Khomas, Namibia
25 January 2018
With Wen
Our first hike in Namibia! One that we hadn’t even planned, but since Gamsberg Mountain was unexpectedly closed off to hikers we decided to check out the nearby Hakos Mountains instead. This barren mountain range is located on private land, with much of it belonging to the Hakos Guest Farm, one of several “astrolodges” we came across in Namibia. The lodge is known for its collection of telescopes and observatories and mostly attracts visitors interested in astronomy and stargazing. Too bad that none of their equipment was available for use when we visited as the owner was out of town.
For our budget the lodge itself was way too expensive, but fortunately they also had relatively cheap camping facilities so we stayed for the night with our Toyota Hi-Lux camper. Waltraud from the lodge warned us to start our hike very early in the morning as it gets unbearably hot during the day in the summer months here. “And take plenty of water, at least 5 litres each!” she said. Sage advice… how right she was!
There’s a basic sketch map available at the lodge showing some trails that lead to the main ridge, but it’s not very detailed and we found it hard to follow. Moreover, the trails are largely unmarked except for the odd sign here and there. It didn’t matter, though: the terrain is easy to cross and you can hike pretty much anywhere, on or off the trail.
We set off about an hour and a half late, blaming the opulent German breakfast and the gorgeous morning views from the lodge for the delay. At least we were well-prepared, with tons of water, some high-energy snacks, and lots of sunscreen plus shades and hat to keep us from getting roasted in the sun (and we needed all of it!!).
Getting to the main ridge itself involves a long walk along a rudimentary track with many ups and downs. Just before the ridge the track took a sharp turn to the north, away from the mountain. Not wanting to veer off in the wrong direction, we left the trail and just headed across the sparsely vegetated hills which was easy enough. (I later saw on other maps that the northern trail would’ve eventually taken us within 300 m of the summit, but via a much longer and fairly circuitous route). There’s a small valley just before the main ridge that runs parallel to it and requires quite a drop before you have to regain all that elevation on the other side again.
It was around this valley where we saw our first zebras! Hartmann’s mountain zebras are very common in this region and they are beautiful animals to look at. They’re pretty shy and always keep a healthy distance to people; it was impossible to get close to them. It’s amazing how they can survive in this dry and barren land, grazing on thorny shrubs and meagre-looking bushes. Other than the moisture they can extract from leaves and grasses, they probably get most of their water from natural puddles in the rock and perhaps from the odd well near some of the farms in the area.
Once across the small valley we slowly worked our way up a small drainage, then gained a rib that led to the ridge near the summit. It was noon by now and the sun was beating down on us without mercy… The oppressing heat made us sluggish and dozy, while our water supplies were dwindling rapidly. Wen was having a particularly hard time; after all she was still jetlagged and un-acclimatized having just arrived in Namibia a couple days earlier I had spent the past 2 weeks in the African sun already (see my Angola adventures). She was getting dizzy, nauseous and weak, all classic signs of heat stroke. Time to turn around, I thought, but no – she was too stubborn to give up now so close to the summit! We took a long break in the shade of a tree, the only tree up on the ridge it seemed, drank lots of water and ate some snacks before she felt a little better and we continued.
There are no trails up on the ridge but it was a short and fairly pleasant hike to the large cairn on the summit. One can just about recognize the tiny buildings of the Hakos Guest Lodge in the distance to the south, with no other buildings to be seen anywhere else. It’s a dry, barren landscape that feels almost hostile when you know you’re dependent on the 1 or 2 litres of water left in our pack, and that without it you’d be in serious trouble very quickly. Quite a remote and scenic spot.
From the summit we noticed another track in the distance that appeared to head straight back to the lodge, but slightly further west from where we had come in. Perhaps a faster way to get back? It definitely looked easier than it was, and getting there once again involved muddling our way through lots of ups and downs, however we eventually found it. The last stretch was a long, tiresome slog, but thankfully the track took us straight to the lodge and our campsite.
Relaxing in our camping chairs after a refreshing shower later in the evening, we both agreed that Hakos Mountain was definitely more challenging than it first appeared. It was indeed deceiving how close the mountain ridge looked from the lodge. With all the unseen ups and downs in between it’d been a lot more work than we had anticipated! We were also really glad we had brought 10 litres of water among the two of us – there was none left by the time we finished the hike. A strenuous but rewarding trip and a great workout!
Notes on costs and logistics:
- Campsite is N$120 per person (about 8 euros), four sites are available. Rooms start at N$710. See hakos-astrofarm.com
- According to the owner day visitors can park at the lodge and hike the mountain even if they don’t stay there.
DISCLAIMER: Use at your own risk for general guidance only! Do not follow this GPX track blindly but use your own judgement in assessing terrain and choosing the safest route.
A good track takes us west towards the main ridge.
One of the few trail signs. Not sure what the number refers to. There was no water available here.
It’s a beautiful sunny day!
Schist – a metamorphic rock that contains lots of flaky and shiny crystals – is very common here.
Looking at the small valley we have to hike through to get to the main ridge (far right).
We descended into the valley, then headed up the ridge on the left to get to the summit (centre).
Mountain zebras.
A small gully on the other side of the valley. Pretty easy hiking here.
The terrain is a mixture of rock, dry grass and occasional shrubs.
Wen coming up the rib. Only a few sections required a few easy scrambling moves.
Much of the landscape looks like this in the summer: brown, dry and dusty. It’s probably a little greener in Namibia’s winter months (June to August).
Gamsberg Mountain to the SW stands out with its flat-topped plateau. Too bad it’s off limits to hikers.
On the barren ridge.
The summit is finally within reach!
Summit cairn.
Hakos Guest Farm as seen from the summit (looking SE).
The ridge extends to the north for quite a distance. There may even be a higher point a few kms away along the ridge.
Interesting fan-shaped plant.
Slogging our way back along the southern track. The summit we visited is the highpoint in the centre back.
Hakos Guest Farm
Another look at the Hakos Mountains from our campsite. It definitely looks much closer than it is!