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Published: August 8th 2007
Namibia Part II - Botswana Part I
May 16 - 28, 2006 Namibia Part II Note: You can click on the photos to enlarge them - particularly helpful with the route map. At the end of Namibia Part I we were leaving Twyfelfontain (where we had been viewing fabulous rock art) and were heading to
Etosha National Park, the premier game park in Namibia. We had been used to being in remote Namibia seeing few if any other tourists, but that was to end in
Etosha National Park (May 16 - 21, 2006), as it is the major highlight of the area.
A large portion of Etosha is actually a huge
saltpan around which the three tourist compounds are situated. As in South Africa, the compounds are fenced in and tourists are not allowed out at night and must stay in their cars when outside the compounds during the day - the opposite of a zoo.
We stayed at each of the compounds as they each have something different to offer. All three have waterholes that are lit at night and at which animals congregate day and night. This is very different from the reserves
Black Rhino
These are much more aggressive than the white rhino we'd been used to seeing in SAin South Africa, and at first we were a little leery of such an 'artificial' setting. Turns out the waterholes are very well done: the lighting is subtle and the holes themselves are (seemingly) natural and situated just on the border of the compounds so you are still fenced in and the animals free to come and go. We had different experiences at each hole, and since the waterholes were within walking distance of the campgrounds and accommodations, Ernie, Kaye, Bernie and I often went at different time, and thus saw different things.
Ernie was lucky enough to see two black rhino get into a fight one night. In South Africa we’d been seeing the more docile white rhinos. Black rhinos are smaller, but much more aggressive.
Our best 'show' viewed together was the night a family of elephants came. It was eerie. We were all sitting on our benches situated above the waterhole on a rocky outcropping and there had only been a few hyenas and jackals for hours. Then suddenly and silently a group of about 20 elephants ran, yes ran, swiftly into view. They seemed to have set places at the hole as the first
Etosha Elephant
Everybody's favorite animal, and for a very good reason in ran around to the far edge of the hole and the others then lined up next to each other, completely encircling the hole. Upon a silent signal from the matriarch, they began to drink. After they drank they became more relaxed. The young started playing around. There was a little one who kept chasing the ground birds who were trying to drink too - very amusing. And one mom and baby were very affectionate.
After about 30 minutes, as we watched in awe and delight, the family started moving off - some getting last drinks, others still playing - when into the area came a large bull elephant obviously in must - the equivalent of 'heat' (you could see the urine down his legs, the must running from his temples). Most of the family moved out of our sight, but there was a young female who stayed behind - obviously interested in the newcomer. While the other elephants were eating and moving slowly away, the bull elephant decided to show off to the little lady who was giving him the eye. He extended his penis, which, and this is hard to believe, was about the size of one
Etosha Accommodations
We stayed in really nice accommodations in Etosha - all had several bedrooms, at least one bathroom, kitchen and BBQ facilities and air conditioning. We were in the lap of luxury! of his legs and touched the ground. And as if that weren’t enough, he actually started waving it at the female and bringing it up to his stomach as though he were using it to scratch an itch. Now, I had NO IDEA an elephant could do that!!! Neither did any of us, but it was Kaye and I who got the giggles. We tried not to be obnoxious, but we were giggling so much and trying so hard to stifle the laughs that we were rocking the bench. Ernie and Bernie got up because they said their binoculars couldn’t be held steady. Yeah, they just wanted to get away from us. I tell you, it was the talk (whisper) of the waterhole - seems nobody knew elephants were so talented. You learn something new everyday don’t you? Unfortunately none of us had a camera with the ability to take photos in the low-light conditions that prevailed at the waterhole, so you’ll just have to take my word for it about this elephant’s abilities. Unfortunately for us voyeurs, Mr. Big was just showing off because he didn’t pursue the female and she sauntered off to join her family. She might
Etosha Lions on Kill
Look closely and you can see two lions in the center of the photo - backs to us - who are surrounded by black-backed jackal not have been impressed, but Kaye and I certainly were!!
We spent 6 days and nights in the park and every night was amazing. Here is an excerpt from Bernie’s journal:
“Went to waterhole at 16:00 and stayed until 20:00. Saw, in order, 1 elephant, 2 rhinos, 5 elephants, 1 rhino, 3 rhinos, 1 hyena, more rhinos - amazing!” During the days we drove through the park. Another excerpt from Bernie’s journal:
“20.05.06. Morning drive: impala (hundreds), zebra (18), wildebeest (32), giraffe, springbok (hundreds), jackal, ostrich, kori bustard, blue crane, gemsbok.” Our first day drive stunned us. We weren’t out on the road more than a few minutes, just at daybreak, when we spotted 2 huge male lions eating their kill. The reason we were able to spot these well camouflaged animals who were lying in dry grass practically the same color as they, was because of all the jackals - we counted more than 50 - circling, crouching near the kill and generally waiting their turn on the carcass. The reason we were so surprised is that black-backed jackal are usually solitary animals - we’d never seen more than 1 or 2 at
Dik-Dik
These little guys are only 21 - 24" (52 - 61 cm.) tall a time. And now, here were over 50 of them. It was spooky - something is out of whack in the animal kingdom when the jackal numbers are this out of balance.
Our last day drive in the park was special too. We hadn’t thus far seen a dik-dik. One reason they are so hard to spot is their size: only 20" - 24” (51 - 61 cm) tall and very shy. We went on a road named Dik-Dik drive, and they sure got that right. We saw 10 dik-diks, usually a male and female. Even saw a male 'stot' when a jackal got too close. To stot is to spring straight into the air, from a standstill, and make a high-pitched squeal as a warning. One little guy almost stoted right into our bakkie, he was so intent on the jackal he hadn’t yet even see us.
The Caprivi Strip via Rundu The Caprivi Strip is a piece of land that juts out of the northeast corner of Namibia and so is surrounded by Angola, Zambia and Botswana. When the Germans were in control of Namibia they had hopes of procuring more land and eventually
Rundu
Bernard looking across the Okavango into Angola, yearning to go - couldn't because of old landmines getting access to the Zambezi River and connecting Namibia with German controlled Tanganyika (now Tanzania), and ultimately the Indian Ocean. This didn’t work out, but the Caprivi Strip had already been ceded to German Southwest Africa, aka Namibia, and thus came with the territory at independence.
Upon leaving Etosha we drove to
Rundu (May 22), which is a not-very-interesting market town, but we had a nice motel room with views over the Okavango River to Angola. Bernie so wanted to enter into Angola but it was a no-go. Apparently too many unexploded landmines.
One of our favorite spots was on the Caprivi Strip at
Popa Falls (May 23 & 24). We had planned only one night here before dropping down for our first soiree into Botswana, but stayed two nights instead. Camping right next to us was a very friendly Swiss-Dutch family, so we pooled our resources, cooked up a big meal and shared a fun evening.
BOTSWANA - Part I We had a pleasant surprise on the road to Botswana. To get to this remote border crossing (few roads in this part of Botswana, almost no tourists) you have to transverse another game reserve. We
Sable Antelope
These antelope are shy, so we were so excited to see so many of them in Mahango Reserve and on the Caprivi Strip hadn’t expected much, so were taken aback to see roan antelope, illusive sable antelope, hippo walking on land, many interesting birds and giant baobab trees - a delightful little reserve.
Our destination in Botswana was to the western side of the
Okavango Delta, to Drotsky’s Cabins - a resort on the Okavango River (May 25 - 27).
The resort was beautifully situated on the riverbank. We had a huge campsite, nice bathroom and shower facilities (the ablution block as they call it) and, oh, nightly visits from HIPPO. Little known fact: hippopotamus kill more people in Africa every year than all the Big Five put together. They are herbivores, so that seems unlikely doesn’t it? During the day you see them in the water sleeping or just sitting, but generally keeping out of the sun as they sunburn easily. But, and this is a HUGE but, they go on land at night to graze. The male hippo is very territorial. He defecates and uses his tail to fling it around to mark his waterhole and the trail back to it - he follows this scent back after he is finished eating (and his harem follows). If you
Ernie & Tiger Fish
It is a beautiful fish, but was even better as Fish Eagle food are between him and his waterhole, watch out, as you could get flattened - that is how they kill people.
Our first night at Drotsky’s Cabins we had dinner at the resort dining area right over the river, beautiful sunset, breeze, birds and animals everywhere, and the food was to die for. Which of course meant I ate too much.
Later in our tent we were kept awake by hippo noises coming from all sides. You could hear them leaving the water, chomping grass around the campsite, roaming through the camp area trails and making grunting sounds. Yeah, so THAT is why there were these huge areas of 'manicured' (read: chomped) grass around the campsites!
My dinner continued to disagree with me until I
HAD to go the bathroom, which of course was several hundred yards away. With flashlight in hand I cautiously poked my head out, ascertained there were no hippos in the immediate vicinity, then ran to the Ablution Block (shower/bathroom facilities). I stayed there for a really long time because I did
NOT want to return - my heart had been in my throat as I ran there. Finally I thought I’d better get
Okavango Delta
This place is magical back because Bernie would surely be worried about me by now. So, again, flashlight in hand, heart in throat, I ventured out of the bathroom. Immediately I heard hippo sounds to my right, but not in the direction I need to go. So I slowly started walking toward camp, swinging my flashlight around, sweeping the trees, ground, and trails. About halfway back I heard grunts coming from our campsite. I froze in my tracks. The grunts stopped. I moved closer. The grunts grew louder and closer. I stopped. The grunts stopped. Finally I made a dash for the tent only to find the grunts were coming from
INSIDE our tent - Bernardo was sooooo worried about me he had fallen into a sound sleep and was snoring up a storm!
Later that night we were awakened by a car horn from the next campsite. A hippo had come into their camp and was dangerously close to their tents. When they got up the nerve, they ran to their car and started honking to scare the hippo off. We talked to them the next morning and they said they had spent the remainder of the night in their car as
Okavango Hippo
We had too many up-close and personal encounters with hippos at Drotsky's Cabins, but you gotta love them! the hippo didn’t leave until he was right good and ready, which wasn’t until almost day break - the honking didn’t faze him one iota.
We LOVED the
Okavango River - went out in boats every day and saw interesting things everyday. Our river guide, Richard, was super. He’d ask us, "What do you want to see today?" We’d tell him, and he always found whatever it was we’d requested. As the days went on our requests became harder and harder. The last day we asked to see a sitatunga, a web-footed antelope that is small and lives in the reeds along the river. Oh, and is seldom seen.
On our way back to camp that evening Richard suddenly swung the boat around and headed toward the opposite shore at full speed. What he’d seen was a crocodile stalking a sitatunga, whose back was to the croc. As we roared up the sitatunga turned toward the noise, spotted the croc who took that fleeting opportunity to lung, but the sitatunga was faster and literally leapt to safety as the croc did a belly flop in the reeds.
We didn’t get any photos because, as you might
Etosha Black-Faced Impala
Rare black-faced impala are only found in this area of Namibia - around and in Etosha imagine, first we were holding on for dear life as the boat sped toward the shore, then we were enraptured with the narrow escape of the sitatunga and concerned about possible ramifications (and I do mean 'ram', as in the boat) from the huge crocodile.
Ernie like Drotsky’s particularly since he could fish. Tiger fish were biting and Ernie caught more than any other fisherman at the resort. Tiger fish are not very good to eat because they have many bones (great to catch evidently), so Richard showed Ernie a fun thing to do with the fish. He would take a piece of papyrus from the riverbank, break off a small piece and put the papyrus down the throat of the dead fish. He then located a fish eagle - seemed to know where they lived - and whistled to get the bird’s attention.
Once the bird was looking, Richard or Ernie threw the fish out over the water. The fish eagle would swoop down and catch the fish before it hit the water, usually. The papyrus was to help the fish float if an eagle missed. We had so much fun feeding the eagles that way -
Meercats
For you Animal Planet/Meercat Manor fans, we saw a few families and they were always entertaining got really good looks at them as they swooped over the water.
In too short a time it was time to head back into Namibia, and across the Caprivi Strip on our way to
Victoria Falls in Zambia. The Caprivi Strip is also a game reserve, so is gated at both ends. As we drove through we saw more roan and sable antelope. Along the Strip there are signs warning you about elephants crossing the road, as this is free range for all animals. Driving was tense because if you hit an elephant, well, bye bye bakkie at the very least. We did see elephant, but fortunately just before or after they’d crossed the road.
We had one last night in Namibia at
Katimo Mulilo (May 28) where our innkeepers gave us tons of useful advice and also changed money for us at a very favorable rate. You do need Zambian currency (the Kwacha) for certain items, but the South African Rand, the Botswanan Pula and the Namibia Dollar were all used in Zambia as well.
Next stop: Victoria Falls, so stay tuned.
Travel Journal
Kathy & Bernard Dougherty
2007
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Penny MacG
non-member comment
Thanks for keeping me posted, I'm enjoying your interesting narrative and stunning pictures. But rather you than me, when it comes to hippos between bed and bathroom. I remember being terrified as a kid staying overnight with families whose dogs forgot who was a "friend" as soon as it got dark! I doubt that twyfel fontain means 12 fountains, since twyfel (twijfel) means doubt. So dubious fountain? Hesitant fountain (sometimes working/sometimes not?) Anyway, keep on having fun and keep on blogging!