Otjozondjupa, Namibia
13 February 2018
With Wen
Oscar was the star of the day on this hike! I’ve never owned any pets and have never hiked with a dog before, so this was a new experience for me. Wen took an instant liking to Oscar, but of course she absolutely loves dogs and was therefore thrilled to see him run towards us when we started the trail at the Waterberg lodge. I overheard the owner in the distance asking his dog if he wanted to accompany us and Oscar promptly took off and joined us.
The Waterberg Guest Farm is a beautiful and fairly exclusive retreat, albeit one that we certainly couldn’t afford. It’s also the starting point for a fairly rough trail that goes up the western side of the Klein-Waterberg. The staff seem to welcome hikers going up the mountain even if they don’t stay at the lodge – great! This little mountain seemed like a good choice for a quick excursion and some exercise on our way back to Windhoek from Etosha National Park. The Klein-Waterberg is definitely not as popular as its bigger neighbor to the north, the Waterberg Plateau (aka Großer Waterberg), which is where most people seem to head if they want to do some hiking in this area.
The route is well marked with white painted foot prints and dots so that it’s impossible to get lost here, at least to the lookout at the top of the plateau. The path itself is pretty rocky and there are quite a few thorny shrubs and bushes to watch out for; my baggy hiking shirt and wide-brimmed sun hat got snagged several times. No big deal for Oscar, of course, who guided us excitedly all the way to the lookout where a large cairn and pole mark the high point of this side of the plateau. We enjoyed some great views of the Großer Waterberg plateau to the west and the lodge below before continuing along the trail. Paint markers suggested the trail should continue on top of the plateau, but it soon fizzled out in the bush. We searched around quite a bit but simply couldn’t find another path.
Time to take a break and give Oscar some treats for his services as a guide! There were some large water puddles in the rock up here that were perfect for him to jump in and cool down in the heat that had become quite intense by now. Enticed by the prospect of chilling by the pool down at the lodge, Wen decided to take Oscar and head back down while I was curious to see if there was a way to continue further up the platform.
The true summit of the Klein-Waterberg is somewhere further southwest so that’s where I headed. I could see some cutlines with what looked like an old track in the distance, but getting there proved to be much slower and more tedious than I had expected. After scrambling down some rocky outcrops, I ended up bushwhacking through shrubs and thorny bushes along a fence that cuts across the middle of the plateau. To my great surprise, Oscar all of a sudden showed up behind me while I was struggling through the bush in the middle of nowhere! He had apparently not had enough yet and decided it would be more fun to join me on my little adventure than go back with Wen.
I think the dog enjoyed the little extra trip a lot more than I did. I constantly thought about turning around, but somehow always wanted to peek around the next corner until I ended up in a rocky area around what I thought might be the high point. Looking at an elevation map of the area, it seems the true summit might be located a little further west but I’m really not sure. Disappointingly, there were no more views to be had – it was just hot, dry and dusty up here. I fed Oscar some water (there were no more puddles) and snacks, and we simply turned around and went back the same way we came.
Overall this was a nice little hike to a pretty viewpoint, but with an unpleasant extension that I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Perhaps there is an easier way to get to the summit of Klein-Waterberg, but it’s certainly not from the lodge. The real highlight for me was Oscar, the lodge dog. I can’t believe he stuck with me for more than 6 hours on this long and sweaty hike, literally through thick and thin. Well done, Oscar!
Notes on logistics:
- The trailhead is right behind the Waterberg Guest Farm, a lovely (but expensive) place to stay. There’s also a great poolside bar that visitors can use.
- No guide is necessary. The trail to the viewpoint is pretty straightforward and takes about 2-3 hours return.
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.
Approaching the Klein-Waterberg on the C22 highway from the east.
A good trail takes us to the lookout located on top of this cliff.
The trail is pretty rocky.
On the way up there are a few spots with nice views to the north. The flat-topped mountain on the far right is the start of the Waterberg Plateau.
Just follow the giant footsteps!
Wen and Oscar enjoying great views of the Waterberg Plateau.
One of the steeper sections of the trail where we had to use our hands.
Almost at the top of the cliff.
Oscar enjoys a refreshing dip in a puddle near the top.
At the lookout cairn. This marks the end of the trail.
Looking at the Waterberg Plateau to the north. The E-W highway we came on and the lodge (white buildings below the highway) can also be seen.
On top of the Klein-Waterberg plateau, looking SW. The high point and true summit is somewhere in the distance – very hard to tell where, though.
Past the lookout point there is no more trail and some unpleasant bushwhacking ensues.
A rocky outcrop near the summit, somewhere at the southwestern end of the plateau.
Namibian twilight sky.