As a direct descendant of the Dorslandtrekkers of the 1800s, I decided to retrace the route my forefathers had taken through Namibia as they headed north from South Africa to Angola.
It became a family adventure as we travelled from one spectacular destination to another, learning, exploring… Just over a month and 24 destinations later, we had a newfound appreciation for the trials and tribulations the intrepid Dorslandtrekkers endured.
Destination 13: Halali Camp, Etosha National Park, Namibia
After falling asleep to the sounds of lions, hyenas, jackals, and zebras at Namutoni Camp, we had a relaxing morning before setting off for Halali Camp, which is situated between two koppies about 75km from Namutoni and close to the Rietfontein waterhole. The drive delivered great sightings as Etosha’s abundance of wildlife never disappoints!
Namutoni played a significant part in the Dorsland Trek. After drafting new regulations and appointing a new leader at Leeupan in Khaudum, the group continued onwards along the Okovango river, experiencing many issues with local tribes and malaria before arriving at Namutoni where they camped for a while. From there they continued west towards Okaukuejo, where they discovered that the water was foul and unusable, so they headed back east to Rietfontein, where they stayed until the winter of 1878.
Today Rietfontein is one of the main waterholes in Etosha National Park as it is extremely scenic and frequented by many wild animals. There are also a few Dorsland Trekker graves and a memorial, together with the ruins of hartbeeshuisies that were built there.
Destination 14: Okaukuejo Camp, Etosha National Park, Namibia
We planned to spend two days at Okaukuejo so that we could do some laundry and also stock up on much needed fresh produce and fuel. So, after a
