 John Steinbeck said about travel that you go, not so much to see but to tell afterward. I travel for both those reasons. I’m endlessly curious and love experiencing new things I couldn’t in my own back yard, but I also enjoy sharing those experiences through this blog. Here are my 7 travel highlights of 2013.
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 By Roxanne Reid
The Richtersveld in the far north-west of the Northern Cape is mountain desert, a place that might seem barren at first sight, but reveals its richness if you look more closely. There are many reasons to add this destination to your bucket list; I’ve condensed them into the top 6 reasons to visit the Richtersveld – at least once in your lifetime.  By Roxanne Reid
The Richtersveld, in the far north-west of the Northern Cape, is the only true mountain desert in southern Africa. It’s remote and inhospitable, so when a Nama shepherd you’ve stopped to talk to asks for some water, you can’t say no.  By Roxanne Reid
Have you ever felt like dropping out of the rat race and finding space to unmuddle your mind? The Tatasberg wilderness camp in the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park is a perfect place to do just that.  By Roxanne Reid
In my blog Strange bedfellows in the Richtersveld I mouthed off about how ugly the entrance to this wilderness area is when you approach Sendelingsdrif from Alexander Bay. Now I’m going to tell you why you just have to make the journey to see this mountain desert anyway.  By Roxanne Reid
The route via Alexander Bay to Sendelingsdrif gate is certainly the quickest way to get to the South African side of the /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, but it’s not very attractive (thanks to diamond mining operations that have scarred the landscape). Luckily, there’s a more scenic alternative. And you can stay over too.  By Roxanne Reid
The Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, tucked into the far northwest of South Africa’s Northern Cape, must be SANParks’ strangest park. Yes, even stranger than the Golden Gate Highlands (which has a public road running through it) or Addo (which comprises disconnected parcels of land – at least for now). The tiny Richtersveld settlement of Lekkersing opened its arms to us by inviting us to the Fashion and Beauty Pageant at the local primary school. We didn’t expect the entertainment to last for four and a half hours – or to have quite so much fun as we did.
Lekkersing in the Richtersveld Community Conservancy certainly isn’t the prettiest village in the country. Many houses are broken and sad, just a few sheets of corrugated iron with more iron for shutters instead of windows. All around are rocks and stones, slate and shale. But it’s the people who make it well worth a visit.
If you’re ever in the Richtersveld and you get a chance to dance the Namastap (the traditional dance of the Nama people), you’re in for a treat.
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AboutI'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel. Popular posts* Places to visit and things to do in Namibia: south and central Categories
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