Author
Thabo Mokoena
Kalahari
Dark skies and desert
“The sky out here is darker than you think a sky can be.”
Astronomy teacher from Kuruman. Packs a telescope and far too many stories.
The story
I teach physics and astronomy at a school in Kuruman, on the edge of the Kalahari. The sky there is why I became a teacher: nobody who grows up under it can ignore it. Every spring and autumn I take a week off and drive a small group into the desert with a telescope in the back. Kalahari Nights is a route about looking up. The days are red dunes and gemsbok; the nights are the real programme. By the end of the week people can find their way around the southern sky without me.
How they travel
I keep the days easy so the nights can be long. No light after dinner, warm clothes, patience. The sky does the rest.
Their journey
One route, written and led by them
Every VELD author leads a single journey — the one they know best — on every departure.
Field notes from the road
No notes from this author yet — the first one usually arrives after the next departure.
Write to this author
Ask before you book
Questions about pace, timing or whether the route is right for you go straight to the author. Replies take up to two working days.