Route Map to Uganda.

Shared route From (-17.8737544,19.8324277) to Queen Elizabeth National GamePark via B 8. 2 d 0 hr (3594 km) 2 d 0 hr in current traffic 1. Head east 2. Turn right 3. Turn left onto B8 4. Continue onto B8 5. Turn right to stay on B8 6. Continue onto Ngoma Bridge River Crossing 7. Continue straight to stay on Ngoma Bridge River Crossing 8. Continue onto A33 9. Turn left to stay on A33 10. Take the ferry to Kazungula 11. Continue straight 12. Turn right onto M10 13. Turn left onto Livingstone Way/Mosi-Oa-Tunya/T1 14. Continue onto T1 15. Continue onto T1 16. Continue onto T1 17. Continue onto T1 18. Turn left to stay on T1 19. Turn left onto T2 20. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Cairo Rd/T2 21. Exit the roundabout onto Cairo Rd/T2 22. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Great N/T2 23. Exit the roundabout onto Great N/T2 24. Continue straight to stay on T2 25. Turn right to stay on T2 26. Turn left onto M1 27. Keep left to stay on M1 28. Keep right to stay on M1 29. Keep left to stay on M1 30. Turn right onto Independence Ave 31. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto M1 32. Exit the roundabout onto M1 33. Turn right at M2 34. Continue onto B 8 35. Turn right to stay on B 8 36. Continue onto B 8 37. Continue onto B 8 38. Continue onto B 8 39. Turn right 40. Turn left onto B 8 41. Turn right onto B 3 42. Slight left to stay on B3 43. Turn right onto B 8 44. Turn left 45. Turn left 46. Turn right 47. Turn right 48. Slight right 49. Turn left 50. Turn right onto B182 51. Turn left onto B 8 52. Continue onto Masaka - Kakuto Rd 53. Turn left 54. Turn left 55. Turn left 56. Continue straight 57. Turn left 58. Turn left 59. Continue straight 60. Turn right 61. Keep left 62. Turn left 63. Continue straight 64. Turn left 65. Turn right onto To Mwizi & Isingiro 66. Turn right onto Kabale - Mbarara Rd 67. Turn left onto Mbarara - Bushenyi Rd/Mbarara - Kasese Rd 68. Turn left 69. Arrive at location: Queen Elizabeth National GamePark For the best route in current traffic visit https://goo.gl/maps/G87xuRiFjer

Swakopmund to Windhoek

Stayed at an old hospital  built in 1900 and now is a hotel, was interesting. Got off after breakfast  on the C28 dirt road to Windhoek  which is 315km away. Was a real good road and passed through  some amazing scenery and over Bosun Pass, where we  gemsbok, zebra and Wildebeest running in the road. I then got my bike which had been serviced and two new tyres fitted and it was sparkling, cleanest it's ever been thanks to Danric BMW.
Went to Andy for our last meal which was excellent and tomorrow  I leave for Rundu which is 455 miles north and the rest fly to Cape Town. So will continue  my roysbikesafari.blogspot.com blog whenever I can find WiFi.

Palmwag - Spitzkoppe - Swakopmund

So it was Mother's Day,  so we went for breakfast at the lodge as a treat for the ladies. Last night the elephant we saw twice I guess caused havoc in the camp, what a great experience  having him in our campsite and watching it graze.
We drove 105km down to Twyfelfontein doing about 30km in the dry Huab riverbed, seeking more elephant's but only finding their dung. It is so much fun driving in the riverbed, with it's thick sand, apparently I was the  only one that thought  so ! We got a campsite right on the banks of the Huab rI've and then went to the Twyfelfontein Lodge where we drank beer and enjoyed the vistas and rock engravings. We ended up having  dinner,  crocodile  and gemsbok, was a feast.

I had stayed at the campsite on my way up on my bike with the KTM guy who ditched me there, so it brought back good and bad memories cause I had dropped my bike like four times in the sand looking for damn elephants. Then the KTM guy takes off with all my food.
The following  day we drove down to Spitzkoppe,  and told the ladies we needed to look one last time for the elephants which gave me my last chance to drive down the riverbed  again cause it's what you got to do , still no trace of them , but I tried. Spitzkoppe was only three hours away so we stopped in at the Tea Garden  in Uis where we had a delightful brunch and arrived in Spitzkoppe at 2pm and then did a a guided tour with Francis ,who slept the whole time in the car much to our amusement, no we did not tip him. Spitzkoppe is unbelievable  sight solid  rock rising  out of the ground , apparently  not everyone  thought  it was unbelievable,  Google it and you will see how amazing  it is. We stayed there at an incredible  campsite between some ginormous rock mountains and of course  we all had stomach issues  and it only had a 'longdrop' which was very poorly  designed and frequently  visited, it never fails !

Now in Swakopmund,  visited Walvis Bay today, saw the famous Flamingos and now going to Tiger Reef Beach  Bar again for some chow . Tomorrow  we leave  for Windhoek  where I will depart on my bike for the rest of my trip North and the rest will fly to CapeTown for five days. Was a fantastic  time, and Namibia is just so big and diverse and very rewarding.

Van Zyl's Pass, Marienfluss to Puros to Palmwag

Epupa Falls was great went for a hike down to the beach and had a refreshing  swim on my own and soaked it all up. It is pretty amazing  scenery  around here and we'll worth visiting.on getting back to the camp and telling the guide about  my swim , he didn't believe me so I showed him a picture  I took of my lovely feet float ing in the river. He then told me 2 Americans  and a South African had been eaten there by a crocodile and actually the guys in the camp next to us were there for a memorial for him and we're related, needless to say I didn't mention what a dumbass I had been.

The road to van Zyl's Pass was slow and rocky , worst I have ever seen and we arrived to camp after five ,getting stuck in the riverbed, but the guys around helped me and we camped in the riverbed. We were mear meters from actually starting the notorious van Zyl's Pass.
Next morning  I was up early anxious to get this over with, cause earlier in the trip I decided not to do it as I am no 4x4 fundi, but decided to hell with it and just get get er done.
Well we are loaded, I put it in gear and get buried in the sand, much to the pleasure of everyone, made a few adjustments and off we went, finally ! Come to the first  reality, a steep narrow climb with a cliff to the left, but the guy at the top slashed his tire on a rock and are busy changing it , so I have to wait, and assist as much as I can.
I sailed up the hill without incident, going down was something  else, but am in the groove , so to speak. Well if you out the groove it's over, it is hectic to say the least, I am in way over my head, but loving it. There were a sleuth of vehicles  cause it was school holidays and everyone were locals and seasoned 4x4 drivers and knew I was the dumbass that couldn't  even drive down the riverbed without getting stuck.
Continued  on ,then the mother of all drops appeared , I went to see what route to take but god when I walked down and saw it , it was unbelievable how a vehicle can drive down there. I watched them navigate down, then it was my turn and another guy guided me and did a great job cause I made it down the crevasse and the next two and then it was all over when we reached the Marienfluss valley. The boys all stopped and celebrated with a beer and signing a rock, I was relieved and overjoyed I made it over unscathed,  thanks to all those guys that helped me, was the most memorable  journey and scariest I have ever done.

Continued up 50km to Marienfluss Camp which is on the Kunene river which borders Angola. It is an overwhelming  valley and with the recent rain is covered like a carpet with  yellow grass and is absolutely  stunning.
The following  day drove south to Red Drum and then a brutal road to Orupembe and then to Puros where we stayed two nights. Our neighbors invited us over for a drink with there party of nine and it was a very entertaining evening with them who are from Windhoek.
Drove down the river 25 km in the gorge looking for the desert elephant, but had no luck but was an incredible drive and did come across ten desert giraffe in another dry riverbed.
Had to buy some diesel for double the normal price but that got us to Sesfontein on a knarly bumpy, rocky road. Arrived at Palmwag Camp at 3 only to be greeted by an elephant nearby our camp, I pursued it for some close up pics which I found out later I was not allowed to do that. So many things you are not allowed  to do , I feel like a child again, such a good feeling.
Got into our rooftop tents and then the ellie reappear and walked into our little area and started shredding  the tree and then walked next to the vehicle to the other side and hung around for about 45 minutes and left only to return in the middle of the night for more fun and games. Was a great experience and just lucky to have had that campsite.
Then I bumped into a couple I had met in Sesriem three weeks ago at the camp, so we celebrated, they are doing a seven month trip north and hope to see them again.

Am now in Twyfelfontein writing this at the lodge and has been hard to post pictures but am trying and will post pics in past blogs hopefully  soon.

Epupa Falls. Namibia Angola Border.

When I was last here on the border I was a 'grensvegter' in the Suid Afrikaanse Weermag about 120m east at Ruacana Falls.

Epupa Falls are quiet spectacular set in a beautiful  area along the Angolan border, and our campsite is on the Cunene River , 400 meters above the falls. This is the region where all the Himba's live, who are one of the last nomadic tribes in Africa , following their cattle to better grazing grounds in this vast arid landscape.
Visited a Himba Kraal for a couple of hours , which was very,very interesting to learn about their culture and traditions.

Windhoek to Opuwo

Picked the crew up at the airport and went to Joe's Brew house for some food and libation. Following morning  we loaded up and went shopping  and headed to Otjiwarongo where we camped for the night after a lekker braaivleis.
Went to the Cheetah Conservancy and then onto Okaukuejo  in Etosha for two nights. Did a game drive and had a stunning encounter with a lion and lioness  which was right by our car. He then walked to the storm drain and went inside and just started roaring, was unbelievable. The roaring is more exciting than seeing them.

Then we went to the wateringhole that night and we had 10 Rhinoceros's drinking and fighting consistently  was an amazing sight to witness.
The following day's game drive we had a bunch of ellies and giraffe , Impala, Hartebeest and Wildebeest going moggy all the time.
Drove West 192km to Dolomite Camp which was a gem. The drive there was spectacular with many watering holes and huge herds of Zebra, Wildebeest, Giraffe , Springbok  and Elephants.  The beauty is there is hardly anyone around and many times we had it all to ourselves. Was a great trip through the park and Dolomite Camp sits on a mountain  and overlooks the vast plains , absolutely  stunning  views.

Arrived in Windhoek by bike

I finally arrived inventor of the coming from hans's phone which was about 240 kilometres North. I left Hanson Farm after having breakfast with one of them. I decided to take the dirt road to Ventura as opposed to the asphalt which was a hundred kilometers shorter. The road down was a real fun one and it changed into a single-track section where I was lucky enough to see some zebras and they ran on the road for about 2 kms.
Was a real fun ride the road had a lot of loose gravel on it and that was the fun part, the bike kinda floats on it but in the corners you have slow a bit. Must have only passed 3 vehicles in 240 kms. I found the Air Bnb we had booked and a nice one it was, so that completes that part of my bike trip and now will go for 18 days in a Toyota HI Lux 4x4 , which will be a pleasure when hitting the sand. Charmain flew up from Cape Town after missing me for 12 days and we went to Joe's Beerhaus for dinner.
We have sorted out the vehicles,  took my bike for it's 20 000km service at BMW and they will keep it for me while I am gone. Went to Andy's  for supper, just all locals and a great joint with lots of character and good food.