ON THE ROAD - KUNENE NOT KEROUAC

If you only had a week to spend in Namibia, I would urge you to spend it in the remote Kunene region. This is a landscape so diverse and awe inspiring that it defies the most capable photographer armed with his favourite wide-angled lens. Composing a panorama in an environment like the Hartmann’s valley is like trying to point out zebra five thousand from the left in a Serengeti migration. You need time just to let your spatial awareness catch up with your staggered depth perception.

Our journey began in Windhoek, a city that maintains its wide, clean avenues with a mix of Afri-European pride, it is effectively a sensory smoke screen which provides no clue as to what lies beyond the surrounding mountains. The good tar road out to the coast and Swakopmund is a very gentle introduction to the wide open and empty spaces that make up most of the country. Fresh oysters from Walvis Bay and grilled Kingklip from the plankton rich waters of the cold Atlantic remind you that the real wealth of Namibia lies in its coastal waters.

By sunrise the following morning we were camped in the shadow of the Brandberg mountain, a monolith requiring three days to summit. This was the start of the rhino trail and the crossing of that line between touring and expedition, where Africa starts to get under your skin. I have the attention span of a goldfish and when I begin to enjoy the intrinsic value of each moment without mentally skipping ahead to the next destination or experience then I know that something special is happening.

To be perfectly honest, by the second day of waking up to crystal clear desert skies with the scent of fresh rain still obvious in the air, I had a persistent inner voice suggesting that I move to the region at once and do nothing for the next two years but try and understand the vast beauty around me.

So I have established that there is a place where your camera will fail you, words will become pointless and you may find yourself talking to strange inner voices, sound interesting?

The trail led us further north via the Bushman petroglyphs at Twyfelfontein to the massive Palmwag concession and an outstanding rhino moment with the Save the Rhino Trust trackers. After a very light rain fell, a curious black rhino bull delivered a series of mock charges over a ten minute period. This will be an enduring memory for us, although I suspect not for him.

If time had not been an issue, we could easily have continued our 360km journey north to the border without meeting another vehicle. That fact alone warrants some thought, this is the edge of the known safari universe. If you aren’t travelling with your camp on your back, there won’t be any lodge to check into on your arrival. It would be naïve to consider yourself a true pioneer on planet earth these days, but if they ever make an unchartered territories theme park, it will look just like north west Namibia.

Exploration of the magnificent Hoanib and Hoarusib river beds led to desert adapted elephant in both. Unlike his destructive family members in other parts of Africa, the desert elephant understands the concept of living wood as a finite resource. It is fascinating to see how the small herds of elephant in this part of the continent manage their natural habitat, it sets the tone perfectly for a low impact mobile expedition.

After leaving the support crew to break camp in Puros, we followed the Hoarusib river further into Himba territory. The Himba are a group of nomadic pastoralists with a troubled past, no interest in recognised national borders and a penchant for ochre and copper jewellery. With the aid of a ‘Footballs for Fun’ soccer ball, we organised a match which was definitely a first for most of the players. It could be a while before you see Kaokoveld FC in the league.

Our final night of wild camping was alongside a dry river bed close to the locally famous waypoint of Red Drum. By now the idea of sleeping in a tent seemed inappropriate and the crackling fire offered more than enough security. It would have been easy enough to fall asleep if the mesmerising blanket of stars hadn’t made it almost impossible to close your eyes. If the landscape dwarfs you by day, the borderless star-filled skies make you feel positively irrelevant by night.

The final day was spent in the grazing rich Hartmann’s Valley where we witnessed huge herds of springbok, oryx and the annual ostrich conference. After days of desert and dry river beds, the Kunene river is a dramatic finishing line. Palm trees, goliath herons, rapids, a boat ride that felt like a magic carpet and the first chance we had, we climbed onto quad bikes and made straight for the nearest sand dunes for our last fix of what we had really come for, wildest Africa.

Palmwag Travel Shop offer a number of small group departures into the Kunene region and also provide a fully bespoke service.

Ben Forbes