This is Africa - Overlanding from Swakopmund to Victoria Falls

by Kimberley O'Sullivan, 28 December 2011

The sound of shrieking children on break-up day was the last jarring sound in my ears before my husband and I arrived at Cape Town International Airport, bound for the tiny Namibian coastal town of Walvis Bay, and our epic 14-day Swakopmund to Victoria Falls overland adventure.

Without a doubt this was going to be one of my most thrilling African experiences, and I can say now looking back over the past 2 weeks - it certainly was.

Swakopmund: Willkommen in Namibia!

The classic 21-day Cape to Vic is the ultimate southern Africa overland experience; however we were joining the already-on-the-road trip at Swakopmund, where brockwurst meets damaranama; a fusion of pre and post-colonial German architecture, food and language with traditional Namibian culture.

Rounds of local Tafel Lager clinked against the fading sunlight that evening as we met our fellow overlanders - a smaller than usual group of 5 (Overland trucks can take up to 27 people; I think in hindsight this was a relief!). A Brit, an Aussie, a Hollander, a Californian and a regular Joburg girl joined us 2 Capetonians, and together with our crew from Zimbabwe and South Africa respectively, set off at 8am the next morning towards Spitzkoppe.

Spitzkoppe, Trucks & the Damaranama

The next few hours were spent familiarizing ourselves with the truck: who sat where on the turquoise seats, the locked cage and 'Sydney' the safe, the cooler box filled with beers and which window offered the best breeze. Suddenly out of the dry arid landscape, which had previously consisted of flat monotonous ground, loomed the rocky outcrops of Spitzkoppe.

And so begun our first night of bush-camping. Spitzkoppe lends itself to incredible star-gazing, rock-climbing, and time spent soaking up the wilderness. We also enjoyed a walk with one of the local men who took us to see ancient rock-art and educated us on the marriage system of his tribe!

The next morning we experienced our first 'T.I.A' (This is Africa) moment: the truck battery was dead. A little hatchback was hauled up from the main camping spot and valiantly powered our big overland truck for the next hour until the relieved rumble from the truck and grateful smile from our driver Harry indicated we were on our way again.

Spotted Cats and Hidden Elephants

Namibia is truly a vast, vast country. Miles of uninhabited desert stretch out into the distance from each side of you, as the road continues its long and singular drive north to Cheetah Park and further on, Etosha . Our experiences at Cheetah Park were quite remarkable; having a 'tame' cheetah lick you vigorously gives a sense of 'am I the starter before mains?' Luckily for us, 2kilos of fresh zebra meat sufficed.

We then wound our way to Etosha National Park, Namibia's premier game-viewing destination. Seasons play a big role in most of Africa's parks and Etosha was no exception. While some of the game had been drawn further out into the park due to the wetter landscape, we still saw plenty! Giraffe, zebra, oryx, jackal, impala, ostrich and kudu abounded, but it was the sighting of 6 black rhino and 2 male lions that certainly took the cake!

Helter, Swelter in the Caprivi

At this point in the trip the heat we had been expecting at this time of year started to make its appearance, and with it, mosquitoes! Armed with repellent, loads of sunscreen, a floppy hat and a constantly dripping sarong, we made our way from Namutoni Camp in the far eastern side of the park along 650km of road into the Caprivi Strip.

The Caprivi extends like an oddly shaped limb into the crevice between Angola, Zambia and Botswana, eventually touching sides with Zimbabwe at the 4-way stop town of Kasane. We made our way to Rainbow Lodge on the Kavango River and after sweating it out over setting up tents and chairs, made a dash to the swimming pool to cool off.

That evening is surely one of my most memorable: a brilliant red, orange and yellow sunset lit up the afternoon sky, casting an ethereal pink glow on everything it touched, including our sunburn. The river lapped innocently below, its soft waters hiding the dangers beneath. Ah, another night in Africa!

And Then We Did the Delta

The next few days were a whirlwind of new culture, language, scenery and wildlife. Botswana welcomed us with open arms as we breezed through the border post and headed down to Maun - the gateway to the incomparable Okavango Delta. This busy one-street town is remarkably well-equipped: banks, ATMs, bureau de exchanges, Internet cafes and restaurants litter the sidewalks, while the odd warthog wanders past.

Our foray into the Delta for 2 nights bush-camping wild on the banks of a little island was really special. After loading all our equipment, tents and food into a mokoro - a traditional canoe, we all started our amazing poling experience through the winding Delta channels. Two people to a mokoro plus your poler is actually a pretty comfortable ride, and with glistening white lilies guiding your way, it was a pleasure.

We camped wild, we burnt marshmallows, we burnt our necks on 3 hour walks, we gazed in wonder at ice-cream coloured sunsets, we swatted mosquitoes, we slept under sheets, we drifted along the waterways, we bravely swam and we came across hippos while in our mokoros - wild, exciting and slightly terrifying.

With a deepening tan and a deepening respect for Africa's wilderness, we left the Okavango Delta behind and began our long drive from Maun to Nata and then up to Kasane.

The Road to Chobe was Paved with Elephants

Chobe National Park was our second last stop, Botswana's famous 'elephant park', where elephant are as common as hundreds-and-thousands. A real highlight for all of us was an included 3-hour boat cruise on the Chobe River. Seeing hippos out of the water, fat crocodiles, a family herd of elephants and beautiful fish eagles calling out over the water was just an amazing experience.

As with all overland trips, there are a number of optional activities on offer; while we stayed behind at camp and marvelled over jumping bush-babies and enjoyed a T-bone steak, the rest of our group headed off into the park for an exclusive overnight safari. Elephants in camp, lions in the morning and a soft mattress were their highlights!

A Triumphant End at Victoria Falls

Our final drive was short. After leaving Kasane, we got through the Zimbabwe border post in about an hour and made our drive about 80km to Victoria Falls Town, home to 'The Smoke that Thunders'.

While furiously setting up our tent and gulping down sandwiches, the roar could easily be heard, beckoning us to experience the spray for ourselves. A quick glob of suncream and hastily filled water-bottles set us off down the road dodging locals selling now-defunct old Zimbabwean notes as souvenirs. Ten trillion dollars anyone?

The sight and the sound of Victoria Falls when you finally experience it for yourself is quite breathtaking. From the Devil's Cataract to the Main Falls and the Horseshoe Falls, we saw it all, got suddenly sopping wet from a blast of spray and took endless photos.

After watching a few people bungee themselves off the Victoria Falls bridge into Batoka Gorge, I felt rather tired, so we all retired with a cold one and settled down at the pool for the rest of the day.

T.I.A mate, this is Africa.

Article © Copyright 2011 Go2Africa.

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