Mrad & Inge's 60+ Namibia KAOKOLAND: D9: Enyandi Camp

An overview of our travels along the Kunene.

This post covers the last third of the journey from Ruacana to Epupa Falls.

D9: Enyandi Camp - Epupa Falls (52km)

In the light of morning, we explore our campsite better. The river's water was much higher than the previous evening. Apparently this was due to the opening of the Ruacana Dam's sluices.

We found a lonely loo standing on the river bank - broken. Cornelius told us that they had wanted to install it. Instead, the campsite still had an enclosed longdrop (very functional providing one aims well)!

At a distance, our campsite.

Cornelius' friend gave me permission to take a photo of his headdress - an amazing creation.

Cornelius gave us wire (meant for the future camp fence) to fix our ailing runner board. Just look at the way in which his Himba friend is leaning on his walking stick - a typical posture we saw with many Himba men.

While the runner board was being fixed, Cornelius saw the twig of Tamarisk which I had put on our dashboard. He took the opportunity to explain to me that the Himba use powdered Tamarisk to treat burn wounds. Interesting!

After fond greetings, we left for our next adventurous day. Quite soon after leaving, we had to get out of the car and decide on the best route to travers this downhill section.

Soon after the rough steep downhill we had to cross a sandy riverbed.

Then there was a rock which had to be removed in the road.

With all the twisting of the car, needlessly to say, the runner board acted up again!

The slow travelling gave us plenty of time to enjoy the scenery next to the river.

Some fun and games - the road was directly next a side-stream; it consisted mainly of powder fine silt that had washed onto the banks of the river. Such silt gives no purchase and we slipped down the embankment (only a little, but enough to give me a major fright!) Can you see our tracks right in front of Mrad?

We hacked away some branches so that Tom could squeeze past us in order to stabilize our car when we climbed back onto the road.

The only evidence left after the "drama": some tyre tracks!

Some of the beauties of Kunene Valley which we saw next: white stemmed Commiphora,

Angola across the river,

Himba huts dotted here and there,

the wreck shown on Track4Africa map,

the "stripy" Zebra Mountains,

trees of different shapes and sizes,

contrasting colours and textures -

a veritable feast for the eyes!

Oops! Now Tom's runnerboard has decided to AWOL!

While this problem was being sorted out, we saw a donkey and rider coming down the road.
Just look at the rider's position! What a good way to keep the sun out of your eyes!
He turned around once he spotted us!