BullsPort Lodge & Farmhouse and Naukluft Mountains

BuellsPort lodge & Farmhouse
Enterence gate

BuellsPort lodge & Farmhouse
From road

BuellsPort Lodge & Farmhouse is the perfect base for exploring the Naukluft Mountains. It´s run by the Sauber family, who has been living here for decades. It´s not a fancy lodge at all, but a genuine Namibian guest farm where we felt very welcome.

Every evening, we had a solid three-course dinner on the terrace outside the main living room. In the morning, a small buffet breakfast. On demand, lunch. You can select anything to drink from the small self-service bar, register your purchase in a small notebook, and settle the account at departure.

Solid three-course dinner
 on the terrace, BuellsPort 

Dinner, BuellsPort

We stayed in one of the “luxury rooms” behind the main house. It was perfect with all necessities and air-condition. A small pool and sun chairs next to the farm-house came in handy in the heat.

Pool, BuellsPort

The staff were all extraordinary kind, and it was also a pleasure to talk to the owners of the farm; Johanna and Ernst - and play with their three kind dogs.

Loves to play!

The main attraction at BullsPort are all the walking tracks in Naukluft Mountains and the horse riding (if you ride). We enjoyed the two most scenic (?) walking tracks in the area, a) the Quivertree George Trail (see our description link) and the Arch Trail.

Walking trails from BuellsPort,
Naukluft Mountains

The name Naukluft derives from narrow george. It´s a rugged mountainous area hiding deep ravines, plunging georges, crystal clear rock pools and a variety of game surrounded, all by desert. If you want to explore the area in full, there should be a 120 km eight-day Naukluft Hiking Trail inside the park (NWR - we did not explore this opportunity – should be one of the hardest trails in Southern Africa).

It´s an ideal mountainous area for leopards, but we did not see any, but we saw many Hartmann´s mountain zebras on steep slopes.

After we had completed the Quivertree George Trail on our own, we took the Arch Trail together with the owner Ernst Sauber. What an extraordinary day!

Resting near the Arch with our guide Ernst

The Arch, near BuellsPort

See our five best walking experiences in Namibia (link)

BullsPort Lodge & Farmhouse:

PRO´s

• Perfect walking area with well-marked trails
• Genuine “guest farm” atmosphere with kind staff (and dog)
• Solid and good quality food “farm style”
• Nice “luxury” room
• We loved it

CON´s 

• Do not expect luxury lodge designer style
• Pool / guest areas could need an update

Our five best walking experiences in Namibia & bonus

Walking in Erongo Mountains

Best walking trails / tours in Namibia?

It´s hard to rank our best walking experiences in Namibia. We tend to like all the activities we book, and we like new challenges. However, based on five times in Namibia for 4-5 weeks every time, this is our “top five walking experiences in Namibia" (you are free to share links). 

The two first are shared number ones:

• Etendeka Overnight Walking Trail

Etendeka Overnight Walking Trail

Etendeka Overnight Walking Trail,
Crystal Mountain Camp

We trekked through one of Namibia’s most remote and untouched landscapes on foot in 2019. Had sundowners overlooking never ending vistas of ancient rock formations and slept under a blanket of amazing stars. This was a unique opportunity to connect with nature. Especially Crystal Mountain Camp, we found to be one of the most incredible places we have ever stayed. The only thing we would do different next time: Stay out an extra night at Crystal Mountain (3 night’s tour instead of 2). 

Read our full Etendeka Overnight Walking Trail report here: https://recollectionsafrica.blogspot.com/2019/08/etendeka-overnight-walking-trail.html ).

Also, read our description of the Etendeka Plateau, an unique hauntingly beautiful desolate landscape here: https://recollectionsafrica.blogspot.com/2019/08/etendeka-plateau-unique-hauntingly.html 

• Walking in Mundulea Private Reserve

Walking safari,
Mundulea Private Reserve

Mundulea, our tent

We did this walk 14 days ago. We walked for three days (3 nights) with the owner and specialist guide Bruno. He was an absolute extraordinary person with extreme knowledge about the nature. He literally knows all about plants, animals, insects, minerals, landscaping etc, and he is involved in multiple research projects and nature activities. Also, he has served as a photographer for National Geographic.  Our camp had the outline of a “kraal”; a fence of wooden sticks provide some protection against predators during night. We slept in simple – but fully adequate – tents with mosquito nets and an open bathroom. We checked the floor for snakes and scorpions, whenever we stepped out of our bed or entered the open-air bathroom. Our shoes were placed on hangers under the roof and bags kept zipped on tables all time. Nevertheless, we felt completely safe in this small paradise. Or as Bruno expressed it “Don´t mind all the sounds during the night, you are safe in your tent".  Every day, we did two daily walks 2-5 hours with Bruno as an extraordinary source of nature information.

Read our full Mundulea report here: https://recollectionsafrica.blogspot.com/2022/10/did-you-see-leopard.html

Read our story about “the tiger” a Mundulea here: https://recollectionsafrica.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-tiger-tiger-tiger.html

Now for the shared number two:

•  Tok Tokkie Trails in Namibrand Nature Reserve

Open air bedroom, Tok Tokkie Trails

This was a three days (2 nights) walking experience in stunning Namibrand Nature Reserve. We were exposed to extreme temperatures, but also to truly spectacular nature and an overwhelming night sky. We covered approx. 20 km in Namibrand Nature Reserve on foot and slept in open air. Wherever we looked around, we were surrounded by red / brown mountains and desert plains.

Read our full report on Tok Tokkie Trails here: https://recollectionsafrica.blogspot.com/2022/11/tok-tokkie-trails-namib-desert.html )

•  Walking with Bushmen i Kalahari Desert near Tsumkwe

Our son, Central Kalahari 2012,
(did not have 2009 photos at hand)

We stayed at Nhoma village for 2 nights in 2009 together with our children, at that time 9 and 10 years old. This is still one of our most memorable experiences in Namibia, especially doing it together with our children. We walked through Kalahari Desert with the bushmen for up to 7 hours per day and visited their nearby village. Our children learned how to make fire, make bird traps (and did catch birds!), catch a porcupine, and how to get honey from a hollow tree etc. The children played with the children in Nhoma village, and we all participated in games and dances in the evening. At the same time, we slept in nice and comfortable surroundings in Nhoma Safari Camp.

I heard there is new owners now, but from the homepage, it seems to be the same concept. Might not be an experience for everyone, especially if you don´t like to interact.

Link to Nhoma Safari Camp homepage https://www.nhomasafaricamp.com/

Least but not last:

• Quivertree George Trail / Arch Trail in Naukluft mountains

Quivertree George Trail

Quivertree George Trail, klipspringer

Rock Arch

We headed for the Quivertree George Walking Trail from BullsPort Lodge & Farmhouse. At the end of the day, this turned out to be one of the most fantastic trails we have hiked in Africa so far! Perhaps only surpassed by the "Etendeka Overnight Walking Trail" (see above) and our recent 3 days walking safari in Mundulea Private Reserve (see above). However, they were both several-days walking experiences, whereas Quivertree George Trail is a 5-7 hours tour. Next day, we took the “Arch trail”, truly magnificent! 

There are many good walking trails starting from BullsPort Lodge & Farmhouse, where we had our comfortable base and enjoyed extraordinary hospitality from the owners and genuine friendly staff.

Read our full report Quivertree George Trail here: https://recollectionsafrica.blogspot.com/2022/10/quivertree-gorge-trail-excellent-route.html ) 

Finally, two recommended experiences outside Namibia:

Chimanimani Mountains, Zimbabwe 1997

• Another amazing experience was to trek through the Chimanimani Mountains in Zimbabwe 1997  – but that is not Namibia
•  And walking alone in the untouched tropical rainforest of Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda for two days (take a guide!! - but that is another story)

 Link to https://www.nyungweforestnationalpark.org/untouched-tropical-rainforest/

Quivertree Gorge Trail, an excellent route!

The road up to the mountain plateau
 is not for the faint of heart!

We head for the Quivertree Gorge Walking Trail from BullsPort Lodge & Farmhouse. At the end of the day, this will turn out to be one of the most fantastic trails we have hiked in Africa so far! Perhaps only surpassed by the "Etendeka Overnight Walking Trail" (link) and our recent 3 days walking safari in Mundulea Private Reserve (link). However, they are both several-days walking experiences, whereas Quivertree Gorge Trail is a 5-7 hours tour. 

We drive into the Naukluft mountains to the starting point at the top of the trail. From the open Land Rover, we have the most amazing views of towering mountains and spectacular nature 360 degrees. In the distance, we see Hartmann's mountain zebras in their true environment on a mountain side, and we see many exotic plants next to the trail. 

Exotic tree, Naukluft

Klipspringer, Naukluft

Quivertree, Quivertree Gorge Trail

Good we are in a solid Land Rover. The road up to the mountain plateau is not for the faint of heart! On the right side of the car, there is a free fall! It is about having faith in the clutch and the driver! Fortunately, he proves to be extremely competent and pleasant. This morning, the temperature is 20-25C, later in the gorge, it rises to >35C. Remember plenty drinking water. First, we stop at a radio mast on the top of a mountain. It covers the entire ranch. Truely amazing views.

View near radio mast, Naukluft Mountains

Naukluft

Then, we continue to the drop-off point at 1850m, where the driver leaves us. 

We start by going down a mountainside.  We received a good trail description at BullsPort, and there are good markings everywhere. Still take care, this is NOT a place you want to get lost.

On the way to the starting point, our guide pointed out a leopard track(!) Good we have become used to walking in leopard land (read link). We do not see the leopard itself (fortunately they are very shy). We can also read in the trail description, that there is spitting copra in the gorge, named Amanda (!)

The trip through the gorge itself is absolutely wonderful. We're nuts alone, it's about not getting hurt, avoid spraining your ankle. Fortunately, our hosts know where we are and our guide is supposed to pick us up 3 hours later.

Watch out!

We constantly watch where we put our hands and feet! We have to stop to look up and enjoy the surroundings.

Quivertree George, Naukluft

The route winds along the bottom of the gorge - and sometimes steeply up the sides. There are good markings and difficult places have chains / railings. There is water in rock pools along the way, but you can see that we are just before the rainy season.

Quivertree Gorge Trail, rest

This turned out to be an absolutely fantastic trip. It´s highly recommended. The tour is a gem (and so is BullsPort in its own wonderfully relaxed way)

Trails BûllsPort

Tracks4Africa, on the way!