Thought I’d post up some details of a planned trip in a few weeks time.
Have been to Namibia once before, and I know Windhoek beer is the best in Africa, so that’s one important thing sorted.
I have just sourced a Suzuki 450 DLR - think that’s what it’s called - for a week - from Windhoek airport. Will probably head upto Swakopmund - for some dune buggying, maybe a skydive too. Next up will be Etosha game reserve - where I assume I won’t get in on a motorbike :w00t: so will probably stay outside an jump in with a few game drives…
Then back to Windhoek - before a flight to Cape Town for a weeks proper rest - will need it after biking in the heat of a desert for a week.
Anyone got any useful tips - please post them up. Think most of the roads will be gravel and I will be seeking to avoid proper sand - as it’s no much fun in my experience…
Might even invest in a map - maybe a GPS - given the fact that you wrong and the next town might be 100 miles away…
BL
(Don’t ask for photos - no camera other than my phone, which I don’t know how to use, though I might get lucky and meet some travelers who can put some on FB for me…)
100m? If it was I wouldn’t have minded! Try half a frigging mile :w00t: Suspect the Suzuki is a bit better suited to the soft stuff than a CBF though. Or a Tiger for that matter…seem to remember you having more than a little difficulty yourself pmsl
Here the guys I hired the bike off…they do tours too if anyone’s interested, though way too expensive for me :w00t: Seriously looking forward to this now I have hotels booked too. Could have gone camping, but I don’t want to end up dinner to the local wildlife…
The majority of the roads will be tar. Straight and somewhat boring. Amazing sceanery though. Swakomund is nice and (germanic). Visit the seal colony. Luderitz is worth a visit as well, Bavarian chocolate box pretty with sand dunes in the streets. The old abandoned diamond towns are interesting. Etosha? just sit up by the waterholes and the animals come to you. The lodges there have improved a lot, used to be very,very basic.
Drove through Namibia last year, up to the Caprivi Strip (fabbo) then down into Botswana and the Okavango panhadle, then back out into Caprivi then exited into Zambia.
First visited Namibia 20 years ago, lots has changed more shops and petrol stations now!
Off to Zimbabwe in October…
Oh yes don’t make the mistake of going through the Namib desert in a sandstorm. I did that, the front of the car was sandblasted back to bare metal and all the glass frosted white. And I was three days drive away from Swapokmund where I could change the car. Buffed out a little slot in the windscreen with Solvol Autosol. - It worked you could actually see out.
Sandstorm? Blimey - might have to get some properish gear to wear? Knew I’d have to buy helmet and gloves - but was working on the premise that jeans and t-shirt was suffice - given I won’t be going over 50ish…and it’s going to be f*cking hot :w00t:
Nah don’t worry, the sandstorms were evidently due to a 20 year weather cycle. There was snow on hills, which I had not expected. And the desert down by Sosesvvleye was in full bloom bloom. Such a rare sight. There were huge big pools of water and people were swimming in it…
Nope, am riding through a desert on my tod :w00t: hence why I am sticking to tarmac, as an fixable breakdown would mean I would die fairly quickly…wish i had watched that Bear Grillis bloke a bit more on the TV.
pmsl
