Namibia - part 3 - a harsh yet beautiful wilderness
We come back to the third and final part of my journey through Namibia;
Serra Cafema
The flight from Doro Nawas to the Hartmann Valley took a little over an hour and flew over some of the most barren and mountainous areas I’d ever seen in southern Africa. As the Cesna made its approach to the landing strip, it appeared that the desert was swaying, most odd. Having disembarked what was swaying became clear – it was the desert grasses. It had rained a week or two earlier which had caused a spurt of growth that had become bleached by the sun and was now the same colour as the desert and was being stirred by a gentle breeze... quite a sight.
Image courtesy of Wilderness Safaris - Hartmann Valley
The journey to our lodge, Serra Cafema, took an hour and a half during which time the full majesty of the mountains, after which our lodge was named, showed their full range of colours in the midday sun. The landscape we were entering is vast, desolate and awe inspiring in equal measure but as we crested a small ridge the River Kunene, and the riverine strip of woodland in which Serra Cafema sits, came into view.
Serra Cafema Camp - image courtesy of Wilderness Safaris
Serra Cafema - bedroom - courtesy of Wilderness Safaris
The camp nestles on the very edge of the river and sits perfectly, almost hidden in the landscape. In line with one of Wilderness Safaris’ core principles, that of community, the lodge the land sits on, and over which its guests traverse is leased from the local nomadic Himba people, a perfect symbiotic relationship.
Our individual suite was spacious, rustic, and yet luxurious and apart from the gentle gurgle of some nearby small rapids was beautifully peaceful. We had two nights here and plenty to see and do. Our evening activity was a boat ride upriver with a sunset G&T on the Angolan side of the river – passports not required. The cliffs on the Angolan side are home to troops of baboon, with their young particularly inquisitive as to what we were. Crocodiles basked on the sand bars taking in the final rays of the day.
Our evening meal was a delicious open-air braai with the full moon reflected in the Kunene River – totally perfect. It was spoilt only by none of the guests being able to remember who originally sung Ol’ Man River! There’s no Wi-Fi here and the place is better for it.
The next day the lodge had arranged for a visit to a local group of Himbas. First though we had to master our transport – quad bikes to us Brits, ATV’s to our American cousins. Unlike those we rode at Little Kulala, these ones had gears and took more getting used to. Our guide gave us expert tuition and after half an hour of easy riding near camp, kitted out with helmets and riding gloves, five intrepid bikers and our guide set out for the Himba ‘village’; really a small collection of huts. The journey was eventful with most of us getting stuck in deep sand and/or falling off. It’s great fun.
Image courtesy of Wilderness Safaris
We spent about an hour with the Himba understanding their culture – the women cover themselves in red ochre and mud when they reach puberty and don’t wash again – and how they survive in such a harsh environment, truly incredible people.
Image courtesy of Wilderness Safaris - credit Dana Allen
We sat by the pool for the rest of the day, before a short drive to a viewing point for the obligatory, and much loved sundowner. With no light pollution and endless landscapes, sunsets have to be seen to be believed.
Serra Cafema is the most amazing lodge, in a special setting and has to be one of my top three lodges in Africa – and I’ve been to few. We left for the flight back to Doro Nawas with a tear in our eyes and lots of memories.
Okonjima
The drive to Okonjima via Khorikas and Ojtiwarongo took about six hours but just the first hour was on gravel roads, before a strip of smooth beautiful tarmac came into view. Bliss.
Okonjima is home to the Africat Foundation, a charity started in the early 1990’s to look after orphaned and injured big cats such as cheetahs, leopards and lions. Over the years its focus has widened and now includes brown and spotted hyena as well as wild dogs and it also runs research and educational programmes. Its website (https://africat.org) is well worth a few minutes of your time.
We only had a one night stay in their luxurious Bush Camp – one of five accommodation options – but had two superb game viewing experiences, one tracking a group of three young cheetah brothers on foot through the bush as they hunted, getting as close as 30ms from them, which was closer than they got to their target prey! And another, in a vehicle this time, with a female leopard called Electra, as she patiently sat in a tree above a warthog burrow.
Guests can also visit the Africat Foundation and see for themselves the great work they do to protect the big predators both now by their veterinary work and protection efforts, and in the future through education.
The drive back to Windhoek took longer than we had allowed for; OK, hands up we actually slept in! And my plan to visit the golf course at Windhoek Country Club alas came to nothing.
Namibia had proved itself to be an amazing country, and whether you fly from location to location, or do as we did, you’ll have an experience that will last long in your memory.
If you’d like to know more about Namibia please email me with your contact number and and I’ll call you.
A sundowner over Hartmann Valley to whet your appetite - image courtesy of Wilderness Safaris
