After Tanzania in 2010 with an outstanding experience of landscapes and animals we had a long pause until returning to Africa. But now is the time. We are in Namibia already and are looking forward to visit South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Uganda and Kenya. Some people would name this an epic Africa journey and maybe it is one. We feel blessed to be able to travel all these wonderful countries and are happy to share our encounters with beautiful animals and breathtaking landscapes for next few weeks.

South Africa

Franschhoek

With Air Namibia we had a pleasant flight from Windhoek to Cape Town landing about 6 pm. So it was already dark when we got our luggage. Gladly we had decided earlier not to rent a car at arrival but get it delivered to our first accomodation at Leeu Estate in Franschhoek. It was by far more convenient to get transferred by Robin, a nice guy from Cape Town, who helped us with all our luggage. A very warm welcome at Leeu Estate, accomodation in  fantastic Cellar Cottage and a tasty dinner was much appreciated by two tired travellers befor they retired to bed.

Two rainy days were actually very welcome because we suddenly realized how exhausted we were. So not many activities therefore just sleeping, resting and enjoying the great service of the Leeu Estate people.

Oudtshoorn

It is a more than 400 km drive from Franschhoek to Outdshoorn on famous Route 62. Sadly the first part around the Franschhoek Pass was in the clouds and it was raining. Later the day it cleared up and we could enjoy spectacular scenery. It is always nice to see what amazing rock formations mother nature created particularly when the rocks start glowing in the afternoon sun.

The one day we had in Oudtshoorn we spent visiting Cango Caves and having a nice coffee and carrot cake in a local coffee shop. Cango Caves we highly recommend the Heritage tour. The caves are really beautiful and beat a lot of caves we saw around the world.

When we pulled up in front of the coffee shop one of the self appointed parking guards with the name Johnny Be Good promised  to look after our car until we come back, of course expecting a tip for his efforts before leaving. First it did not feel right and we asked two obviously local women enjoying coffee on the terrace if and if yes, how much we should give. The younger one immediately responded nothing at all. It would be better if these guys go and find real work. The older lady disagreed and meant a few Rand would not do any harm. “Grandma has a  soft heart” the younger woman explained. Hmh, now I was in a real dilemma. I was told so many times my heart was granit and for a dollar or so I could easily prove it was not. So I asked myself the question  what is the difference of paying four dollars into a meter in Brisbane? Well, I can tell you now. For one dollar here you get a big smile, thank you and God bless you and for four dollars in Brisbane you get not fined. So what does it matter if it feels right or not. Better give with and open heart.

Plettenberg Bay

The road from Oudtshoorn to George leads over the Outeniqua Pass offering great views of the South African country side. Before you start climbing up on the left hand side there is a Roadside Deli and World Famous Pizza which sells the most delicious carrot cake. The pizzas look great too but it was too early for lunch so we did not try it only watched people taking huge portions away obviously to feed a few people.

From George to Plettenberg the coastal road is very scenic. Around Knysna we saw the scars of the tremendous bush fires they had a few months ago. Many houses had to be evacuated in a hurry we heard from the locals. Some people could only grab some basics and lost it all. Very sad.

Plettenberg Bay surprised us with a really stunning scenery. Our hotel The Plettenberg offered an outstanding location above the Bay and very comforting accomodation and service. The pool was a bit cold so we gave it a miss. From our terrace and the garden we were lucky to spot a huge mother whale with it´s calf.  Very relaxing and enjoyable.

We decided to dine at The Fat Fish and were not disappointed. Delicious curry prawns and their King Klip really mouth watering. Also recommendable a stroll through Old Nick´s Town. Great coffee and cakes at the bakery there.

Surely there is a lot to do and to see around Plettenberg but we decided to have time out from being a tourist. Cape Town is coming up and then Kruger National Park so we have to be rested and fit.

Swellendam

The second oldest town in SA was just in the right distance for our stopover. A lovely town with a great coffee shop in the old jail. Really wicked lemon meringue cake to die for. We felt well taken care of in the De Kloof Luxary Estate built in 1801. Exceptionally renovated and very tastefully decorated with memorables the Dutch owners collected living in some countries of Africa and Asia. We did not have enough time to visit the Dutch Reformed Church and the Drosty Museum but leaving town we got a good idea what undulating wheat lands means.

Gansbaai

On our way to Cape Town we decided to stay a couple of nights at the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. Grootbos means something like tall bush and it is true. No trees to build houses or ships from. Perhaps this explains why there is a huge area undisturbed with a variety of more than two hundred plants. A tour with an experienced and knowledgeable guide is a must to enjoy this special part of the southern cape.

And of course were looking out for whales and indeed saw some from afar. I was not really whale season so we skipped the boat tour also because it was quite rough and getting seasick is no fun.

Capetown

After Tanzania in 2010 with an outstanding experience of landscapes and animals we had a long pause until returning to Africa. But now is the time. We are in Namibia already and are looking forward to visit South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Uganda and Kenya. Some people would name this an epic Africa journey and maybe it is one. We feel blessed to be able to travel all these wonderful countries and are happy to share our encounters with beautiful animals and breathtaking landscapes for next few weeks.

Namibia

N/a´ankuse Wildlife Sanctuary near Windhoek

At our first stop in Namibia we stayed at N/a´ankuse Lodge near Windhoek and made a striking experience: walking with three young cheetahs. It is stunning to see these animals elegantly roaming through the grass and coming close up to you in the
  N/a´ankuse Wildlife Sanctuary

Sunset in the Kalahari Desert

A perfect spot for watching sunsets in the Kalahari Desert is the red Dunes Lodge located between Kalkrand and Mariental. Lots of Oryx and Springbock around, also some Giraffes. This part of the Kalahari desert close to the Tropic of Capricorn resembles some Australian deserts in its latitude and its mode of formation.

NamibRand Nature Reserve

We stayed at the Wolwedans Dunes Camp on the edge of a 250 m high dune in the NamibRand Nature Reserve.

Home to the mysterious fairy circles NamibRand Nature Reserve, a vast privately owned reserve covering almost 200 000 hectares bordering the Namib Naukluft Park, is situated south of Sossusvlei in southwestern Namibia. Synonymous with some of Africa’s most breathtaking locations, the Reserve originated in 1992 as the dream of J.A. (Albi) Brückner – to extend desert frontiers by integrating a large number of former livestock farms. To date, thirteen former livestock farms have been rehabilitated into a single continuous natural habitat. The result is a sanctuary free of fences allowing the wildlife to once again roam their habitat unhindered.The NamibRand Nature Reserve is a non-profit private nature reserve. All landowners belonging to the Reserve have signed agreements and adopted a constitution that sets aside the land for conservation – now and in the future. The Reserve is financially self-sustaining mainly through high quality, low- impact tourism. The Nature Reserve has an independent webpage, have a look at www.namibrand.org.

About 9000 Oryx are roaming and feeding in the area just like those two imitating us as curious tourists full in ore of the wonderful shapes and colours of the landscape.

Sossusvlei – Namib-Naukluft National Park

From the Hoodia Desert Lodge where we stayed it is only a few minutes drive to the entrance of the National Park and then 35 km until the four wheel drive adventure begins. The walks on the dunes are quite strenuous and we were glad we did it in winter and not at 45 C in summer when the sand starts burning your feet.

Katiti´s Place

On our way from Hoodia Desert Lodge to our destination Swakopmund we needed a break because of distance and exhaustion. Travelling not for a short holiday but more than a lifestyle you need to hold on and rest every now and than even if it is only for a day. Gladly our travel agent Iwanowski chose a really excellent hide away on our route. Only for chalets tucked into a mountain with wonderful views of the desert and mountains around in every direction. When we arrived it was a big surprise for host and us: we were not expected this year but next year the same date. Luckily Katrin and Bernard had a vacancy and were extremely nice about it. For two nights we were the only guests and were taken in like family. Warmly welcomed and with home cooking we really felt like home away from home. Getting the laundry done, doing some maintenance or beauty treatment on yourself, walking around enjoying the views and interesting rock formations, some laps in the big pool, uploading and editing photos, writing for this blog filled in the one and a half day very quickly. Sadly we left after only two nights because another one or two days here would have been really rewarding for body and soul.

Swakopmund

Between Katiti´s Place and Walvis Bay on the way to Swakopmund there is not much infrastructure. Better fuel up in Solitaire and doe not leave without some food and water in the car to be safe just in case. The gravel road is partly rough and heavily corrugated so you get plenty of African massage.

Walvis Bay greats you with it´s industrial side so we passed it without stopping and drove along a beautiful dunes scenery to Swakopmund. The Strandhotel we stayed had an outstanding service, nothing was a problem to make it comfortable for some seasoned and spoiled travels like us. Best treatment: delicious cookies German style, my favourite “little pig ears or kleine Schweineöhrchen” which I did not have tasted for ages. And out of the window went my weight watching eating again. Yvonne enjoyed the book shop and yes, real books are still very much preferred instead of an electronic reader. I have to admit to enter a book shop and smell the book smell is still a treat.

A catamaran trip in Walwis Bay was one of our activities we did not like that much. Perhaps we are to spoiled with wildlife after some trips with National Geographic. But getting pelicans and seals on the boat and feed them for entertainment of the tourist is just not our thing. We also skipped driving through the dunes with quads or cars believing walking Sossusvlei was the ultimate dune experience. We went to the lagune by our own rental car and enjoyed a few quiet moments with the flamingos. After having seen them so many times in different places we still manage to get excited by these birds elegantly feeding or just resting on one leg in the wind.

Damaraland – Mowani Mountain Camp

If you are a friend of untouched wilderness this is the place to go. Impressive massive ochre boulders glowing in the morning or at sunset and dry ancient riverbeds set the scenery for game drives.  We had an amazing encounter with a little herd of twenty bush elephants coming towards us quietly feeding and hardly taking any notice of us. It is just so enjoyable watching these majestic animals in their natural environment doing what they do up to eighteen hours a day. A lot of chewing and it surprised us how thick branches were crushed and disappeared in their mouth. 

The rock paintings at Twyfelfontain are Namibia´s first World Heritage Site are the most important of the whole continent best to see in the afternoon sun. But it is a very hot walk with not much shade around which makes it a strenuous cultural experience.

Everybody was quiet happy to be back at the Mowani Mountain Camp to enjoy some cool drinks and the fantastic view during a spectacular sunset. Surely one of the best Sundowners to be experienced.

Etosha West –  Little Ovango

Little Ovango is part of the Ovango Lodge. Only three chalets located above the main lodge very secluded and very private. The Ovango Private Game Reserve borders the  Etosha National Park at Anderson Gate. Highlights of the game drives were meeting Stompy – the boss of the reservation

and to watch six lionesses and two young males preparing for a hunt in the early morning strategically positioning themselves in a wide clearing for some impalas.

Fortunately or unfortunately – depending  which side you want to take – the hunt was blown off because the impalas noticed the ambush and run away before it was too late. Slowly the lions moved into the bushes looking for some shade and sleep.

From our terrace we spotted our first rhinos drinking water at the lodge´s waterhole. Because it was a little bit far away we moved into the hide closer and at the same level with the waterhole. Our little hike down and up was rewarded when more rhinos appeared amongst them a mother with her baby.

Etosha East – Onguma Fort

Form Onguma Fort at the Eastern entrance of the Etosha National Park we did some extensive game driving in Etosha and experienced numerous wildlife encounters we can only show a glimpse here and we believe the pictures will speak for themselves. A great experience worth to get up at 5 am and suffer a bit from the morning cold in the open Landcruiser.

Waterberg Plateau Parks – Okonjima Lodge

And more safari but very special wildlife watching. Seen by yourself the beuatiful big cats – cheetahs and leopards we had the opportunity to watch for some time in peace moving around in their natural environment. It makes you feel very priviledged and grateful to see these beautiful animals.

Back to Windhoek – Good Bye Namibia

We cannot believe how quickly four weeks in Namibia passed by. So many wonderful things we saw. A big thank you to all these great and friendly people we met. Many of them helped to make Namibia unforgettable for us. Here a last view from the terrace of the Heinitzburg Hotel on the roof of Windhoek.

South Africa

Please go the new blog Africa – South Africa. It is getting a bit awkward with all the scrolling. So I decided to continue with a new blog.