Windhoek - Swakopmund

Departure 2014-Mar-06 - 11.00     Arrival 2014-Mar-06 - 16.00

Windhoek is Namibia's capital - yet this doesn't make it an attractive place. Outside the town I find a place to stay that is very enjoyable though, the "Elisen Guestfarm". With a stable, a pool and beautiful nature around it, it makes a perfect location to hang around for a while. However, after a few days of enjoying all of the above and the internet, I get out of here and drive back to the Atlantic coast and Swakopmund.

In Swakopmund, again, I find German architecture and food. From there my way leads me along the Skeleton Coast into the countryside and the Brandberg as well as the Fingerklipp. The changes of landscape and vegetation within this country are sheer amazing. In a few hours you can drive along the rough Atlantic Coast with hundreds of shipwrecks, pass a desert and end in highlands that are lush and green.

Traveling in the rainy season can be a challenge at times. You have to be flexible in planing your route and check where it is good to go, which roads are passable which ones are not - especially in the areas of marsh land. After Windhoek/Namibia I will go to the North of Botswana. Checking the weather forecast for days, finally the rain seems to stop in the Northern Okavango region and I can continue my journey. First, I will go to Rundu - a town at Namibia's Angola boarder - then follow along the Okavango river to the Caprivi.

However, before going down to Botswana, I spend one night directly at the banks of Okavango river. It is beautifulhere, no other guests are around - just footprints of elephants and hippos can be found. The sounds at night are great. And the thought of Angola just being on the other side of this 30m wide river is fascinating to me.

I am still debating wether to go through the Caprivi Strip to Botswana or go down South to the the Okavango Delta. Having a chat with one of the locals at the River Dance Lodge helps me to find the right route! Apparently, it has been raining so much lately, that some of the roads in the Caprivi Triangle are closed and some of the parks can only be entered at a high risk of getting stuck. Thus, Okavango Delta it is! I am not sure if the road conditions are any better there, but hey … I will find out sooner or later! Goodbye Namibia - Hello Botswana!

continue with ... Botswana