Oct 2010

ADRI & JOHAN SNYMAN’S SHORT NAMIBIAN TRIP : 2 – 13 OCTOBER 2010
BACKGROUND
We are in the process of emigrating to Namibia and needed to take care of some related
business in Windhoek. Instead of driving directly back from Windhoek, we planned a
short detour to spice up the trip. Our trip would span a period of 12 days and cover a
distance of approximately 4000km. Apart from the arrangements to re-enter South Africa
via Oranjemund, we made no advance bookings for accommodation.
PREPARATIONS
As we have done countless similar trips, no special preparations were done beforehand,
apart from getting all the documentation we would need in Windhoek in hand. During the
past few months our Landie’s packing system has been extensively modified, all
equipment was removed and refitted and all the electrical wiring between the batteries,
fridges, compressor, lights, etc has been redone. This would also be ideal opportunity to
test everything on a longer trip.
LEGALITIES
The 2-way radios in our vehicle are licensed at the Namibian Communications
Commission at a cost of N$48-00 each. As it is a legal requirement to display the
vehicle’s country of origin when it crosses international borders, our vehicle displayed a
ZA sticker on its rear. Although the rule is hardly ever enforced the fine for transgressing
it is N$300-00. We paid the N$200 Namibian Road Tax upon entry into Namibia at
Noordoewer.
THE TOUR
Saturday 2 October
We left Stellenbosch at 7h48 and travelled via Klipheuwel and Malmesbury to the N7,
and from there had an uneventful drive to Noordoewer. We had a spot of bother with one
of the Namibian Immigration officials who initially refused us entrance into the country as
in his opinion we “visit the country too often”…… The matter was finally resolved after
about 1 hour, but not before he treated us like criminals in front of other visitors to
Namibia.
We set up camp at Abiqua on the banks of the Orange River and a short while later were
joined by friends from Johannesburg who were on their way home after a trip through the
southern region of Namibia.
Total distance for the day was 718km (714km on tar and 4km on gravel) and our
travelling time was 9½ hours.
© J Snyman 1

Sunday 3 October
After a peaceful night’s rest we made our way along the B1 highway to Windhoek where
we would be camping at Arebbusch Lodge for the week. The campsite is located in close
proximity to a major highway and an airport, making it a bit noisy, but the amenities are
good and we were close to all the places we had to go to.
Total distance for the day was 834km (830km on tar and 4km on gravel) and our
travelling time was 9½ hours.
Monday 4 October to Friday 8 October
We had a VERY busy week sorting out our affairs at the Namibian Department of Home
Affairs, opening Namibian Bank accounts, visiting friends and family, and buying a new
home.
Total distance travelled while in Windhoek was 246km (all of it on tar)
Friday 8 October
After concluding our business in Windhoek it was time to move on to some wide open
spaces ….
We travelled along the C26 over the Kupferberg Pass and then along the D1265, D1261
and D1275 to the Spreetshoogte Pass were we camped at the Spreetshoogte campsite.
Total distance for the day was 183km (12km on tar and 171km on gravel) and our
travelling time was 3¼ hours.
© J Snyman 2

Saturday 9 October
After a very quiet night we made our way along the D1275 and C14 to Solitaire. The
place was bustling with activity. We wanted to buy some apple pie, but as the pieces for
sale stood uncovered on the counter top while the flies were having a field day, we gave
it a miss …..
We continued along the C19 and D826 to the Sesriem Campsite. Since our last visit
there in April 2006, new administrative buildings and additional ablution facilities have
been erected. There were a number of overlanding trucks in camp and the rule of 2
vehicles and 8 persons per campsite is still not applied, nor is there any hot water
available in the ablution blocks.
We drove to the nearby Elim Dunes before sunset.
© J Snyman 3

We were entertained by the calls of barking geckos and the plaintive calls of a number of
jackal that evening.
Total distance for the day was 143km (3km on tar and 140km on gravel) and our
travelling time was 2½ hours.
Sunday 10 October
We made an early start and joined the queue of vehicles waiting for the gates to
Sossusvlei to open. Instead of heading directly to Sossusvlei we stopped along the way
at some pristine sand dunes devoid of human footprints to take some photographs.
© J Snyman 4

We made a short stop at Sossusvlei with its large number of tourists and well defined
footpaths on the dunes.
From there we made our way to Dooie Vlei.
After a quick, cold, shower at Sesriem we made our way along the C27/D826 to Betta,
the C27/D407 to Spes Bona and the D707 and C13 to Aus, where we pitched our camp
at Klein Aus Vista. Along the way we saw several small herds of zebra and a surprising
number of nocturnal bat-eared foxes foraging for food in broad daylight.
© J Snyman 5

Total distance for the day was 501km (130km on tar and 371km on sand and gravel) and
our travelling time 12 hours.
© J Snyman 6

Monday 11 October
We visited a site where lithops (plants) are supposed to be seen, but could not find any.
From there we made our way to the ruins of the concentration camp where the German
colonial soldiers and police force, totalling 1552 members, were interned after their
surrender during the 1 st World War until April 1919.
We also visited the nearby military cemetery with the graves dating from that era. It was
interesting to note that a large number of Union and German troops died near the end of
October 1918, while hostilities actually ceased on 9 July 1915. Subsequent research has
revealed that 61 prisoners and 60 guards died during a flu epidemic in October 1918.
From there we made our way along the B4 highway to visit the watering point of the feral
horses and encountered a herd consisting of approximately 140 animals as well as
several oryx.
© J Snyman 7

We spent another night at Klein Aus Vista, and by now there was a marked drop in
temperature with a fairly strong wind.
Total distance for the day was 64km (48km on tar and 16km on gravel)
Tuesday 12 October
We made a fairly early start on a very cold morning and made our way along the C13 to
Rosh Pinah and from there drove 11km towards Sendelingsdrift where we turned right
onto the restricted road leading to Oranjemund. We had to clear our permits at the
security office before being allowed to proceed into the spergebied (restricted diamond
mining area). This was a most interesting road to travel on with some very spectacular
views and we crossed the Niklaas-, Daberas- and Auchas Passes, as well as several
active mining areas. The distance between the 2 security gates is 85km and the speed
limit on the road is 90km/h. You are not allowed to stop anywhere along the road, or get
out of your vehicle, and your progress is monitored.
© J Snyman 8

After exiting the Swartkops security gate, we made our way to the town of Oranjemund. It
was much larger than we had imagined it to be with green lawns and beautiful trees.
Imagine our surprise to see oryx wandering all over the place ! They had no fear of
humans or motor vehicles and were even wandering about in the centre of town.
We had to clear another security gate before visiting Namibian Immigration. What a
pleasant group of people working there ! We crossed the Orange River via a single lane
bridge to South Africa, and once again encountered friendly staff at the South African
border post.
© J Snyman 9

From there we travelled along the R382 to Port Nolloth with the intention of camping at
McDougall’s Bay, but upon our arrival the weather was so bad that we decided to carry
on driving. 29km from Port Nolloth we turned right onto a gravel track that eventually
joined up with the R355 which we followed across the Spektakel- and Sandhoogte
Passes to Springbok, were we pitched our camp at the Springbok Caravan Park.
Total distance for the day was 558km (399km on tar and 159km on gravel) and our
travelling time was 9½ hours.
Wednesday 13 October
After a cold night it was time to head for home, and we headed south on the N7 to
Malmesbury and then to Stellenbosch via Klipheuwel.
Total distance for the day was 580km (all of it on tar) and our travelling time was 7 hours.
CONCLUSION
This has been yet another memorable trip with my favourite travelling companion during
which we finalised most of the arrangements pertaining to our emigration and were able
to travel through some diverse habitats where we were able to see and experience some
wonderful landscapes.
We drove a total distance of 3827km in the 12 days, of which 2962 km was on tarred
roads and 865km on gravel roads and tracks and our average fuel consumption for the
trip was 8.29km/l.
We had no problems with the vehicle, the packing system or any of the ancillary
equipment.
This was our 57th trip to Namibia since 1994 and of these 28 had been undertaken in our
faithful Landy, which we have owned since new and now has 272387 problem free and
funtastic kilometres on its odometer.
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© J Snyman 10