Namibie 2013

 Day 28 Bagani Community Camp

Another day, another country! Welcome to Namibia! Drive from Kasane to Ngoma Bridge and our camp at Bagani in Namibia. (470km, approx 7 hrs). In Bagani, take time to relax from the rigours of the road a little and take part in the various activities that are available at this charming place. Various boat trips, fishing or hikes are possible from Bagani, as well as the chance to play soccer with the locals.

Seulement relaxer sur le bord de la piscine, achat, bureau de change,…très relaxe 🙂

 

 Days 29 Okavango Delta

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Drive across the border into Botswana and head south along the Okavango Panhandle (the narrowest part of the delta) to Seronga, where we leave our vehicle and join our transport for the journey into the delta (140 km, approx 4 hrs). Formed by the Okavango River as it flows from the highlands of Angola down to a basin on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, the Okavango Delta is unlike anything else in the world. The river has no outlet from the desert and spreads out into thousands of small streams to form a wilderness that is totally unspoilt. The 16,000 sq km maze of wetlands is a wonderland of clear meandering waterways, green islands, lush plains and prolific wildlife. The delta is filled with a diversity of flora and fauna that includes hippos, crocodiles, elephants and the big cats. However, it’s not for the game that we come as it can’t always be found. The delta is about exploring one of the world’s most fascinating ecosystems.

Boarding boats out into the swamps, travel to Gao Island to meet our mokoro team and to begin exploring the Okavango Delta. Each mokoro (small dugout canoe) takes two people and is poled along through the meandering waterways by a local tribesman. Reeds and lily pads line the streams, and birds startled by the mokoros rise out of the long grasses. Punting along, the peace of the delta may be shattered by the deep grunting of hippos. Out in the middle of a wilderness area, on the first night you’ll camp on an island away from civilisation. Continue our trip around the delta and then return to Gao Island before heading to the relative civilisation of Umvuvu Camp with its (usually) hot showers and small bar.

Encore les douanes, ferry avec notre camion pour ensuite changer notre moyen de transport pour les canots africains « mokoros »…. Vue un hippo, des grenouilles,… Arrivée sur l’île sieste avant le reprendre les mokoros pour aller à la recherche d’animaux et le coucher du soleil sur l’île dans notre petite embarcation….. Souper, feux, spectacles des locaux (danse et chant) …

 

 Day 30 – Okavango Delta

Marche du matin sur une autre île…voir elephant, hippo, arbre, fruit,….. Toujours dans nos mokoros ….brunch et retour au camion pour prendre seulement des vêtements de rechange pour une nuit au camp umvuvu …. Douche extérieure avec vue sur le ciel, lit dans les tentes, …. Une petite leçon pour apprendre a manier les mokoros …. Il faut garder l’équilibre :-))

 

Days 31Bagani Community Camp/Rundu

Return to Bagani Community Camp for the night. Rundu is the capital of the Kavango region of Namibia, on the border with Angola. A centre of activity for Namibia’s growing Angolan community this is a great place to explore. Why not check out the Khemo open market, and it’s many Kavango woodcarvings. You also have the option of taking a sunset cruise, watch traditional dancing or soak up the local vibe in a restaurant.

 

 Day 32 Grootfontein/San Bushmen

Travel to Grootfontein and spend the night near a Bushmen homestead (400 km, approx 6 hrs). Take the opportunity to go out tracking and gathering with the San Bushmen. Spend some time with them and listen to the stories and songs of these fascinating people, presented in their unique « clicking language ». The Bushmen are the oldest ethnic group in Namibia having inhabited Southern Africa for an estimated 20,000 years. Around 30,000 San live in Namibia, but only 2,000 of them still follow a traditional way of life. The San have a deep understanding of nature and ecology, living in harmony with their environment.

Camping en milieu désertique avec une piscine …. Wow !!! Les nuits sont froides et les journées super chaudes.

 

 Day 33 – Grootfontein/San Bushmen

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Visite d’un mini village « bushmen » on a goûté a quelques fruits sauvages, patates sauvages…. Ils nous ont montrés comment ils font du feux, comment ils chassent, comment ils trouvent de l’eau, …. Habillement typique avec des peaux d’animaux… Seulement la partie du bas est couverte. Wow, toute une expérience… On a vraiment la vie facile nous !!!!

 

 

 

Days 34 Etosha National Park (Namutoni)

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Travel to Etosha National Park (290km, approx 6 hrs). Etosha National Park is home to a wide range of Southern Africa’s wildlife, including all the big carnivores and five rare or endangered species: black rhino, Hartmann’s mountain zebra, black-faced impala, roan antelope and the tiny Damara dik-dik. The wildlife is prolific and Etosha has every right to proclaim itself as one of the world’s pre-eminent wildlife areas. Game viewing in the park is relatively easy due to the man-made waterholes and the large sparsely vegetated pans. The bushland surrounding the pans is difficult to see through but there are enough clearings, pans and waterholes to usually allow for some sightings. Namibia has protected its game reserves against poaching so there are large herds of elephants, antelope and other herbivores.

Game drive dans le parc….pleins d’animaux ….éléphants , girafes, impala, kudu, gazelle, ….. Piscine et relaxation après le dîner car il fait trop chaud pour partir a la recherche d’animaux. 16h00 départ pour game drive….lions, zèbres, éléphants, girafes, rhino,…. Et aussi night drive…..hyènes, rhinocéros, …..

 

 Day 35 Etosha National Park ( okaukuejo)

Départ tôt pour aller du nord au sud du parc …en cherchant les animaux, voir les paysages, …..wow , je ne peux pas d’écrire tout ce que mes yeux admirent…. Coucher du soleil en haut d’une tour….et admirer les animaux le soir qui viennent boire au waterhole … Girafe, hibou, rhinocéros,…

 

 Day 36 Spitzkoppe

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Travel to Spitzkoppe (490km, approx 9 hours). Visit one of the most stunning areas of Namibia, the wild lands around the mountain of Spitzkoppe – ‘the Matterhorn of Namibia’. The mountain, which is 700 million years old, is 1987 metres (5857 ft) high. Although you shouldn’t attempt climbing to the top, there are some excellent hikes and guided walks throughout the area, rich in plant life and with some amazing bush paintings. This is a place to get away from it all and to appreciate the stunning harsh beauty of this sparsely populated country. Bush camp for the night in the midst of this remote region and have the chance to witness the breathtaking sunsets and sunrises as the landscape takes on remarkable oranges and reds.

La route au milieu du désert est magnifique. Camping sauvage sans rien au milieu du désert et entouré de roches….wow les couleurs sont splendides… Ascension difficile et dangereuse par endroit pour voir le lever du soleil mais la vue wow !!!

 

 Days 37 Swakopmund

Experience the sight, sound and smell of thousands of olive-coloured seals on the shores of Cape Cross while travelling up the eerie Atlantic Coast. Continue on to the town of Swakopmund (320 km, approx 5-6 hrs). Surrounded by the massive dune fields of the Namib Desert on three sides, and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, Swakopmund is an example of the extraordinary German culture that’s found in all major settlements in Namibia. It’s worth wandering around the town to admire the beauty of the Germanic architecture and take advantage of some excellent souvenir shopping.

En route, un petit arrêt pour voir les phoques, … Les phoques ça veut dire toute une colonie pas seulement une centaine….ça put beurkkkk

 

Day 38 Swakopmund

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Un avant midi sandboarding…pente raide pour une débutante…un peu chicken mais je me lance…un peu de handboarding pour une première fois sur une planche 🙂 Quad biking en après midi….extraordinaire de se promener au travers des dunes…inoubliables paysages !!!

Souper dans une brasserie , une bière et la fille est out of order…dodo :-))

 

 Day 39 Swakopmund

Une petite marche en ville avant de retourner sur les dunes pour faire du sandboarding encore…trop cool !! Je m’améliore vite alors on prend confiance et la ….oups une plonge, une autre,….sable partout (déjà vu hihihi), sable dans la bouche check, sable dans les oreilles, le nez Check….c comme quand je plonge au volley mais ici le sable est super doux !!! Pourquoi pas terminé par un petit jump , et oui, la fille se lance pour le jump….atterrissage sur la planche wow…..mais par la suite, oups…quelques roulades !!!!

Après midi tranquille, un petit 3h de marche pour voir la ville, photo et magasinage !!!

 

 Days 40 Sesriem/River Camp

It’s an all-day drive from Swakopmund to Sesriem, our base for exploring the incredible Namib Desert region (350 km, approx 6-7 hrs). The most famous part of the Namib Desert is its vast dune fields, the most spectacular of which are found near the Sesriem Canyon. This canyon was formed when the Tsauchab River carved a gorge 30 metres into the gravel deposits about 15 million years ago. It’s thought that this river once flowed to the Atlantic Ocean but its course was blocked by the encroaching sand dunes. Now the river flows out to the dune fields that stretch for hundreds of miles up the coast, and dries up in a clay pan at Sossusvlei. The dunes are stunning, with magnificent red/orange tones from the brightly coloured sands. They are the highest in the world and home to a plethora of animal life. Wake before dawn and scramble to the top of these dunes for a dramatic sunrise view across a vast sea of sand. The colour changes are just incredible and provide a spectacular setting for our brunch.

Une superbe marche dans le canyon et ensuite contempler le coucher du soleil. Après la douche, j’ai eu de la difficulté à retrouver ma tente tellement il faisait noir….le lendemain matin aussi, je me suis égarée hihihi. Kelly a bien ri de moi !!!!

 Day 41 river camp

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Jump in the back of a pickup truck for a trip to Sossusvlei (approx 30 minutes each way). Here you’ll experience the hidden and amazing mysteries this area contains. Travel on to the small town of Bethanie (350 km, approx 6 hrs), arriving in the afternoon. There will be time to explore the Giants Playground en route before setting up camp for the night.

Monter Dune 45 pour voir le lever du soleil, wow, wow, wow !!!! Ensuite le déjeuner nous attendait au bas des dunes. Petite marche pour prendre quelques photos « dry pan » paysage splendide encore une fois…un peu de billard avant le dodo.

 

Day 42 Fish River Canyon

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Heading further south in the desert lands of Namibia, drive towards Fish River Canyon (200 km, approx 3-4 hrs). At 500 metres deep and over 160 km long, Fish River Canyon is one of the largest canyons in the world. There are remarkable photographic opportunities here.

Premier arrêt: traquer les cheetas…..deux !!!! Ensuite quiver tree forest pour une marche…. Ensuite Fish River Canyon…..wow, coucher du soleil et une petite surprise vin et craquelin :-)))

 

 Days 43 Orange River

Departing Fish River Canyon, it’s a 5 hour transit (275 km) to Noordoewer. Pitch the tents on the scenic banks of the Gariep (Orange) River. Traditionally known as the Gariep River, the Orange River is the longest in South Africa (2200 km). Its source is high up in the Drakensberg mountain range in Lesotho and it flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Alexander Bay in South Africa. The Orange River is responsible for transporting diamonds and creating the deposits that can be found along the Namibian coast.

Dernière journée avec notre cuisinier et notre conducteur …. Piscine, relaxe, Souper, billard :-(((,,

 

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