2024 Namibia - 4th to 16th May 2024
Our original plan for visiting Africa (when we shipped the Landcruiser there from Uruguay in Feb 2020) was to spend 3 to 4 months traveling round, leave it in a storage location in Namibia for 8 to 9 months and then return for another 3 to 4 months before shipping home.
But, 2 weeks after it had been shipped and I had flown home from Uruguay the world was in lockdown. It took 7 months before it was offloaded in Cape Town, we did not know when Africa would be fit for travel again, carnet issues etc. and I was approaching 70, we decided that it was a fitting end to our travels and shipped it home.
During lockdown we sold the Landcruiser, acquired a dog and bought a motorhome so we could all travel together, and whilst there is still plenty to do in Europe it does restrict our international to 3 weeks, when our daughter looks after Ruby.
So, how to condense 6 to 8 months into 3 weeks? After a fair bit of research we chose Namibia, and whilst we have not travelled anywhere else in Africa (yet) we are more than happy we did.
I did a bit of research myself on Namibia and then contacted Emily Button of Travel Councilors locally and between us we negotiated an excellent trip. Basically it was a fly drive using top class lodges. I felt that 3 of the travelling days were too long so we added 3 additional stops. Offset that by reducing the standard of vehicle to a Hilux (which is more than capable and the most common vehicle used) and which balanced out the cost somewhat.
Journey went like clockwork, collected our vehicle without an issue (except getting the extra spare wheel we had requested, but that was soon sorted. I had already loaded the whole of Namibia on to google maps so we could use offline and made it to Vila Violet, our first destination, a very nice B & B on the outskirts of Windhoek. We were directed to a nearby pub for dinner and after wondering whether I would gin Jagermeister in Namibia (my favorite tiple) I found that the whole of thi extensive, multi roomed pub was lines with empty bottles.
Next morning we set off for Agama Lodge, about a 4 hour drive near to a place called Solitaire, the first of our added stops.
our Hilux
And then on to The Wilderness Kualala Desert Lodge and certainly was n the middle of the desert.
Chris uses binoculars to see how far it is from the restaurant to our room (one of the furthest buildings.
The restaurant was excellent, as was the rest of the Lodge and the staff all very friendly
Next day we ere taken to Sossusvlie
A tree seen on many screen savers
But not with us standing beneath it
Then we go for a 'sundowner' before dinner
To witness the sunset
At dinner a Jackal waits for food outside the restaurant (at his regular spot)
After dinner I had the last drop out of a bottle of Jagermeister.
Next morning at breakfast the waiter showed me he had found another bottle
There was plenty of wild lie around
And they provided maps of short walks you could take close by
But the lodge itself was very busy and disorganized (it is next to a large camp site) food not particularly good and when I asked for a cocktail that was on their specials list it was out of stock, when I asked what they had got they showed me a list of all the things that were out of stock.
Even has a skeleton, but didn't look human!
Next it is back into the dessert to Ozondjou Trails.
Sleeping in a very comfortable tent
Before heading out for a late afternoon drive
And saw our first elephants lurking in the shadows (hence the grainy image)
Whilst on route to visit a local school
Then we head back to camp for a drink before dinner
and take in the scenery
Next day we are taken out by members of the EHRA (Elephant Human Relations Aid) who provide Education and Training to try to avoid conflict between people and elephants. One of their objectives is to provide two wells/water holes for each village. One has a high wall round it and pumps water to each home, where the other is more accessible to the elephants. But elephants can smell water and if their hole dries up they will demolish buildings to get to it.
One of the guys is a tracker (the same age as me) and he shows us how to track down a family of elephants. Just like us the girls all congregate together.
It doesn't take too long to find a large family, including young ones
And tiny ones
Plus the daddy of them all
Then this pops up!
And then we find more grazing in the trees
Next to Doro Nawas, through some pretty spectacular scenery.
Where we visit some cave drawings
Visited a petrified forest and also visited a mock village where they showed ancient arts and crafts and sat round looking bored most of the time.
But saw some nice scenery on the way round
And saw a nice sunset when we stopped for our sundowner on the way back
Next stop was Ongava Lodge, on a reserve just west of Estosha Park. We are half way through our trip and now we are in animal territory. This is our first Lodge with its own water hole and the first thing we see there is a Giraffe.
We then go for an evening drive and immediately see more elephants
And then some young lions
After dinner we go down to the 'hide' by the watering hole and spot some rihnos
Next morning we are out again and find a large group of White Rhinos
Another water hole where we find Koodoo
And some Giraffes, but they look spooked
We follow the direction they are looking and find a large group of Lyons lounging about
They move off, but only as far as a watering hole, not bothering the Giraffes
On the way back we find some Wildebeest
Next day we enter Estosha Park, where we have opted for another extra stop in the middle of the park, in order to make a few detours to some additional water holes, at the first of which we find Zebras
A bit further on Springbok
Then an elephant striding along beside the road
Followed by Ostriches well spaced out
And a Wildebeest hanging out in the shade with some Springbok