In search of the lone men of Kaokoland
Travelling in remote areas such as the Kaokoland in far-Northern Namibia is what overland dreams are made of. Wide-open spaces, oil painting-like scenery and ear-piercing silence are just some reasons to seek out and explore these remote areas.
There is now a new drawcard for the area which is quickly gaining cult status, and that is to find the mysterious stone statues that are scattered around this northern corner of Namibia. Adding to the enchantment of this overlanding treasure hunt is a mystery: the artist or artists creating these “Lone Men of Kaokoland” remain a secret.
In our last instalment we shared our group’s successful journey through Van Zyl’s Pass, and the excitement at finding our first stone man, just before the Kunene River a few kilometres south of our campsite. With the first one ticked off, eyes were scanning every nook and cranny of this unforgiving environment so as not to miss another one, like we did on Van Zyl’s Pass.
As we headed in the direction of camp, I had an idea that a swim in the Kunene would be a very welcome surprise for everyone after such a hot and dusty day, so I bypassed the turn-off to our campsite and headed west along the Kunene River to a croc-free spot in the rocks where we had swam on previous visits. “Follow me, I have a surprise for you,” I announced over the radio and sped off along the river with the convoy in tow. After a few kilometres I turned right and after driving over a few large bumps you reach a little beach next to the river which serves as a perfect parking area with access to the rapids and rock pools. As soon as we stopped and everyone jumped out of their vehicles, their eyes lit up like disco balls when they realised what I was
