Then there were lions, Namibia
Your very own self-drive safari
We had envisaged there would be more wildlife heading into Etosha, but not to this extent.
On leaving Dolomite Camp we start to head east, but before that we pulled into the watering hole that we had observed from our room the previous night.
A helpful guide
If you're considering a road trip through Namibia, then your in for a holiday of a lifetime. I always find it incredibly useful to plan our trips with the help of a guide book.
Take a look at this informative Bradt guide, it will give you great tips and advice.
Take care, you’re in their environment
What is wonderful about Namibia is that as long as you are sensible and keep your wits about you, this country can easily be toured around under your own steam.
Although we stayed in lodges of an evening you can actually camp on top of your 4x4. This will give you a bit more of that one to one with nature experience.
The hire company will supply you with a tent specifically for your truck and give you the run down on the do’s and don’ts.
Along the route we came across 3 bull elephants either side of the road. We stopped for a few snaps and remembered the advice given by a guide earlier, give them space, give them respect. We did, and we made it safely past them.
Although the camps and lodges offer a selection of safari tours, which are fantastic. You can still embark upon your own adventures during the day, visiting the plentiful pools.
A few more waterholes, an assortment of the usual, (how familiar you become).
LIONS…………..
Until we hit a waterhole where we saw the unusual.
It’s bizarre but we nearly didn’t notice the pride of 7 Lions taking shade from the sun. We were looking up and not down.
We carefully manoeuvred 'Heidi' to allow us to grab some shots. As we sat an admired the pride, another couple of families arrived, and like us they missed the obvious - but as is the way, if you spot something, you share it. We indicated to the other family and moved onto our next destination.
At this point we understood the importance of staying in the truck.
Onto Okaukuejo Camp
The drive to Okaukuejo was full of more stunning wildlife, it truly was amazing.
Okaukuejo Camp has the facilities for all types of accommodation from full board to camping. This mix of adventurers makes it a fairly lively resort.
Whilst it's great to explore during the day, you're likely to miss the animals that are more active in the cooler evenings & night time. Therefore, we pre-booked a night safari that started around 8:00pm. It's worth looking at the offerings as you can't beat the specialist knowledge & equipment (okay, a huge spotlight for picking out the wildlife)
This adventure allowed us to bag another of the big 5 - the rhino. These massive, prehistoric looking, beasts demand a huge amount of respect. They are renown for having very poor eyesight, and if they feel threatened, they have one rule - charge. A rhino can easily disable the most robust of 4x4's so approach with caution.
The total tour lasted 3 hours, but that time just flew by.
Why not?
Start creating your own adventure, and discover the amazing scenery & African wildlife of Namibia for yourself.
We chose British Airways, and it was all done with a few clicks, a brief stopover in Johannesburg, and our luggage was there for our arrival in Windhoek.
Inspired to visit Namibia?
Etosha NP is briming with wildlife and adventure. What are you waiting for?
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