This is part of a series in which I’ll describe our time on tour with Intrepid. For 22 days, we joined the “Cape Town to Vic Falls: Basix” tour, along with three crew members and nine trip mates.

The image that comes to mind when thinking of an African safari probably includes tents and camping; our trip was no exception! However, when it comes to accommodations throughout Africa, there is a wide range available; from luxury tents with feather pillows and butler service to a tarp strung over a tree branch and can of beans for dinner. Having chosen the “Basix” version of our Intrepid tour, we knew that we would have tents and mattress pads but not much else. I’ll describe our tents in more detail in another post; this article is about the various places we stayed along the route during our three-week tour. For our tour, our lodging can be divided into three types: cabins in the city, bush camping in the wilderness, and campgrounds with varying degrees of amenities.

The views from each camp were spectacular, such as this view of sunrise from Sesrium, Namibia. (photo credit: Jenny Skerratt)

Cabins in the City

Our tour didn’t include many cities on the itinerary; that wasn’t why we had joined a tour in the middle of Africa. The one exception was a three-night stop in Swakopmund, located on the coast of Namibia. Settled by the Germans in 1892, European influence is felt everywhere from the architecture to the food. With a plethora of activities on hand (including a camel ride and quad-bike tour of the desert), we spent three days in the city enjoying the restaurants, shops, and time free from driving. We stayed at Swakopmund Rest Camp, with small cabins fit for four people available for our group. Jon and I shared a cabin with Sam and Yousup, happy to have an indoor shower and toilet available, as well as fridge to keep our drinks cold. It was a nice break from our tents and gave us the opportunity to do laundry and organize our bags for better access while on the truck.

We shared four-person cabins while in Swakopmund.

Bush Camping

Three of the nights of our tour were scheduled for bush camping; meaning that our truck would stop somewhere in the middle of nowhere for us to spend the night. This meant no amenities, toilets, showers, or electricity. We only had available what we had on our truck! Initially, I was nervous about the bush camps since (many of you know) I am not a natural camper. However, due to the great group dynamic and preparations from our crew, these nights turned out to be some of the most memorable and favorite of our tour. Arriving at bush camp, Jon and I would select a spot for our tent; near the group but not so close that we could hear others talking or snoring. With rocks to climb, trails to hike, and beers to drink, we filled our afternoons and evenings taking advantage of the disconnect from modernity. We explored, laughed, and ate well around a campfire. Nights were filled with views of the seemingly endless sky, spotting constellations in the southern hemisphere and identifying the arm of the Milky Way. Headlamps led the way around rocks, trees, and other tents as we navigated in otherwise complete darkness. Bathrooms were designated around corners, with a prearranged signal to act as an ‘occupied’ sign. (Ask Jon sometime about his time using the bathroom in the Okavango Delta!). We would lay in our tents at the end of the evening and listen to the sounds of nature around us; blowing of the wind, animals moving, and not much else. While we were far removed from civilization, we never felt scared or uncomfortable; our group ensured that everyone enjoyed the time away and time together, creating memories that will stay with us forever.

This was our most luxurious bathroom from the three bush camps we had! It actually had a toilet seat!

Each of our three bush camps were unique and isolated, away from other people and civilization.

Campgrounds

Aside from three nights in a cabin in Swakopmund and three nights at different bush camps, the rest of our tour made use of campgrounds located in or near attractions that we would be visiting. The campgrounds varied in size, location, and level of amenities; some were small and didn’t offer more than huts for bathrooms, but some were large and nearly resort-like in their services on hand. Each had an area set aside for our group; typically our tents would be set up on one side of the area and the truck and cooking station would be on the other side. Bathrooms and showers required a walk, anywhere from a few yards to a ten-minute trek across the campground. While most bathrooms and showers were clean and modern, a few required a bit more persuasion to use; at Etosha National Park, there were so many bugs in the bathroom that I declined to use it the entire time we were there (luckily we make frequent pit stops on our drives!). Surprisingly, a lot of campgrounds had pools and bars; two items that we hadn’t expected as we thought we would have more basic lodging arranged for us. With the desert heat, we took full advantage of the pools each afternoon after arriving in camp; nearly our entire group would end up swimming or lounging at some point! Bars provided shade and fans, cold drinks, and oftentimes WiFi, giving us a chance to cool off and connect with family and friends back home. Although some campgrounds offered the opportunity to upgrade to a cabin for a small charge, Jon and I elected to stay in our tent each night to gain the true experience (and save money for activities!). My favorite campgrounds were the ones with a view; some were situated along a river and some were on a hill looking out over the land. Each campground was unique and distinct, with something different to set it apart from all the rest.

Our camp in Bagani was on the Okavango River, where we sat drinking beers and watching hippos on my birthday.

Many campgrounds had pools, like this one sitting on the edge of Orange River.

Summary

Despite my initial reluctance to camp, I actually enjoyed our time at the different campgrounds and with our tent! It was more comfortable than I had imagined and gave us a unique perspective of Africa; one that I never would have received had we gone from city to city staying in hostels and hotels. With Intrepid, we were able to get off the beaten path, exploring and visiting areas that don’t see many tourists and feeling like we were out in ‘true’ Africa. The three bush camps that we stayed in made us aware of how isolated we were and how disconnected from the rest of the world we felt. I’m very happy that we made the decision to include a camping adventure as part of our time in Africa; I don’t think we would have gotten to see half as much as we did. Camping allowed us to get out into the bush and feel like part of the wilderness, which is something we all wanted to get out of our experience in Africa.

In the Okavango Delta, we bush camped on an island surrounded by water, which was home to hippos, elephants, and other wild animals.

To learn more about our time on tour with Intrepid, read the other posts in this series:

• Our Tour with Intrepid: Route and Schedule
• Our Tour with Intrepid: Crew and Tour Members
• Our Tour with Intrepid: Equipment
• Our Tour with Intrepid: Meals