JOHAN & ADRI SNYMAN'S DAMARALAND TRIP REPORT : 7 - 10 ...

JOHAN & ADRI SNYMAN’S DAMARALAND TRIP REPORT : 7 - 10 DECEMBER 2012
Background
This trip was undertaken to collect the last photographs needed to complete my book on Damaraland.
It was therefore not undertaken for recreational purposes and we travelled in a solo vehicle. Under
normal circumstances, it is not advisable to visit the area with only one vehicle.
Preparations
Our Landy is extensively equipped for overland travel and no work was required to prepare it for the
trip. We carry a comprehensive set of tools, recovery equipment, some basic spare parts, and a very
comprehensive first aid kit. We therefore only packed our camera equipment, a laptop computer,
clothes, and enough food and drink for the trip. As we would be travelling on our own in a very remote
area, we had pre-arranged back-up services in place as well as reliable means of communication.
Friday 7 December
We left Windhoek after work and travelled along the B1 to Okahandja, the B2 to Usakos and then the
D1918 until we reached a track down a dry riverbed to our campsite for the night.
314km for the day (243km on tar and km on 71gravel) and our travelling time was 4¾hours.
Saturday 8 December
We made an early start and made our way to the Omaruru River and from there to the Messum
Crater, where we spent some time photographing landscapes. From there we made our way towards
the Brandberg, and then on a track towards the Brandberg West Mine. We set up camp on the track.
© J Snyman 1

© J Snyman 2

227km for the day (all of it on gravel, sand and rocky roads and tracks).
Sunday 9 December
After a quiet and, surprisingly, cold night, we made our way across the mountain range to east of the
old Brandberg West mine to the Ugab River and then made our way over Divorce Pass to the Doros
Crater.
© J Snyman 3

© J Snyman 4

We circumnavigated the Crater in an anti-clockwise direction before making our way to the Klein Gai-
As Fountain and then down a dry riverbed towards the Ugab River. When we reached our intended
campsite, there were fresh lion tracks all over the place and we continued south for several km’s
before setting up our camp for the night.
© J Snyman 5

138km for the day (all of it on gravel, sand and rocky roads and tracks) and our travelling time was ---
hours.
Monday 10 December
After a very quiet night, it was time to head for home .... but obviously via a scenic route and not the
shortest one either. We made our way to the D2303 and from there to the coast and then followed the
C34 to Henties Bay, Swakopmund and Walvisbay and then on the C14 over Kuiseb Pass and the C26
over Gamsberg Pass to Windhoek.
© J Snyman 6

646km for the day (69km on tar and 567km on gravel, sand and rocky roads and tracks) and our
travelling time was 10½hours.
Conclusion
This was yet another memorable trip with my favourite travelling companion to a spectacular part of
Namibia.
We drove a total distance of 1325km, of which 312km was on tarred roads and 1013km was on
gravel, sand and rocky tracks. We did not see a single person or vehicle, not even in the distance,
from the time we turned off the B2 on Friday until we turned onto the C34 on Monday – just the way
we prefer and like it.
As far as the book is concerned, this is mission accomplished ! The is still a bit of work to be done –
mainly the selection and insertion of a few photographs and a final proof read, before the manuscript
goes to the editor, the people doing the design and layout, and then the printers. I hope to have the
first copies in my hand early in the New Year.
Some statistics about our travels for this book :
Although we’ve travelled in, and through, the Damaraland on numerous occasions over the past 18
years, the actual work on the book started in August 2011 when I started verifying all the data I had,
logging all the roads and tracks and photographing all the places of interest and commonly seen
species of fauna and flora, etc.
© J Snyman 7

From August 2011 to December 2012 we drove a distance of 23431km….. some of it in very desolate
areas. There were many occasions where we travelled across extremely harsh terrain from dawn to
dusk and we pitched our tent where and when we ran out of light. As it would be impractical to take
other people along on these trips, all of this travelling was undertaken in a solo vehicle with only each
other for company.
We did most of the travelling with our Defender, but also confirmed the viability of undertaking some of
the proposed routes in the book with Adri’s Daihatsu Terios and our Isuzu.
© J Snyman 8

During this time we have had no vehicle or tyre problems that could not be resolved on the spot. We
got stuck in the riverbeds a few times, bur always managed to extricate ourselves without outside
assistance.
© J Snyman 9

Apart from a few nights spent at formal accommodation options, we slept in the veld in our rooftop tent
for 44 nights at some very amazing places. We were also fortunate that we never experienced any
problems with people or wild animals, such as elephant or lions.
© J Snyman 10

We also took 12649 photographs – most of them by Adri.
© J Snyman 11

© J Snyman 12

© J Snyman 13