Animals Under the Lights
Trip Start
Jun 25, 2006
1
52
127
Trip End
Aug 01, 2007
Etosha National Park,
Namibia
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
We headed north out of Swakopmund to go to Etosha National Park. Looking at the map of our route you might wonder why we didn't go to Etosha when we were in this region visiting the cheetah reserve a few weeks ago. Since we are doing two legs on this overland trip (each which could be purchased and done separately) and there are no game reserves in southern Namibia, the overland company wanted to route it so people doing only one of the two segments would have a safari experience.
Etosha is a huge park situated around an enormous pan (dry salt lake). It looks just like you might imagine a "typical" scene of Africa to look. The land is super flat with golden grass, small bushes, and the occasional acacia tree interrupting the horizon. The sky is beyond blue and contrasted against the flat plains, looks absolutely gigantic. During our game drives we have seen so many zebra, antelope, and giraffe that we don't even bother putting on the brakes to observe and photograph them anymore. The campsites in Etosha are wonderful. They have swimming pools, a bar and restaurant, camp stores, and get this...each campgrounds is built next to a game watering hole that has with spectator seating and is lit at night! It is totally unique to be able to go out after dinner, sit on a bench and watch lions appear out of the darkness to get a drink! Yup, were are really roughing it!
In our final game drive tonight we happened upon a pride of about eight lions that had recently killed a zebra. It was obvious that most of them had already gorged themselves since they barely stirred from their napping as we pulled alongside. A few juvenile lions continued feasting after we arrived, and the sounds of lips smacking and bones crunching filled the air. If that wasn't enough, the final stop of the drive we saw a group of about twenty elephants frolicking in a watering hole, there were dozens of other animals including giraffes, lions, antelope all lingering near the pond as well. What a panorama!
Tomorrow morning we are off southward again to the capital city of Windhoek where we are camping for the night before heading further south the next day into the Namib Desert.
She Said:
Etosha was amazing, and I highly recommend it as the first choice for anyone who wants to go on an African safari. The accommodation is comfortable, the park is huge with a large variety of animals, and Namibia is a very developed country. And the lions feasting on the zebra was definitely a once in a lifetime experience!
Comments
YUCK
OMG!!! I watched that video - ugh, nasty!! I can't believe you watched that KT!! I'm very impressed with you! I did watch it though and must say it must have been one amazing experience!
so - you were in Namibia?? isn't that where Brad and Angelina had the baby??