book link


In August and September 2012 I travelled to Namibia in a small group with my wife, Anne; son, Robin; and two colleagues, Eric and Vince, who are both photographers and keen botanists. Before leaving I had corresponded by e-mail with Beat Steffen, a Swiss photographer who had made several trips to Namibia. He kindly sent me a detailed suggested itinerary. We followed this quite closely, and found it to be so helpful that (with Beat's permission) I have reproduced it below to make it more widely accessible for others planning to visit the country.

Beat's itinerary is in Roman script : I have added my own comments in italics.
Ian Parker September 24, 2012

GETTING to NAMIBIA There are no direct flights from the US. We flew to Windhoek from Cape Town, which is well worth visiting in its own right. From Los Angeles there are several flights to Cape Town connecting through Europe (London, Frankfurt ...), but we chose to fly Emirates via Dubai. Although a few thousand miles longer, the service, food, seat comfort and in-flight entertainment was the best I have ever experienced in economy class.

Double rainbow over Cape Town and Lion's Head

CAR RENTAL: 

-       So far I always rented 4WD Camping Car Hire in Windhoek. It’s run by former Germans and everything pre-ordered is ready and in good shape: http://www.camping-carhire.com/
-       You will have to mention them your flight connections and they will pick you up at the airport which is about 25 miles out of Windhoek
-       As a photographer, I recommend renting a double cab with roof tent. A double cab will enable you to have your gear there and reachable within short time. Furthermore you could move on the  back seat in case there is something interesting on the side where your wife is.
-       They offer it fully equipped (incl. cutlery, towels etc.). In addition I recommend asking them for two additional green plastic boxes to store food.
-       Ask them for a good street map (as far as I remember it was included in the rental but if not, it costs little). Those we get in Switzerland are not detailed enough.

4WD Camping Car hires out vehicles like this. A Nissan quad-cab 4wd truck, with a shell to securely hold gear, and one or two ingenious fold-out tents on the roof. The shell is already quite packed with a second spare tire, gas stove, electric fridge and camping gear. So, it is best to minimize the amount of extra stuff you bring, and to pack in duffel bags/backpacks rather than hard cases. Space in the back of the cab is also cramped; OK for 3 people in total, but would be very cramped for 4. Other firms rent out Toyota Hilux vehicles - similarly set-up but larger. We had good experience with this company; in particular they arranged emergency vehicle repair in Walvis Bay over a holiday weekend when the garage was ordinarily shut.

Please find below a trip that you can easily do in 2.5 weeks and you will have lots of time for photography. The time indicated is only a suggestion that should give you an approx. idea.

Windhoek/Rohoboth (1 day). I usually arrive in Windhoek during the morning, pick the car up and go to the grocery store to get all I need. There is a fairly big one not far away from the rental car company and they will explain you how to get there. What I usually buy in bigger quantities is bottled water. You will find it later on again without problem but here it’s by far cheaper. Windhoek is not ugly but I prefer to stay outdoor and usually leave towards Rehoboth in the afternoon. Maybe you want to buy a book in Windhoek regarding the different mammals, birds and reptiles you may see during your trip that explains you a bit about how and where they live, how they behave etc. Arriving at Rehoboth here is a dam with a lodge and they also offer camp sites beautifully located overlooking the lake. This drive will take you about 1h. Money: the official currency in Namibia is the Namib $ which is equal to the Rand in South Africa (you can also pay with Rand in Namibia and sometimes you get Rand as a change but you can’t pay with Namib $ in South Africa).

Sossusvlei  (2 days) From Rehoboth head over the Spreetshoogte Pass where you enjoy a fantastic view over the Namib desert. Also the drive down is fairly spectacular but not dangerous. After the pass and on the way towards Sesriem (that’s where the park entrance is) there is a little village / gas station called Solitaire. Please check out the “Streuselkuchen” (cake) here as it is truly delicious and if you like good bread – that’s the place to get it! On This street there is already a good chance to spot Springbock and/or Zebra. You should arrive in Sesriem in the early afternoon. If possible, try to make reservations for the camp site as it is always very well booked. As you as a photographer know, the huge sand dunes are best photographed before sunset and after sunrise. So if you are up to you should drive to Dune 45 (which is the first big dune next to the street with a parking lot) and take some shots in that area. In the morning, make sure you know when the park gate opens and be there on time. It will allow you to arrive on time for the sunrise at Dune 45 that I recommend climbing if you like (although the best part is to run down on the side of the dune afterwards J). Continue the road towards Sossusvlei and enjoy the spectacular scenery and make sure you have enough memory with you…In Sossusvlei there are some big trees that provide shadow over the hottest time of the day (although I don’t expect it to be extremely hot in late August). Over this time I usually stay in the shadow and read a book. Then (and you MUST NOT) miss this, go to the parking lot with the sign “Dead Vlei” or “Deadvlei” which is maybe one mile back on the street. From there you will need to walk about 1-1.5 miles and end up at the place where the Tsauchab river flew into hundreds of years ago. The trees are still there but are dead. The ground is light grey and the dunes reddish – gorgeous in the afternoon light! Please make sure you don’t leave too late because they close the date at a certain time. If you have enough time you may want to stop once or twice on the way back. There is also a fairly good chance to see Oryx antelopes and ostriches and sometimes even wild cats. If you are up to you can go into the park again the next morning. Then go to the ranger station and ask for a permit (incl. a map) to get to Blutkuppe, a remote section in the Namib Desert on the way to Swakopmund. Fill up you gas tank and head to the Sesriem canyon, take a walk there (a few miles from the ranger station) and then head North.

Sossusvlei/Deadvlei is a truly world-class location. We stayed only 2 nights, which was a mistake. There is enouugh to keep a photographer ocupied and entranced for 4 days or more. It is best (almost essential) to stay in the campground within the outer gate at Sossusvlei so as to get a head-start driving to the dunes at sunrise. There is an overflow campsite and even if you can't get advance reservations chances are you can just show up and find a site. The inner gate opens about 30 min before sunrise. From there it is a 60km drive on paved road, 5 km in 4wd through deep sand, then a 15 min hike to get to Deadvlei. If you are first in line at the gate, you can get to Deadvlei while the dune is still in partial shadow. On the way back allow plenty of time for wildlife viewing along the paved road, with fantastic dunes as a backdrop.

Blutkuppe (1 day). This is a place that not too many people know – I’m pretty sure you will feel lonely but again, Namibia is not dangerous at all! Blutkuppe is basically a huge round rock with a primitive campground (make sure you have firewood with you to make a BBQ). The rock has an amazing color at sunset that you can’t miss! A few miles from Blutkuppe is also a natural arch that is worth a short detour (depending on the timing you can also go there the next morning).

Evening campfire at Vogelfederberg

Blutkuppe is nice, and (owing to a detour necessitated by vehicle trouble) we also stayed a night at Vogelferderberg camp. The map you get from the ranger station includes this, and several other camps in the Namib Naukluft park. The campsites are nestled under an overhanging rock, and involve driving up a slickrock slope. We had the place to ourselves,and it had a wonderful feel of isolation, set among hundreds of square kilometers of flat, barren desert.

Sunrise at Vogelferderberg

Swakopmund  (2 days) From Blutkuppe you head towards Swakopmund (forget Walvis Bay – really not interesting). On the way to Swakopmund there is a small place where you will find the so-called Welwitschia Mirabilis, really old plants that only grow here (check your travel guide for details). Further (or before?) the area looks like a bit like on the moon… In Swakopmund it’s best to take a hotel as it is fairly humid and cold (usually foggy). I recommend Sam’s Giardino House, run by a Swiss guy that lives there since ages (please say hello from me, maybe he remembers). He also serves excellent dinners (great wine selection) and delicious breakfast. In Swakopmund you may want to visit the tannery where they make (among other stuff) local shoes made from Kudu (antelope) leather.

The Welwitschia are worth visiting (being with botanists, I had no option!), as is the lunar landscape, but we did not stay in Swakopmund. Indeed, I would recommend omitting it from an itinerary. The coast is cold, foggy and barren - though we did eat a very good seafood lunch in Walvis Bay.

Welwitschia mirabilis

Heenties Bay / Spitzkoppe / Bulls Party (3 days or so)  You will long for warm temperaturs after Swakopmund! Head North to see one of the largest seal colonies in the world (it really stinks here…). In the afternoon of the same day you head to Spitzkoppe, a true highlight for every photographer! At the entrance, please ask for a camp site next to the bridge, a natural arch that is as beautiful as the most beautiful ones in Arches N.P. There are about 3 sites that are just 50 to 100 yards away. I’m currently traveling but will send you some shots when I’m back home. The arch is best photographed in the morning but also evening is really good. There are some rock dassies here, a small mammal similar to a marmot which is actually the closest relative to the elephant (no joke). Stay 2 nights here. It’s a primitive campground but one of the most beautiful ones in all Africa that I know. There are some rock paintings / engravings in this area – please ask at the entrance where you can find those places. On the way to Spitzkoppe you will see a lot of little booth on the side of the street. Local Damaras sell semi-precious stones like aquamarine, black / green tourmaline etc and some are really beautiful and don’t cost much (don’t buy the shaped / polished ones as they are normally not from the area). Make sure you negotiate and start around 10% of the price they give you. Normally you “meet” around 30%. Not far away from Spitzkoppe there is a place called “Bulls Party”, also worth a trip and a nice possibility to walk around in the area (please check you travel guide for more details). When you walk around make sure to have plenty of water with you but you know that from the Southwest in the US… J If you have no enough time (skip bulls party).

Twyfelfontein (1 day) Definitely worth passing by! Twyfelfountain means “doubtful source” and you will be able to walk there (with a guide only). The source is not spectacular but there are some beautiful rock engravings along the way you walk. The guides are well educated and know a lot about the area. Some miles before Twyfelfountain (the road is a dead end as far as I remember) you cross a (probably dry) riverbed. Just after the bridge there used to be a campground called Aba Huab which is nicely located. Palmwag  (1-2 days) I don’t have a map here but there are (as far as I remember) two routes to Etosha N.P. Either you go directly via Kamanjab (which is on the South side of Anderson Gate of Etosha N.P. or you make a detour through Palmwag. Not far away from Twyfelfontein there is a Petrified Forrest – not as beautiful as the one in Arizona but definitely worth spending some time there. If you decide to go via Palmwag, make sure you have a reservation (you will find them on the web). It’s a nice lodge (not sure if you can camp) and they offer trekkings to spot black rhinos and desert elephants. Some of the guides used to be poachers (they normally poached for the meet and little money) but now the lodge offers them jobs which allows them to take care of the family. This is a fairly remote are but absolutely beautiful! Funny enough they also have a swimming pool and sometimes you see elephants coming really close. If you have time – do it, if your plan doesn’t allow it – skip it!

Etosha  (4-6 days): When you leave Palmwag in the morning you will be in Etosha in the later afternoon, just in time for the afternoon game drive! There are big chance that you will already see Kudu antelopes, giraffes etc. next to the street but entering the park is overwhelming! Try to get reservation on the internet for the camp sites. If you are not successful or go there already a day before you planned, go there anyway and try – there are almost always no-shows. I recommend staying at least 2 nights in Okaukuejo which is the most western camp you can stay (from the side you come in). It has the most beautiful waterhole from the 3 camps within Etosha. It’s almost impossible to go to sleep because there is always something going on and there is some light at the waterhole which allows you to see animals that are nocturnal. You will have an almost 100% chance here to see the rare black rhino and they mirror beautifully in the little waterhole (will send you a photo next week). Just after sunset it also becomes really “kitschy” because from where you stand you look westwards and it’s extremely colorful. Try to stay 2 days at all camps (if your plans will allow it) as all camps (especially the water holes around the camps) offer opportunities to see different species. A normal day in Etosha looks as follows: get up early and make sure you leave the camp when they open the gate. Drive to the different waterholes and spot for animals. Once you see something, enjoy and after a while you can start drinking the coffee you prepared the evening before and put into a thermos bottle and have some breakfast (not the most convenient but the most enjoyable way!). After around 10 or 11am it will become warm, the animals go to the shadow and you go back / to the next camp. Take a rest, go to the swimming pool, eat something and make sure you go to the rangers office. There is a book where people write in what they saw in the morning. If they saw lions in the morning, there is a big change that they are still there in the afternoon because lions are really lazy and don’t move much during the day, especially if there’s a kill. Around 3pm you will then go for the afternoon game drive. The waterhole at Halali (the “middle” camp) is also not bat during the evening and I already saw spectacular stuff there but was also there in some evening when I didn’t see a single animal other than a bird. The waterhole at Namutoni was artificially made and is (in my opinion) not worth visiting during the night. Important: there is no “best waterhole” – you just need to drive around and see! Don’t drive too fast – you may miss the leopard sitting on a branch of a tree next to the street…

Waterberg  (1 day) From Etosha you head to Waterberg, also a N.P. Nice walk on a plateau (about 1-1.5h) that offers beautiful views. There is a campground but you can also go to a place called Waterberg Lodge that I like a lot (small but really nice bungalows). The guy that runs it offers sundown drive to „Little Serengeti“ where you can see lots of different animals. Before that he could bring you to a nearby place where they look after cheetahs that were sick or that farmers brought because they were chasing / killing their livestock.  

Okahandja (1 day) The last night I usually stay in the Okahandja Lodge in Okahandja, about 45min to 1h North of Windhoek. They also have a campground but the lodge offers you to pack all your stuff in a “non-sandy” place. They also serve good stuff for dinner. In Okahandja there is a beautiful market where people sell animals, bowls, cutlery etc. carved from wood. One of the best places I know to get beautiful and authentic souvenirs. Remember what I told you regarding negotiating… When I travel to Africa I usually take along old jeans, T-Shirts and sneakers that I trade here when the trip ends. In case they are not willing to go down with the price, throw in a T-shirt and the world may look different J. The price is in my opinion of second importance – the great deal here is the experience!

Remember to take along hiking boots, especially for the evening if you are walking around in the camp. You don’t see much but as in Arches N.P. snakes and scorpions live in this area. During the day, sandals / Tevas are perfect. For the evening, take a fleece with you and be aware of the fact that it will be pitch dark 30min after sunset.

created 09/23/2012