Willis's Walkabouts Southern African Bushwalking Holidays

Waterberg Plateau Park

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This walk is on a pleteau which stands like an island in the surrounding dry countryside. It gives you the chance to see some of the wildlife up close as well as enjoying some interesting rock formations. The relatively short distances covered each day mean that you have time for birdwatching and relaxing.

The hardest part is the climb up, part of which is shown at left.

We will try and get an early start so we can do the climb in the cool of the morning. Once on top we get some great views -- of the plains below, the cliffs around us and of the dassies that inhabit the rocks near the trail.

Once on top, the trail flattens out and the going becomes easier. There are a number of scenic viewpoints as we make out way toward our first night's camp.

Although we didn't see many animals on our first trip, we did see signs of their passing. The photo at right shows a dung beetle in what was probably rhinocerous dung.

We make sure you have time to enjoy little things like the flowers and lichen shown below.

The first day's trail passes a variety of rock formations such as those at right.

The two photos below show you the first hut and give you a good idea of the kind of area where it is located. Water is trucked in and left in large tanks. Both photos were taken in the late afternoon.

The left photo below shows you what it was like inside the hut. The photo at right shows the view over a nearby gorge taken about 200 m from the hut.

The balancing rock shown at left and a nearby rock shelter are among the more interesting formations on the second day.

The terrain can be quite varied. Some is out in the open where you have to make your own shade. There is even an area of thick grass.

The second hut is similar to the first. The photo at left below shows guide Bruce Swain preparing dinner -- three courses as always. Two of our group preferred a tent to sleeping in the open hut. The photo at right below shows their tent lit from inside in the moonlight.

The third day is a loop walk from the second hut. The final day takes a shorter route to get back to where you climbed up on the first day. The photo at right shows a sunset view from the second hut.

These photos should give you a taste of what the Waterberg walk is like but no photo can give you the feel of what it really is like.

Waterberg is just one of the many walks we do on our Namibia and northern South Africa trip.

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Click here to go to the Namibia and Northern South Africa Trip Notes

We will try and get an early start so we can do the climb in the cool of the morning. Once on top we get some great views -- of the plains below, the cliffs around us and of the dassies that inhabit the rocks near the trail.

Once on top, the trail flattens out and the going becomes easier. There are a number of scenic viewpoints as we make out way toward our first night's camp.

Although we didn't see many animals on our first trip, we did see signs of their passing. The photo at right shows a dung beetle in what was probably rhinocerous dung. We make sure you have time to enjoy little things like the flowers and lichen shown below.

The two photos below show you the first hut and give you a good idea of the kind of area where it is located. Water is trucked in and left in large tanks. Both photos were taken in the late afternoon.

The left photo below shows you what it was like inside the hut. The photo at right shows the view over a nearby gorge taken about 200 m from the hut.

The terrain can be quite varied. Some is out in the open where you have to make your own shade. There is even an area of thick grass.

The second hut is similar to the first. The photo at left below shows guide Bruce Swain preparing dinner -- three courses as always. Two of our group preferred a tent to sleeping in the open hut. The photo at right below shows their tent lit from inside in the moonlight.