A trip across Southern Africa

[Amp34]

I went on a 3 week trip to Southern Africa recently, starting in Cape Town and ending up in Livingstone (Zambia) after a trip through Namibia and Botswana. There was some stunning scenery and wildlife and one to two photos were taken...

Rather than post a load of photos in one go I'm going to post a "set" at a time, with a little commentary on them, for two reasons. One it takes ages to put all the photos up and I don't have that much time in one go… And two I want to do a mini travel blog style rather than just photos, so more like a travel article… Let me know if it gets boring (or is remotely interesting) or too word heavy! As always C&C appreciated on the photos (and the writing...)

…

The one major positive about starting in Cape Town for a trip is the time zone, +1 hour. In fact much of the trip was in exactly the same time zone as the UK. It's several thousand miles away but due south, so no jet lag! A major boon when you want to start a trip running, and end up at work again the day after you get back… Even better, most of the direct flights too and from are long, 12 hours, but overnight. I left work a little early, got the underground to Heathrow and was on my way to South Africa at 7:30 to arrive in a significantly sunnier and warmer Cape Town at 8 am the next morning.

There is no train from the airport to the City Centre but there was a cheap (deserted) bus ride, almost as good. Past the shanty towns which are just about the first sight of Cape Town and on to the main bus station, which like most bus stations around the world was full of people drifting past with what seemed like their worlds belongings. Already the country was living up to its reputation, poverty and money side by side.

Dumping my main bag at the hotel my trip would depart from in two days time I headed back down to the train station and headed to my first stop, Simonstown, a small town nestled halfway between Cape Town and Cape Point. The train journey is supposed to be up there with the best, stunning scenery, warm sun and a foreign country, what more could you want? For three quarters of an hour it didn't live up to expectations however, winding slowly through sprawling suburbs, collecting and depositing rich white people and tourists from my carriage. I was in "first class" and it appeared apartheid was still alive and well in South Africa.

The journey perked up significantly soon after, the sea suddenly appeared and the view became stunning, living up to the expectation I had put on it. The train wound along the seafront, sand and sea one side, "bush" and more hilly vistas the other, occasionally stopping at a small station to deliver people to the seaside.

Finally arriving at Simonstown, the end of the line, I made my way along the quiet main road to the quayside where I had a hotel. A quick change out of rather warm and sweaty jeans into some shorts and I was off out again, to see what I had come to Simonstown for. Penguins! The African or "Jackass" penguin (so called because it sounds like an Ass braying… It really does!,) has become the main attraction of the town, with a large walkway set up around the main colony. Walk a little farther along the coast however and you end up in the extension of the colony, mostly devoid of people and more stunning scenery, you can watch the penguins waddle up the rocks on their way back from fishing trips just before sunset.

After a dinner overlooking the bay, which consisted of BBQ ribs - it turns out that was the first of many, SA does awesome racks! - it was time to retire for the night, an early morning awaited…

5:30 came and saw me waiting on the quayside to start a morning of shark diving around Seal Island, in the bay. We watched the sun rise over Table mountain as we headed out, it not looking remotely like a table from this angle, before getting to Seal island. Two kills later , but no breaches- you feel a bit guilty watching a baby seal with swimming problems flail around in open water while thinking "kill it, come on shark!" - we headed round the island to view the Cape Fur seals - in fact Sealions, not seals… - before heading to see a superpod of Dolphin 400 strong, a very impressive sight.

By those random coincidences you always seem to get on trips away I ended up meeting a couple I was going to be spending the rest of the three weeks with. As we headed to shore we said our goodbyes (for a few hours) and I headed back up to Cape Town where I wandered back to the hotel, through the Company gardens, a set of gardens in the middle of Cape Town, and up the hill, seeing stunning views of Table Mountain as I walked along.

A quick change and down to the trip meeting where I would find out what the other people I would be travelling with in the back of a large truck were like, then off out to socialise (and have more ribs…).

Next morning was the first day of the trip proper, we piled into the truck, an LGV with the cargo area turned into a storage area below and coach style seats above. Surprisingly comfortable I would find out, thanks mostly to the large amount of leg room each seat had! 6 hours later our first stop, a vineyard with a small campsite attached. Tents up - surprisingly quick considering it was the first time we had done it… This is a 3 week camping trip… - a wander round and then off to a wine tasting session! I'm not a big wine drinker, in fact my motto is "one doesn't buy wine, only drink it when it's free", but if sitting in the middle of a South African Vineyard just before sunset you can't not try some…

We pack up the next morning and then head off north to the Orange river, the dividing line between South Africa and Namibia. The campsite is situated next to the river, the last natural water source we would be able to swim in without catching something or being eaten for quite a while - mostly because we would be spending two weeks in the Namibian desert…

Off to Namibia the next day, empty desert as far as the eye could see, drives where you rarely saw another vehicle and animals galore….

 

[Amp34]

You should definitely go back, it's stunning! It was the main reason I chose this trip, I'd wanted to go there for years. I think I am definitely going to go back again however next time I'll hire a 4x4 with rooftop tents to be able to get to places we didn't go this time.

............


Section 2 - Southern Namibia

After the night camping next to the Orange River and stunning views of the stars over the Namibian hills in the distance we had a border crossing to negotiate. All simple, until the last hurdle… We all have to get out of the truck and get out day sacks searched, why only our day sacks we never found out, possibly just to annoy us…

This was going to be the start of the long, hot days, travelling through the Southern Namibia, the least populated area in one of the least populated countries in the world. The truck had no air conditioning and the temperature outside would rise during the day to 30+ degrees. Windows would be left open all day and dust would coat everything for a week. The roads were dust and asphalt was a rare luxury. On the other hand the views were stunning and there is nothing like travelling long distances in hot climates with some headphones on and music in your ears.

Our first day in Namibia was long, 10 hours+ travelling with stops only for toilet breaks and ice cream. Ice creams became a staple of the trip. If we stopped at a service station for a toilet break then ice creams would be bought, whether it was 8 am or 4pm. We also had "chip time", the time after which it was acceptable to each crisps… You start travelling at 6am, 8am feels like noon, yet you feel guilty scoffing down a mouthful of crisps…

Today we were heading to the second largest canyon in the world, Fish Canyon. The Grand Canyon in the US is the largest in the world but Fish Canyon is the largest in Africa. This being Namibia however, not the US, we get to the Canyon at 5pm, after 10 dusty hours travelling over rutted roads, having seen no more than four vehicles since leaving the border to find only one other car there. The story of Southern Namibia, stunning scenery, no one in it. We watch the sun start to go down over the canyon as we walk back to the main viewing area before drinking sparkling wine and eating snacks as the sun disappears over the horizon.

As we got deeper into the desert area it was interesting to see the changing terrain, from rocky to flat, sandy to grassy, our first Ostrich, Mountain Zebra, Oryx and Springbok; all of which we would get very excited about, until the fourth hundred one we saw… Oryx have this very very photogenic habit of sheltering under single trees in the the middle of nowhere, unfortunately we had a schedule to keep and the driver wasn't going to stop for half an hour so I could get close enough for some good photos.

The campsites got more and more stunning, culminating in one near Sossus Vlei where the wildlife was all around and the stars were stunning at night. We spent the night there, watching the Springbok enter the camp and the moon rise over the grassy nothingness. Namibia is supposed to be a desert yet there is a huge amount of grass around. It turns out this is because in 2012 the whole area had a large amount of rain, the desert blossomed and the grass, although mostly dead, was still around a year later. Next year it will turn back into the dusty sandpit it usually is.

As well as the Springbok there was plenty of birdlife around the campsite, including the Communal Weaver bird. They make huge straw nests consisting of homes for multiple pairs and up to 2m long. Alongside these the Hornbill made it's first appearance, stealing a dead Scorpion from its position beside our campfire. First impression… Much uglier in real life, they should stick to looking like the ones in the Lion King...

Sossus Vlei is better known for two things. Dune 45, a large, climbable dune in the main dune field that covers the centre of Namibia - so named because it is 45km from the park entrance… - and DeadVlei (or "dead marsh"), famous for the photos of dead trees and white clay, set amongst the orange dunes. Getting to Dune 45 for sunrise is a mission, an early start and a rush to the gate entrance, which only opens half an hour before sunrise. Once there however the fun begins, the climb up the dune. Sand everywhere and as anyone who has tried to walk up a dune can attest it's certainly harder than it looks. The view from the top is stunning however and well worth the effort.

Now personally the funnest way down again is to forward roll down. Unfortunately sand everywhere is not what I wanted to start the day… and besides I couldn't, I had a camera this time…

After breakfast at the base of the dune, as the sun was starting to warm the air to something rather uncomfortable to walk up a dune in, the tour busses started to arrive and we left. While this is a tour the little bit of extra effort really gives rewards. Yes the truck isn't air conditioned, yes you have to sleep in a tent but that does mean you can go places buses and coaches can't get, you're only travelling with a max of 20 people and sleeping in a tent isn't all bad, you can leave your fly door open at night and watch and hear Zebra trotting down a nearby hill and running backwards and forwards on the plains just in front of you. Try doing that in a hotel! Besides that it's all fun, much better than a week on a beach or staying in a village nearby.

On to DeadVlei, our group jump into two land rovers and race along the 4x4 track to the staging area, about a quarter of a mile from the vlei itself, a short walk and you're there. It was very different to what I imagined, much smaller and one of the few places in Namibia with quite a few people. Plenty of space to take photos however, but getting a different perspective on such a photographed place is difficult. It's interesting that while you only ever see dead trees in the photos there is a small area, heavily eroded, with a large collection of living trees, very unexpected!

While most of the roads in Southern Namibia were dust and gravel there was the occasional asphalt road, becoming increasingly common as we headed north. Aside from feeling like floating after hours and days of gravel roads they do make good photo opportunities when the inevitable toilet stop comes round.

Travelling north we were heading out of the desert area towards our first major town in about a week, Swakopmund, a small town - or major town in Namibian standards - situated about halfway up the country, next to the coast. It's origins lie in German East Africa where it was built as a port to service the rest of the country. Now however, at least for tourists, it is the "Adventure capital of Namibia". Name an "extreme" sport/activity and you can probably do it there, although bungie jumping probably isn't on the menu… it's rather flat. You can however skydive, sandboard, shark fish and spend an evening quad biking in the dunes, among many others. Or you can take photos of walls with the moon in the distance…

Swakopmund for us marked the end of southern Namibia and the desert and the start of the safari part of our trip. We were to head north and visit Etosha National Park before heading to the Capital and then Botswana...

 

[Amp34]

Swakopmund was where I was born

Great stuff. Keep it coming

Awesome, do you go back there at all?

What lenses did you take - I plan to go to Namibia and considering if I need a long (>300mm) lens? Advice welcome please.

Thanks, Mel

I took a 17-55 f/2.8 and a 120-300 f/2.8 OS and a couple of TC's to get the extra length. You'll definitely want a long lens for a lot of situations, a significant portion of my wildlife shots were at 300mm+. The 1.4TC was on most of the time, on the other hand I spent a lot of time zoomed right out with that lens as well, some of the animals, especially the elephants get very close. I have to recommend the 120-300 OS, it's stunningly sharp, even with a 1.4TC, and there aren't many choices of 420mm f/4 out there. It is rather large and heavy though!

I'll hopefully post the next section up tonight if I can write it before I fall asleep! Any critique on them or favourites? Always looking to improve.

 

[Amp34]

Section 2 - Etosha and the Waterburg Plateau

After the adventure of Swakopmund we headed north. After a longer than anticipated stop on the Skeleton Coast to see a wreck… we got stuck in the sand and no amount of digging would get us out… we headed to Damaraland, a long days drive. A guide round the local plant life and some mountain Zebra later we had BBQ'd Kudu (Antelope) and headed to bed. Soon after dark the sound of snorting, neeing and hooves heralded the arrival of the Zebra on the plain in front of our tents.

Next day we did a trip of the rock art at Twyfelfontein before continuing the trip north to Etosha National park. Etosha is 22,000km2 of wildlife reserve, with a 4000km of salt pan in the centre. It's one of the best places in the world to see the rare Black Rhino, which was the first animal we saw as we entered the park, closely followed by a trio of Cheetah eating their kill.

Several hours of game driving later we ended up at our first Etosha campsite. The campsites are surrounded by a large fence and gates only open after dusk for night safari trips. It doesn't stop the Jackal from tormenting campers (one took a fancy to my lens, while I was wearing it…) but did stop the Lion roaring outside from getting in. All the campsites are situated next to a water hole and this one was no exception, after dark the floodlit holes are the best place to see wildlife from a purpose built amphitheatre. Eight Black rhino descended on the hole to socialise alongside Zebra, Impala and Elephant.

The second day in Etosha consisted of a day of game driving, separated by lunch at another campsite and a viewing of Elephants at the waterhole, before being surrounded later in the day by dozens of elephant crossing the road.

Oryx

Kori Bustard (heaviest flying bird)

The second night was much like the first, except a night safari heralded Hyaena and a potential leopard, alongside the ubiquitous Rhino (never seen so many extremely rare animals in such a short space of time…!).

Tents down and in the truck we headed out of the park to the Waterberg Plateau...

(sorry for all the elephant photos...!)

 

[Amp34]

I have a D7000 so sort of similar. Although tbh any reasonable DSLR would do, although the weather sealing was useful and high noise ability also so. Yeah, is suggest a longer lens, or at least one that takes TCs. There were a couple of people with 250s (55-250 and a tamron 18-250) and they appeared to get some good photos too. That extra length gives you more versatility though.

That is the one yep (although Nikon fit), they also do the slightly newer one which is weathersealed. I used both sigma tcs, the 1.4 is great, lovely and sharp, the 2x loses a fair bit of quality but if you need 600mm to get a snap then it's very useful (and will still focus on all DSLRs because it's an f/5.6 600mm.)

The things I found a bit annoying with the lens were when it came to me it massively backfocussed, I had to end it off to sigma to calibrate it (£40), it's been stunningly sharp since. Not something to dissuade you from the lens IMO but something to check when you first get it. The other annoyance I found on the trip itself was the screws holding the mount to the lens kept vibrating loose (was a very bumpy trip)... Luckily I had a tiny screwdriver (think glasses screwdriver) to tighten then up! I'm not sure if it's a problem with all lenses or just that the service company didn't put any loc tite on the threads, which I'm going to do soon!

 

[Amp34]

Thanks

Nice shots.

I did a similar trip a couple of years ago. Etosha was my highlight

Etosha was one of my highlights too, the Okavango and the dunes were also highlights, but I've always wanted to go to both of them. Etosha was a big plus I wasn't expecting though, much better than Chobe park which just seemed so exploited and touristy compared to the empty Etosha.

Next update will be at the weekend hopefully!