Driving in Namibia is a challenge, if you have seen the Grand Tour (new Top Gear) the roads really are that bad, some of them are bone jarring. There are ruts and wash boarding for miles. Rocks and potholes and lakes all on the same road. The roads are numbered B, C, D. B's are paved, the highways, C's are supposed to be good gravel, but you cannot be sure, and are often worse than the D roads. There are some F and P, which look like paths.
But the worst roads in the country are in Etosha National Park. Three ministries have responsibility within the park, but they do not communicate. The roads department is in charge of the roads, the NWR (park service) for the park and tourism for accommodations.
We went for a game drive and got stuck in a lake of mud. Fortunately, three Spanish fellows in a Land Cruiser came along and pulled us out. When we got to the other end of the road, it was closed. It was not closed from the campsite end. When we finally returned to the camp site, we told the reception about the road. They said that they were not responsible, it was the roads department and they were closed for the weekend. She also told us that another vehicle got stuck the night before and was there all night. This is a park where the animals, including lions, leopards, rhinos and elephants roam around, glad I was not those people (most people drive in
Fortunately, most Namibians are wonderful and much more helpful, but I think government offices are the same everywhere.
Etosha is a beautiful park, the animals roam free and you drive around, hoping to see them. Its the rainy season, so its harder to see game and birds, but its beautiful green with lots of flowers blooming. It is really fun to turn a corner and see a different animals on the road, or next to it. There are also lots of young animals, next to their mothers.
Cheers Kim and Dan
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