ROUTE DIRECTIONS FOR YOUR SOUTHERN AFRICAN CAMPER HOLIDAY

Transcription

1 ITT Inspirations Travel & Tours Tel: +27(0) Fax: +27(0) Kensington Drive, 3629 Westville, Durban, South Africa PO Box 1166 Westville, 3629 Durban info@itt.co.za Web: ROUTE DIRECTIONS FOR YOUR SOUTHERN AFRICAN CAMPER HOLIDAY Clients. Travel date: We warmly welcome you to Southern Africa and wish you a wonderful time in this fascinating part of the world! Please use a good road atlas together with this route description and always enquire locally about the best route for your onward journey, as we cannot take responsibility for the condition of the roads or for detours or delays due to the weather, road works or other local conditions. Britz Campers and Dollar/Thrifty car rental have a joint counter at Windhoek airport under the Dollar Thrifty name. Please ask at this counter in the arrivals hall of Windhoek s Hosea Kutako International Airport for your info pack, including the original of this itinerary and a map. Your contact person who has it is Kristian, and should for any reason you not receive it, please contact our office immediately. Friday 06 November 2013 Overnight: Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel, 52 Fritsche Street, (entrance on Gous Street), Windhoek Tel: After clearing passport control and customs at Windhoek s Hosea Kutako International Airport, please follow the Car Rental signs to the Dollar Thrifty rental desk, where you will receive your info pack and where you will be assisted with your transfer to the depot of Dollar Thrifty s sister company Maui-Britz near the airport. When picking up your 4x4 Britz camper vehicle (res# 73881), please inspect it carefully, and report any minor dents, scratches and cracked or chipped glass surfaces to a KEA/Maui-Britz employee, insisting that everything you report, is written down. Also let the employee show you how to engage the vehicle s low gear ratios and four-wheel drive. If both of you intend driving, please make sure that the additional driver is registered by Britz when picking up the vehicle, as there is zero insurance cover if an unregistered person drives it. Also make sure that there is a jack and a wheel spanner in the vehicle, and have the spare wheel checked at a petrol station in Windhoek. Before departing from Windhoek also buy an aerosol can with which you could temporarily fix a leaking tyre. NB Also make sure that you receive written permission from Britz to take the vehicle across the border into Botswana. NB Distances in Namibia are long, and one can often travel for hours without seeing another person or vehicle. You should therefore travel only on public roads, as it could happen that one is only found after many days if one leaves the public roads (private roads to lodges and guest farms excepted) and gets lost or becomes stuck in the sand. The gravel on the untarred roads can also be quite loose and one could easily get into a skid if one travels too

2 2 fast. It can also happen that one front wheel suddenly and unexpectedly lands in a deep sandy patch, causing the vehicle to roll it is therefore of the utmost importance not to travel too fast on the gravel roads. We recommend that you do not travel faster than 60 70km/h. If you should end up in a sand storm you should not travel faster than km/h in order to avoid sand blasting damage to the vehicle s paintwork. Similarly you should always slow down if another vehicle approaches from the front, or if you are overtaken, and if that happens move over to the left as far as you can so that your windscreen is not damaged by flying stones it would be an unnecessary loss of time, if you had to have the windscreen replaced. Petrol stations in Namibia are often very far apart, and you should make use of nearly every opportunity to fill up your car s tank even if it is still half full! Due to the sharp stones on some of the gravel roads a flat tyre can usually not be avoided in Namibia, which is why it is important to check your spare wheel before leaving Windhoek. (±55km) From the airport access road turn right towards Windhoek onto the B6. From the airport to the outskirts of the city it is ±35km. On all roads around Windhoek there are fixed police check points, where you will have to stop. Please remain calm and friendly here and you will not have any problems. As you enter Windhoek you will come to a T-junction, where you turn right into Sam Nujoma Drive (still B6) and follow this street straight into the city. About 4km beyond this T-junction, after crossing Independence Avenue (Windhoek s main street) and Tal Street, you turn left Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue. After ±3km on this street you will come to a traffic circle, where you turn right into Hintrager Street and after ±100m left into Fritsche Street. After a further ±850m look out for Casa Blanca on your left on the corner of Gous Street. With its well planned road network and atmosphere of orderliness Windhoek is anything but a chaotic African city, and visitors could get the feeling that they are somewhere in Europe. Here you will find buildings with a typical German colonial architecture next to modern high-rise buildings, and stalls selling African curios next to trendy shopping centres, while the restaurants do not only serve traditional African dishes, but also international dishes even Eisbein with Sauerkraut! If one has a closer look, one will notice that the high-rise buildings aren t real sky scrapers and that hustle and bustle of the modern cities of the world is missing. Windhoek is more relaxed and from Saturday afternoon till Monday morning the city practically comes to a standstill. Windhoek is situated in the central highlands of Namibia at an altitude of ±1 650m and the city with its suburbs is spread out across a wide valley, surrounded by bush covered hills. For dinner tonight (not included) we would like to suggest Joe s Beerhouse a unique blend of Bavarian beer garden and African tavern. As Joe s Beerhouse is fairly popular, it would be advisable to make an advance reservation (Tel: ) To Joe s Beerhouse turn right into Fritsche Street from Gous Street and follow this road to the T-junction, where you turn right into Hintrager Street. When you get to the traffic circle a little further, turn left into Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue, and follow this road straight all the way to the centre of town. After ±3,5km, after crossing Church Street, turn right towards the airport into Sam Nujoma Drive (B6) at the next set of traffic lights. Then, after crossing Tal Street, turn left into Independence Avenue, on which you continue north for ±1,5km, and after passing Uhland and Luther Streets on your right, turn right into Nelson Mandela Avenue at the next set of

3 3 traffic lights. Keep left at the traffic island at the T-junction and turn left into Robert Mugabe Avenue here. Move over to the right immediately, so that you can turn right into the continuation of Nelson Mandela Avenue at the next set of traffic lights. Now look out for Joe s Beerhouse on your left (160 Nelson Mandela Avenue). There is parking on the grounds of the Eros Shopping Centre next to Joe s. To return to Casa Blanca, turn right into Nelson Mandela Avenue from Joe s Beerhouse and at the traffic lights turn left into Robert Mugabe Avenue. Now follow Robert Mubabe Avenue straight until you see the Church of Christ ahead of you in the centre of a large traffic circle. Follow Robert Mugabe Avenue to the left around the church, and at the first set of traffic lights beyond the church turn right into Sam Nujoma Avenue (B6). After you have crossed Independence Avenue and Tal Street on Sam Nujoma Avenue turn left into Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue which you now follow straight for ±3km as far as the traffic circle, where you turn right into Hintrager Street, and then immediately left into Fritsche Street. Now look out for your Casa Blanca on the left, on the corner of Gous Street. Saturday 07 November 2015 Overnight: Thakadu Bush Camp, Farm 150NK, near Ghanzi, Botswana Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±535km) Turn right into Fritsche Street from Gous Street and follow this road to the T-junction, where you turn right into Hintrager Street. When you get to the traffic circle a little further, turn left into Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue, and follow this road straight all the way to the centre of town. After ±3,5km, after crossing Church Street, turn right towards the airport into Sam Nujoma Drive (B6) at the next set of traffic lights. Now follow Sam Nujoma Drive straight out of Windhoek, and after ±4km turn left towards the airport / Gobabis, thereby remaining on the B6, which you now follow straight past the airport to Gobabis. As you approach Gobabis turn left onto the B6 Bypass Road opposite a dam, and follow this road as far as a T-junction, where you turn left towards Buitepos / Gaborone. You will reach the Buitepos / Mamuno Trans-Kalahari border post ±94km beyond Gobabis. Here you are going to need your written permission from Britz to take your rental vehicle across the border. On the Botswana side at the border you will have to pay a total of ±BWP 120,- for various fees and levies. These can be paid with Namibian Dollars, SA Rand or US Dollars. You will probably also be requested to walk across a moist mat to disinfect your shoes, part of Botswana s disease control for cattle. About 165km beyond the border post you will come to a T- junction, where you turn left towards Ghanzi / Maun onto the A2/A3. After ±38km, before reaching Ghanzi, look out on your right for the Thakadu Bush Camp entrance gate, and follow the signs for about 3km to reception. This turn off for Thakadu is 3km south of Ghanzi, and is clearly signposted on the right (travelling north).

4 4 Sunday 08 November 2015 Overnight: Moremi South Gate Camp Site, Moremi Game Reserve, near Maun, Botswana Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±390km) At the Thakadu Bush Camp gate turn right towards Ghanzi onto the A2/A3, and follow this road straight through Ghanzi and then all the way to Maun. N.B. Don t forget to buy provisions at a supermarket in Maun and to fill your vehicle s fuel tank here. As you follow the A3 straight into Maun look out for a Shoprite supermarket on your right. From the supermarket you then turn right into the A3 and follow this road as far as the traffic circle, where you right (i.e. you take the 3 rd exit). After ±1,5km you will come to a set of traffic lights, where you turn left towards Shorobe / Moremi. At the next traffic circle after ±8km continue straight across towards Shorobe / Moremi. About 42km beyond Maun you will reach Shorobe, from where you continue on the B334 gravel road towards Khwai / Moremi. About 20km beyond Shorobe you will come to the Mawane Checkpoint in the cattle fence, where your vehicle will probably be sprayed against insects. From here continue on the sandy track, and at the fork ±1,5km beyond the cattle fence bear left towards the Moremi South (Maqwee) Gate, which you will reach after a further ±30km. You will already be travelling through a protected area, where you will probably encounter wild animals, so try to remain in your vehicle and if you have to get out, be very vigilant. In particular do not drive up too closely to elephants and don t switch your vehicle s engine off in close proximity to elephants, so that you can drive out of the way quickly if necessary, as these giants of the bush could overturn your vehicle with ease. At the Moremi South (Maqwee) Gate you will have to pay an entrance fee of ±BWP 120,- p.p. per day plus ±BWP 50,- per vehicle per day N.B. When driving through deep sand, one should let some of the air out of the vehicle s tyres, but as there is a danger of tyres bursting, when driving fast on tar with deflated tyres, it is vitally important to have the tyres inflated again, once one is back on tar, and to drive slowly until this has been done. N.B. Never approach bodies of water in Africa too closely, as crocodiles could be lurking just under the water surface, waiting to rush out of the water to grab you.

5 5 The Moremi Game Reserve is the first reserve in Africa that was established by local residents. Concerned about the rapid depletion of wildlife in their ancestral lands due to uncontrolled hunting and cattle encroachment the Batawana people of Ngamiland, under the leadership of the deceased Chief Moremi III s wife, took the bold initiative to proclaim Moremi a game reserve in It is the only officially protected area of the Okavango Delta, and as such holds tremendous scientific, environmental and conservation importance, boasting one of the richest and most diverse ecosystems on the continent. This makes for spectacular game viewing and bird watching, including all major naturally occurring herbivore and carnivore species in the region, and over 400 species of birds, many migratory and some endangered. Both Black and White Rhino have recently been re-introduced, now making the reserve a Big Five destination. Contained within an area of ±3 900km 2, here the land bordering the Delta forms an exceedingly picturesque area of floodplains either seasonally or perennially wet waterways, lagoons, pools, pans, grasslands and riparian, riverine and mopane forests. Monday 09 November 2015 Overnight: Xakanaxa Camp Site, Moremi Game Reserve, near Maun, Botswana Tel: No phones, but radio communications in case of an emergency. Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher, and that there are many tracks and possible routes, this description being affected by local conditions and route/track opted for. (±50km) From the South Gate Camp Site initially follow the sandy tracks towards Fourth Bridge (S ; E ) and from there continue to the Xakanaxa area and the Xakanaxa Camp Site (S ; E ). N.B. If it has been raining recently (enquire locally) rather travel towards the North Gate for ±200m from the South Gate Camp Site and then turn left towards Xakanaxa. As you approach the Xakanaxa area you will pass the turn-off to the old air strip on your left and then go right past the new air strip. Only ±50km, but due to the nature of the sandy tracks, normally takes much longer.

6 6 Tuesday 10 November 2015 Overnight: Khwai (North Gate) Camp Site, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±50km) From the Xakanaxa Camp Site travel towards the air strip, and then turn left Towards North Gate ±10km beyond the airstrip. Now follow this road all the way to the camp site next to the North Gate. Wednesday 11 November 2015 Overnight: Savuti Camp Site, Chobe National Park Tel: Note the GPS c0-ordinates on your voucher. Today will definitely be fun, often churning through deep sand along bush tracks rather than roads and depending on weather conditions and flooding, you should expect the journey to Savute to take quite some time best you make a very early start. Also you will definitely need your GPS. It is also important that you enquire locally about the best route, as you have flood plains to cross. (±110km) From the North Gate Camp continue to the Khwai village and at the fork in the road just beyond the village bear left, as this is the dryer track and you have a bridge across the Khwai River, even though there are one or two crossings to ford over side channels. About 2km beyond the bridge over the Khwai River the track makes a sharp right-hand bend, and you now continue towards Mababe. Just before the village of Mababe you then turn left towards Savute and follow the track for ±12km to the Mababe Gate of the Chobe National Park, where you will again have to pay an entrance fee of ±BWP 120,- p.p. per day plus ±BWP 50,- per vehicle per day. Just beyond the gate you will come to a fork in the track, where you bear left onto the Sandridge Road, which will take you over the Magwikhwe Sand Hill all the way to Savute, where you turn left to the Savuti Camp Site just before the bridge over the river. Thursday 12 November 2015 Overnight: Chobe Safari Lodge, River Road, Kasane, Botswana - Tel: (±160km) From the Savuti Camp turn left towards the bridge over the river, and then follow the sandy track for ±28km along the Ghoha Hills to the Ghoha Gate, where you enter the Chobe Forest Reserve, and will again have to pay an entrance fee of ±BWP 120,- p.p. per day plus ±BWP 50,- per vehicle per day. About 17km beyond the gate you will come to the Linyanti turn-off, where you turn right towards Kachikau / Kasane. After a further ±20km follow the fork to the left towards Kachikau, which you will reach after another ±2km. Here you will at last get back onto a tar road, which you now follow for ±38km through several African villages, until you come to a T-junction. Here you turn right towards Kasane onto the A33, on which you will travel through a part of the Chobe National Park after going through the Ngoma

7 7 transit control gate. You will reach Kasane after a further ±50km, and after going through the Sidudu transit control gate and then passing the turn-off to the airport on your right, you turn left into Airport Road which you follow as far as a T-junction. Here you turn left into River Road and look out on your right for the Chobe Safari Lodge. When checking in, enquire about the departure time of the Chobe River Cruise, which we have booked for you for this afternoon. With an area of over km² the Chobe National Park is the second biggest national park in Botswana, and boasts the largest density of wildlife in Africa. The great number of wild animals is exceptional and the unspoilt nature of the region ensures a unique safari experience. Safaris are possible here on land and on water (on the Chobe River). One of the features of the Chobe National Park is its elephant population, which is estimated to consist of about animals. The Chobe elephants are migratory animals, that go on a seasonal migration of up to 200 km every year from the Chobe and Linyanti Rivers, where they stay in the dry season, to the pans (depressions) in the southeast of the park, which are filled with water during the rainy season. Friday 13 November Overnight: Chobe Safari Lodge, River Road, Kasane, Botswana - Tel: You have a whole day at leisure, enabling you to stock up on provisions again in Kasane. Saturday 14 November 2015 Overnight: Camp Kwando, on the C49, near Kongola, Namibia Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±260km) From the Chobe Safari Lodge turn left into River Road and then take the first right into Airport Road, from which you turn right towards Ngoma Bridge onto the A33 at the T-junction. You will reach the Ngoma Bridge border post ±55km beyond Kasane, after again passing through the two transit control gates of the Chobe National Park. From the border post, where you re-enter Namibia, you continue on the B8 towards Katima Mulilo, where it is not unusual to come across elephants in the main street. In Katima Mulilo you then turn left towards Rundu, thereby remaining on the B8. (At the turn-off you will see a Total petrol station on the corner.) About 3km beyond Katima Mulilo go straight past the first turn-off onto the C49. After a further ±80km on the B8 you then turn left onto the C49 at the Kaza Kongola shopping centre, just before the village of Kongola. After ±25km on the C49 look out for the turn-off to Camp Kwando on your right. From the turn-off to the camp it is another ±3km.

8 8 Sunday 15 November Overnight: Camp Kwando, on the C49, near Kongola, Namibia Tel: Your camp is on the Kwando River, and a unique optional activity would be a mokoro ride, gliding silently across the water as you are poled along by your guide. Mokoros are canoes that were originally hand-hewn out of a single log of wood, but which are today made from fibre glass. Monday 16 November 2015 Overnight: Hakusembe River Lodge, on the Kavango River, near Rundu - Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±440km) Coming from Camp Kwando turn left towards Kongola onto the C49, and at the T-junction next to the Kaza Kongola shopping centre left towards Rundu onto the B8. Just beyond Kongola the B8 will take you through the Babwata National Park for ±190km. About 700m after crossing the bridge over the Kavango River, you could turn left towards the Popa Falls onto the C48. After ±5km on the C48 you then turn off to the falls, which with their drop of only 2,5m are more like picturesque rapids in the river. After your visit to the falls turn right onto the C48, and then at the T-junction left towards Rundu onto the B8. You will reach Rundu after a further ±200km on the B8. Do not turn into Rundu, but just past the town turn right towards Nkurenkuru onto the B10/C45. After ±10km on the B10/C45 look out on your right for the turn-off to the Hakusembe River Lodge. From the turn-off to the lodge it is another ±4km. Tuesday 17 November 2015 Overnight: Namutoni Campsite, Etosha National Park Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±440km) Coming from the Hakusembe River Lodge turn left towards Rundu onto the B10/C45, and then after ±10km at the T-junction right towards Grootfontein onto the B8. When you reach Grootfontein ±240km beyond Rundu, follow the B8 straight through the town, and on the outskirts of the town turn right towards Tsumeb onto the C42. After ±1,5km on the C42 you could turn left to the Hoba Meteorite onto the D2859. From here to the meteorite, which at 55 tonnes is the 2 nd biggest meteorite in the world, it is ±18km.

9 9 After your visit to the meteorite turn left onto the D2859, and after ±18km left towards Tsumeb onto the C42 at the T-junction. Just south of Tsumeb you will come to a road intersection, where you follow the C42 straight across onto the B1 towards Ondangwa, thereby bypassing the centre of the town. After ±75km on the B1 you then turn left towards Namutoni onto the C38, which you follow straight all the way to the Von Lindequist gate of the Etosha National Park, where you will have to pay an entrance fee of ±NAD 80,- p.p. and ± NAD 10,- for your vehicle. From the gate follow the signs to the nearby Namutoni Camp.

10 10 The Etosha National Park is one of the biggest national parks in Africa, and can be compared favourably with South Africa s Kruger National Park and Tanzania s Serengeti. There are 114 mammal species in the park (however, not the Big Five, as there are no buffalo), 110 reptile species and more than 340 bird species. The greater part of the park is not open to visitors, but that has enabled scientists to conduct important conservation studies there. The central feature of the park, from which it also gets its name, is the Etosha Pan, a 6.133km² depression, that covers nearly a quarter of the park. This depression becomes a shallow (only a few centimetres deep) lake when summer rainfall has been good. However, usually it is an endless, dazzling white plain with shimmering mirages and small, dusty whirlwinds. The lucky sight of animals walking across this surrealistic landscape is one of the experiences that make Etosha unique. In the name of the local African inhabitants Etosha probably means Great White Place of Emptiness. As the waterholes attract the animals in this arid area, it is well worth one s while to stop and wait at the waterholes for whatever might appear out of the bush. An interesting fact is that the elephants in the park seldom have long tusks, as they wear them away when digging for water. Wednesday 18 November Overnight: Namutoni Campsite, Etosha National Park Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. You have the whole day to explore this unique African wilderness. Thursday 19 November 2015 Overnight: Okaukuejo Rest Camp, Etosha National Park Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±140km) From Namutoni follow the C38 via Halali to Okaukuejo. In the vicinity of Halali you should definitely turn right to the view site on the Etosha pan to give you an impression of the vastness of the landscape, and tonight you should definitely spend some time at the Okaukuejo rest camp fence near the lit-up waterhole just below the fence. Friday 20 November Overnight: Okaukuejo Rest Camp, Etosha National Park Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. As you explore the area around Okaukuejo it can be very rewarding to park at one of the water holes and let yourself be surprised by the wild visitors that come to drink at the water hole. Saturday 21 November 2015 Overnight: Olifantsrus Camp Site, Etosha National Park Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±130km) Just outside the Okaukuejo rest camp gate turn left towards the Galton Gate / Dolomite Camp. About 60km beyond Okaukuejo you will come to a no-entry sign, where you as Olifantsrus guests may continue. Shortly after this you then have to turn left towards the Galton Gate / Dolomite Camp. About 67km beyond this point you will come to a fork in the road, where you must bear right towards the Dolomite Camp. Now start looking out for Olifantsrus on your left.

11 11 Sunday 22 November 2015 Overnight: Rustig Toko Lodge & Safaris, on the D2695, near Kamanjab Tel: (±140km) From Olifantsrus travel to the Galton Gate where you leave the park and turn left towards Kamanjab onto the C35. After ±58km on the C35 you then turn left onto the D2763, and after a further ±13km right onto the D2695. After ±6km on the D2695 look out on your right for the gate of the Rustig Toko Lodge. The Katenda Himba Village, which you will visit today, is situated a few hundred metres from the lodge. Here you will have the opportunity to gain an insight into this truly amazing nomadic tribe and its traditional rituals. During this Himba village tour you'll meet these people in a very informal, easy going way. The nomadic cattle herders, the Ovahimba people or 'Himbas', will show you around their village a collection of huts made of branches, mud and cow dung. One of the peculiarities of the Himbas is that they apply coloured fat to their bodies. For this they use butter (today often petroleum jelly), which the women mix with a red powder obtained from crushed iron bearing rocks together with aromatic herbs. The men use fat which is coloured black with the ashes of fires. Monday 23 November 2015 Overnight: Aabadi Mountain Camp, on the D2612, near Twyfelfontein Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher.

12 12 (±260km) At the Rustig Toko gate turn left onto the D2695, and then after ±6km at the T-junction left onto the D2763. After ±13km on the D2763 you turn left towards Kamanjab onto the C35 at the next T-junction. When you reach Kamanjab follow the C35 straight through the town towards Khorixas. About105km beyond Kamanjab you will come to a large intersection just outside Khorixas. Here you turn right towards Khorixas onto the C39, which you follow straight through the town. About 72km beyond Khorixas you then turn left towards Twyfelfontein onto the D2612. After ±15km on the D2612 you turn right towards Twyfelfontein onto the D3254 and after a further ±5km right again onto the D3214, which will take you to the rock engravings after a further ±4km. Here you will have to pay an entrance fee of ±NAD 50,- p.p. plus ±NAD 20,- for your vehicle. The rock engravings of Twyfelfontein are unique, in that the original San inhabitants, who elsewhere painted their world onto cave walls and under rock ledges, chiseled it into the rocks here. The rock engravings, that depict many different animals, such as elephants, rhinos, lions and antelope, but seldom people, were made over many centuries from about 300 BC into the 19 th century. Scientists are not certain, whether they arose as part of ancient religious ceremonies, which were meant to give power to the hunters to find and down their prey, or whether they simply were a picture gallery, or a primer for for the children or simply a joyful expression of artistic talent. Of special interest is the picture of a seal at Twyfelfontein at least 100km away from the ocean. If you would also like to visit the Organ Pipes turn right onto the D3254 ±4km after leaving the rock engravings. After ±4km you then turn left onto a car park, from where you can walk to the high, vertical dolerite columns along a foot path. The Burnt Mountain is just a little further along the R3254 on the right. After your visit to the Organ Pipes and the Burnt Mountain travel back along the R3254, and when you reach the T- junction after ±9km, turn right onto the D2612. After ±7km on the D2612, after passing the turn-off to the Mowani Mountain Camp on your left and to the airstrip on your right, look out for the Aabadi Mountain Camp on your right, as you come out of a lefthand bend.

13 13 Tuesday 24 November 2015 Overnight: Alte Brücke Campsite, Strand Road, Swakopmund Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±340km) From the Aabadi Mountain Camp turn right towards Uis onto the D2612. After ±55km you will come to a T-junction, where you turn right towards Uis onto the C35. After ±70km on the C35 you will come to another T-junction just outside Uis. (As you approach Uis, you will be able to see the Brandberg, Namibia s highest mountain, in the distance on your right.) At the T-junction just outside Uis you then turn right towards Henties Bay (-baai), thereby remaining on the C35, which will now take you through the barren Namib Desert on your way to the coast. About 114km beyond Uis you will again come to a T-junction, where you could turn right* to Cape Cross onto the C34 if you would like to visit the seal colony ±55km up the coast. In 1485 the Portuguese explorer, Diego Câo, was the first European to set foot on land at Cape Cross, where he erected a memorial in the form of a cross at this bleak cape. The original cross remained here until the 1890 s and was then taken to the Oceanographic Museum in Berlin. The cross which you can see at the cape today is a replica that was erected here in There are seal colonies all along the Namibian coast, but the one at Cape Cross is one of the easiest to reach. At Cape Cross there are up to cape fur seals, which live here throughout the year and the thousands of heads bobbing up and down is a sight never to be forgotten the overwhelming stench is also unforgettable! Added to that are the deafening calls of thousands of animals. After you visit to the seal colony turn right towards Swakopmund onto the C34. *If you do not want to visit the seal colony turn left towards Swakopmund onto the C34 at this T- junction. After ±70km on the C34 you will come into Swakopmund on Henties Bay Road, which becomes Moses Garoeb Street. Just keep following this street through Swakopmund to where it make a sharp right-hand turn, that will take you onto Rhode Allee. Now follow Rhode Allee as far as the T-junction, where you turn left into Strand Road, which you follow straight to the Alte Brücke Resort. Wednesday 25 November Overnight: Alte Brücke Campsite, Strand Road, Swakopmund Tel: Today you could explore this interesting town, with its salt-paved streets and many buildings dating back to German colonial times, on foot. (±5,5km in total from the Alte Brücke and back, but with many opportunities to rest in between.) From the Alte Brücke walk up Strand Road. After ±700m you will see the Jetty Steg, on which you can walk out a short distance into the cold Atlantic Ocean, on youf left. From the Jetty Steg turn left onto the Arnold Schad Promenade, which follow along the ocean to its end, where you turn right towards the museum. At the museum turn right and walk along the avenue of palms (Palmenallee) to the Straße am Zoll, which you cross and walk up the stairs to the Hotel Schweizerhaus. On the terrace of the Café Anton in front of the hotel you could then enjoy a cup of coffee with some

14 14 German cake. From the Café turn right and cross Tobias Hainyeko Street. This will bring you onto Daniel Tjongarero Avenue, on which you will soon pass the old Hansa Hotel with its rich tradition on your right. Cross Hendrik Witbooi Street on Daniel Tjongarero Avenue, and then turn left into Nathaniel Maxuilili Street, from which you turn right into Theo-Ben Gurirab Avenue, and look out for the old station building, which is now a hotel, on your left. (It would be worth your while to enter the hotel to see the inner courtyard.) Coming from the old station, cross Theo-Ben Gurirab Avenue, and walk down Otavi Street. You will now see the former German School on your left and on the corner of Otavi and Daniel Tjongarero Streets the rather Bavarian Lutheran church. Continue down Otavi Street for one block, und then turn right into Sam Nujoma Avenue, Swakopmund s main shopping street. On the corner of Bismarck Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue you will find the Woermann House with its turret. Today it houses the public library and in the upper storey there is an art gallery. Just follow Sam Nujoma Avenue as far as the T-junction, where you turn left into Strand Road and walk back to the Alte Brücke.

15 15 Thursday 26 November 2015 Overnight: Sossus Oasis Campsite, on the D826 (C27), Sesriem, near Sossusvlei Tel: Note the GPS co-ordinates on your voucher. (±360km) From the alte Brücke travel up Strand Road and then turn right into the second street (Rhode Allee). After ±550m on Rhode Allee turn right towards Walvis Bay into Nathaniel Maxuilili Street (B2), and follow this street straight out of Swakopmund. In Walvis Bay you will come to a traffic circle, where you turn left towards Windhoek onto the C14, which will now take you on a long, seemingly endless stretch of road through the Namib Desert. After ±230km on the C14, after travelling over the Kuiseb and Gaub Passes, you then turn right towards Sossusvlei / Sesriem onto the C19 at Solitaire. After ±72km on the C19 you turn right towards Sossusvlei / Sesriem onto the D826 (C27). After a further ±12km, when you reach Sesriem, follow this road around a sharp left-hand bend, and immediately look out for the Sossus Oasis petrol station and camp site on your left. Friday 27 November Overnight: Sossus Oasis Campsite, on the D826(C27), Sesriem, near Sossusvlei Tel: Today you should travel into the nearby Namib Naukluft Park, the gates of which open at sunrise. Make sure that you get up very early, so that you can be at the gate before sunrise, as queues of cars tend to form at the gate, and the tall dunes are best photographed in the early morning light. (±140km) From the Sossus Oasis Campsite turn right onto the D826 (C27), and after only ±250m turn left towards the gate of the Namib Naukluft Park. Once in the park proceed to the park office near the petrol station just inside the gate, where you will first have to buy your entrance tickets (±NAD 80,- p.p. and ± NAD 10,- for your vehicle). From the gate to the 4x2 car park near

16 16 Sossusvlei it is ±60km. If you would like to climb one of the tall dunes, this would already be possible at the 170m high Dune 45 (on the left) on your way to the car park. Normal vehicles may not continue beyond the car park, but as you have a 4x4 vehicle you can continue to Sossusvlei (±5km) through the deep sand yourself. At Sossusvlei there are again some very high dunes which you could also climb. After your visit to Sossusvlei return to Sesriem the way you came. Here you should also visit the Sesriem Canyon, a deep gorge in the surrounding flatlands, which one comes across quite unexpectedly. To the Sesriem Canyon you have to turn right near the petrol station in the park. It is only ±4km from here to the canyon. After your visit to the canyon you leave the park and return to your campsite. Sossusvlei, is a large mud pan or depression in the central part of the huge Namib Naukluft Desert Park, that stretches from the area of Swakopmund in the north to the area of Lüderitz in the south. Sossusvlei and the valley of the Tsauchab River are surrounded by giant dunes, that at heights of up to 300m are among the highest in the world. The Tsauchab River that arises in the Naukluft Mountains, only has water every few years, and then flows in the direction of the ocean, which it never reaches. Instead it fills the pan at Sossusvlei with water, creating a shallow lake, in which wild geese and flamingos then swim and wade in the middle of the desert, until the water seeps away into the sand, and all that is left of the lake is a cracked mud pan. However, even during the dry seasons oryx antelope, springbuck and ostriches live here, feeding on the few plants that draw their moisture from the ground water. The colour spectacle of the high dunes can best be seen in the early morning light, and that is why it is important to be waiting at the gate of the park already when it is opened at sunrise. Dune 45 that many visitors like to climb to get an impression of the seemingly endless sea of dunes, is situated only about 45km from the gate, but at Sossusvlei itself there are still higher dunes that can be climbed. From Dune 45 to the 2WD parking area it is another ±15km. The last ±5km to Sossusvlei go through deep sand and can only be traversed by 4WD vehicles. (On payment visitors without a 4WD vehicle can make use of an irregular 4x4 shuttle service from the parking area to Sossusvlei.) A further attraction in the park is the Sesriem Canyon, situated ±4km from the gate. This is a ±30m deep and 1km long erosion gulley, that was cut into the surrounding flat countryside over thousands of years by the Tsauchab River.

17 17 Saturday 28 November 2015 Overnight: Trans Kalahari Inn, off the B6, near Windhoek Airport Tel: (±350km) From the Sossus Oasis Campsite turn right onto the D826 (C27), and follow this road around the sharp right-hand bend at Sesriem. After ±12km you will come to a T-junction, where you turn left towards Solitaire onto the C19. At Solitaire you will again come to a T- junction, where your turn left towards Walvis Bay onto the C14. About 70km beyond Solitaire you then turn right towards Windhoek onto the C26, which will take you all the to Windhoek. You will come into Windhoek on Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue, which you follow straight all the way to the centre of town. After ±3,5km, after crossing Church Street, turn right towards the airport into Sam Nujoma Drive (B6) at the next set of traffic lights. Now follow Sam Nujoma Drive straight out of Windhoek, and after ±4km turn left towards the airport / Gobabis, thereby remaining on the B6. About 18km beyond this point (±2km after passing the Kappsfarm turn-off onto the M53) you then turn left towards Bobo Campers / Trans Kalahari Inn. Sunday 29 November 2015 Depart from Windhoek End of tour (±20km) To Windhoek s Hosea Kutako International Airport turn left onto the B6 from the Trans Kalahari Inn access road. After ±20km on the B6 you then turn left to the airport and proceed to the Maui-Britz depot, where you return your vehicle, after which you will be transferred to the airport terminal by a Maui-Britz representative. We wish you a wonderful trip and hope that you will enjoy your stay in Southern Africa. Yours sincerely The Inspirations Team

18 18 Inspirations Travel & Tours - Emergency 24 Hour Mobile Phone number: +27 (0) Please note: In the unlikely event that you encounter any problems with any services booked whilst in South Africa or neighbouring countries, please notify us immediately so that we can try to rectify any problems. Please note that we will not entertain any complaints from clients who return to their home country and then bring the problem to our attention, without informing us whilst they are here in Southern Africa. We like to improve our route descriptions all the time, so if you have any suggestions, please do not hesitate to let us have them: inbound@itt.co.za Disclaimer: The above information is supplied without prejudice, and should only be seen as a guideline, that is meant to help you, the client, plan your trip. We have taken the utmost care to supply accurate information in regards to distances, signage and the choice of routes, but cannot be held liable for any inconveniences caused by local road works and resultant detours, road conditions, street name and route number changes as well as the time taken to cover a particular stretch of road due to circumstances beyond our control. It remains the client s responsibility to use the above itinerary in conjunction with a good road map and if in doubt, to make local enquiries with a competent person. E & OE Accredited and approved as travel provider by: