Tackle the Rooibos trail Daan Viljoen is so close (to Windhoek) Text and Photographs Willie Olivier
Soon after setting off on the 9 km Rooibos Trail in the Game Reserve on a chilly morning, we stopped in our tracks as we spotted a herd of blue wildebeest heading to the waterhole beyond the office.
A
fter watching their antics for a while we continued along a dry river course for about one kilometre where a signpost directed us to turn left. From here we ascended steadily and paused to catch a fleeting glimpse of a gemsbok (Oryx gazella) that took flight but stopped to look at us once it felt safe.
The trail took us through thornveld savannah vegetation, a mosaic of thorn trees and other species, including the red bush willow or rooiboswilg (Combretum apiculatum) after which the trail has been named. In Namibia it is commonly referred to as the kudu bush or koedoebos – a reference to the popularity of its leaves with kudu and other wildlife. Some of the trees along the trail bear name tags, making it easy for those unfamiliar with Namibia’s plants to identify them.
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