DAY BY DAY ACCOUNT OF MY 2011 NAMIBIA TRIP - DAY 12,13,14,15 (2011-05- 24,25,26,27)

See the previous installments at http://groblerdupreez.blogspot.com/

Epupa Falls

Early breakfast and then off to view the falls at sunrise.
The Epupa Falls (also known as Monte Negro Falls in Angola) are in the Kunene River on the border of Angola and Namibia, downstream from the Ruacana Falls. The river is 0.5 km wide and drops in a series of waterfalls spread over 1.5 km, with the greatest single drop being 37 m. The name "Epupa" is a Herero word for "foam", in reference to the foam created by the falling water. (Wikipedia).

We stayed four days - so much to see when the river is full - this blog post spans all four days. Our visit to the Himba village on day 15 will be a separate blog post.

Silhouette of a baobab tree against the rising sun 

Below the falls

Waiting for the midday heat to subside

Our camp site is behind the Baobab tree to the right of the falls next to the wooden structure..

Washing day above the falls...

The complete 1.5 km wide falls as seen from the hill to the south of the falls. Access is N$10.00 payable to the community per car for a lovely sunset view of the falls (not suitable for a sedan car)

A baobab tree above the falls

The "restaurant" and bar next to the falls. We had a choice between russian and chips or chips and russian...

Three baobab (broccoli?) trees in the falls

Part of the river rushing through a narrow gorge in the falls

Rainbows galore...

The bar and restaurant mentioned earlier. The yellow and orange objects to the right below the structure are our towels hanging next to our tent.

Makalani palms at the camp site

A rainbow above the falls at sunset. The baobab tree is an outgrowth of a much bigger stump, probably one broken by a big flood.

Inside the falls just after sunset

Rene doing a colour study

Distance traveled during our stay: less than 20 km including a few trips to the small shop and a trip to a Himba village. The visit to the Himba village will be a separate blog post.

The map below is an interactive Google Map showing the actual GPS track we followed, imported from a .gpx file. Zoom in to follow our route. Epupa Falls is the top left balloon. Double click on a balloon for more information.

DAY BY DAY ACCOUNT OF MY 2011 NAMIBIA TRIP - DAY 11 (2011-05-23)

See the previous installments at http://groblerdupreez.blogspot.com/

Ruacana Falls to Epupa Falls

Early breakfast and breaking up our camp at the Hippo Pool then off to the Ruacana Falls.

Rene doing a colour study at the viewpoint next to the hydro-electric plant.

The view looking downstream from the falls - the Hippo Pool is just around the corner where the river disappears

A lonely Baobab tree in the falls

Several Baobab trees at the bottom of the falls

At 08:20 we left the falls behind and started our journey to Epupa Falls. First stop Ruacana town for fuel and then on to Opuwo, the last reliable fuel and supplies stop before Epupa. At Opuwo we again refueled and bought groceries for the next few days and hamburgers for lunch. Opuwo is a very busy little town and you are constantly pestered by Himba women begging you to take their photos (at a price) and by vendors trying to sell their curios. Long queues at the fuel pumps... We left as quickly as possible.

At a safe distance outside the town we stopped for lunch below a tree - quite hot for a Winter's day...

The road to Epupa. Although the road is normally in a good condition, the 180 km trip takes a full four hours as there are numerous dips in the road where (dry) streams cross the road, making it impossible to maintain a good speed.

  

A beautiful Baobab tree next to the road to Epupa

The view from our camp site at Epupa - about 30 m from the top of the most southerly falls

Lesson learned: the price of an item in one of the small shops is the amount you put on the table - if they ask N$8.00 and you give N$50.00, then the price is N$50.00 - no change given. Take a lot of change with you. Recharge vouchers for your Namibian cell phone simcard are normally only available in N$10.00 vouchers - make sure you won't need N$200.00 in vouchers...

Distance traveled for the day: 356 km of which 265 km were on good gravel roads.

The map below is an interactive Google Map showing the actual GPS track we followed, imported from a .gpx file. Epupa is the marker top, left. Zoom in to follow our route. Double click on a balloon for more information.

DAY BY DAY ACCOUNT OF MY 2011 NAMIBIA TRIP - DAY 10 (2011-05-22)

See the previous installments at http://groblerdupreez.blogspot.com/

Ruacana Falls

Last night we camped at the Hippo Pools Camping site. Up early and off without breakfast to catch the sun rising at the Ruacana Falls.

Rene deciding what to paint

A more dramatic studio could not be imagined...

A spectacular sunrise at the top of the Falls

Marlene preparing breakfast near the main viewpoint. The fence visible to the left is the Namibia - Angola border.

Marlene and Rene enjoying the magnificent scenery

Rene busy with another painting as the sun is starting to set over the falls.

Back to the Hippo Pool for a lovely sunset and an enjoyable evening next to the camp fire

Distance traveled for the day: 42 km including a trip to the Ruacana town for some groceries

The map below is an interactive Google Map showing the actual GPS track we followed, imported from a .gpx file. Zoom in to follow our route. Double click on a balloon for more information.

DAY BY DAY ACCOUNT OF MY 2011 NAMIBIA TRIP - DAY 9 (2011-05-21)

See the previous installments at http://groblerdupreez.blogspot.com/

Outapi (Ombulantu Baobab tree) - Ruacana Falls

We camped the previous night below the baobab tree. Early up to get a few shots during the golden hour...

...and then breakfast at our camp below the Ombalantu Baobab Tree.

We took a guided tour of the tree. The tree is naturally hollow inside and can seat about 20 people. See more of it's rich history: Ombalantu. 

Marlene and Rene studying the visitor's book inside the tree

We departed to Ruacana Falls, 15 km past the town of Ruacana. From Ruacana, the road descends quite steeply to the Falls. The Calueque Dam in Angola is visible in the distance.

The Kunene River drops into a 700m wide x 120m deep ravine just below the Calueque Dam.

Marlene and Rene enjoying the view.

We set up camp at the Hippo Pools, a few km's below the falls

Lunch at Hippo Pool campsite. Quite hot in the middle of winter...

Back to the falls after lunch - here Rene is busy with a colour study of the falls from the viewpoint at the hydroelectric power station.

...then a colour study at the top of the falls... To reach the main viewpoint, you have to go throught the border post on the Namibian side - no formalities if you only visit the falls.

A Baobab tree in the falls

Sunset on top of the falls

Distance traveled for the day:  100 km, all tar

The map below is an interactive Google Map showing the actual GPS track we followed, imported from a .gpx file. Zoom in to follow our route. Double click on a balloon for more information.