The expanse of southern Namibia

This almost 2 000 km route winds through four of Namibia’s 14 official districts. Your journey begins at the Nakob border post, 130 km west of Upington. Follow the B3 main route to Karasburg – here’s where you can buy supplies before leaving the tar road shortly afterward.

A dirt road starts at Grünau, a tiny settlement in the Karas district with only ahandful of houses, a petrol station and a hotel with a swimming pool and four camping spots. Continue west out of Grünau and follow the C12 dirt road for 36 km to Klein-Karas –a hamlet that is even smaller than Grünau.

The residents of Klein-Karas rely on goat farming. They’ve recently gained international renown for their Kangal and Anatolian shepherd dogs that defend the community’s goats against leopards and other predators. These dogs not only help the farmers, but also protect the big cats against extinction.

A train track runs parallel to the dirt road between Grünau and Klein-Karas to the Holoogberg on the edge of the Ai-Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, and then the railway line turns north to Keetmanshoop.

Here’s where you turn left onto the C37 dirt road to the Canyon Roadhouse (S27.52481 E17.81521), where a shop full of souvenirs and trinkets await visitors. There’s a swimming pool, guest rooms as well as 10 stands for campers. It’s the restaurant, however, that gets the biggest hurray – the next place where you could get such a good meal will be Lüderitz, 500 km from here.

Your next stop is Hobas – do make a stop at the Fish River Canyon’s lookout point. Follow a dreadful dirt road – corrugated by thousands of visitors – for 11 km across the plain of the