Invitation to AIG7
About Stellenbosch
Logistical Information
Scientific Program
Social Program
Important Dates
Abstract Submission
Fieldtrips and Excursions
Finances
Registration
Accommodation
Organising Committees
Important Contacts
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Duration 6 days, 5 nights
Cost R4500
Trip Leaders

Dr. Jodie Miller, University of Stellenbosch
  Dr. Benjamin Mapani, University of Namibia
Max Participants 25
Logistics Accommodation will be a combination of camping, guesthouses and bungalows. All facilities for camping will be provided in safari style tents. Participants are welcome to bring their own sleeping bags if they wish but these can be provided.
Important
All conference participants are responsible for their own flights to and from Namibia. However, field trip participants must be in Windhoek by 10.30am, Saturday the 15th of September
Below is a summarised itinerary of the post-conference fieldtrip. This fieldtrip will be suitable for both geologists and non-geologists as it will highlight various aspects of the natural history of the Namibia and will have as a highlight, one night within the Etosha National Park. Further details on the scientific stops associated with this field trip will be provided early next year when contributions from different researchers have been confirmed. At the time of this field trip, Etosha is a low-risk region for Malaria, but fieldtrip participants should make sure that they have up-to-date Hepatitus A and B, Tetanus, Polio and Diptheria vaccinations. Yellow Fever is not required for Namibia. Anyone with any questions about the fieldtrip should contact Jodie Miller directly on jmiller@sun.ac.za
 
Day One
Conference participants in Stellenbosch should arange to fly to Windhoek international airport, departing 8.00am arriving 10.00am. Depart Windhoek by 11.00am and drive down to Naukluft National Park via Rehoboth and Bullsport. Visit to Blasskranz Farm to look at glacial deposits that record positive carbon isotope excursions. Leave Blasskranz and drive to Naukluft National Park camp ground.
Accommodation: Camping Naukluft National Park
 
Day Two
In morning visit to "Sole Dolomite" the dolomite horizon that marks the basal thrust of the Naukluft Nappes along which considerable fluid advection has occurred.. Drive from Naukluft to Sesriem to visit the Namib Desert and Sesriem Canyon. Continue north along the eastern margin of the Namib Desert to Solitaire for lunch and then on towards Swakopmund. On the way to Swakopmund, pass through the beautiful Gaub Valley and travel along the western margin of the Great Escarpment. Cross over the Matchless Amphibolite Belt thought to be a major terrane boundary in the southern Damaran Orogen. Arrive in the early evening in Swakopmund where we will stay for the night.
Accommodation: Beach Bungalows, outside Swakopmund
 
Day Three
In the morning there is a choice of visiting the Swakopmund Cultural musuem which has excellent displays of information on local cultural groups including the Herero and Himba peoples or a visit north of Swakopmund along the coastal peneplain to visit naturally forming salt pans that are floored by a sealing layer of gypsum and clay. These salt pans are now exploited as active salt works taking advantage of the high evaporation rates in such an arid environment. From Swakopmund travel towards Usakos, stopping at the intersection to Uis around 20 km before Usakos, where numerous informal mineral traders have roadside stands. Travel north towards Uis, passing over the Omaruru River and Delta where isotope studies have been undertaken as part of a feasibility study into using the underground waters as water supply for Windhoek, Henties Bay and Swakopmund. Travel on to the Brandberg, one of numerous Cretaceous anorogenic complexes in north-western Namibia. Spend the rest of the day exploring the Brandberg.
Accommodation: White Lady Lodge, Brandberg
 
Day Four
Leave the Brandberg and head north to Khorixas. From Khorixas we'll head west to visit Burnt Mountain and the Petrified Forest. Burnt Mountain where the rocks look black and burnt is thought to result from the evaporation of organic material in sediments into which hot dolerite intrusions were emplaced, leaving behind a hard, black clinker-like rock. After visiting these outcrops we'll head back to Khorixas and then on to Outjo crossing over the Congo Craton Basement rocks, the oldest rocks that will be visited on this trip. From Outjo we'll head north and aim to arrive in Etosha National Park but 4.00pm. Tonight we'll stay in traditional Rondavel accommodation in the Okaukuejo Rest Camp. This camp has a large water hole right at the edge of the camp and is a favoured watering hole for elephants. The waterhole is accessible at night and is a wonderful opportunity to see many of the more timid and noctural animals in particular leopard
Accommodation: Bungalows, Etosha National Park
 
Day Five
Begin the day with an early morning game drive. Animals are most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Return to bungalows for breakfast and pack-up around 9am and drive through Etosha to Halali and then onto Namutoni camp. Lunch at Namutoni before leaving the park and driving to Tsumeb. On the way to Tsumeb we'll pass over silicified dolomites of the Elandshoek Formation and Maieberg Formation in which a large sinkhole as formed creating Lake Otijikoto where retreating soliders at the end of World War 1 dumped large amounts of ammunition. Otijikoto is a Herero word for "deep waters" and the lake is thought to be in excess of 75 m deep. It is currently used as a source of irrigation water. Minerals from Tsumeb are world famous and grace mineral collections in museums all around the world. Over 50 new mineral species have been identified from Tsumeb and over 250 different minerals have been found in the the area around Tsumeb and in the old mine workings. Time permitting we will visit the old mine workings which is now open as a tourist attraction.
Accommodation: Tsumeb Campground
 
Day Six
If we didn't get time to visit the Tsumeb mine the previous evening, we'll do so this morning. From Tsumeb we'll head south to Grootfontein and then west to visit the Hoba meteorite, the largest known single meteorite in the world today. It weighs 60 tons, measures 2.95 x 2.84 meters with a thickness of between 1.22 and 0.75 meters and is composed of 82.4 % iron, 16.4 % nickel, and 0.76 % cobalt. From the Hoba Meteorite we'll head south-west passing through the Otavi Mountainland where carbonate successions and diamictites also preserve evidence of positive carbon isotope excursions and represent some of the sites on which Snowball Earth theory is built. From Otjiwarongo we'll head south on our way back to Windhoek, stopping at the Okahandja woodworkers market for half and hour and arriving in Windhoek at around 5.00pm. Most international flights from Windhoek to Europe leave late at night and so fieldtrip participants can either stay the night in Windhoek or fly or later than evening.
Evening Arrangments : Participants can elect to fly out this evening or stay overnight in Windhoek. For those staying overnight, accommodation will be arranged but will be additional to the field trip cost
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     
     
     
   
     
     
     
   
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