WW670 Namibia

Welcome to Namibia - Sunset from the adjacent camping grounds at Solitaire. Namibian sunsets are well-known for their breathtaking ability. 

Hier kom die bokke...Springbok grazing on the unusually green grass between Sesriem and Sossusvlei. The trees in the background are about 5/6 meters tall (to get a perspetive on the size of the dune)

The Colonial Architecture of Swakopmund - right next door to our "pension"

Through the Swakopmund River-bed and into the dunes of the Namib

Salt pan on the way up the Skeleton Coast - next time I'm going for a swim.

The strangely truncated "Kobas Tree" in Kamanjab

At the National Botanical Institute Gardens 

"kyk hoe mooi is hierdie Aloes" Shirley has convinced me that this will have to become a regular stop on our return to Windhoek on our final day in Namibia

Leopard Tracks 2009

For the WW650 we stayed at some of the old classic venues and were pleasantly surprised by some very nice upgrades, particularly at Toshari and Ombinda, both in the Etosha area. The picture on the left has Brandon bemused at the Toshari staff, after a fine dinner, doing the "amarulla dance" in their brand new dining area.

As usual, the Namib greeted us on day 1 with another beautful sunset. As if this was not enough, we had a rainbow behind us, rain above and the most most beautiful pink and orange sunset in front. A photographers Nirvana, Namibia never fails to impress and I now have another 30-40 sunset pictures to add to my collection.

Not to be outdone, sunrise put on a show of her own.

Even the recent heavy rainfalls in Namibia could not bring back to life the petrified trees of Doodvlei who seem to be crying out for it despite their inanimated state.

Travelling north toeards Walvis Baai (whale bay) we stopped for a while to take in the unusual scenery at Vogelverderberg (bird feather mountain) and take some photographs.

These Quivver Trees (Aloe Dichotema) are well-photographed and have positioned themselves with a beautiful view of a perennial river dotted with large Acacia Trees 

Leopard Tracks - Namibia 2007

The Leopard Tracks WW470 produced some good times and some fantastic photographs as these submitted by Ena and Tubby will attest to. Dubbed "the laughing bus" by the crew this group of travellers certainly knew how to get the best out of their trip with a healthy dose of laughter and a keen interest in all the wonders Namibia has to offer.

The guide Craig and group (all with wide-brimmed hats) on the walk to "Doodvlei" or dead pan, stopping to talk about the fauna and flora. This pan, over 10 000 years old, is full of life in the form of insects, reptiles, mammals and a variety of endemic plants found here and no-where else. The dunes in this part of the Namib are unshifting due to the prevailing winds blowing 50% form the east and 50% from the west, as well as the stabilising effect of the !Nara melon which is an important source of water and nutrients for the mice and Oryx antelope of the area as well a being an effective medicinal plant for the local Bushmen.

Breathtaking views from atop Dune 45...worth the walk!

The landscape around the Kuiseb Canyon truly lives up to its name of "The land God made in anger" the result of what is though to have been the Americas "crashing into" Africa

The Spitzkoppe, Namibias "Materhorn" is a place of indescribable beauty, revered by locals as a spritual place. The photographic opportunities and small bushmens paradise make this an essential stop on any trip to the south-west corner of Africa.

Twyfelfontein (doubtful fountain) is Namibias first World Heritage site proclaimed in June 2008 to protect over 2000 rock etchings made by the San peoples alomost 5000 years ago.
Local Damara guides take us on the "Lion Man" walk setting the scene and building a picture of this place as it was. The shamanistic etchings made by tapping quartz on the sandstone conglomerate are wondrfully preserved as seen below.

The Cheetah sanctuary at Otjitatongwe below provides an opportunity to view and photograph these magnificent and elusive cats. Namibia has the highest concentration of these animals in the

wild - 2000 and the lowest concentration of people - just 2,1 per square kilometre.

For many the highlight of the tour was the time spent in Etosha National Park. Here Tubby photographed this magnificent Kudu batchelor herd "down at their local" with a large bull Elephant at Halali Camp waterhole.

The camp was named after the trumpet call to end the hunt during the days when big-game hunters came to this area in search of trophies. Today the name stands as a testimony to Namibias efforts to protect its wildlife heritage.

Namibias national animal the Gemsbok or Oryx seen here at Okaukuejo Camp waterhole with a group of Blue Wildebeast or Gnu. This camp allows for visitors to sit at night and observe animals like Black Rhino, Hyena, Lion, Giraffe and many many Elephant coming down to drink at night. Watching these species interracting with each other is an awesome experience.

Leopard Tracks - Namibia 2008

The Leopard Tracks Tour proved to be our most popular tour of 2008. Scenic splendour, fantastic game viewing, fine dining and superb weather - Namibia has it all to offer.

Aloe Dichotyma - The Quivver Tree Bushmen used the hollowed branches to hold their arrows. These beautiful specimens are found on the road between Kuiseb and Swakopmund.


Dune 40 Sesriem -The red colour comes from the red sands that get blown in from the Kalahari.

Sesriem Canyon has been carved by water over thousands of years. A source of water in deep wells and a place where you can imagine ancient scenes of primitive beings trapping game within it's steep walls.

The WW600 stopped off at "Bird feather mountain" just east of Walvis Bay. The third day of the tour takes us through the Goab and Kuiseb canyons to Swakopmund.


Big Rod at The Gramadoella on top of Kuiseb Pass. Between 09h00 and 11h00 the illusion is that there is hole in the middle of the hill.

WW610 All aboard the balloon over Sesriem in the Namib Desert. After an early rise and a quiet drift over the desert they were welcomed back to earth with a champagne breakfast.
King of the beasts. This chap and his family have decided to set up home under a bridge in central Etosha near a waterhole

Baggy trousers - the real Kings. When a group of Elephants arrive at a waterhole everyone, lions included makes way. Except occasionally for a cheecky Black Rhino who will at times put up a show for those prepared to stay up late at the waterhole to watch this interspecies interaction.

Buffalo Trail - Waterways 2008

For a start lets have a look at some of the highlights of the 2008 year on our Buffalo Trail
encompassing Zambia, Botswana and Northern Namibia (Caprivi Strip).
This little bit of paradise was taken at about
18h15 as the sun sets on the Zambezi.
The ideal setting for a GnT and a little quiet reflection.
The lower deck of the Kingfisher Houseboat, ably manned by Captain Robson and Chef Peter, is a great place to try your hand at fishing for tasty three-spotted bream, spotting hippo, birdwatching or just having a nap.








With the bream biting and supper approaching Erich lands a monster Bream much to Mr Thrussels' dissapointment as he claims he's "just taking worms for a swim"


Mambova fishing village is just 12 km from
Kazangula, where a ferry takes us across the
mighty Zambezi river to Botswana. From a point
in the middle of the river we see Zambia,
Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia, something
that amplifies just how important this river is in
the region.

It is too difficult to choose a winner for most fun tour group of 2008 but Team Switzerland, Denmark and Australia were all right up there giving the "Laughing Bus" of 2007 a real run for
their money.

On the right here is one of my highlights of 2008 - The "Giggling Gerties" Fiona

and Shirley (70+) who caught

the biggest fish so far this year a 1,2m

Barble that probably weighed about

4,5 kg's!

"Tak" - Team Denmark 2008 cooling off in the okavango delta

07h00 A Full English and Continental
at Planet Baobab on the edge of the

Nxai! and Makadikadi Pan

National Parks in Botswana.

Waking up under a Baobab is really rejuvenating!