August 27th - Day 24

Another change to the route. Late last night we agreed with John and Elaine Chambers to miss out on going to the Germanic town, Luderitz, on the Atlantic coast, and go to Keetmanshoop where the tour will be stopping in two days time, for one night only. We will stay there for two nights so that we have a full day to see one of the highlights of the tour, Fish River Canyon. We will also reduce the distance we need to travel over the next two days by 150 kms.

Back to today's route. Everyone was up early to drive about 60 kms to see incredible Namibian sand dunes at Sossusvlei, an area about 100 kms from the sea.

The beautiful sand dunes of Nambia, definitely one of the highlights of the tour

The sand dunes which now stretch for hundreds of kilometres along the Atlantic coast have been created by sand that has been washed down to the sea by the Orange River, 1,000 kms to the south. Sea currents have then carried the sand along the coast and finally the wind has created the dunes. They are the most stunningly beautiful sight you can imagine. Great waves of sand, in a myriad of different colours, that rise hundreds of feet to their peaks. Sharp ridges form on the edge of each dune, that snake their way to the tops, creating wonderfully graceful lines. The colour, every shade of orange and red imaginable, is quite different on the sunlit side to the area in shadow.

There is a parking place by a dune called Dune 45. It is a hard walk up the dune but then a fast run down the side!

Dune 45 with members of the tour climbing to the top

We spent a couple of hours in the dunes before heading south for our lunch stop at a castle, in the middle of nowhere, built by a German count and his American wife in 1909. Duwisib Castle is now a national monument and is being restored. It stands in the middle of the African countryside as a statement to Germanic military might. It is the last thing you expect to see! 

Duwisib Castle, Namibia

 

From Duwisib our route south-east took us away from the tour which headed for Luderitz. How lucky we were to have made the decision to go a different way. The road for the next 200 kms was through the most spectacular scenery, We rose to over 1,800 metres and climbed into a region that is virtually uninhabited. On the whole journey we only encountered five cars and none of them going our way! Great plains that have been cut up by rivers and flat topped mountains stretched into the distance. Definitely, Africa is the most wonderful place.

The final 100 kms was on they smoothest gravel you could imagine, an, added bonus to the journey. We then met the Ludertitz to Keetsmanhoop road and within an hour we were at our hotel. We were delighted to meet up with the 'advance' car driven by Arne and Ingbrit Hertz. They have been doing the route one or two days in advance and reporting back on any route changes. It ensures that we are able to keep to our very tight and, at times, hectic schedule.

A day at Fish River Canyon tomorrow which is about 160 kms south of Keetmanshoop.