No Fixed Abode: Namibia's Menagerie

Mon 04 - Thu 07 Jul 2016 - Etosha National Park

Four days of 0500 starts, all day game viewing and late night water hole watching was not conducive to lengthy daily blogging so here is a brief synopsis of our time in Etosha National Park.

Etosha is one of the largest game parks in Africa and is centred around a vast pan that, for a few weeks a year, becomes an enormous shallow lake. For the rest of the year the pan is an endless sea of white salt that stretches to the horizon and is fringed by grassy plains, shrub savannah and light forests, which are the areas where the animals roam. The park also has a plethora of water holes that are formed by springs in the limestone base and it is to these that visitors flock to watch the animals. Game viewing on the road offers some sightings but parking up at a water hole for an hour or two to see what shows up is great fun - especially just after sunrise and just before sunset.

Our journey took us into the park at the southern entrance through the Anderson Gate to our first camp at Okaukuejo. We then drove east to overnight at Halali before ending up at Namutoni for our last night. Then it was out through the Lindequist Gate in the east and onwards to the town of Tsumeb, our first stop out of the park.

Here are the highlights of our journey:

Watching two male lions slowly wake up at Ombika waterhole then being shooed away by a herd of elephants who practically ran in for a drink. Who says the lion is ‘the king of the jungle’ - the elephants definitely rule Etosha. While they were drinking a herd of zebra arrived and were also shooed away but they slowly edged forward one pace at a time, just like a game of “what’s the time mr wolf’.

Seeing the endless flat plain of the Etosha pan, which is home to thousands of birds for a a few weeks in the rainy season.

Witnessing a couple of Gemsbok/Oryx in a proper headbutting battle.

Spending an hour at the Okondeka water hole watching the hoofed animals drink and then retreat as a male lion wandered by scenting his patch.

Spending the evening at the Okaukuejo water hole. Four elephants arrived at sunset and drank a huge amount of water then froze for a couple of hours (during which time we had dinner) as if asleep. When they finally left left some black rhino appeared and a couple had a foot stomping battle of wills. Four giraffes spent ages cautiously approaching across the plain to get to the water’s edge only to be spooked by something and quickly left without a drink.

Joining a crowd of cars at the Homeb water hole watching a pride of lions eating the carcass of small elephant that looked freshly caught. One female had a blood stained face from where she kept putting her entire head into the carcass to feed. Even when they had finished and fallen asleep in the shade the herds of zebra would not approach the water. The springbok had no such fear, in fact they rather cockily walked quite close to the lions knowing they could out run them. In the background the black backed jackal was hovering to pick up any pieces later on.

At the Sueda water hole the zebra got so excited splashing about in the water they churned it into a muddy mess. No wonder the elephants keep them at bay until they’ve finished drinking.

Spending three hours at the large Reinfontein water hole watching all manner of animals come and go: Zebra; Springbok; kudu; black faced impala - one with a broken leg that really struggled to walk, looks like his days were numbered; ducks; eagles and giraffes.

Passing a small herd of black faced impala in the road side, of which two of the youngsters were running and jumping around all over the place - very fast and very high.

Visiting the Halali waterhole at sunset to see a huge collection of elephants (we guessed three herds), including some tiny babies, jostling for position but ALL very submissive to one massive bull. At one stage he became so irritated with the commotion he trumpeted and stamped his foot, at which they all retreated and thereafter kept well out of his way wherever he walked. It was fascinating to watch the hierarchies and the corresponding aggressive/submissive behaviours.

Waiting for countless zebras to cross roads at various points during our tour of the park.

Arriving at the Okerfontein water hole to find a huge, lone bull elephant trying to cool down. As he left he walked close to the car in front and gave us the scale of just how big he was.

Watching a large giraffe picking and eating leaves from tree at the side of the road then watching his knees go past the rear of the car in the rear view mirror.

After three days of waiting to see a cheetah, taking one last punt on the Koinachas water hole and finding a large male lying in the sun then watching him amble to the shade beneath a tree where a black backed jackal trotted past and startled them both.

On our last morning we started early and drove around four water holes finding them either dry or devoid of life. We then went to Chudob where we sat for over three hours and Etosha came to us. Black faced impala, kudu, giraffe, eland - not previously seen at Etosha, several herds of zebra, springbok, warthogs, gemsbok and, just before we left, two bull elephants that plastered themselves in mud while all the other animals watched from a discreet distance. It was fascinating watching them interact both within their herds and with each other. A great ending to great stay.