14 February 2013

{Spreetshoogte Pass + Solitaire}

If there's one sentence that sums up my travel advice to just about anyone it would probably be:

"Enjoy the journey, be spontaneous, and don't stick to a set schedule."

Since my voyage around the world on Semester at Sea in 2006, this has been my travel motto.  I swear by it and it has yet to let me down.  Whether it be scuba diving in Egypt or wading through floods in Burma or hitchhiking over the border in Uganda or stumbling upon the most adorable little backpackers in Zimbabwe - spontaneous travel consistently seems to offer the most magical and memorable experiences.  It should come as no surprise then, that Spreetshoogte Pass was no different.


On our road trip through Namibia, the Spreetshoogte Pass route was not the most direct method of getting from Windhoek to Sesriem.  The road was dirt and in a semi-bad condition and the pass weaved delicately through a small mountain range meaning that we would have to drive relatively slow.  I was a bit hesitant at first, but Jurgen insisted that he had heard wonderful things about Spreetshoogte and said that the viewpoints supposedly offered some of the best desert views in Namibia.  

And so it was decided.

Well, it turns out that Jurgen had heard right and we "oooh'd" and "ahhh'd" our way through the mountains, stopping every few hundred meters as the view continued to get better and better.  I would have never thought that desert views could be so awe-inspiring.  Seriously though, the photos below don't even come close to doing it justice.  The Namib Desert is simply beautiful.  If you ever find yourself in Namibia, pretty please set aside a few hours for this drive!  We were both so pleasantly surprised and agreed that it was one of the highlights of our trip.  You'll need a bakkie {truck} to do it, but four-wheel drive isn't necessary.

Once we had cleared the pass, we approached the small settlement of Solitaire, which basically consists of Solitaire Country Lodge, a general dealer, a petrol station, and a small bakery.  It's like a tiny little oasis in the desert, and the perfect place to stop for a leg stretch and something cold to drink.  The lodge also happens to be surrounded by several broken down cars {pictured below} which makes the whole experience feel even more unique and desolate than it already is.


Had Jurg and I been on a fixed schedule or had we been not been open to the idea of altering our route, we would have completely missed out on this part of the trip.  Spreetshoogte Pass is yet another perfect example of my travel motto.  

Many of the best things in life are unplanned.

- - - - -

ps: Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

pps: Jurg and I leave on our surprise anniversary getaway tomorrow!  Follow along on instagram here.

10 comments:

  1. what an adventure!
    Stunning pics
    and happy valentine's to you too.
    Enjoy your getaway

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  2. Wow, these pics are amazing Jenna! I love the old wrecks

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  3. It's such a great way to do a trip! I'll keep it in mind when we move out to San Francisco in a few weeks and we have that long road trip. We have a lot of things plans, but keeping this in mind will help me not mind if things get canceled due to weather or other random life things!

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  4. The sky in those photos is AMAZING! Stunning shots!

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  5. Wow, what spectacular views! I don't know if I'll ever get to go there, but oh how I wish I could now!

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  6. adventures are the best aren't they?!?!

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  7. You two have the best adventures, I hope you have so much fun!! I love the photos of the cars, looks like they are sinking into the sand!

    xo L

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  8. Absolutely incredible... those pictures are just amazing! I love your travel motto, and I have found it always ends up being ours as well... we think we have something planned, but usually something better ends up happening. I love your adventurous life!

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  9. The sky is such a magical blue.

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Thanks for the love!