Finally, at the top. The ascent was steep and tedious, the loose Sand has been every step of the effort. The first time you sit down. Take a deep breath. Shoes. Naked feet in the warm Sand. The desert wind cools the skin. To come to rest. Sweating. Silence. Revel.

Over the Sossusvlei-the dried-up valley of the blind river, as the Namibians call the dunes behind the coast, contrary to climb, the sun is its Zenith. After a freezing cold night, the air is flickering, soon, in the sweltering heat. Never before has a drink of water from the thermos was so refreshing, and the views of an archaic desert landscape is so imposing. And, once again, take a deep breath. The Panorama marvel at this gigantic wave crests in an ocean, a painting in all color shades between Ochre-Orange, and the bottom solidifies, Blue.

After the first three weeks of the Moment to make a balance sheet come up here to Big daddy's crest. With 350 meters of the world's highest sand dune is Big Daddy, in the world's oldest desert, the Namib – and one of countless highlights on a trip that you take in only once in your life. And it is, indeed, something of a life's journey. It has in the last few days to relive the past and stoking the anticipation of more adventures in the near future.

At the airport in Windhoek has an old friend, the Swiss travel group welcomes: Walter Eggenberger – that's right, the unforgettable "10 before 10"-Anchorman with the mischief behind glasses and the ironic raised warning finger. He knows Namibia, since he had been dispatched to the Declaration of independence, thirty years ago, as an observer, and the country with politicians and officers traveled to had. Since then, it became him to need his countrymen as a Tour Guide for the "peace, the Vastness and the colours of nature almost. Namibia also fascinated by the elegance and beauty of the people, the diversity of the animal world – and by a starry sky that we know in Europe." Five of the ten groups he had led in the meantime by Namibia. Eggenberger: "I have not adopted never by a guest who was thrilled."

criss-cross through five African countries

After ten days in the comfortable Bus and nine nights in comfortable Hotels or Safari Lodges the round-trip through Namibia and ends at the airport of Windhoek, where a plane is waiting. It is the group of cases, the Victorian flies, the "thundering smoke" as the Locals call it, the spectacle of nature in the border area between Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. To gorge on foot through the Zambezi or with the helicopter over the roaring cascades – it is an unforgettable experience. And it is the Transition to the second part of the trip is to a new adventure. It's called African Explorer and moves on rails.

A rolling luxury hotel, The African Explorer on-the-go photo: Dennis melting

The historic train is a rolling luxury hotel with two air-conditioned Restaurants and several sleeping-car in two price categories. In the next eleven days, he will roll across five African countries: From the Hwange national Park in Zimbabwe, where it is observed from the open Veranda-wagon of elephant, Buffalo, lion, Rhino and leopard, the famous Big Five, in the Bath, next to antelope Park, a private reserve, where the passengers leave the train and on the back of a horse or in a canoe in the animal world to explore.

a trip to the Kingdom of Swaziland, the second smallest country on the continent, just half as large as Switzerland, one can experience African ambivalence: Here the picturesque landscapes and the hustle and Bustle in the markets. And on the other hand, a controversial Monarch who ruled his country according to idiosyncratic criteria.

The largest and most famous games wildlife reserve

backgrounds of political power and cultural peculiarities Cristina Karrer, who has replaced their colleagues Walter Eggenberger in Victoria falls as a travel companion explained. The TV correspondent reported for twenty years, from southern Africa. She lives in Johannesburg and is familiar with the local conditions first-Hand.

After a long night ride to the coast of the Indian ocean, the passengers of the African Explorer awakening in the historical Central train station of Maputo, capital of Mozambique. The hustle and Bustle on the palm fringed beach of Costa Do Sol and the Gourmet Restaurants with the legendary Mozambique-shrimp can not conceal the fact that this country as well as Zimbabwe, the former Rhodesia, and, like so many African States, a bloody past, is looking back. The many leg amputees, war-wounded, the limping on crutches through the streets, are witnesses of the fierce civil war that rocked the country after the withdrawal of the Portuguese and socialist colonial powers.

header images that seared in the memory

On the penultimate day of the African Explorer, is evaporated through the Kruger national Park – the largest and most famous wildlife reserve in southern Africa. And here they are again, the large Grey with the Horn on the nose. And the Safari-tourists, the car in terrain, readjust the animals with the camera.

As a journalist, travel companion, Cristina Karrer, the question is investigated, how the Safari tourism with the animal and species protection agree – and so inflame also among the passengers of the African Explorer exciting discussions.

Not the snapshots around of rhinos, will remain in the head are images that were seared in the memory. And since everyone has his own impressions. For example, the orange-red wave-sea of Sand, the Panorama on the peak of Big Daddy. The rise of the dune was very time and energy consuming, now's rapidly-spectacular down on the pants.

Created: 10.02.2020, 14:08 PM