Dorsland Trekkers

Close to Lubango is Humpata, which is the area where the Dorsland Trekkers settled on their search for their own “Homeland”.  Here you will see the graves of the Dorsland Trekkers as well as the monument that was erected in their memory.

The Dorsland Trek is one of the most unique routes in Southern Africa.  Historically and scenically, it has a lot to offer.  It is also one of the most diverse, as it covers several biomes each with its unique flora and fauna. The cultural diversity of the many different people living in these areas is also fascinating. 

The historic Dorsland Trek was borne of the many ongoing political upheavals in South Africa involving the Boers and the British.  A number of trekkers, led by Gert Alberts, set off northwards in search of political independence and freedom in 1874.  The route became known as the ‘Dorsland Trek’ or the ‘Thirstland Trek’, which reflects the hardship that faced the trekkers. A number of treks followed, and the name ‘Thirstland Trek applied to all of them.

The Dorsland Trek in its entirety is approximately 2000 km long, from South Africa, through Botswana, Namibia and into Angola, and it follows the tracks of the epic Dorsland Trek of 1878.  The Dorsland Trek originated in the western Transvaal of South Africa, and was characterized by trials and tribulations which the trekkers had to face on their way to Hamptat in Angola. Many people and livestock succumbed to thirst and malaria - hence the Afrikaans name which directly translated means "Thirstland Trek". The Dorsland Trek consisted of many small treks, which made the routes difficult to follow.  Several families did survive these treks, making settlements along the way.  Most apparently returned and settled in Humpata, while a number of trekkers returned southwards.

• Die letzte Grenze
• Namibe
• Baia dos Tigres
• Leba Mountain Pass
• Lake Arco