AirlineDork

Just a quick check to see if any of you guys or gals have advice for travel to Namibia and South Africa. We're planning to visit Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Windhoek at the end of the month, in addition to driving along the Garden Route in SA (Port Elizabeth to Cape Town).

Would be grateful for any recommendations, and any current info about gay nightlife, if any.... I'm a single gay guy (33) and travelling with a straight female friend who's tagged along with me to quite a few gay bars on this earth...

We're going to skip the gay nightlife in CapeTown actually since we've been before and we're there just for a quick night and meeting up with other friends.

Thanks!

mondo

We went to Namibia summer of '07 for 2 weeks. We did: Sossusvlei, Swakopmund, Damaraland, Etosha, Waterberg and Africat. Desert tour in Swakopmund was great, we used an operator called "turnstone tours" - high praise from all of us. The geography and life in the desert is like stepping in an old Star Trek episode - leave the ears behind.

Outside the city, the distances are vast and you can drive for hours and see no one. Bring lots of water with you if you drive anywhere outside of town, we had two spares (many reports of multiple flats). In Windhoek, some travelers we met had their stuff stolen on day one, when they went into a supermarket and left one guy to look after their things. A bunch of kids came up to the unlocked truck, grabbed bags and ran away - seriously what would the one guy do?

We stayed on the tourist itinerary in lodges, so nothing much gay. Not many people in general (second lowest population density country in the world!). In fact, I can't recall seeing anything gay in all of Namibia, other than our party. Sure, the occasional..."is he gay or just European?" question came up. Ok, no flames please, that's a joke.

Fritz

The bf and I spent ten days or so in Namibia over NYE a few years back. It'll be warm up in the desert at this time of year but the sand dunes at Sossusvlei are well worth a look (and a climb up a dune or two). Walvis Bay and the seal colony is great. Etosha is an outstanding National Park and easy to get around in a 2 wheel drive. Ditto Kalahari Gemsbok if you're interested. I'd rent a 4 x 4 though and take some selective flights where you can to minimise some of the dreary drives. Damaraland is fsacinating but you probably would have to have a 4x4 and it is a long way from CPT.
Other comments - theft is a problem in Windhoek as mentioned. Domestic and international airports are a long way apart.
AS to RSA, Garden Route drive is nice but touristy and there are some long dull stretches as well. But great time to be there weather-wise! You could also shoot up to Addo Elephant National Park from PE if you wanted to. It's a very easy drive. South Africa has an excellent NPS website where you can check everything out and book online.
Gay nightlife wise, you'll more or less have to head for Cape Town. Not a lot else that we found although no hassles anywhere either
PM me if you want more and have fun. Two of my favourite countries anywhere
Fritz

AirlineDork

Mondo and Fritz --

Thanks so much for the tips, just got back last week and still trying to catch up on emails and FT, etc...

Some great advice and I wish we would have had more time in Namibia. Was great to spend new years on the beach in Swakopmund with a huge bonfire about about 1500-2000 partygoers.

If any other FTers are doing this trip, please feel free to PM me for advice/info. Happy to help other out.

Happy New Year and thanks again Mondo and Fritz.

-AirlineDork

dodgeflyer

AirlineDork - thanks for bringing up the thread again. I am now technically going to SA/Namibia in November but may push it forward should my bank pay me a decent bonus this year.

I've already been to SA; Port Elizabeth (Addo), Garden Route, CT, etc... and will be going to Namibia (arrive Sunday noon) leave Wedn morning. Do you think this will be too short. I have one friend in WDH who I guess we will see but would also like to try and get out of the city (either car or plane but the latter may be difficult due to timings of flights). Anything to recommend besides Swakopmund.

Not so interested in the gay stuff, just more general safety for a couple and stuff to see off the beaten track.

NOLAnwGOLD

Do tell me all about your fav Capetown places and things to do as well as anything in the general region for a few days outside of the city....heading there likely July or in the Fall.

AirlineDork

Somehow this slipped thru and I didn't reply (until now).. my apologies.

For Namibia, where are you flying into? If you're going in/out of WDH, know that the drive between WDH and Swakopmund is about 4-5 hours. You can do the drive faster, but remember you have to keep your eyes on the road for creatures that cross in front of you (e.g. warthogs - which hide in the grass, wildlife, and even monkeys--yes, a group of 20 monkeys crossed right in front of us). You can probably fly on Air Namibia from WDH to Walvis Bay (WVB) which is about 20-30 minutes drive from Swakopmund. Or you can do the drive one-way (which is what we did, flew into WVB, drive to and fly out from WDH).

You asked if anything to do besides Swakopmund, so I'm not sure if you've already been or not? But what we did that I would do again and again is the 4x4 dune driving (self-drive) and a Cessna sightseeing flight of the region. I hear there is one guy who does parasailing over the dunes, but we weren't able to hear back from him in time to book a time slot.


Safety wasn't a constant concern for us in Swakopmund, but if you do the drive to WDH, make sure your car has extra water and other supplies in case you break down for hours/overnight, plus know how to change a tire, etc... Just in case. In WDH, however, we were more careful that we probably had to be (my friend I travelled with is a single female from Johannesburg, so she takes many precautions based on her experiences w/Jo'burg). I highly recommend Joe's Beerhouse in WDH... awesome watering hole.

We stopped on our drive at the Gross Barmen Hot Springs just outside of WDH. Don't waste your time. It's an outdoor swimming pool that isn't terribly clean or nice, and there's an indoor therapudic pool that isn't terribly clean or nice either. The locker rooms/changing rooms are disgusting and overall, it just seemed rundown despite having the potential for it to be a really cool spot.

Feel free to send me a PM for more info, we did WVB/Swakopmund and WDH in a period of 5 days total over the new years holiday (peak season). We stopped for a bit at Long Beach/Langstraand which is where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed. Nice quiet little area with a bunch of vacation homes.

Again, my apologies for the late reply.

AirlineDork

AirlineDork

Sorry NOLAnwGOLD, we were only in CPT for a night and only ate at an area called Cape Quarters which is right by all the gay venues (and all the restaurants are fairly gay there too). We ended up going to a bar around the corner (sorry, forgot the name) and then on to a club. Everything was walking distance. Other guys on this board might be able to give better info than me with regards to gay venues in CPT.

For things to do outside CPT, definitely go to Stellenbosch. I highly recommend the L'Avenir Country Lodge (www.lavenir.co.za) -- I stayed just for a night and it was so peaceful and relaxing. Have a look at their website and for about US $60 per person per night, it's a steal (assuming you're US-based and your points of reference are in USD). Breakfast is great, service is impeccable, and the restaurants in Stellenbosch are great. Had a great steak dinner dinner at Wijnhuis, which has a retractable roof, so when the temp drops after dark, they close the roof up. I think a filet mignon and very good bottle of wine came out to about USD $26 per person. You will need a car for Stellenbosch though.

Not sure what the weather is like in July, I was there in December when it was fairly warm and sunny.

Have fun - it's a great city!