From the Coast to the Desert

Road trip day one & two

Just a few days after the rain we were ready. The car is packed and we’re on the road again. Ready to explore the southern part of Namibia. Places I haven’t been to yet and areas where my partner wasn’t either. Namibia is huge. There is always more to see.

And the country is diverse too. Especially after it got some rain. The whole country received some decent rain in the last week, so much that some roads got washed away.

Let’s see how far we can get.

We are leaving Swakopmund around lunchtime on Friday. Driving east. Towards the clouds. The clouds look promising. Promising if you want to get in the rain.

A layer of green is shining across the desert plains. It’s not much. But for the sharp eye easy to spot. Tiny green plants are pushing through the rocky soil. Patches of grass appear all across the landscape.

While exploring the Kuiseb Canyon and its surroundings we drive to a rock arch and check out some viewpoints. It’s quiet and peaceful over here. The road, which is usually as busy as a highway due to hundreds of tourist cars passing it daily, is abandoned.

Now and then a car comes past. But nothing compared to what it used to be. We don’t mind it. We enjoy the calmness. But the country would need the busy roads. This country depends too much on tourism.

As the afternoon gets longer we look out for a camp. A rocky riverbed is where we get off the road and find a place for the night. Just on the side. A little bit elevated in case the river should come down.

We set up the tent and enjoy a lovely evening by the fire. The sun is setting behind the mountains painting the sky in several colors.

Later that night the rain starts. Not very strong. But it rains for a while. Our friends who were sleeping on the ground without a roof above their heads still couldn’t be bothered by the raindrops. They just continued to sleep.

The next morning we pack up our camp and hit the road again. Entering the famous Namib-Naukluft Park, we are driving south now. The park is known for its dune belt and the oldest desert in the world.

The Namib desert.

Red sand on the right. Mountains to our left. A road that cuts straight through the landscape. A road you can see all the way to the horizon. Ostriches crossing the endless plains.

Our next stop is Solitaire. A place in the middle of nowhere known for its apple pie. A bakery in the desert that is famous for having the best apple pie in the country.

But it’s not there anymore. All that is left is an empty building. The queue for the famous pastry used to lead out of the building. But as the tourists stopped coming, nobody would leave money at this place. Therefore it took the same direction as most foreigner dependent places. It had to close down.

All that is left now is a fuel station. A small shop with overpriced groceries. And a campsite. Empty and abandoned by travelers. A windsock is reminding us of the runway behind the buildings that once used to be frequently approached by scenic flights and fly-in safaris.

Just after filling up the car, we continue our drive. Only about 80 kilometers are left to the next campsite. Sesriem. Our destination for the day. But we didn’t make it there. Not immediately at least.

Less than 10 kilometers before getting there, we had to stop. One of our tires was leaking air. With no shade in view, we changed the tire in the blazing heat of the desert. 42 degrees Celsius in the shade our thermometer says. Not sure where it found shade though.

Soaking wet and drained of energy we get back in the car and finish the last few kilometers. Just after entering Sossus Oasis, our Camp at Sesriem, we take over the pool. For the next few hours our place to cool down.

A campsite none of us ever stayed at because they used to be booked out six months in advance and none of us ever pre-booked accommodation. The lack of tourism is now to our advantage.

After a few hot hours, the sun starts to set and paints the sky into the most spectacular colors. Clouds are covering the sky. A few places not far from us seem to be getting some rain.

But we stay dry this night. Unfortunately. All of us would love to experience rain in the desert.

This is it for today. Tomorrow a new day starts. Our journeys will part. The friends who joined us the weekend, will turn around and head back to the coast.

My partner and I just got started with the trip. Driving south on the search for more green. More rain. And more rivers. Hopefully with water in them.

More about my trips through the desert…

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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.