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  • 8/6/2019 Drive Southern Africa. ISBN 9781770260085

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    60 TOP SITES

    96 CITY & TOWN MAPSCOMPREHENSIVE ROAD ATLAS

    DETAILED RESOURCE SECTION

    SOUTHERNAFRICA

    DRIVING ROUTES AROUND SOUTHERN AFRICA

    DRIVE

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    S

    SI

    ..

    SI

    GA

    SI

    ..

    M

    SW

    ..

    PI

    SW

    ..

    PI

    KA

    SI

    ..

    TO

    ..

    PI

    K

    ..

    SI

    SI

    ..

    M

    D

    ..

    PI

    DSI

    ..

    PI

    D

    SI

    36 & 37

    PICTURE ROUTE

    POLOKWANE TO CHIMANIMANI

    SITE EASTERN HIGHLANDS......................................................

    38 & 39

    SITE NORTHEASTERN FREE STATE

    SITE GREAT ZIMBABWE

    ......................................................

    40 & 41

    MAIN ROUTE INTRODUCTION

    CAPE TOWN TO VICTORIA FALLS

    ......................................................

    42 & 43

    PICTURE ROUTE

    OVERBERG TO MAPUTO

    ......................................................

    44 & 45

    PICTURE ROUTE

    SOUTH COAST TO MAPUTO

    SITE WILD COAST

    ......................................................

    46 & 47

    TOP SITE GARDEN ROUTE

    ......................................................

    48 & 49

    TOP SITE ZULULAND, MAPUTALAND

    & INHACA

    ......................................................

    50 & 51

    PICTURE ROUTE

    MAPUTO TO VICTORIA FALLS

    SITE MANA POOLS

    ......................................................

    52 & 53

    TOP SITE VICTORIA FALLS

    ......................................................

    54 & 55

    MAIN ROUTE INTRODUCTIONCAPE TOWN TO SWAKOPMUND

    ......................................................

    56 & 57

    PICTURE ROUTE

    WORCESTER TO GABORONE

    ......................................................

    4 & 5

    HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

    ......................................................

    6 & 7

    MAP OVERVIEW OF SITES

    ......................................................

    8 to 11

    BEST OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

    ROUTES12 & 13

    MAIN ROUTE INTRODUCTION

    CAPE TOWN TO GHANZI TOWN

    ......................................................

    14 & 15

    PICTURE ROUTE

    CAPE TOWN TO THE CEDERBERG

    ......................................................

    16 & 17

    PICTURE ROUTE

    WEST COAST TO WATERBERG

    PLATEAU PARK

    ......................................................

    18 & 19

    TOP SITE CAPE PENINSULA

    ......................................................

    20 & 21

    TOP SITE WEST COAST

    FLOWER ROUTE......................................................

    22 & 23

    PICTURE ROUTE

    ETOSHA TO GHANZI TOWN

    ......................................................

    24 & 25

    TOP SITE OKAVANGO DELTA

    ......................................................

    26 & 27MAIN ROUTE INTRODUCTION

    AI-AIS TO MUTARE

    ......................................................

    28 & 29

    PICTURE ROUTE

    ORANGE RIVER TO AUGRABIES FALLS

    CONTENTS

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    L

    ..

    MO

    O

    O

    ..

    Ot

    Ru

    Se

    Sw

    ..

    Ts

    Fr

    G

    Jw

    ..

    Ka

    M

    N

    Se

    ..

    Ch

    Ch

    GwKa

    ..

    Kw

    M

    M

    Vi

    ..

    B

    M

    N

    ..

    Q

    92 & 93

    MAIN ROUTE INTRODUCTION

    HARARE TO GORONGOSA

    ......................................................94 & 95

    PICTURE ROUTE

    HARARE TO NIASSA RESERVE

    SITE NORTHERN MOZAMBIQUE

    ......................................................

    96 & 97

    PICTURE ROUTE

    MAPUTO TO BEIRA

    SITE GORONGOSA NATIONAL PARK

    ......................................................

    98 & 99

    TOP SITE MOZAMBIQUE

    COASTLINE

    STREETPLANS100 & 101

    ORIENTATION MAP Southern Africa

    showing cities and towns covered

    Pretoria South Africa

    ......................................................

    102 & 103

    Cape Town South Africa

    Windhoek Namibia

    ......................................................

    104 & 105

    Gaborone BotswanaMaputo Mozambique

    ......................................................

    106 & 107

    Maseru Lesotho

    Mbabane Swaziland

    Harare Zimbabwe

    ......................................................

    108 & 109

    Johannesburg South AfricaPort Elizabeth South Africa

    East London South Africa

    ......................................................

    110

    Durban South Africa

    Pietermaritzburg South Africa

    Beira Mozambique

    Inhambane Mozambique

    ......................................................

    114

    Beaufort West South Africa

    Bethlehem South Africa

    Citrusdal South Africa

    Clanwilliam South Africa

    ......................................................

    115

    Colesberg South Africa

    George South Africa

    Estcourt South Africa

    Graaff-Reinet South Africa

    ......................................................

    116

    Grahamstown South Africa

    Knysna South Africa

    Kroonstad South Africa

    Ladysmith South Africa

    ......................................................

    117

    Lamberts Bay South Africa

    Mashishing South Africa

    Mossel Bay South Africa

    Musina South Africa

    ......................................................

    118

    Newcastle South Africa

    Oudtshoorn South AfricaPilgrims Rest South Africa

    Port Shepstone South Africa

    ......................................................

    119

    Richards Bay South Africa

    Rustenburg South Africa

    Sishen South Africa

    Springbok South Africa

    ......................................................120

    Stellenbosch South Africa

    St Lucia South Africa

    Strand South Africa

    Swellendam South Africa

    ......................................................

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    Grootfontein

    If you havent al

    Hoba meteorite

    worth a detour o

    Tsumeb. Turn of

    which has a trai

    Daan Viljoe

    If, after having

    in true wildern

    the civilisation

    wheel towards

    also p17) for y

    Augeigas dam

    and revel in ththorn trees wh

    sinking sun.

    Kaokoland and KuneneIn the Herero language, kaoko is

    left-hand side (of the river) while

    kunene is right-hand side, hence

    Kaokoland describes the land to

    the south of the river and Kunene

    implies any land to the north (that

    is Angola)

    SWAKOPMUND TOVICTORIA FALLS (ZAM

    Swakopmund 756km 893km

    National West Coast

    Recreation Area

    If youre not in a hurry and youre

    prepared to stop and smell the roses

    (in this case, actually, its the not-so-

    sweet-smelling seals), stop off at the

    Cape Cross Seal Reserve on the

    coast directly north of Swakopmund.The eared Cape fur seals are in fact

    not a true seal species; they belong

    to the sea lion family.

    Cunene/Kunene

    Win

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    5/16OkavangoDelta

    Cunene

    Zam

    bez

    iCaprivi

    GP

    KhaudomGR Chobe

    NPTsodilo

    Hills

    ManPoo

    Etosha NP

    Ruacana Falls

    ZAMBIA

    ZIMBABWE

    ANGOLA

    MaunGrootfontein Bulawayo

    Livingstone

    Masvin

    Rundu

    Katima

    Mulilo

    Victoria FallsRuacana

    Tsumeb

    Sesfontein

    H

    Lusaka

    Rundu

    Between Rundu and the Caprivi Strip,

    travellers will notice roadside stalls

    selling local Kavango handicrafts and

    carvings. The Kavango ingenuity is

    expressed in the form of stools,

    walking sticks, masks and wild ani-

    mals, all fashioned out of wild teak.

    Livingstone Island

    Having been taken to the island now

    named after him, David Livingstone

    wrote in his diary: [They] brought me

    to an island in the middle of the

    river, on the edge of the lip over

    which the water rolls. Creeping with

    awe to the verge, I peered down intoa large rent which had been made

    from bank to bank.

    The local Leya people of Zambia make offerings each February to the ancestral sp

    dwell in the Zambezis Batoka gorge. The Zimbabwean Tonga people are protecte

    rivergod, Nyaminyami.

    516km 193km 10km

    Victoria Falls

    Livingstone

    Katima Mulilo

    Rundu

    Via Zambia

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    BRANDBERG NATURE

    RESERVE

    From the B2 heading out of Swakopmund,

    the route peels off north towards

    Damaraland major 4x4 territory. Youre

    now in flat scrub country, so when the tallimposing Brandberg massif makes itself

    apparent on the horizon, it comes as a

    surprise to the senses. Why its called

    brandberg (burning mountain) is not at

    first evident, as its sometimes streaked

    grey-white, sometimes has reddish-hued

    potential (with a little imagination), and is

    sometimes pockmarked with tenacious

    trees. Its likely that at times the rock

    takes on a glow as it stands reflected inthe dying sun. Famous for its White Lady

    painting, Brandberg divulges a great many

    more to tenacious hikers. Best experi-enced on a multiple-day excursion, a local

    guide can help you track down the more

    elusive sites. Numas ravine cuts into the

    western face and will reveal rock art

    depicting a snake, giraffe and an antelope,

    with more paintings further along, near a

    spring On the eastern face the shelters

    TW

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    Ab

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    THE WHITE LADY

    You need to want to see this ancient paint-

    ing, especially when its a searing 40C

    (104F), as it demands an energy expend-

    ing walk together with a guide, which could

    take up to an hour if agility is not at the

    high end of your fitness scale. Its pro-tected by a railing but stands about 40cm

    (16in) tall. Speculation puts it at 16,000

    years old! At first believed to be a lady

    because of the figures long, straight, light-

    tinted hair this fact also confused early

    experts who professed her to follow the

    Cretan or Egyptian ar twork style its now

    possible that its a male decorated with

    painted clay in a shamanic situation.

    Tel: 00264 61 255 977/85 7000Email: [email protected]

    Website: www.nwr.com.na

    DAMARALANDBecause of its remoteness, this vast

    wilderness extending east of the Skeleton

    Coast Park and northward to Kaokoland

    can only be explored properly in a 4x4.

    None of the roads are tarred, sizable

    towns do not exist and western civilisation

    is present only in the form of lodges and

    Swakopmund to Sesfonte

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    SOUTH OF ETOSHA

    As you nose your dust trail ever north

    across Damaraland, its your overnight

    stops that break the monotony of the flat

    scrub landscape. The following, off theC35, are worth a look-see. Huab Lodges

    luxurious thatched bungalows sit on the

    banks of the Huab River (most times, dry),

    amid the granite kopjes of a private game

    reserve. Here, hot springs could lure you in

    place of the pool or you could be persua-

    ded to stay awhile for a game drive, guided

    hike or horse outride to rock paintings.

    Further north, Kavita Lion Lodge, bordering

    the southwest corner of Etosha, has bun-galows and a pool, but its appeal lies

    more in the guided walks and excursions

    into Etosha as well as Kaokoland. You will

    also come face to face with the rogue or

    injured lions that are nurtured here.

    Further west, near Etoshas border,

    Hobatere Lodges thatched bungalows,

    pool and waterhole are on the Otjovasandu

    River. The desert landscape of escarpment

    and valley has inspired some writers to

    PETRIFIED FOREST

    Closest of the sites in the vicinity of

    Khorixas is the Petrified Forest to the west

    not exactly a forest, rather a hillside

    of scattered broken fossilised logs, the

    longest measuring 30m (98ft) with a

    circumference of 6m (20ft). A local guidetakes you on a 500m (550yd) amble,

    explaining how the logs were thought to

    have been carried here by floodwaters

    from melting ice some 260 million years

    ago. The logs, soaked through with water

    rich in silica (a form of quartz) over time

    were preserved in perfect form take

    a close look at the bark and concentric

    rings in cross-section.

    Tel: 00264 61 250 558Email: [email protected]

    Website: www.nacobta.com.na

    VINGERKLIP

    Not to be confused with the Finger of God

    south of Mariental that toppled off its

    perch in 1988! This giant chalky Vinger-

    klip, the limestone remnant of erosive

    action in the Ugab River floodplain over

    many millions of years, stands 75km

    (47 miles) east of Khorixas Its spotted

    SE

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    THE DORSLAND TREKKERS

    Northeast of Sesfontein, between

    Ombombo and Otjondeka, is the first of

    the monuments to the tough, weather-

    beaten Dorsland trekkers. They were an

    intensely religious group living in the

    Transvaal who packed their wagons and

    headed into the sunset after Reverend

    Thomas Burgers, whose teachings theywerent quite in synch with, was elected

    the new president in 1872. Dubbed the

    doppers (meaning dampers after their

    propensity for blocking all efforts at pro-

    gressive reform), their idealistic zeal had

    them trekking across the Kalahari dorsland

    (thirstland) to find their land of Beulah

    the Old Testaments Land of Israel, ear-

    marked for Gods chosen people.

    Tel: 00264 61 290 6000Email: [email protected]

    Website: www.namibiatourism.com.na

    RUACANA FALLS

    Before the Calueque dam was constructed

    20km (12 miles) upstream of the Cunene

    River, the Ruacana falls used to put on a

    far more dramatic display. Today, the pump-

    ing volumes of water are diverted through

    the underground turbines of the hydro-

    electric power station. The little town of

    Ruacana, 15km (9 miles) from the falls,itself grew from a camp established for the

    workers. After decent summer rains, water

    still tumbles and pummels spectacularly

    over the rocks March to April are usually

    good months to see this. The Cunenes

    waters first separate into rocky channels

    before hightailing it over the tall escarp-

    ment and coursing through a 2km-long

    (1-mile) gorge.

    Tel: 00264 61 256 580Email: [email protected]

    Website: www.namibian.org

    EP

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    RAFTING ON THE KUNENE

    Half- to five-day whitewater rafting trips are

    the highlight of activities run by the

    Kunene River Lodge. Starting upstream of

    Swartbooisdrift at the Ondarusu rapids,

    trained guides manoeuvre rafts over froth-

    ing turbulence that can culminate in test-

    ing grade IV waters eventually finishing

    DORSLAND MONUMENTS

    Heading northwest after the monument

    near Otjondeka to Kaoko Otavi, youll come

    across the ruins of a church (a heap of

    rubble, despite its status as a National

    Monument, proclaimed in 1951!) in the

    Joubert mountains. Thereafter, via the

    D3705 D3700 and D3701 Swartboois

    Kaokoland to Khomas Ho

    OW

    Th

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    Ka

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    K

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    34

    Ma

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    in

    tec

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    Epupa Ermo'sOmarunga

    Fort SesfonteinLodge

    Kunene

    River Lodge

    Rocky Point

    RuacanaFalls

    EpupaFalls

    Hoar

    usib

    Etaka

    Cune

    ne

    Etosha National Park

    Skeleton

    Coast

    ParkN

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    Steilrand Mt s

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    Home ofDorsland Trekkers

    Dorsland TrekChurch Ruin

    ANGOLA

    NAMIBIA

    Okauwe

    Etanga Okahao

    Purros

    Otjiveze

    Okalongo

    Oshikuku

    Ombombo

    Kowares

    Ruacana

    Otjondeka

    Ombarundu

    Ombalantu

    Etilyasa

    Otjinhungwa

    KaokoOtavi

    Ombombo

    Cambno

    Swartbooisdrift

    Opuwo

    NaulilaChitado

    Calueque

    Sesfontein

    Ombala-io-Mungo

    Ondangwa

    Ondjiva

    Oshakati

    C35

    C35

    C46

    C41

    C43D3707

    D3709

    D3707

    M123

    D3605

    D3703

    D3701D3608

    D3635

    D3705

    D3704

    D3710

    C43

    C43

    C41

    B1

    100KM

    MI 50

    N

    XANGONGO

    TSUMEB

    OTJIWARONGOSWAKOPMUND

    Kaokoland

    CROSSING THE DESERT

    Also referred to as the Kaokoveld, this

    primeval part of Africa demands that any

    traveller crossing its expanse be 100%

    self-sufficient food, water, medical sup-

    plies, fuel and vehicle spare parts as

    there are no towns, very few lodges, and a

    lack of fresh water Roads are gravel

    THE HIMBA

    The only signs of habitation are the scat-

    tered beehive huts belonging to semi-

    nomadic pastoralists, the Himba, descend-

    ed from the earliest Herero tribes. A very

    beautiful people, the Himba can be seen

    following their hardy cattle and goats in

    search of grazing distinctive in the fat and

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    ETOSHAS GEOLOGY

    The shimmering white salt pan that

    stretches as far as the eye can see has

    earned Etosha its name: great white

    place. Of the parks vast 20,000km2

    (7800 sq miles), the flat saline desert

    takes up 5000km2 (1950 sq miles), luring

    wild animals of all shapes and sizes to

    benefit from its mineral content. Twelve

    million years ago, this existed as an

    immense shallow depression watered by

    the Kunene River, but climatic changes

    and tectonic upheaval caused water levels

    to subside. For only a few days a year,

    rains fill the dips and channels, with yel-low-billed pelicans and pink flamingos

    massing on the waters.

    ETOSHA PAN

    WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

    Independent travellers can only explore

    Etoshas eastern two-thirds; the remaining

    third in the western extreme is the sole

    domain of tour operators. Visitors have a

    selection of three restcamps all with shop,

    restaurant, fuel and braai sites, and each

    differing nicely in character Prebooking

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    NOAHS ANIMALS

    Etoshas enduring appeal is perhaps the

    staggering variety and numbers of its

    wildlife. A bit like Noahs Ark which had all

    the animals, two by two, youre likely to

    see all of the Big Five (except for buffalo),

    most of the antelope species (including

    the rarer sable and roan) blue wildebeest

    ET

    Wh

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    of

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    Amazing strides in technology

    have enabled permanently

    placed 24-hour webcams at eachof Etoshas camp waterholes.

    These record the minute-by-

    minute rank and file of wild ani-

    mals coming to freshen up.

    People anywhere in the world

    can log on to experience the

    vibe of Africa.

    Visitors wont fail to miss the

    ubiquitous and quite gorgeous

    AnderssonGate

    Okaukuejo

    OngavaLodge

    Halali

    GamkarabGuest Farm

    ToshariInn

    Graves ofDorsland

    Trekkers

    HaasEiland

    EtoshaLookout

    Etosha Pan

    Lyapeke

    Okasnanakana

    Wolfnes

    Okondeka

    Ombika

    Olifantsbad

    AusGemsbokvlakte

    Kapupuhedi

    GonobHomob

    Helio

    Gaseb

    Okaukuejo

    Ojamba

    C38C

    D3605

    D2761D2780

    D2782D2780

    D2779

    B1

    OTJIWARONGO

    ONDANGWA

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    KHAUDOM GAME RESERVE

    Even by Namibian standards, this is true

    wilderness, reinforced by the remoteness

    of these extreme eastern reaches. Little

    visited and offering no facilities whatso-

    ever, travellers venture into Khaudom to

    test their wildlife-tracking skills, as animals

    are skittish and unused to car engines.

    Edging onto Botswanas Kalahari, the

    parks patches of solitary baobabs and dry

    woodland survive on sandy soils that

    become impassable during the rains in

    late November to March. Fossil riverbeds,

    known as omuramba, are lined with

    reedbeds which rejuvenate in the wet sea-

    son, luring animals crossing their tradition-

    al eastwest migratory path.

    Tel: 00264 61 285 7000/4 2111Email: [email protected]

    Website: www.nwr.com.na

    MAHANGO GAME RESERVE

    This reserve (no facilities) sticks out like a

    thumb off the western end of the Caprivi

    Strip and in fact is part of the newly crea-

    ted Bwabwata National Park. Its eastern

    extent butts onto the Okavango River with,

    as a result, a luxuriant profusion of riverine

    woodland hiding colourful twittering life of

    the bird kind. Birding fanatics will be over-

    whelmed by how many different species

    they can train their lenses on in the space

    of a couple of hours quiet time at the

    river look out for the Meyers and Cape

    parrots daubed with wild red, green, blue

    and yellow. Great herds of migrant ele-

    phant pass through, too.

    Tel: 00264 61 285 7000/200Email: [email protected]

    Website: www.nwr.com.na

    CAPRIVI & COMMUNITY

    With the formation of Bwabwata, the

    remaining sectors of the previous Caprivi

    Game Park have been handed over to rural

    communities, who engage in subsistence

    farming in the wetlands and along the river

    systems. South of Kongola, the Lizauli

    Traditional Village sets out to inform and

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    To spot the wildlife (antelope

    species including gemsbok and

    Khaudom to Victoria Falls

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    KATIMA MULILO

    Sealing off the eastern end of the Caprivi

    Strip is regional capital Katima Mulilo, a

    not-so pretty town redeemed by its

    extremely pretty wooded surrounds on the

    Zambezi. The vivid hues of tropical birds

    and chattering monkeys in the shady trees

    flanking the river will distract you entirely

    from the humdrum town. Of course, the

    fishing is good; doing battle with a razor-

    toothed tiger fish or the less feisty bream

    is another worthy distraction. Otherwise,

    tune-up, refuel and replenish supplies,

    then quench your thirst at the floating pon-

    toon bar moored at the Zambezi Hotel (do

    note, though: limited opening hours).

    Tel: 00264 66 252 739/3 586Email: [email protected]

    Website: www.namibiatourism.com.na

    LIVINGSTONE

    Zambias old, colonial-style capital (see

    also p51) is slowly, sleepily reviving itself,

    but the action very definitely focuses on

    adventure activities making best use of

    the Zambezi Rivers mutable waters. Do

    stay away in hot and horrid October (38C;

    100F), made worse by its 90% humidity;

    and know that the winter months of June

    to September are dry and dusty. What

    Livingstone does well is its plethora of

    secluded, atmospheric lodges along the

    river. If youre more into white-gloved

    hospitality, the multimillion-dollar Royal

    Livingstone, with its green lawns and river-

    side sundowner deck, harks back to old

    colonial gentility.

    Tel: 00260 3 321 404/33 22089Email: [email protected]

    Website: www.zambiatourism.com

    MOSI-OA-TUNYA

    NATIONAL PARK

    This tiny reserve, Zambias smallest, is

    made up of the Victoria Falls section and

    the game park. In the wildlife sector, visi-

    tors can take their own vehicle in, join a

    game drive (arranged in Livingstone) or

    sign up for a guided walking tour at the

    ZA

    Th

    as

    in

    an

    A d

    aw

    vie

    are

    Br

    the

    do

    the

    TeEm

    W

    LI

    Du

    wh

    10

    me

    aft

    be

    wi

    In an upliftment initiative, local

    craftspeople at the Caprivi Art

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    TAKE A FLIP

    If youd prefer to match the fish eagles

    view of the Great Zambezi, fold yourself

    into a little plane to better understand the

    rivers geological progression (if the river is

    low) where it has sliced seven zigzags

    across the 1.7km (1-mile) basalt lip over

    which the falls thunder. The tumultuous

    flow is eroding an eighth line at Devils

    Cataract, on the extreme western end.

    You also get great views of the lazy river-

    flow above the falls as the Zambezi

    meanders around green islands before it

    disappears into mist-enshrouded depths,

    then reemerges at the foot of the sharplycut gorges which snake sharply off into

    the distance.

    THE WHITEWATER RAPIDS

    High-water runs usually tamer because

    of fewer obstacles take place around

    beginning July to mid-August. Low-water

    runs wilder because of exposed rocks

    happen from roughly mid-August to late

    December. Rafts bounce and slide for a

    winding 22km (14 miles) from rapid 4 to

    18 (sometimes to 23 request thisupfront) on the Zimbabwean side, and from

    rapid 1 to 18 (or 23) on the Zambian side.

    AL

    Ra

    dre

    ma

    do

    wh

    bo

    he

    cu

    bu

    bu

    co

    acak

    the

    TH

    Co

    (5

    su

    es

    Za

    em

    Jo

    ZAMBEZI RIVER (ZAMBIA)

    Musa

    Gate

    South

    Entrance Gate

    Njok

    o

    Lui

    Lumb

    e

    Kwena

    Mulob

    eziMa

    chile

    Ngonye Falls

    KafueNational

    Park

    LochinvarNP

    Naminwe Plain

    NanzhilaPlains

    Chunga

    Kataba

    N i dPemba

    Chilala

    Namwala

    Chitongo

    Bwina

    Kalala

    Itezhi Tezhi

    M11

    D361

    B309

    LUPUKA

    CHISEKESI

    100KM

    MI 50

    N

    In Zimbabwe, rafts put in at

    Big Eddy. In Zambia, the put-in

    is at Boiling Pot this is the

    closest you get to the Victoria

    Falls in a raft. Rapid 9 is called

    Commercial Suicide by the opera-

    tors they all portage around it!

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    CAPRIVI STRIP

    Z

    L

    Luiana

    NgonyeFalls

    SiomaNgwezi

    LuianaPartial

    ReserveMulonga Plain

    Unhe

    SioLupuka

    Sitoti

    Mulele

    Shangombo

    Chibaranda

    Rivungo

    RD323

    RD462

    RD463

    MONGU

    LAND OF CONTENTION

    Sometime in the early 1960s right through

    to 1990, the Caprivi Strip was the centre

    of strife and contention. And even in the

    late 1990s, conflict bubbled over.

    Historically, this 500km-long (300-mile)

    strip was the domain of the Barotse; in

    time it became a British protectorate, later

    passed into the hands of Germany, and

    then fell under South Africas wing until

    Namibia gained her independence. The

    Strip also failed to evade spillover from

    the Angolan civil war. More peaceful today,

    there are moves to involve the local farm-

    ing communities in conservation efforts

    along the Caprivi and in reaping revenues

    for their own benefit.Tel: 00264 66 686 802

    Email: [email protected]

    BWABWATA NATIONAL PARK

    Formed from remnants of the now disman-

    tled Caprivi Game Park (see also p23),

    Bwabwata occupies a western and an

    eastern tract within the Caprivi Strip, on

    the Okavango River to the west and on the

    Kwando River to the east. Protracted con-

    flicts here during the struggle for independ-

    ence have undoubtedly taken their toll with

    burning and clearing of vegetation, and the

    hunting out of wildlife. On the plus side,

    the natural migration route runs through

    here, and the verdant aquatic vegetation

    cant fail to tempt the passing animal

    parade back to its turf. For now, elephant,hippo, crocodile and feline prowlers, lion

    and leopard, inhabit the recovering terrain.

    CR

    GO

    Tra

    be

    on

    alo

    the

    ne

    the

    da

    be

    Ov

    nu

    ch

    sp

    wopa

    of

    POPA FALLS

    At the Caprivis westernmost extent, near

    Bagani, the Okavango River disperses into

    a broad series of rapids that cascade over

    the rocks, creating water channels and

    splashing around islands. The Popa falls

    dont exactly live up to their name but you

    can spend some idle moments negotiating

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    REGIONAL OVERVIEWS

    DRIVING ROUTES EASY-TO-USE STRIP ROUTES

    LOCATION MAPS

    IMAGES & DETAILS OF TOP SITES

    FULL 64 PAGE ATLAS SECTION COVERING:SOUTH AFRICA, LESOTHO, NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA, ZIMBABWE & MOZAMBIQUE

    96 CITY & TOWN MAPS

    DETAILED TOURISM RESOURCES

    Map Studio 2008. Previous edition publishedas the Touring Atlas of Southern Africa ISBN1-86809-807-9. All rights reserved. No part of

    this publication may be reproduced, stored in aretrieval system or transmitted in any form or byany means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetictape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or

    otherwise, without prior permission in writingfrom the Copyright owner.

    Cover image by Hirsh AronowitzMap Studio & the MapStudio device trademarked

    to New Holland Publishing (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd

    www.mapstudio.co.za

    T R A V E L