Papageno111

Hello everyone

We are planning five weeks in November/December as a self-drive tour of the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Namibia, starting and ending point is CPT, in total there are 42 travel days (including arrival and departure.

You can see our route planning below. Everything is built around the six days in the Kahalari Transfrontier Day, a must for us. Everything is more or less fixed at the beginning as well as the three nights in the Kogelberg NR towards the end (RT 18-29) and then the conclusion (probably in accommodation near the Atlantic on the Cape Peninsula).

Our questions for you:

How do you rate the route in general?

Which route would you choose between Vioolsdrif (SA/NAM border) and Lüderitz. I already know the route via Hobas (FRC) and Seeheim, but my travel partner doesn't yet. I didn't find the Fish River Canyon that impressive at the time, and you're not allowed to go down at that time of year anyway. Now we are considering an alternative route from Viollsdrif via Aussenkehr and Rosh Pina. In any case, one more day could be invested at the expense of the Kalahari Tented Camp. What do you think?

What do you recommend for the 11 days of travel between KTP and Kogelberg? Our original plan (below V1): Augrabie Falls - Cederberge - Cape Agulhas/Hermanus. The whole thing would be more desert-like and hot and dry. So that we can get a little more green and warm Indian Ocean, we are now thinking about leaving out the Augrabie Falls (I don't think it's that great) and the Cederberge (with a heavy heart) and driving down from the KTP further east via N10/N12, for example to the George area then turn west towards CPT (V2). So we could, among other things, take the Karoo NP, Swartberg Pass, Meiringspoort, Strausse in Oudshorn, Wilderness Beach and (as in the first variant) De Hoop NP and Cape Agulhas. What do you think about the two variants? Is B ev too ambitious in terms of distance? Do you see any alternatives that I don't see?


Many thanks in advance for all tips and suggestions for improvement



1 departure ZRH-CPT
2 Arrival CPT morning
3 CPT
4 CPT
5 Darling (Dalinglodge)
6 The Baths, Citrusdal
7 The Baths, Cirtursdal
8 The Baths, Citrusdal
9 Springbok
10 Hobas (Fish River Canyon)
11 Luderitz
12 Luderitz
13 Tiras Mountains (Namtib Desert Lodge)
14 Tiras Mountains (Namtib Desert Lodge)
15 Sesriem/Sossusvlei (accommodation?)
16 Sesriem Sossusvlei
17 7.B. Mariental (“transfer stop to KTP)
18 KTP: Kalahari Tented Camp
19 KTP: Urikaruus
20 KTP: Urikaruus
21 KTP: Urikaruus
22 KTP: Kilie Disease
23 KTP: Kilie Disease

24 V1: Augrabie Falls NP V2: "Transfer stop" e.g. in Prieska
25 V1: Augrabie Falls NP V2: Karoo NP (Beaufort West)

26 V1: Area around Niewoudtville ("transfer stop") V2: Karoo NP (Beaufort West)
27 V2: Cederberg NR (Algeria) V2: Ooudthorn (ostriches/excursions)
28 V1: Cederberg NR (Algeria) V2: Oudshorn (ostriches/excursions)
29 V1 Cederberg NR (Algeria) V2: Oudtshorn (ostriches/excursions)
30 V1: Montagu V2: Wilderness Beach
31 V1: De Hoop NR V2: Wilderness Beach
32 V1: De Hoop NR V2: Wilderness Beach
33 V1: De Hoop NR V2: De Hoop NP
34: V1: Hermanus V2: De Hoop NP


35: V1: Kogelberg NR
36: V1: Kogelberg NR
37: V1: Kogelberg NR
38: Cape Peninsula (accommodation TBD, ev Scarborugh or Llandudno)
39: Cape Peninsula (accommodation TBD, ev Scarborugh or Llandudno)
40: Cape Peninsula (accommodation TBD, ev Scarborugh or Llandudno)
41: Departure CPT evening
42: Arrival ZRH tomorrow

lunasiatica

hi we went 2 years ago 24 days in Namibia with self driving tour
the roads are okay in Namibia, but as we didn't do same trip you mentioned maybe different?
asphalt roads are everywhere, easy to fin the way as sign roads, but need a good map! gravel roads some are okay some less, but you can't drive fast in any case

sesriem: we went on sesriem camp who is inside the area so mean that you can wake up early and be first to dune 45 to see sun rise ! and this is worth it indeed! so it's a big camping site with showers and all you need and also a restaurant. near also some lodges. if you sleep outs the area you have to wait 7.00 AM to enter and long long queue in the morning to get inside. so get up early!

you must reserve sesriem camp 6 or more months before as everybody wants to go there! you can book through their website or others platformsSesriem Campsite: ~0km from the entrance to Sossusvlei ~60km from Sossusvlei

Sesriem camp offers 44 camp sites and is one of only two camps inside of the Namib Naukluft Reserve. Visitors to this camp have the advantage of being able to drive to the dunes before the sunrise. Sossusvlei and Deadvlei are 60 km from the campsite.

as you will get up early to be at sun rise dune 45 and maybe clip it and go to dead valid you will be tiered so sleep there 2 nights, one day arrival and one day of visit!
enjoy Namibia!