Dorsland Ruins
In 1874 a group of farmers, or Boers, packed up their ox wagons and families and started one of the most grueling treks ever recorded. Unbeknownst to them, the dry Kalahari stretched out before them. Many would not survive the arduous journey that eventually led to the Kaokoveld and beyond the Angolan border. Ruins from their camps can be viewed at the small settlement of Kaoko Otavi just south of Opuwo. Remnants of a church and a monument to commemorate their hardships lie deserted and forlorn in the shimmering heat. The people were labeled "Dorsland Trekkers" which is Afrikaans for Thirstland Trekkers", a fitting name considering the terrain they traversed. Relics of their treks can be found all along their routes from South Africa to deep inside Angola.
