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Rivers and Namibia are almost a contradiction. While bridges and valley are common, nearly all are empty. What rivers there are flow underground and support the Acacia erioloba, or Camel Thorn, which has very long roots.
Apart from the Naute river in the South, we have only seen the odd pool so the Kunene comes as a shock as we drop off the plateau and approach it via a steep decent.
The Schoemans made their first camp high on the bank of the river (centre right of the picture above right). The dining hut is perched right above the water and chats and starlings come and visit during breakfast looking for snacks.
We travel up the river in a powerful rib. We need the power to climb the rapids against the fast current. It is daunting to think that the water can rise another 20ft.
The river has cut steep gorges through the sandstone. Apparently diamonds sometimes be found in the scoops and hollows carved by the water (left). At one point the sandstone has eroded in vertical planes to resemble a stack of books.
Click the view from the Angolan bank below to see some of the wildlife that we saw here and elsewhere in Namibia.
