the Naukluft Mountains with an unimaginable view from up excessive on the mountain cross and searching down on the valley. Five stars ⭐️

National Parks We Visited

• Table Mountain National Park (South Africa)
• West Coast National Park (South Africa)
• Namib-Naukluft National Park (Namibia)
• Etosha National Park (Namibia)
• Waterberg Plateau Park (Namibia)

Final Thoughts

This was really a visit of a lifetime.

If I might depart you with just some items of recommendation, they’d be these:

The greatest problem of touring by means of Namibia is the gravel roads. Flat tires are extremely widespread. We had three throughout our comparatively quick journey, and solely two have been lined by our rental automobile’s insurance coverage.

Always prime off your gas everytime you cross a dependable fuel station, distances between cities may be a lot farther than they seem on a map. Keep loads of ingesting water with you always, particularly throughout the hotter months, and don’t rush your itinerary. Some of essentially the most memorable moments occur between locations and when you have got hours to take a seat and wait at watering holes in Etosha for numerous wildlife to reach.

If you’re searching for one of many world’s nice road-trip locations, it’s arduous to beat Namibia. Endless open landscapes, unimaginable wildlife, unforgettable sunsets, and the liberty to get up someplace new each morning made this considered one of our favourite adventures of the 12 months.

Happy caravanning and/or climbing!

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