Southern Africa

From the 11th of July untill the 6th of Augustus 1998 we made a Baobab trip through Southern Africa. We travelled with a truck of African Routes. In the truck were tents and coocking gear. The group had twenty travellers. A cook was there to assist the group in cooking. And the south african driver and dutch tourguide completed the group.




We started in Johannesburg (South-Africa)and from the airport we directly drove to the Krugerpark. In the early morning just after sunrise we had our first encounter with the wildlife.


After the Krugerpark we went to Zimbabwe.



Via Bulawayo to Matopos National Park. Matopos is famous for its large amount of rhino. The surroundings are great too. Beautifull rockformations, and caves with rockart of the San people. We also visited the grave of Cecil Rhodes.




When in Zimbabwe you canīt miss the Victoria Falls. Except for looking at the falls there are many activities organised in Vic Falls. You make a flight with a helicopter above the falls. Or go rafting, bunji-jumping, hire a bike. Or just be lazy and relax at the campside in the middle of town.





The next country is Botswana. Just across the border is Chobe National Park. We camp on the banks of the Chobe river. The sunset-cruise we made there is magnificant. Along the banks of the Chobe river you will find all kinds of animals drinking. There are many many elephants, buffels and hippos.




Next stop is Maun, the startingpoint for trips to the Okavango Delta. We navigate in a hollow treetrunk (mokoro) across the delta for an hour. Then we reach a island where we put up our tents. The next morning we go hiking with a guide. We donīt see a lot of wildlife. Our time is up and we head back to the campground in Maun.

Now we have to drive all around the delta. Via the Caprivistrip we enter Namibia. For a few days we visit Etosha, a national park. Etosha is for the biggest part a saltplain. So no beautifull landscapes, but there is a lot of wildlife around.



Next to the campground is a waterhole with a spotlight at night. It is very nice to sit there a while and the animals come and go. We saw many different animals. But the rare black rhinos were the best.

 

After the saltplains we drove through the dry desert to the coast. At the beach near Cape Cross is a huge colony of sealions.
Thousands of seamammals close together..........
imagine the smell !!!

 

 

A bit further south we found the enormous sandunes of the Sossus vlei.








We liked the walking and made another trip into the Fish River Canyon.


On to South-Africa. Another night sleep and we reach the Cape. First thing we do is visit the pinguincolony at Simonstad.



The last night we slept in a hotel in Capetown. To fly home the next day.



Hessielle made a movie about this trip. You can see it (in low quality) on our movie page

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