Wilkinson's World

Posts Tagged ‘campsite’

The only time that the Tsauchab River has any water in it is after exceptionally heavy rains, and in the Naukluft region of Namibia that is very rarely. The “river” is approximately 100 km long and is best known for the spectacular Sesriem Canyon, which it has carved through the sedimentary rock over the millennia, and for the usually dry lake called Sossusvlei, in the very heart of the Namib Desert. Sossusvlei marks the end of the Tsauchab River’s abortive attempt to reach the Atlantic, for here it is blocked by some of the biggest sand dunes in the world.

It is on the banks of this ephemeral river that the Tsauchab River Camp is situated.

Approaching the campsite - dry, barren and not very inviting

The driveway to the reception area of the Tsauchab River Camp is decorated on both sides with metal animals and the like, assembled from oddments from cars, tractors and who-knows-what-else, welded together. Some of the assemblages are easily recognized, some are a mystery to all but the creator. Yes…But is it art? Hmm.

? Common ostriches

? Kudu

? Springbok

? Owl

Whatever your view of the scrap-metal creations, don’t let them put you off. The campsites are magnificent! I think that they must rank as the most spacious campsites in all of Namibia – the campsite that we stayed in had no fewer than three separate areas in which we could camp, and no fewer than three separate toilets. Some of the toilets are not strong on privacy, which is not terribly important in view of the isolation of the campsite.

There are a few gaps in the toilet walls...

...and sometimes there aren't enough walls!

Clear instructions for using the toilet!

And some allow limited activity. I assume that it was a courtesy to the ladies that this was shaped and positioned like an ordinary toilet and not like the urinals that usually populate gentlemen’s facilities.

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The main ablutions, though, is built between the multiple trunks of an enormous ficus and is of the highest standard. Step inside and the fitments and cleanliness would do a good hotel proud.

Campsite and ablutions built into the fig tree

One section of the Tsauchab River along this stretch is fed by a spring, and the pools contain water all the year round. Because of this, there is a stretch of riparian forest, mostly of wild figs, that is home to a multitude of birds and provides delightful walks through the deep shade. The channel of the river shows evidence of the flash floods that are a feature of much of Namibia, and the roots of some of the fig trees have been well exposed through the erosion of the river banks.

Roots exposed by erosion

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In the evening we were treated to magnificent sunsets and were greeted in the morning by a slow parade of kudu along a ridge overlooking the campsite. In the absence of other campers in the vicinity we felt especially privileged to share these experiences in the absolute quiet that is such a rarity in the city.

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This is a spot definitely worth a visit.

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Familiar chat at Tsauchab campsite

Summer is not the best time of the year to go to the Waterberg as we were to find out when we paid the area a visit.  However, we duly set off from Windhoek on a Friday afternoon and drove the 300 kms north with high expectations and our usual enthusiasm when going to see a new place.

As always, we had our guide books with us so could read up on the geology and history of the area.  Nicole Grunert has an interesting book (Namibia – Fascination of Geology) that describes how erosion formed the enormous red sandstone cliffs of the Waterberg.  According to her the Waterberg was mainly characterized by tectonic processes, when an equalizing movement in the earth’s crust took place causing a comprehensive elevation of the land.  An old fault zone in the area of the Waterberg was reactivated and this zone, which stretches from Omaruru, past the Waterberg up to Grootfontein, is now known as the Waterberg Thrust.

The Waterberg cliifs

Historically, the area is famous for the final battle of the Herero uprising in 1904.  Here, a comparatively small number of Germans put down the Hereroes and brought an end to the war.  The battle was apparently made very difficult by the dense vegetation in the area.  Today a small cemetery marks the final resting place of about seventy young German men who lost their lives in the fight.  A long way from home, it is sad that they had to give up their promising young lives in such a remote and desolate spot.

It is the victors who usually get to write the history and sadly we could find no memorial to the many Hereros who fought and died for what they believed in.

The cemetery at Waterberg

The campsite in the Waterberg Plateau Park is a beautiful shaded oasis with enormous trees and sprinklers that lazily flick water over the lush green lawns.  We found a super shady site fairly close to the ablution block and soon had the rooftop tent up and our table and chairs unpacked.   Our first impression was of lots of bird activity in the park with starlings, crimson breasted shrikes, forked tailed drongos and noisy wood hoopoes flitting around.

The campsite

Apart from the birds, the sprinklers attracted a few little ground squirrels that were quite tame and didn’t run away when we approached them.

Ground squirrel

A short walk towards the towering sandstone cliffs had us passing a fair sized restaurant and an inviting looking swimming pool.  At the foot of the mountain, some distance from the campsites, a number of chalets were nestled amongst shady thorn trees.

Being one of the more popular Parks Board camps, we had to share the spot with other campers.   Our site had a large concrete braai where later we were able to cook our meat and potatoes whilst enjoying the cool of the evening and the sound of crickets around us.  When you’re sitting in the dark, watching the flickering fire flames and enjoying the symphony of the night creatures you truly feel like you’re one with the African bushveld.  For me it’s a special time of the day and I really savour the experience.

Our plan the next day was to climb up the cliffs to the top of the plateau from where we would get amazing views over the plains below.  At the foot of the mountain we were a bit sidetracked by two shy little deer that we followed into the dense bush for a photo shoot.  They blended into the woodland so well, only making themselves visible when they took off in fright as we approached them.  The birdlife in this area is also abundant and we flushed out some red billed francolins and spent about half an hour trying to photograph a pair of yellow-bellied eremomelas.  The Hartlaub’s francolin is found in this area, but unfortunately remained elusive on this trip.

The path up the mountain is quite steep and is mostly through shaded woodland with a carpet of dry leaves.  Quite near the top the trees thin out a bit and one catches glimpses of the vast expanse of land below.  On one of the rocks near the top we passed a plaque honouring a member of the Mountain Club who had lost his life in a rescue operation here many years before.  We later heard from a former member of the Mountain Club that he had plunged to his death when he stepped on a tuft of grass at the side of the cliff which gave way underneath him.

On the path

It was a bit disappointing to reach the rocky outcrop at the top of the cliff and to find that we weren’t allowed to go any further without a guide and a permit.  The plateau at the top is home to many dangerous wild animals, including white rhinos, buffalo and leopards, so it is understandable that they want to protect both the visitors and the animals.  We sat for a long time looking out over the plains below us, their natural beauty marred somewhat by the dirt roads that cross-crossed them.  Occasionally in the distance we saw a cloud of dust raised by a passing car.  It was very peaceful up there, but we didn’t linger too long as we wanted to explore the area at the bottom.

Our bird watching was very productive as we saw a pair of groundscraper thrushes near the chalets.  Continuing on towards the little German cemetery we photographed Ruppell’s Parrots and a Purple Roller.  By mid-morning the heat was starting to take its toll on me and I had to leave Rob to wander through the bush on his own while I took shelter in the campsite under the shady trees with a good book.  The squirrels and birds around the campsite were a pleasurable distraction.

Ruppell's parrot

Eventually even Rob couldn’t tolerate the heat anymore and we settled down to a siesta until the sun disappeared behind the mountains.  This is always my favourite time of the day as the sting has been taken out of the heat and the birds reappear as if to make the most of the last hour or so of daylight.

By the time we arrived back a big bus carrying students from the Namibian PolyTech had pulled in and unfortunately ruined the peace and quiet with their loud music and partying.  I’m sure that we weren’t alone in wishing that they had allowed us a quiet evening out in nature.  We sometimes feel that people lose the plot when it comes to weekends away in the bush – if they want to party and listen to loud music they should do it at home or at discos, not in places where others are trying to get away from these very noises to listen to natures night sounds.

In spite of our rowdy neighbours, the weekend was considered a great success and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Waterberg.  Our biggest regret was not booking a hike at the top of the plateau, but then again, it gave us a good excuse to go back another time.

A Weekend at Isabis – February 2006

(Jane)

Isabis is a farm some 130 kms south-west of Windhoek in the Gamsberg region.  Situated in the catchment area of the Gaub River, a tributary of the Kuiseb, the farm has dramatic scenery etched out by the towering gorges of the Gaub River Canyon and a conglomeration of granite outcrops of the Rooiberg.  

 The delightful campsite is quite special and isolated because the owner, Joachim Cranz, only allows one party of campers on his enormous farm at a time.  Joachim sounded quite excited when he described their challenging 4×4 trail, but I was quick to assure him that we were more interested in birding and walking than the rough ride.  What he didn’t tell me was that to get to the campsite we’d have to take on the rugged terrain anyway! 

 After paying our camping fees we headed across the flat grassy plain following the crudely painted signs to the campsite.  We saw a snake eagle circling overhead and a couple of Northern Black Koorhaans crossing the dirt track as we approached.  It seemed to augur well for the birdlife that lay in store for us. 

 The road was fairly innocuous to start with, but as we drove deeper into the farm, we descended into an enormous gorge and the route down became quite hair-raising.  Hewn out of rough boulders, with hardly enough room to squeeze through, in places it barely resembled a road at all and Rob had to really concentrate as he put the car into 4×4 mode and negotiated the way down.  I’m still not comfortable driving over rocks like that and have to admit that my heart was in my mouth most of the way.  My vivid imagination had our tyres being shredded by the sharp rocks, so it was quite a relief when we finally made it to an area where the gorge leveled out a bit.

 We eventually reached the campsite by crossing a river bed at the foot of a rocky hillside.  The facilities, although quite primitive, were great – a table and chairs made out of flat rocks, an open flush toilet with views on three sides and best of all, a shower built into the cliff, with only a flimsy shoulder-height reed wall to preserve one’s modesty.   I eyed the huge woodpile lying next to the braai area with more than a little suspicion, thinking it would make an ideal home for snakes! 

 No sooner had we unpacked the bakkie and opened up the rooftop tent when it started to rain softly.  Alarmed, we realized that we were camping virtually in the river bed and if it rained heavily upstream, we could get washed away during the night.  We’d heard horrific stories of people drowning in this way, and decided that we wouldn’t take a chance by staying in that lovely spot.  Sadly we packed everything up again and made our way back across the river to higher ground a short way up the hill.  This site wasn’t nearly as nice as the one next to the cliff, but we felt safer and soon settled down again.  Fortunately the rain didn’t last very long so we were able to have a pleasant braai under the stars.

The next day as dawn smudged the morning sky and we were having a leisurely breakfast, we were joined by a little hare with cute long ears.  A bit wary of us, it sat under a thorn tree a few metres away and kept an eye open for any movement from our side while it scanned the area for some food.  As usually happens with birds, when we reached for a camera it took fright and disappeared into the bushes.  These little encounters with nature add tremendous pleasure to a camping trip and we’re always delighted to be joined by the locals of the area.

 After breakfast we took a short walk along the river bed to a road that lead up the hill.  On the way I stepped on a rock and heard a hissing sound.  Closer inspection revealed a horned adder that bid a hasty retreat while we tried to photograph him.  Across the river was a rock with about five colourful Namibian Rock Agama’s basking in the early morning sunshine.  Their bright orange heads lifted as we drew nearer and they vanished rapidly when they decided that we’d got too close for comfort.  This time of day is so peaceful and with birdsong in the air, we enjoyed seeing and listening to nature greeting the new day. 

 The road rose steeply up the hill and as we made our way slowly up we heard the echoing cries of baboons warning each other of our presence.  A couple of them were sitting harmlessly like sentinels on the rocks above us.  We’ve encountered many baboons on our walks, but have never felt threatened by them even when they’ve been at their most vocal. 

 The road flattened out at last and a short way along we came across an empty reservoir and a rusty old windmill.  Disappointingly, there weren’t many birds, so we decided to head back to camp and drive around the farm to a dam where we hoped to see some water birds.

 Taking the same road that we’d walked along earlier, we soon came to a rather treacherous stretch that formed another part of the infamous 4×4 trail.  I preferred to walk up the steep hill rather than listen to the torture going on underneath the vehicle.  Rob, whose 4×4 skills were being nicely honed on this one, soon had the bakkie crunching slowly up the rocky road to the top of the hill.  

 Out of breath, I climbed back into the car only to discover that around the next corner it became even more scary as we descended down a dreadful section with a sheer drop on the right-hand side.  Once again I opted to walk and told Rob to wait a while so that I could position myself to photograph his descent.  Who knows, my fortune could have been made by getting one of those dramatic shots of a car actually going over the edge of a cliff!  Just joking!!

 The rest of the day was spent negotiating the various stretches of rocks, holes and boulders in the road.  Admittedly it turned out to be quite fun and towards the end I even managed to remain in the car when the going got rough.  We came across the dam after leveling out and driving for some time across the plains.  As there were folks camping at the waters edge we figured that we’d driven onto the adjoining property, a farm called Hornkranz.   If not, then Joachim was definitely not sticking to his one party rule on his land.  It was very overgrown around the dam and there was no way we could get close to the water without walking through their camp. We decided not to disturb them and made our way back to our own campsite.  It had been such a pleasant day, full of exciting driving and beautiful landscapes. 

 The next morning, before leaving, we walked down to the trickle of a river below us.  Dozens of pale green butterflies were standing on the water’s edge with their wings folded up together.  They looked like little yachts at anchor.  Here and there bright orange dragon flies touched down gently on the pools of water.  The scene was quite idyllic and I felt rather sad to be leaving the area.  As we drove up the escarpment we were excited to see a pair of Kori Bustards ambling through the bush.  They’re not as common here as up near Etosha so a sighting always gives one a bit of a buzz.

 Instead of retracing our route coming here, we decided to drive back to Windhoek via the infamous Spreetshoogte Pass.   After bidding our hosts farewell we turned right at the gate and headed towards Nauchas and Namibgrens Farm.  Once past these, one turns on to the D1275 where a sign board screams out a big warning of the steep gradients ahead.  Our route took us down the Pass, but before descending we stopped at the look-out point just below the crest, which gave us the most spectacular views of the panorama below.  The good rains we’d had this season offered us green grass as far as the eye could see.  It is probably the best vantage point in Namibia. 

 The descent was steep, the gradient being 1:4 to 1:6.  Not something to be taken at speed and we were amused to see a couple of road signs saying 2 kph.  We discovered on a second trip that someone had removed the 1 and the speed limit should have read 21 kph (still an odd number).  The road drops several hundred meters in less than five kilometers, which gives one an idea of why this is regarded as the steepest pass in Namibia.  At one point where it was really steep, the dirt road was paved to give a better grip.  When we reached the bottom we agreed that it had been worth the trip just to experience the beauty of it all.

 From there we drove to Solitaire, a hot and bustling outpost in the middle of nowhere.  Solitaire is a halfway stop for folks on their way to and from Sossusvlei, so it’s quite busy in spite of its tiny size and remoteness.  It comprises a garage, a restaurant and an inhospitable looking camping area. After filling up with diesel we headed for home without trying the apple tart at the restaurant which is supposed to be to die for. 

 We took the C14 from Solitaire, which goes via the Gaub Pass.  Stopping at the bridge at the bottom of the Pass we saw the devastating effects of flash floods that had swept through there a few days before.  Dead branches were washed up against the bridge and lay strewn on the river banks.  This was obviously quite an unusual sight as many motorists stopped to take photos and walk down the damp river bed.  We were approached by a friendly guy in a Jeep who recognized our Underberg numberplates and came over to say hello.

 It started raining again when we resumed our journey and at one point beyond a very wet and muddy Rooisand, we came to a section in the road that was awash.  Not wanting to risk being swept away, I walked slowly through it with a stick to test the depth and the strength of the flow before Rob drove across it.  This truly was one of Namibia’s rainiest seasons for a long time and it was great to see the effects that all this water was having on the countryside.

 Yet another brilliant weekend enjoying the outdoors of Namibia.  This country really has so much to offer the tourist in the way of great experiences and great sights.  We loved it!