After almost 3 years of preparation, the time finally came for our most awaited journey this year! This was a very special trip in celebration of a 40th wedding anniversary, as well as Cyn’s birthday. We invited some friends, some also celebrating birthdays and wedding anniversaries which made for a truly memorable trip!
Most of our group arrived in Windhoek, Namibia a day early after spending a few days in Cape Town, South Africa. We spent our first afternoon at a local restaurant called Joe’s Beer House. Here we enjoyed their unique décor of antique items and vehicles perched around the floor and rooftops. We enjoyed some specialty drinks and craft beers, also having the opportunity to try their specialty: “The Namib Trio”, a mixture of kudu, springbok, and zebra fillets set on a kebab stick. This was surprisingly delicious!
The next morning, we journeyed to our first accommodation, The Desert Grace. The ride was intense as we drove through undeveloped dirt roads along steep mountain canyons, which the locals nicknamed as an “African massage”. We arrived at our destination impressed by the desert oasis which would be our home for two nights. Each room came complete with a backyard patio and pool dramatically overlooking the most ancient desert on earth, the Namib Desert. Later in the afternoon, we embarked on our first nature drive, learning about the animals and vegetation of the surrounding lands. We parked atop a high dune overlooking the valley to enjoy the yummiest charcuterie of “game” jerkies and drinks, tipping our glasses to the sky as we watched the sun set across the desert. As darkness covered the sky, we began our drive back to the lodge, stargazing at the constellations overhead with the Southern Cross clearly visible above us.
Our next day was equally rewarding as we ascended the red sands of the Sossusvlei Sand Dunes, considered some of the tallest dunes in the world. The warm tint of these star-shaped dunes contrast with the dazzling white clay pans of the Deadvlei below, creating a stunning visual and a photographer’s paradise. Deadvlei, meaning “dead marsh” is a white clay pan with dead camel thorn trees unable to decompose due to the dry climate. The bleached white pan with ghostly dead trees aged approximately 900 years old combined perfectly with the rusty reds of the dunes, the blacks of the dead trees, and the dark blue of the desert sky making for incredible postcard perfect images.
The excitement continued as we journeyed to Solitaire, a unique town with nothing more than a gas station, general store, and a bakery with the most amazing apple pie. The grounds between the buildings are filled with interesting displays of stripped vehicles repurposed into unique and artful décor. We continued to make a quick pit stop at LBE’s surprise point of interest, the Tropic of Capricorn in Khomas, Namibia. It is the most southerly latitude where the sun is directly overhead at noon during the December solstice. At this point during this day, you will have no shadow. The Tropic of Capricorn also plays an important role in dividing the earth’s different parts, marking the southern boundary of the tropics.
From here we continued to Swakopmund, a coastal holiday town with architecture reminiscent of the German influence in the country. After checking in, we would enjoy a much-needed real massage before having dinner and resting for the night. We spent the next morning aboard a catamaran at Walvis Bay, a Namibian harbor town housing one of the most important wetlands on the African continent. The town is complete with a shallow lagoon teeming with flamingos and an island home to a massive seal colony. Our boat ride into the open seas of the Atlantic ocean was calm and the ride smooth. Some interesting visitors joined us aboard including two beautiful pelicans and some friendly seals asking the crew for treats! What an enjoyable journey across the bay as dolphins swam alongside us following closely for the majority of the cruise.
Shortly after docking, we made our way to a place called Sandwich Harbor where the towering sand dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean. In what felt like a Namibian 4x4 roller coaster ride, we were awestruck at the landscapes and sceneries enroute to our destination. It is a magnificent wilderness devoid of any human settlements, with towering sands on one side, and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. Each of us felt our inner child emerge as we excitedly scurried up a high dune to witness the sands meeting the ocean. The sight was beyond stunning!
The day came for us to journey to Etosha National Park, Namibia’s premier safari area. In the afternoon, we arrived at Etosha Safari Camp where we experienced what seemed like a complete digital detox for 3 days. Being in such a remote location prevented us from reliable use of Wi-Fi, cell service, or communication to the outside world. This was an opportunity to relax and completely enjoy the desert in our isolated cabins. Our game drives began in search of Africa’s Big Five: elephants, leopards, buffalo, lions, and black rhinos! It was an exciting day as we watched groups of African animals congregate in their natural habitat. We watched Kudu run alongside us, elephant herds crossing the road between us, and jackals feasting on the carcass of a lion’s leftover meal. At the watering holes, we watched countless zebras, giraffe, springbok, ostrich, and wildebeest quench their thirst in the desert heat.
As we moved on from Etosha, our journey led us to our final accommodation, which was the most stunning of the entire trip. The Okonjima Plains Camp is a charming lodge where you can experience a mini safari from the comfort of your own room, go to bed with the bright stars above, and wake up to the sight of giraffes wandering outside in plain sight. Okonjima is home to the AfriCat Foundation which is a protected nature reserve dedicated to the education and long-term protection and conservation of Africa’s wildlife and nature.
Our last activity was a thrilling leopard tracking adventure through Okonjima’s dry riverbank. Here we tracked down a beautiful leopard named Mawenzi who was resting in the foliage after a hard-earned meal. Content with our interaction with the sleepy leopard, we proceeded to our final African sundowner. It was a sight to behold and a truly unique life experience where we enjoyed our last drinks in the beautiful plains of Okonjima.
African safaris are arguably the most exciting and soul-stirring vacation experiences one can ever have. Africa is truly magical, enough so that we find ourselves returning time and time again. It was worth every penny we spent there, certain that we would return in due time.
If you ever need African safari services, please contact LBEtravelandtours.com for a truly magical experience! We create Trips Of A Lifetime!
Written by Nida and Jeff Esquieres
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