Etosha National Park, Namibia
Week 2 in Namibia was diverse, extraordinary and eye opening. I decided I wanted to come to Africa when on my first safari in Sri Lanka back in 2019, I walked into the travel agents the next week and booked. After seeing the Asian elephants back then in their natural habitat, unfazed by our intrusion was incredible, and I knew I needed to come here to experience that on a whole other level. Then since covid and the cancellation of my initial trip entirely I’ve been stalking African travel accounts on instagram in awe of the animals, wondering if it really was like that in real life. This week I learnt it’s even better.
Cape Cross
Our journey from our reprieve in Swakopmund saw us visiting the cape cross seals, the historical crosses symbolising the first European on Namibian soil back in 1486, the originals now in a museum in Germany, the replicas here symbolising the home to 100,000 seals. The mothers we learnt had terrible mother instincts, often leaving their babies on the shore whilst they hunted, forgetting about them entirely from then onwards. If not left for dead, squashed by their own mothers, or caught in the middle of a mating fight.
Spitzkoppe
Our first proper bush camp was nestled in Spitzkoppe, the series of rock formations. The surrounds made for a beautiful landscape and dinner view, sunset climbing the rocks memorable, the lack of toilets and proper bush camping with scorpions meant I was in my element. As the sun hit its golden hour, the rocks shaded to arrays of oranges, yellows and reds, the red dirt and vast plains below idyllic, the natures window type rock making for the perfect viewing spot as we watched the African TV switch off. Despite being out bush, we continue to be treated with the most delicious meals, served by our Intrepid chef Simon, the array of soups (on his good days), salads, curry’s, African stews and Kenyan delight, Roti. We go for seconds always, the nutritious meals fuelling us for the days activities, the French press coffee plunger came out much to the delight of me and many others. On our journey, as we speak with other groups doing similar if not the same routes, they all have to prepare and cook the meals themselves, we are extremely lucky and the time spent not cooking means we get to explore the places we stay that little bit more. Simon is so skilled, cooking school was lucky to have him, Intrepid is luckier, and I bet he’s looking forward to being cooked for upon returning home soon.
Etosha National Park
Our journey to and through Etosha National Park, Namibias iconic big 5 sighting spot, stretches 20,000square kilometres, the numerous natural and man made watering holes and tracking process ensures the 100,000 animals that call Etosha home thrive despite poachers and brutal droughts. Our first campsite is home to the parks largest watering hole, silence necessary, you’ll be (hopefully) treated to some visitors. We had zebras and many night jar birds early on, later 2 female lionesses frolicked about for sunset, a black rhino even making an appearance early the next morning. Breakfast served at 5:15 the next morning, our 11 hour game drive would begin shortly afterwards. Tired but excited for the journey ahead, I had low expectations, these drives are pure luck, sightings can be few and far between, yesterday’s group only lucky enough to see a handful of the parks inhabitants and so I ensured I kept my hopes low. Our 11 hour drive was long, but flew, with more sightings I could have ever imagined, our luck not once running out. The zebras and giraffes were in abundance, the saying ‘where there are zebras there are friends’ held true, you’ll often find these two species together. The darker animals typically the males, bigger too, the many babies were taking refuge behind mum or running a muck. Both inquisitive, would stare you down if they heard you talk, unfazed though by the huge overlander we were sat in. Our windows huge and seats high meant the Intrepid Overlander was perfect for spotting animals far in the distance and snapping pics of the giraffes within the trees, our height an advantage, even parking behind a 4wd meant we could see straight over them. Our second of 5 rhinos was Caitlin’s good eye, Andy spotted one too, the grey spot looked much like a rock in the distance until we got closer, they really are huge. Unsure if all of them were black rhinos, nonetheless endangered, hunted for their horns by poachers, sold to use in Chinese traditional medicines. In South Africa’s national parks rangers cut the horns to make a kill less desirable, whilst they grow back and this is unharmful, poachers will cut the skin, or just kill the animal before taking the horn, there are few left in the wild today, so I felt very lucky to have spotted 5.
Where there are many cars there are animals, excited for what could be under the tree, FOUR lionesses were taking a nap after a recent kill, the evidence blood stained into their fur. In awe, jaw dropped, these 4 were so cute (from a distance), like a real big pussy cat, their panting to keep cool and mouths open wide whilst slobbering on each other. A head bump symbolising affection, these guys were again unfazed yet intrigued into what the large things were watching them, their spot of shade in the Savannah enough to not be too worried, the priority to keep cool. I could have watched them for hours, thus our cameras full the journey continued, more rhinos, some sleeping and many wildebeests, birds, Vultures, eagles, antelope and of course zebras and giraffes. Giggling that these sightings no longer bothered us, a mere 4 hours ago we would have screeched to a stop and snapped away, now seeing a stripy thing in the grass didn’t bother our cameras in the slightest.
John our driver does an amazing job at following paths, making right turns based of complete instinct and looking ahead. Simon rides shotgun, and on a game drive is the first man to spot anything, on this day he produced the goods. Our first and only hyena was sat in a small watering hole, bathing like a dog, snout and eyes breaking the surface to maintain visual on anything that might excite his tastebuds. This cutie drank and bathed away, finding reprieve in the heat, like many of the giraffes we saw that day. The watering holes are mostly man made, the dry desert conditions proving unfavourable for the wild animals, although able to go weeks without water, their life becomes much more enjoyable with it. One giraffe we were able to watch strategically take a sip, whilst at their most vulnerable, drinking from ground level is quite difficult for a 5m tall giraffe. They’d make great yoga clients, their half-split position only just allowing them low enough to take a drink, any noise or movement startling them into an upright position within a heartbeat, all 4 limbs jumping up simultaneously. Very cute.
Still no elephants and at 8 or so hours into our drive our hopes were diminishing along with the sunshine. Stoked when we stopped for a herd of zebras crossing the road… a zebra crossing!! The black spots in the distance getting closer and closer, became to be a stampede of elephants, the herd made up of babies and their parents, the teenagers charging ahead whilst the little guys tried hard to keep up, elephant encounters seemed to be rarer, a stampede unheard of. They were eager for a drink, their run rewarded with a bathe in the baths, rolling in the mud to cool off and spitting themselves with the water from their trunks. The playground was right in front of our parked overlander, none of us quite believing our eyes or our luck, the day had quite literally ended the most perfect way, the elephants now a different shade of wet mud wondered off as we did in our truck.
Content with the days efforts, we made our way to our second campsite for the night, the other side of the national park. On our way, cars. Excited about the prospect of more lions, we pulled up, a quick camera zoom (or good eye sight) making the realisation that they were cheetahs… 2!! The napping animals were again cat like, rolling around to get comfy, arms up in the air like a dog, panting to keep cool and watching the various moving limbs inside trucks and overlanders watching their every move. Smiles planted on the 11 faces inside the truck, we were exhausted and ready for a dip and early bed, stoked and surprised to have seen as much as we did, every encounter proving perfect and over the top extraordinary. So so lucky!
The San People
Leaving Etosha after another night within the gates and a few more watering hole visitors was sad but left me with all the more eagerness to safari-more throughout my journey, still leopard and buffalo to tick of the ‘big 5’ list, and off my bucket list, I unlike everyone else still have lots more time to see these 2. We slowed down for 2 nights at Roy’s rest camp, unique the word of the day this campsite was full of buffalo horns, bones, antiques and rusted metal cut outs, very African. The reds and blacks, statues and wooden furniture was stereotypical Africa, and reminded me of home, the LifeSize giraffe statue greeting me as I walked into the door for the first 5 years of my life… iconic.
Our two nights here were once again a nice break from the fast pace of camping life, our tents stayed up and it was nice to have the whole afternoon by the pool to read, nap and write, something I’ve been procrastinating!!! There’s too much to say!! Our next morning was spent with the San People, their bushman culture maintained through giving tours to tourists and schools, the no-clothes, no-fuss lifestyle. Living off the land and curing illnesses with the varying plants and trees, their village is now more modernised, but their history is rich; the young girls watching in awe as their mums and aunties danced traditional dances, faces beaming when they were allowed to join in, the young boys watching from a safe distance. The elder, speaking in his traditional clicking language, spoke to us proud of his culture, explaining how they tracked, made fire, hunted and cured, using the land. The wood and sticks formed arrows, and made fire, whilst nuts inside fruits on trees formed the poison for the end of an arrow, killing any animal it came into contact with. Their thin structures symbolic of their eat what you need mentality, no brown fat on these guys!! The kids well nourished with breast milk, very cute and teeth so strong and perfect you’d think they’d already have braces. It was a perfect little introduction into the San people lifestyle and we thank them for allowing us to have such an insight.
The Journey to Botswana
Nearing the end of our Namibian journey, the Okavango delta called our names, the banks of the delta river our home for the night, at Rainbow river lodge, hippo and croc spotting from the bar (or shower!), before we crossed the border into Botswana, the neighbouring, much smaller country, although one that out-does Namibia when it comes to a safari. This country has blown me away, its diversity from top to bottom commendable, the locals beautiful, safety here is unmentionable, possibly the safest of the countries I’m to visit here in Africa. Our time on this leg of the trip is nearing its end, so a new group of travellers will join us (us being Lauren, Matt and of course chef Simon, driver John and Nash).
Route
I’ve attached a map of our journey through this extraordinary place, we skipped the capital, Windhoek, but I believe this route really gave the highlights of the country and I would suggest you visit asap… you’ll not regret it!
Next up… Botswana!
