Namibia - Sand, Stars and Wildlife

There is a feast of photos and video in this footprint and let me apologise now for the odd finger in at least one of the videos. 🙄

This is a very big place, much more expansive than I imagined. There is a wider range of animals than the private game park, including lions and cheetahs, but how you find them is either a mystery or sheer luck. We didn't see those. We did see hundreds of zebras, wildebeest, and springbok and lots of giraffes too.

We arrived with the sun and after the familiar wait at the gate, we were in. Then in no time, we saw the first of the zebra. There was still quite a bit of driving with no animals in sight, though. We raised the rood section of our vehicle though, so now we could stand up to make photography easier. That was great.

Soon we stopped at Okaukuejo which is a resort in the heart of the park. You can get food here or, of course, use the toilets, etc., but there is also a waterhole, and we spent quite some time there to see what animals would turn up to drink. At first there were just a few zebras but after a while, a huge herd of wildebeest arrived with other animals tagging along as well. Soon the waterhole was inundated with wildlife and there was plenty to photograph. You could feel the tension when a hyena arrived - the animals became very nervous and skittish until they were happy it was only there to drink and not attack them.

Eventually, it was time to move on to see what else we could find. We visited another waterhole where there were so many animals, including a giraffe that took forever to pluck up the courage to drink. It's a very delicate affair, a balancing act with its legs splayed out so its head can reach the water. You can see how vulnerable it is whilst drinking, and if attacked, there'd be no escape. Caution is indeed essential.

Now, we moved on in search of lions or elephants. There were plenty of springbok, wildebeest, and zebra, and these were now feeling a bit samey. We had actually seen a hint of elephant soon after we arrived but they were hidden by trees and not easy to see. There must be others. We drove on.

Suddenly we were driving where there had been wildfires and of course, there were no animals because there was nowhere to eat or hide. This went on for nearly 90 minutes on an uncomfortable dirt road, and soon this took its toll and things were no longer enjoyable. At the end was a rest camp where we could get snacks and something to drink, but then it was the same road all the way back. This was disappointing and meant hours were wasted out of the day. The mood in the vehicle was not good, with the chance of finding elephants, for example, seeming remote.

We left the fire-damaged area behind, and then, suddenly, a herd of elephants appeared and we had quality time to stop and photograph them. We were the only vehicle there too, so we had them to ourselves for ages. The mood lifted and suddenly life was good.

Time was now running out and we had to head back so as to leave the park by the deadline. None of us wanted to turn into pumpkins. Remi and Gideon felt we had just enough time to revisit the waterhole at Okaukuejo to see if there was anything interesting, but it was a flying visit. We saw elephants walking away though - so had we missed an opportunity? In a rush we left there because the deadline was now dangerously close.

As we left Okaukuejo they were there, the elephants that had just left the waterhole so we stopped so that they walked right past us. There are two videos of this.

Now it was a mad dash to the gate and we made it just a few minutes late, just as the sun was heading towards the horizon.

The wasted time was a nuisance but it was still a great opportunity for photography and to see the wild animals in their habitat. Call me a heathen, but I wasn't fussed about seeing lions and was pleased I saw the animals I did. I hope I have photos on my camera to do them justice. I hope the photos of this footprint give you a good feel for our day in Etosha.Leer más