While still adjusting to the time zone change it is actually easy to wake up early in the morning to be almost the first for breakfast. As almost everywhere on our trip there is a cold breakfast buffet with cheese and salami which we use to make sandwiches for the day, coffee and tea, guava and orange juice and choice of eggs prepared as desired as a warm breakfast. There is a nice view of the plains from the restaurant and a few historical photos from the German times. After breakfast we return to our cabin and enjoy the view of the Waterberg mountain under which the camp is built while packing. We have decided to first check out and then to hike the trail as the check out time is 10 AM and we are not sure whether we are able to return from the hike by that time.
As we get down to the visitor center we stop at the gas station and the attendant after repairing the tire yesterday is interested in seeing whether the repair holds so we get it out and it seems it is fine. He then insists on changing it back instead of the spare tire and we are confused as why he changed his mind from yesterday when he actually recommended we go with the spare to the next town. However he insists and says that all the shops are closed and when we point out that it is Monday he starts saying that “Monday is like Sunday” which we don’t understand. We believe him though so we change the tire back just as the neighbors from the cabin pass by and inquire on whether everything is fine and when we relate what the attendand has said they are confirming that this Monday only there is a national holiday and everything is closed. So we trust the repaired tire and after checking out we go to the start of the hiking trail.
The national park has quite a few hiking trails but only one actually goes to the top of the mountain and we want to see the view from the top which is supposedly great. The trail is quite well marked with signs on the rocks and it starts easy. There are lots of birds all around us and we can hear the baboons screaming in the distance.
But relatively soon the trail starts to become steeper as we follow the other hikers around the cliffs towards what appears to be steep scramble up to the rim.
As we approach the rim there are nice rock formations that we admire as our path weaves through the stones up, always up. At least the views are great and we can stop and catch our breath and enjoy them before pressing on.
The climb isn’t as bad as we expected though and we arrive at the top where the trail is well marked as only a small part is accessible unguided. The forbidden part is very intimidatingly signed but it looks not at all different from the rest of the trail.
The viewpoint at the top is literally overun by other tourists which is unexpected given the fact that we haven’t seen that many on the trail. The views are great even though a bit hazy (which appears to be common in the first days in Namibia).
We walk around a bit and enjoy the view and then it’s down on a different more direct trail back to our car passsing a very interesting memorial plaque on the way, the name especially. The whole slope is full of trees and interesting plants which is unusual as typically the area is more savannah – like. And then back at the car it is time to go towards Onguma Bush Camp while praying that the tire patch will hold.
