TRAVEL. SOUTHERN AFRICA
Bush Camping in Africa’s Wilderness
Exploring nature off the beaten track
After the night camping in the rain, it was time for us to drive back into the desert. But since we weren’t in a rush to get anywhere in time we spent two more nights in the wild.
Driving through these landscapes is at the moment so soothing for the soul and the eyes. Knowing how dry this part of the country normally is we are grateful for every stretch of green grass.
Due to the high grass and bushes, it is difficult to spot animals though. We only saw some small antelopes while driving past a bushy area. The only other animals we spotted were giraffes. On two different occasions.
Since they are so tall they simply stand out in the bushland.
We stopped at one last town to fuel up and get little groceries before turning off the road and cruising down a riverbed. With no clouds on the horizon and no predictions of rain in the catchment area of this river we decided it is safe enough to be in the flood plains.
Setting up the camp underneath a fig tree which offers lots of shade but doesn’t have any thorns on the ground compared to the Camelthorn trees which are domestic in this area.
The night rises clear and a bit cool for the first time in days. Coming closer to the coastline the temperatures are slowly dropping. Which is very welcoming for us after days sweating in the humid and hot air of the country’s inland.
The following day we packed up after a late breakfast and drove further down the river. Passing several goats and sheep herds we didn't see any other humans except those sheepherders.
But taking it slow allowed me to capture these beauties along the way. While the country right and left of the river is rather dry and sad to look at this part is happily alive.
With the bit of water that had been flowing through the riverbed for a few days, lots of plants and flowers came alive.
Some parts of the riverbed are greener than others. Showing the different levels of groundwater in the area. Where lots of rocks are in the ground more water gets collected and kept for a longer period of time. Therefore also the grass has time to grow and live for a while.
Various flowers are blooming attracting hundreds of butterflies and other insects. Birds are singing in the trees while the sun is starting to burn down on me each time I get out of the car to take a picture.
For the second night, we found once again a lovely tree offering us shelter for the night. For the rest of the day, we were sitting around the table chatting and taking a shower when it got too hot.
Yes, we’re not camping anymore. We’re glamping. With a freezer and a fridge running on solar power, a tent on top of our car, and a shower you can mount anywhere we raised our travel standards.
We don’t need established campsites for comfort anymore. We carry all the comfort we need with us.
Later that afternoon we saw and heard the baboons on the mountain ridge in front of us. While many travelers might think what great sighting it is, these animals are highly dangerous.
They can destroy your camp and break everything while searching for food. As a protection for the night, we started to collect lots of firewood in the afternoon and made a huge fire in the evening.
Fire keeps away most animals. As well baboons. And it gives off a lovely atmosphere.
After enjoying our meal we lit the mountain of wood. Sitting around the fire we were listening to the bush tv how they call it in Africa. Telling stories while sitting at the campfire is the only kind of tv you’ll get around here.
With lots of stories to share you get more variety than back home where you’ll be switching channels but won’t find anything worth watching. My favorite tv is definitely the bush tv.
I was using the moment as another opportunity to capture the magic of fire. With the entire darkness around us and no light pollution insight, you’ll get the real feeling of the night.
Not only the sky filled with endless stars but also the fire looks more impressive on a dark night like this one. Warming us on the heat of the fire we eventually crawled into our beds falling asleep listening to cicadas chirping in the bushes.
More about my latest road trip through the country…
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Anne Bonfert is a traveler. Photographer. Writer. Teacher. Skydiving instructor. Adventure enthusiast. Nature lover. And fell in love with the African continent.
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