Namibia, November 2024

  Wow, what a day! Thinking yesterday could not be surpassed we set the alarm for 5.15am and set out on the sunrise safari at 6.00am. It’s just us and our guide Liberty who knows the NP so well and is in contact with other rangers about sightings. We see 2 sets of two magnificent Cheetah who are basking in the shade with full bellies. They are truly magnificent. We also see a variety of birds, the back end of a black rhino and 3 lionesses crossing at a distance. We are revived with Rangers Coffee: coffee with a dash of Baileys instead of milk! Back for breakfast at 9 before a day by the pool watching the waterhole and spotting luxurious birds in the trees with our borrowed binoculars. At 5pm we join another sunset tour and see eagles, vultures and a whole pride of lions and 3 lionesses… so close I almost felt nervous! This place has been incredibly special.

 We manage another fairly early start and enter the National Park with less bureaucracy today. We see the back end of a white rhino on the way in and revisit the first waterhole and see giraffes drinking. We then drive via various bore hole stops through to the other end of the park. In all we spend about 7 hours including stops and we see hundreds of zebra, herds of wildebeest, springbok, impala, oryx and lots of giraffes. And a goshawk. Simon sees a leopard in his binoculars. I’m not so lucky. I’m disappointed we don’t see any lions. We’re hit and tired and drive out if the park spotting a herd of elephants in the trees beside the road. Our tented camp seems to redefine luxury and we even have our own personal butler 🥴. We are overlooking a waterhole and are in the Onguma Park so we’re not allowed to walk to our tent without an escort! We head off on a sundowner tour lead by Liberty our guide. I am so excited as we see 3 sleeping lionesses under a tree full and tired after the h...

 We decide on an early start at 5.30am and after breakfast we head off into the Etosha National Park. There is a lot of form filling and bureaucracy at the Gate and it’s all a bit confusing. However we get in and drive around for a while spotting giraffes, springbok and a bizarre Secretary Bird. Back to the main watering hole we can get out of the car and sit in the shade and watch many springbok, kudus, oryx and finally a group of zebras. Back on the road we explore a bit more but the road is very rough and it’s getting a bit too hot to sit in the care without the AC on. You’re not allowed to leave your vehicle. On the way back we see a magnificent elephant at a distance. No lions today though. Back for a late lunch and some relaxation by the pool. And a bit of Rhino watching of course! 

 More time to enjoy breakfast this morning overlooking the desert plains. But we’re on the road by 8.30 and make good progress. We’re almost disappointed when it’s tarmac road. Perhaps less interesting scenery but empty roads and in 3 hours we are at Outjo. We go to the service station to get a new tyre only to discover that we were probably fleeced in Henties Bay and the tyre is fine! We laugh and feel we have donated to the local economy a little! It is Election Day in Namibia and a sort of holiday so the main Curio Shop recommended is closed. We are pleased that most people we speak to are voting and that here is much excitement about the possibility of a younger and progressive new government. We arrive at Etosha Oberland Resort (not to be outdone by nephew Fergus!). Another wonderful (hot) room overlooking the plains with every facility you could think of. It’s about 38 degrees and we seek shade by the pool entranced by the white rhinos, wildebeest and springbok that frequent ...

 Another early start and we head off at 6.30am in an open sided safari jeep with a Scottish couple from Henley and a Swiss German couple. It’s cold and we wrap ourselves in blanket ponchos as we drive up the Hoab Riverbed in search of the Desert Elephant. We see some majestic giraffes. Such extraordinary creatures. The beautiful scenery distracts us from the 2 hour hunt before we see fresh poo and footprints. Finally we find the herd and while away the time watching these magnificent creatures decimating trees and shrubs. They have evolved with  longer legs and larger feet in order to manage the desert and mountain terrain. There are one or two trucks around us but nothing intrusive. It is magical. Back for a light lunch and relaxation before heading off in the truck again to see volcanic burnt mountains, organ pipe shoes rocks of basalt and the ancient rock carvings at Twyflfontein from 6000 years ago. Sundowners at the top of the hill and supper overlooking the setting sun....

 We are driven back along the coast via shipwrecks and rusting fuselage of crashed planes to Mowe Bay where we visit an amazing colony of Cape Fur Seals. There are hundreds of them: males, females and little babies. The noise and smell is memorable too. Back in our car the off road return journey to Torra Bay seems much easier than in the way here. We are not so tired at least. Again the stunning scenery is atmospheric and colourful and we drive through white salt dust blowing across the road. Once inland the scenery changes to terracotta rocks and flat topped mountains and it is much more green. We pass the start of the Veterinary Fence that separated North and South Namibia. Initially erected by the Germans to protect cattle in the south from foot and mouth disease it has more latterly come to represent colonialism and apartheid. We spot a giraffe far away and more elephant poo. But no elephants. Our lodge, Camp Kipri nestles in a cluster of terracotta boulders in which individua...

 After a delicious breakfast we head off with Whereto up the river bed into the sand dunes. We see Egyptian Geese, Augur Buzzards, 3 collared plover, Cape Wagtail, baboons, springbok and oryx. Lots of elephant poo but no elephants… yet! We have coffee overlooking the spectacular scenery and learn a lot of things about Namibia, its wildlife , ecology and political situation. The riverbed becomes greener in parts with wild tobacco plants and thorn bushes and tamarisk. We have a surprise lunch on the beach in the sunshine on the pink garnet filled sand. We walk back to the lodge and sit in the sunshine for a bit and relax in the cool of our room. Then Simon has decided he wants to try sandboarding so we head off on quad bikes. I’m now doing what I said I wouldn’t do but infact it’s fun! Simon enjoys a few gentle runs. The sand has got too soft for faster routes but maybe that’s just as well. We learn that a member of staff has fallen ill and is unconscious so I confess that I’m a doct...

 We hit the road at 8am and take a slight detour after about an hour as I need the loo. We get to a garage and refuel and get the tyre pressure checked. Amazingly fortunately they discover a slow puncture and replace our tyre in less than 30 minutes. It would have taken us a lot longer at the side of the road. We feel very blessed! Back on the deserted road we feel we have been transported to another planet. The scenery is totally other worldly with white salt and shades of grey and purple. The road is sometimes covered in salt. Then the sand becomes pink with garnet crystals. Sometimes sand blows across the road in an eerie mist. Initially tarmac and occasionally gravel. We are sharing the driving and stop occasionally to take photos although we know it can’t do it justice. Finally the tarmac ends and it’s really off road stuff now with quite deep sand sometimes. It’s fun in a slightly scary way. The road gets more and more remote with the wild Atlantic crashing against the salty ...