Heading slowly out of Namtib, we were lucky to have a bit of a game drive, spotting a herd of oryx fairly close to the road.
Oryx have the most incredible survival skills and can apparently go for weeks without drinking, relying on moisture from succulent roots, tubers, and desert grasses. Interestingly they can also regulate their body temperature in order to avoid loss of moisture through sweating and can raise their body temperature to 45 degrees!
We had a 2-hour drive to Betta for a refuel and picked up some snacks for lunch. We have discovered Wuma, an energy drink that is quite refreshing.
A bumpy ride on a rutted road followed and we were grateful for our aircon as it was over 40 degrees outside again. Despite this, some of us managed a solid nap! 🤣
We arrived at Sossusvlei Dune Lodge just after 2pm and the heat was dazzling. Not a tree in sight, only the comfort of the buildings which were still as hot as hell. It’s a striking place, balanced against the edge of nothing with endless walkways between the rooms and the main area. We seemed to be the only guests which was odd as Kyle said he’d been told they were fully booked.
We decided to have a cool drink and wallow in the pool for a bit which cooled us down. It was short lived though because by the time we’d strolled back into our room along the baking wooden pathway, we were suffering again
We headed out at 4h30pm ostensibly to visit Deadvlei, which would entail a lengthy walk along hostile hot dunes. Matt has been struggling with heat stroke so we were all relieved when it was suggested we rather visit the area in the cool of the morning. Thanks Matt!
Instead we explored the area around Dune 40 and 45. We were blessed with gorgeous light turning the sands dazzling orange. We were once again treated to fabulous clouds! We wandered around shooting isolated trees against burnt umber dunes.
Sossusvlei is located in Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft National Park, and is renowned for having some of the world’s tallest, oldest, and most vibrant red sand dunes (up to 5 million years old). Scenes you just don’t get tired of shooting.
We were lucky to see some more oryx and ostriches too.
Back to the lodge for dinner. This time, kingklip and “creepy (crêpé) Suzettes” 😂 which Johann surmised would be far more interesting than a lazy Susan.
We were absolutely shattered and fell into bed around 10. Stifling hot in the room, but grateful for a subtle breeze. We slept with all the doors and windows open so luckily there were no mosquitoes. I took my damp pool towel and used it as a blanket.
We were delighted that it was under 30 degrees in the early hours before sunrise. Reached Deadvlei by 6:30 and trekked about 20 mins over the dunes. A reasonably pleasant walk and I was so pleased we hadn’t attempted it the previous afternoon! We were the only people there for at least an hour. What a privilege.
Deadvlei is hailed as the world’s oldest living desert (a 900-year-old clay pan) and is a photography bucket list item. The trees died roughly 600–900 years ago, but due to the intense dry heat, they did not decompose or petrify. Instead, they became scorched to black in the sun, creating the haunting skeletons that lay before us.
Really, it was so nice to be back.
The startling white salt clay surface contrasts with the scorched petrified trees against the changing backdrop of oranges and golds and it’s overwhelming to know where to begin
We had loads of fun shooting and getting composition tips from Kyle and Jon. I managed to persuade a lovely Chinese lady (who turned out to be American) to pose for us between the ballerina trees.
By 10am we decided to walk out as it was getting really warm and the tourists began flooding into the area. Aside from them wandering into every frame, it was annoying to see someone cavorting from the branches. 🫣 The crowds of tourists had arrived and there were lots of vehicles and people milling about by the time we drove away.
We drove a short distance to a shady picnic area below the Big Mama dune and had our packed breakfast of boiled eggs and of course, excellent coffee, courtesy of VentureKJ.
I fed the little birds my bread roll. Turned out they were so thirsty, they even tried to drink from Kyle’s unattended mug of coffee 😢
We gave them some water too.
Serious heat was starting to build so we returned home and headed for the pool until it was time to go off for lunch at a nearby lodge.
(We noted that the price of Malawi Shandys varies across Namibia. At our resort we got charged for each drop of bitters at N$6 per drop 😱. These were half the price.)
We enjoyed delicious Caesar salads and “humburgers”. Rosie bought a super new hat in the gift shop and I had fun watching some tame guinea fowl grooming themselves in the dust.
We had a quick stop to admire a herd of oryx, then it was back home and another desperately needed swim. It’s too hot in the cabin, so we’ve moved into the pool!
By 4:30pm we were all off again. I decided to wear water-soaked clothes and headgear in order to stave off the heat. Poor Matt had succumbed to the heatstroke and opted to stay home.
Well the weather was definitely cooperative and as it is extremely rare to experience clouds over Deadvlei, we raced across, pausing only for Kyle to rescue a German couple who had gotten stuck in the soft sand, and to admire an oryx on a dune.
Although it was definitely rather warm when we set off for the hike across the dunes, it was considerably better than it would’ve been the day before. Plus the promise of a cloudy sky was hugely motivating as we ploughed our way through the soft dunes.
We were so lucky to be the only people there. It was quite magical in fact. Even eerily quiet if you moved off on your own. The setting sun sent different patterns of light and shadow across the trees and the silver of the dry marsh. I was delighted to capture the flurry of a dust storm, turning the area into something mysterious.
I spent some time tracing the old river, so silent that it hurt my ears. The dunes were a burnished red that seemed over-saturated. The sky played along with lovely moody clouds beginning to build. The light reflecting off the trees was truly magnificent. We all darted about chasing the moving light and the steadily building clouds. There were endless combinations of dune, tree, cloud and textured ground.
We had to be out by sunset, including the hike out of the area. It was almost impossible to drag ourselves away as the clouds began to turn pink. “Award winning pics” for sure!
An hour back to camp in time for a dinner of coleslaw tacos and beef steak, followed by crème brûlée.
Fell into bed. Madly hot, so I wrapped myself in a soaked towel, aimed the fan at my bed and then woke up shivering around midnight on a sopping wet mattress. I had to snuggle up in two duvets! A much better problem to have in my opinion.
SATURDAY
Departed by 6am to shoot “clichéd” (to quote Kyle) S-curves on the dunes 😁
Again my camera required me to get much closer, so Kyle walked with me to get nearer to the dunes and then suggested I stroll across to Dune 40 afterwards, where we’d be shooting next. Well it turned out to be more than a stroll! More like a 2km walk but luckily it was cool and flat and I felt like the only person on the planet!
Paused to watch some hot air balloons making a safe landing and then headed back to the lodge for a great bacon and egg brekkie before packing up and departing by 9h30 for Mariental on C19.
We reached Maltahöhe by midday, and then drove onwards for lunch at the Mariental Spur. I had avo on toast and Geoff ordered nachos. Departed just after 2pm.
We began entering the most fantastic area known as the Giants’ Playground which is characterised by unusual rock formations and quiver trees
It really is a geological phenomenon. Amazing to see the way the series of dolerite boulders have been packed as though a giant toddler was tossing them around.
“The ‘playground’ is said to have been formed about 180 million years ago, when Pangea was starting to separate, and the massive natural disruption on the earth’s surface caused some profound disturbances.”
“In the area surrounding these rock formations, molten magma pushed its way through the cracks of the surface rock. This led to an entirely different situation. After another couple of million years, the sedimentary rocks (that were pushed aside to make room for the dolerite) began to erode.
This in turn, exposed the harder rock that was hidden underneath. Adding another few thousand years of water, wind and heat eventually these rock formations were polished and smoothed out.”
We checked in at rustic “Mesosaurus Fossil camp”. Met Hendrik and later his charming Dad who explained that he was the “youngest fossil” in the area 😁
We all had cute A-frame rustic accommodation and even a double bed! No electricity or wifi, but solar power for lighting. No idea how these places have running water as it is so dry.
Lucky for us the clouds had been building all day so when we set off to the Quiver forest for a sunset shoot we couldn’t have been happier with the amazing skies and even a hint of rainbow! We’ve decided that Ana’s threat of having a strong plan B (i.e. to sit down with a couple of G&Ts if conditions aren’t perfect) have kept the boring skies at bay.
The Quiver Tree Forest (Kokerboomwoud) is a unique, natural landscape featuring hundreds of ancient Aloe dichotoma trees, primarily located near Keetmanshoop. These “trees” are actually giant succulents growing up to 9m tall, are often 200-400 years old and were used by the San people for making quivers, resulting in their name.
We shot obsessively til dusk when we were able to enjoy a dramatic pink, orange and purple sunset.
Back at camp, Hendrik welcomed us with a wood fire and the smell of lamb chops sizzling on the braai. What could be better? Oh yes freshly baked, still warm farm bread. Rosie was impressed with her veggie option of a filled baked butternut. Possibly one of the best meals we had!
Off to bed by 10 (for me) but the intrepid group set off for an intense session of Astro, only getting back after 2am!
Settings for Astrophotography
Milky Way
Manual Mode
Aperture wide as possible 2.8
1/25 shutter speed.
ISO 3200
Shutter speed is calculated using the “Rule of 500”, a photography guideline used in astrophotography to calculate the maximum shutter speed (in seconds) allowed before stars begin to show as trails, rather than sharp points, due to the Earth’s rotation. It is calculated as 500/Focal Length = Maximum exposure time (s)
A second shot of the foreground was taken for blending later
Manual Mode
Aperture wide as possible 2.8
4 min (240s) shutter speed.
ISO 1600
Star Trail
There are 2 ways : multi image or single shot
Multi image which we used in Namtib uses the same settings as for the Milky Way
Manual Mode
Aperture wide as possible 2.8
1/25 shutter speed.
ISO 3200
Then you use the Intervalometer feature Sony AC7ii interval timer 1”, Sony RX100v11 0”
Take at least 80 shots but more the merrier or set at 999 and stop when ready. Geoff’s battery went flat after 165 shots
Single image which we used at the quiver tree forest.
Manual Mode
Aperture up to 4 or 5.6.
ISO 200 (depends on ambient light)
Shutter speed up to 45 mins with noise reduction on which then takes a further 45 minutes to process. The Sony can only do maximum 15 min, so Geoff set a timer on his watch and took a shot immediately after the previous one finished. He couldn’t put noise reduction on as he couldn’t wait for the processing time as this would leave 15 gap in the star trail. But because he didn’t have to wait for the processing time, he took 6 x 15 min exposures.
SUNDAY
A later than usual (8am) meet up for brekkie in order to accommodate the star-gazers, then we packed up and departed by 10.
We headed towards the famous Fish River canyon. We drove past the Naute Dam and then over a low water bridge before we saw a place that looked like a ‘padstal’ (farm stall). It turned out to be the Naute Kristall Distillery where award winning gins are produced – well now, that sounded like the perfect place to stretch our legs before continuing on. A gin tasting followed by coffee and some carrot cake. Met a nice cat and bought an unusual gin liqueur that was paired with guava. What is it with Namibians and guavas?
Just in time for lunch, the funky Canyon Roadhouse popped up on the C37, roughly 30 minutes away from the Fish River Canyon. It is an utopia for petrolheads and houses the Gondwana Collection – a comprehensive fleet of not only classic cars from the mid 20th Century but also motorbikes, trucks, a tractor or two, some old plaques from steam trains, and other transport paraphernalia, like old number plates.
We amused ourselves reading the cheeky signs and found ourselves having to purchase a round of drinks when we lifted the trapdoor covering the privates of a the handsome male model pictured on a poster in the ladies restroom, thus sounding an alarm at the main bar!
Boiling hot by the time we reached Hobas Lodge, a mere 10km from the Fish River Canyon’s main view-site.
Even the local staff said it was unusually warm. We heard that Cape Town was also experiencing a heatwave, with records being broken as temperatures reached 46 degrees!
Fortunately the lodge had a pool which helped cool us down temporarily.
We headed off in a rush for our sunset shoot to the canyon. A storm was approaching which made it doubly exciting.
Wow! Geoff and I haven’t been here before and it’s quite spectacular. It was formed over 500 million years ago by tectonic plate shifts that caused a massive fracture in the Earth’s crust. Subsequent erosion by glaciers, followed by millions of years of incision by the Fish River created Africa’s largest canyon (and the world’s second-largest.) It stretches 161 km long, up to 27 km wide, and reaches depths of nearly 550 m, offering spectacular hiking trails and staggering views.
We wandered around shooting into the canyon and the horizon as the sun set. Moody clouds and distant rain and thunder storms added to the atmosphere.
A quick tyre change and then back home by 8 for dinner of chicken cordon bleu and oryx steak.
I know I have complained about the heat at every venue, but it was so hot and stuffy that when we returned to our room I opened all the windows and door to cool the place down.
There was no breeze at all and then we were suddenly overwhelmed by a swarm of locusts. We spent the next hour trying to catch them and return them outside, which meant closing all the windows and doors again and turning our room into an oven. Thank goodness for mossie nets, as the ones we couldn’t catch at least couldn’t jump on us. Geoff retired to the swimming pool to recover.
Needless to say I couldn’t sleep in that heat. Managed maybe 3 hours off and on, getting up repeatedly to walk under the shower in my pajamas in an attempt to cool down. Even breathing was hard as the air felt solid. Geoff, on the other hand, slept like a log – still exhausted from the previous night of Astro.
MONDAY
I couldn’t decide if it was a relief or a curse when the alarm went off for the sunrise shoot. I’ve never been so happy to get into an air conditioned car!
Gorgeous pink clouds and defined craggy mountains welcomed us. The Fish River snakes around in a silvery horse shoe, reflecting the orange skies and is crazily photogenic with its foreground of peaks and valleys.
We left at 9h30 after breakfast in crazy heat, but it was such a relief to escape the oven-like room. We headed for the border towards Ai-Ais. A couple of quick stops for photos, as this is such a picturesque part of the world, featuring date plantations and stunning mountains, although our Chief Photographer chided us for taking pictures in the midday sun.
We all met at Wimpy for a drink and a bite and of course to use the WiFi! Then we headed back through the border to Kamieskroon. Arrived around 3pm. Still stiflingly warm. All happy to have a well-deserved, afternoon sleep.
Around 4pm we wandered over to the hotel for a refreshing G&T in the shade. Later we strolled across to the restaurant commenting on how insanely warm it was at almost 7pm, only to be greeted by a roaring fire in the hearth next to our table! Clearly the locals aren’t finding it that hot. 😂
The staff were very accommodating as we relocated their furniture in order to sit outside in the relative cool. Our last dinner together consisted of a delicious starter of roosterbrood and salad, followed by lamb shanks or bobotie. Rosie had a veg lasagne. We finished things off with a bottle of Amarula (as you do).
Our bedroom was stifling, so we slept with the door open and on top of the duvet which meant that this time we did get munched by mossies.
TUESDAY
Left promptly at 6h30 and headed to Vanrhynsdorp for coffee and brekkie. At last some deliciously cooler weather 
.
Grateful to be delivered safely to our door by Jon..
Til next time Namibia! It’s been real! Huge thanks to Jon and Kyle for a hugely professional and exceptionally fun trip with amazing people!
Photography friends – you really want to do a trip with VentureKJ!
