Otjiwarongo, Namibia - Southern Africa: Part IV

Otjiwarongo, Namibia, Our Trip to Southern Africa

Otjiwarongo, Namibia – Southern Africa: Part IV

Post author:Jesper
Reading time:9 mins read
Post published:2016-10-25
Post last modified:2022-08-16
Post category:English / Namibia / Travel
Post comments:1 Comment

We did not know what to expect that morning at Arebbusch Guest Lodge after our first night in Namibia. It was time to head north. It was especially time to start discovering what Namibia had to offer. The stop for the coming three nights was Otjiwarongo, 250 kilometers north of the capital Windhoek.

The Drive To Otjiwarongo

We were soon driving along the B1 towards Okahandja, a town around 80 kilometers from Windhoek. The B1 started off like any other highway, two lanes in each direction and plenty of space. But just a few kilometers outside of Windhoek it turned into a two-lane road with traffic in both directions. Luckily that was no problem, except when meeting trucks. It felt like they were a bit too close our car.

From Okahandja it was another 180 kilometers to Otjiwarongo and the road really was interesting. It felt like we were driving on a different planet. The landscape was just so different and arid compared to what we have ever seen before. The rivers we crossed were empty and there was just the vastness of the region around. The road from Okahandja towards Otjiwarongo did not seem to have any turns. It was possible to see far in the distance as the road continued. After long slopes it was once more possible to see the road going onwards. Luckily there were mountains sticking up from the otherwise flat landscape. These mountains were the only thing that created a feeling that we were actually getting anywhere.

We were otherwise only cheered on by the warthogs and baboons as we continued to challenge the road.

Arriving in Otjiwarongo

Otjiwarongo is a town with around 28.000 inhabitants. So it was not a large place that we arrived in. It was sunny and the streets were calm, so we drove around trying to find the guest house where we would spend the three next nights. It did take some time. We first saw a sign that gave us a direction, but Google Maps made sure to tell us at once that we had taken the wrong road. A bit confused we continued driving on the sand roads that made up the streets. As we didn’t find any more signs we decided to give Google a try of course we arrived outside the guest house within a few minutes.

An Evening in Otjiwarongo

After checking in we made sure to ask about recommendations for a good restaurant for dinner. We were recommended to go to Casa Forno, a restaurant just a few hundred meters away. We thought that it’d be nice to stretch our legs and take a walk, but we were at once recommended to take the car instead. I guess that the guest house was a bit worried about its visitors ending up in a bad situation on the first day of their visit.

Thus we drove to Casa Forno and had a really nice meal. Some game kebabs for Jesper and some oryx stew for Susann. And we were of course served plenty of food – like in every place we visited in Namibia.

Bush Pillow Guest House, Swimming Pool, Otjiwarongo, Namibia

Our Accommodation: Bush Pillow Guest House

Our accommodation for three nights in Otjiwarongo was the Bush Pillow Guest House. It was conveniently close to the supermarket – Theo’s Superspar. The railway station was also nearby and we were reminded of it from time to time when we could hear the whistle from the trains.

Bush Pillow Guest House made a nice stop for three days. We didn’t use the swimming pool during our stay, but the area around it made a nice place to sit down to read a book or have a drink. It was relaxed. We had to bring most food and drinks from the store, which was nice as we had a better opportunity to discover what the country had to offer at the supermarket. However, breakfast was included in the price.

The room was comfortable with a nice bed and big bathroom. There was also a fridge where we could keep our food and the staff were very friendly and helpful.

We had also arranged a tour to the Etosha National Park with the guest house’s owner Neville. The plan was to go to the park already the first morning. However, as it turned out, we had to change our plans.