TRAVEL. NAMIBIA
Crossing the Khomas Highlands
A stunning drive through Namibia’s mountains
After a day playing in the water at Lake Oanob we were up for a drive through the mountains. We didn’t choose the fastest route. We chose the most scenic one. We don’t travel to get from A to B. We travel to explore.
The boys said it would be a short drive today. Only 150 kilometers on the map. But this would take us the whole day. Seven hours ended up our drive being. But these were seven wonderful hours.
The Khomas Highlands are located in central Namibia. An area that should receive a lot of rain. And also the catchment area for two main rivers in the country. They don’t always flow. But if it rains enough they do.
We started the drive crossing fields and fields of high grass. Grass as green as I have never seen it in this country. Some meadows reminded me of Ireland. Despite never having been there.
Soon we could realize we were deep in the highlands. Turning off onto a small road we continued something that looked more like a farm road than an official government road.
With lots of ups and downs and lefts and rights, we were slowly making our way through the mountains. Due to the winding road, we weren’t driving fast. Which I didn’t mind at all.
The scenery was just breathtakingly beautiful. The mountains covered in green. Trees, bushes, and grass covering the soil. Flowers in between all the green creating some colorful contrasts.
Our only worry for the day was to be able to manage the two big river crossings. The Kuiseb and the Swakop river, both of them had been flowing a few days ago. One of them almost reaching the ocean. So the chance was very high they would be still flowing. Here in the mountains at least.
There ain’t no bridges in this part of the country. If it rains, it rains. If the river flows, it takes the road with. You either have to wait or turn around.
We were driving through many valleys and canyons. Some of them still had some standing water left. But nothing worth mentioning. What made us stop more often were the animal gates.
Almost every kilometer along the road was another gate that had to be opened and closed behind us again. Probably separating the different farms from each other.
Eventually, we got to the first river. While guessing it would be still flowing we were hoping for the opposite. It did flow. Still a bit. But nothing worth mentioning. A weak flow was gently going across the pebbles.
The steep incline after the river crossing was more challenging than the drive through the water. Many climbs out of a valley start very steep and stretch long across the hills.
But getting to the top of each mountain and driving along the ridges was worth all the effort. The cars surely took a beating but this is why we have cars like these. To explore parts of the country like these.
Surely off the beaten track. We didn’t pass more cars except for one farm vehicle. No people seen except some cattle and their herdsmen.
Late in the afternoon, we arrived at the second river. The cement part of the road leading through the riverbed had been washed away but we could drive around it. The stretch was muddy but no water was flowing.
We pushed for the crossing of both rivers despite the late hour of the day because we were worried the rivers might get some inflow again. Big clouds were building up on the horizon which caused some serious rains later that evening.
But more about it in the next article.
More stories about my latest trip…
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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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