Day 7 - Major Safari Expidition

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Off on our first early safari looking for big game today. Onto the truck and dressed in warm ponchos supplied by the driver. Still not enough to keep the bitter cold off our faces, but anyway, into the wild west we headed.

Get to the made road, turn right to the gates of the Etosha National Park which were about 300 metres away and stop. A queue of trucks, cars and safari land cruisers. After about half an hour we are in and on a straight stretch of road similar to the Nullarbor plain. The plan was to stop at the resort for a toilet break then into the park. Oops, bypassed the resort and onto the dusty gravel roads.

Yells of stop, there were zebras. No stopping, then we see lots of vehicles on the side of the road. Told there was a cheetah with 3 cubs. Sure enough, sitting up nice and proud was the cheetah mum with the cubs in full view of lots of cameras, etc. Then she started stalking, so our driver and tour leader got excited that she might be hunting some Springboks which were across the road.

We waited for quite a while as she moved forward, then just lay down. A few of the group had had enough so asked to move on. Much to the disgust of the locals we moved (footnote, found out later the cheetah made a kill of a Springbok not long after we left).....

Move on and next thing we hear there’s a lion moving. On our way a few get very excited with some elephants which we stop and look at then move to the lion with comments that we will be back for the elephants. Find the lion (by the number of cars on the road again) and follow him for quite a while while he sprays his territory. Amazing sights.

The lion decides to have a sleep so we go back, and sure enough, the elephants are still around the same area. Get some great shots and as we are about to leave, one comes up towards the truck and looks us straight in the eye. Wowser.... Big bugger up close.

We decide to go back and have the toilet break we missed because of the cheetahs and see lots of zebras and other animals as we go. Toilet break done, coffee, tea and muffins then back to another area for more looking before we head back for lunch.

Just turn off the bitumen and see our first giraffe. Quickly drive to the waterhole he is drinking from. Stunning. Then we see another giraffe come out of the bush a bit further up the road. He wanders down, and next thing you know, there is a power struggle. A bump here, then they engage in giraffe fighting. The newcomer wins this one and then more giraffes come out of the bush in front of us and down to the waterhole we are parked beside. Lucky us....

As we watch more game comes to drink. Great viewing. Finally it is time to head back. Pretty excited about our day we get back and have lunch, then back to our rooms before another sundowner drive, this time in our private reserve.

Do some washing and while hanging the clothes out, there are 6 giraffe about 150 metres out from our deck eating trees.

Out again, and not too long before we find zebras up close and personal along with other antelope family members. Then as we drive, our driver (David) notices paw prints in the dust - cheetah. In we go, and after about 3 minutes, we have a mother and her 4 cubs in front of us. The cubs are more adventurous than the morning sightings so we get great shots again. By this time the word had spread and we had 3 other trucks beside us. Mum decided it was time to move on so we decided we would as well. Nearly got killed twice by other trucks coming to look at our cheetahs..

On to our sundowner spot. A few more animals then we get to an area with a table, chairs and drinks waiting. David starts a fire, gets snacks going as we take more sunset photos. Very pretty sight.

Back to the lodge for dinner before our next adventure into Etosha tomorrow morning. Might even put the thermals on to try and keep the cold out tomorrow.

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