Fish River Canyon

We left Aus Klein Vista and started making our way back to South Africa.  We traveled to the southeast through the barren Tsamsvlakte Plains and then on to the remote Fish River Canyon in the Canyon National Park (West) which is part of the Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park straddling the borders of Namibia and South Africa.

Fish River Canyon is similar in grandeur to the Grand Canyon but not quite as deep or as long.  Even so, it is 160km long and up to 27km wide and the inner canyon, which reaches a depth of 550m, was still spectacular.  We stayed at a luxury resort, the Fish River Lodge, literally on the edge both of the canyon and civilization. 

The view from our room was breathtaking and the enormous scope of landscape in front of us was truly one of Mama Africa Nature’s most amazing natural wonders.  The Fish River Lodge was a welcome retreat for two days from the never ending dust and bumping along through the desert in the Cruiser!!

I, of course, was fascinated by the Quiver Trees which grow in this arid region of southern Namibia and northern South Africa.  They are members of the Aloe genus with a thickset, almost scaly trunk and a dense rounded crown of what resemble clusters of aloe plants.  The San bushmen once used the soft branches as quivers for their arrows.

On one of the evenings while at Fish River Lodge, I went for a short hike to a lookout point.  I walked through a small quiver tree forest and on to the view point where visitors had built unique cairns that added an interesting perspective to the view.

We said a fond farewell to the staff at the Fish River Lodge who, the night before, had treated us to an evening of traditional song and dance that started with an African rendition of Happy Birthday for one of the guests.  The response was so positive that they went on to sing for another 30 minutes.  We really enjoyed the impromptu entertainment and the talent that these, like most, Africans had when it comes to music and harmonizing.

We made our way on through the desert via Rosh Pinah, a copper mining town that appeared to be temporary although it has quite a place holder on the map, and then into the Ai-Ais National Park.  Unfortunately, the very cool rocks I had collected at Terrace Bay were confiscated as no rocks may leave Namibia, unless of course you work for the diamond industry.  I was quite disappointed and just hope the ranger who took them thought they were as cool as I did.

In Ai-Ais we experienced more fascinating geological formations and stopped along the way for a desert picnic.

  

We also finally got to see the Tsamma melons we had, heard so much about, that appear to sprout out of nowhere as a result of the desert rains.

Tsamma Melons

The cattle in Namibia are very colorful.  I thought I would add this one to the blog for my Uncle Floyd and brother Scott who raise the basic - Black Angus.

Marius and I also enjoyed seeing the road graders, as I come from a family of road graders, who have so many kilometers of gravel roads to maintain that they set out for weeks pulling their accommodation behind them.  These two were having breakfast when we passed by.

We soon reached the life-giving Orange River which forms the border between Namibia and South Africa.  We re-entered South Africa at the Noordoewer/Vioolsdrif border post, spent the evening in Springbok and drove back through the wine region during the 2014 harvest.

The Orange River flowing through Ai-Ais

Namibian side of Orange River.  Labor camps for the local vineyards.

Border post at Vioolsdrif

Harvest time in South Africa

A load of grapes at Excelsior Winery

De-stemming at De Krans Wines in Calitzdorp

There was a power and might about Namibia that was experienced as we drove through its landscape.  Everything we saw left an indelible mark on our souls.  Many a night we sat in awe under the fairy-lit night sky.  Nothing quite prepared us for what we encountered as we traveled through Nambia – magic and mysteries, brilliance and bleakness, hardship and abundance.  It was truly a spectacular journey!!

Aus, Namibia

Continuing south, our next stop was Aus and the Klein Aus Vista.  We stayed in the Eagle’s Nest Chalets.  Each chalet was built into the side of the mountain and were so well camouflaged that it took Marius’ eagle eye to find them from a distance.  Our chalet called The Wall, had one entire wall made from a giant boulder that had fallen from the cliff face above. 

Klein Aus Vista

The Wall at Eagle's Nest Chalets

Built to blend into the surroundings

Aus village was formerly the site of a prisoner of war camp established by the South African army in 1915 to house German inmates captured during the First World War.  The inmates initially lived in tents but later built brick houses. The number of prisoners reached 1500 but by May 1919 the last inmates left and the camp closed. A plaque marks the site today and some of the houses have been reconstructed.

The area west of Aus is noted for its herd of Namib Desert Horses a rare feral horse found in the Namib Desert.  It is probably the only feral herd of horses residing in Africa, with a population ranging between 90 and 150. The Namib Desert Horse is athletic in appearance, resembling the European light riding horses from which it probably descends, and usually dark in color. Despite the harsh environment in which they live, the horses are generally in good condition, except during times of extreme drought. The horses have been the subject of several population studies, which have given significant insight into their population dynamics and ability to survive in desert conditions.

The origin of the Namib Desert Horse is unclear, though several theories have been put forward. Genetic tests have been performed, although none to date have completely verified their origin. The most likely ancestors of the horses are a mix of riding horses and cavalry horses, many from German breeding programs, released from various farms and camps in the early 20th century, especially during World War I.  Whatever their origin, the horses eventually congregated in the Garub Plains, near Aus, the location of a man-made water source. They were generally ignored by humans, except for the periodic threat of eradication due to the possibility that they were destroying native herbivore habitat, until the 1980s. In 1984, the first aerial survey of the population was made, and in 1986, their traditional grazing land was incorporated into the Namib-Naukluft Park.  At several points, some horses have been removed from the herd, including the removal and sale of over one-third of the population in 1992. Since the early 1990s, close records of the population have been kept, and studies have been performed to determine the horses' effect on their environment. Despite being considered an exotic species within the park, they are allowed to remain due to their ties to the country's history and draw as a tourist attraction.

Afternoon Thunderheads

Great picnic site under a lone tree.

A "deluxe" horse drawn cart.

The Namib Sand Sea

On the way to Sossusvlei we passed the Tropic of Capricorn and some spectacular geological formations as well as home decorating schemes.

The Namib Sand Sea in the Namib-Naukluft Park

In June 2013 the Namib Sand Sea was named as a World Heritage Site for

-  superlative natural phenomenon and outstanding natural beauty

-  exceptional example of natural ongoing geological processes

-  globally significant ongoing ecological and biological processes

-  in situ conservation of species of outstanding universal value

The Namib-Naukluft Park, covering an area of nearly 50,000 square kilometers, is one of the largest nature reserves on our planet.  At Sossusvlei, in the park’s southern reaches, drifting, mountainous sand dunes cover the Namib Desert, the world’s oldest desert in grandeur and glory.

A road tracks the course of the dried up Tsauchab riverbed from Sesriem through a valley of soaring sand peaks to reach the most famous of the dunes at Sossusvlei.  Here, mighty ridges reaching 300 meters and higher encircle a parched greyish-white clay pan or vlei.

The wind dictates the contours of the dunes, constantly rearranging the razor-edged slopes and corrugated plains, while the sun plays artist with colors and shadows.  Richly tinted flanks, from pale pink and apricot to vivid red and orange, make this a magical, moody landscape, particularly at sunrise when the color transformation is most dramatic.

Known as star dunes because they are formed by equally strong winds from different directions, the Sossusvlei dunes are reputed to be the worlds highest.  In fact, they are not free standing but rest on the 30 million year old Tsondab Sandstone terraces which are, themselves, the petrified remnants of a much older dune field from an ancient Namib.  Thus the landscape at Sossusvlei epitomizes two distinct desert epochs separated by a long period during which a more humid climate prevailed.