Entering the desert from Sossousvlie
Under the wing of my rented 1967 Cessna 182, the canyon meanders through this spectacular and
empty country in southern Namibia.
Photos and story by Peter Fraser
A dirt strip stretches out as nothing but wild animals and endless African landscapes expand to the horizon. Pushing the throttle toward the blue, the cloudless sky beckons. Gaining speed, a thirsty flat six is fed more nourishment. Pull back until the lightness of the nose wheel breaks firmament. On to the next dirt strip, the next game lodge, and another day of discovery. This is the magic of flying around southern Africa.
The second-largest canyon in the world is unfolding before my eyes. Under the wing of my rented 1967 Cessna 182, the canyon meanders through this spectacular and empty country in southern Namibia. Landing on the rough and rocky Fish River Canyon Lodge airstrip is the start of a month-long flying trip through South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Mozambique.
Ushering in the Next Generation
Renting the aircraft from Bush Pilot Adventures at Wonderboom Airport outside Pretoria was the first step in obtaining a South African pilot license validation. We got a thorough briefing on the differences in regulations, radio procedures, and airspace. Then it was off to demonstrate our flying competence to the examining instructor. This took about an hour and included what you would do in a U.S. biennial flight review, plus some additional work on how to scope out a remote dirt strip, not only for its condition but also to check for wild animals. We had previously sent copies of all our flying documents to Bush Pilot Adventures, who had forwarded them to the
appropriate authority. With sign-offs in hand, validations were issued, and we were free to fly off into the wilds of the African bush.
With the help of GPS and ForeFlight charts, finding these remote strips was child’s play. The strips serving every one of the twelve lodges we visited were, without exception, long and flat, not requiring any super-pilot, short-field landing expertise. Because they were gravel or dirt, care of course had to be taken to avoid dinging the props. These strips were remote, just long dirt clearways in the African bush. We called the lodge before each arrival with our estimated arrival time, and we were always met with a Toyota Land Cruiser, the ubiquitous African bush transport, waiting alongside the strip when we arrived. At a couple of landing spots, we had to put thorn bushes around the tires to prevent Hyenas from chewing on the rubber, which they apparently enjoy.
Between each successive country, we had to check in and out at international airports – not that these were necessarily large, but all had paved runways. The bigger airports had control towers. These are the easiest and least expensive border crossings I have experienced in 40-plus years of international flying. The officials in every country were friendly and helpful, a real pleasure which added to the relaxed feeling of the whole adventure.
All 48 flying hours of the trip were low-level VFR, the magnificent countryside rolling under our wings, unfolding and ever changing; from desert dunes to scrub bush, to forests, to mountains, to river flooded deltas, to Victoria Falls. The vistas below were mostly remote, with few signs of human habitation. Sometimes we caught sight of elephants and other animals roaming. Other times, we saw big rivers, their waters flowing slowly through the parched land. Huge dry sandy river beds were waiting for the rains. We saw small villages of scattered huts, small farming plots, and herds of cattle and goats. The slow pace of African rural life unfolded beneath our magical flying carpet.
Flying circuits over Victoria Falls, or low-level over the game-filled Busanga plains, or high above the stunning multitude of blues of the Indian Ocean, butting up against the dunes of Mozambique’s Bazaruto Island, was breathtaking. Landing in the middle of the African bush, drinking gin and tonics as the sun set over a wandering herd of elephants or a pride of lions. Each lodge we stayed at was luxurious and unique. Most had only five to eight cabins, evoking feelings of intimacy and connection. These feelings are hard to find in the modern Western world. Here is a world far away from the crowded, noisy, frenetic goings on of normal life. It is a break, a renewal of things forgotten, a reconnection with the wild, with the earth and the slow and steady beat of raw nature, a balm for the spirit, and a place that will live in your heart. It is a reminder to linger, not to rush, and to enjoy the moment, to live.
This is a trip any competent pilot could make, and if needed, Bush Pilot Adventures can supply a safety pilot to accompany you and smooth the way.
This is a unique flying adventure you will never forget.
Sign on to our Instagram account, @airsafari.sa, for lots of photos and videos of the trip.
