Escape to Namibia

ETOSHA

The night before we arrived in Etosha they had a massive downpour of rain. The next day it was touch and go as to whether they could land on the airstrip what with the clouds but fortunately they could so we were spared a long drive to the camp from another airfield.
View attachment 107878

A video still
View attachment 107876

This camp was the furthest north with much more rainfall so the scenery was completely different. Lush green with lots of vegetation. Normally this would be the place to see lots of wildlife but with the massive 70mm overnight, there was no longer any need for the animals to come to the water hole right in front of the camp and it was deserted. We didn’t see many of the big 5 here and most people would have been sorely disappointed but the bird life was prolific and with such an excellent guide who totally knew his birds we were in our element. Tom got some awesome shots of birds with his DSLR and me watching with my bins and recording them all on a scrap of paper. Over 70 in the end. I didn’t quite get the names of a couple and didn’t record a few if I felt I didn’t get a good enough sighting. Just missed getting a good look at a little owl.

Under the clouds approaching the airstrip
View attachment 107879

The camp was in it’s own private game reserve but it is just on the edge of the Etosha game reserve run by the government so we took trips into the main game reserve on the second day. However, we saw most of the birds in our own game reserve.
View attachment 107880

Springbok
View attachment 107881

Jackal
View attachment 107882

This tame Monteiro’s Hornbill sits on shop window sill and taps on the window making a hellova racket. Taken from a video still. We saw four species of hornbill. Swoon.
View attachment 107877
Wonderful!!!
 
ETOSHA

The night before we arrived in Etosha they had a massive downpour of rain. The next day it was touch and go as to whether they could land on the airstrip what with the clouds but fortunately they could so we were spared a long drive to the camp from another airfield.
View attachment 107878

A video still
View attachment 107876

This camp was the furthest north with much more rainfall so the scenery was completely different. Lush green with lots of vegetation. Normally this would be the place to see lots of wildlife but with the massive 70mm overnight, there was no longer any need for the animals to come to the water hole right in front of the camp and it was deserted. We didn’t see many of the big 5 here and most people would have been sorely disappointed but the bird life was prolific and with such an excellent guide who totally knew his birds we were in our element. Tom got some awesome shots of birds with his DSLR and me watching with my bins and recording them all on a scrap of paper. Over 70 in the end. I didn’t quite get the names of a couple and didn’t record a few if I felt I didn’t get a good enough sighting. Just missed getting a good look at a little owl.

Under the clouds approaching the airstrip
View attachment 107879

The camp was in it’s own private game reserve but it is just on the edge of the Etosha game reserve run by the government so we took trips into the main game reserve on the second day. However, we saw most of the birds in our own game reserve.
View attachment 107880

Springbok
View attachment 107881

Jackal
View attachment 107882

This tame Monteiro’s Hornbill sits on shop window sill and taps on the window making a hellova racket. Taken from a video still. We saw four species of hornbill. Swoon.
View attachment 107877

I’m being redundant, but..... WOW. [emoji7]
 
Wonderful!!!
Awwww, Ann, I love love love your pictures, especially all the great animal shots. [emoji171] get the heart I only use very occasionally. If it's purple, you hit me right in the centre. [emoji106]
I’m being redundant, but..... WOW. [emoji7]
I’ve run out of superlatives before I even commented.

‘What everyone else has said’

‘Especially what Star said about National Geographic’
Aww, thanks ladies. It was a very special holiday and I feel very fortunate. We got amazingly close to lots of the animals. Hard to believe they are taken with a phone camera. Of course I miss out on all the wonderful bird pics but it’s nice for my DH to get credit for that.
 
Next was Hoanib Skeleton Coast. A big occasion for the DH who turned the big SIX-O.

I had expected the camp to be near the coast but it was actually a bone shaking four hour drive away so we gave that trip a miss. However, game drives along the dried bed of the Hoanib river provided sights of the best game of the whole trip. The camp with the units covered in tent structures also made it unique. Plenty of wild animals around the camp and we were escorted from dinner to our rooms when it was dark.

None of these images have been edited.

View attachment 107846

View attachment 107849

View attachment 107851

View attachment 107848

The white balance for this image wasn’t quite right but it does amaze me how the animals melt into their environment.
View attachment 107847

Oryx. In this image you can see the sides of the river bed.
View attachment 107850
Wow, amazing. Pretty fancy tents on the inside. Great opportunity to see real live animals.
 
ETOSHA

The night before we arrived in Etosha they had a massive downpour of rain. The next day it was touch and go as to whether they could land on the airstrip what with the clouds but fortunately they could so we were spared a long drive to the camp from another airfield.
View attachment 107878

A video still
View attachment 107876

This camp was the furthest north with much more rainfall so the scenery was completely different. Lush green with lots of vegetation. Normally this would be the place to see lots of wildlife but with the massive 70mm overnight, there was no longer any need for the animals to come to the water hole right in front of the camp and it was deserted. We didn’t see many of the big 5 here and most people would have been sorely disappointed but the bird life was prolific and with such an excellent guide who totally knew his birds we were in our element. Tom got some awesome shots of birds with his DSLR and me watching with my bins and recording them all on a scrap of paper. Over 70 in the end. I didn’t quite get the names of a couple and didn’t record a few if I felt I didn’t get a good enough sighting. Just missed getting a good look at a little owl.

Under the clouds approaching the airstrip
View attachment 107879

The camp was in it’s own private game reserve but it is just on the edge of the Etosha game reserve run by the government so we took trips into the main game reserve on the second day. However, we saw most of the birds in our own game reserve.
View attachment 107880

Springbok
View attachment 107881

Jackal
View attachment 107882

This tame Monteiro’s Hornbill sits on shop window sill and taps on the window making a hellova racket. Taken from a video still. We saw four species of hornbill. Swoon.
View attachment 107877
Wonder after wonder.
 
Next was Hoanib Skeleton Coast. A big occasion for the DH who turned the big SIX-O.

I had expected the camp to be near the coast but it was actually a bone shaking four hour drive away so we gave that trip a miss. However, game drives along the dried bed of the Hoanib river provided sights of the best game of the whole trip. The camp with the units covered in tent structures also made it unique. Plenty of wild animals around the camp and we were escorted from dinner to our rooms when it was dark.

None of these images have been edited.

View attachment 107846

View attachment 107849

View attachment 107851

View attachment 107848

The white balance for this image wasn’t quite right but it does amaze me how the animals melt into their environment.
View attachment 107847

Oryx. In this image you can see the sides of the river bed.
View attachment 107850

I’ve been thinking about those groups of animals out in the open. I suppose they get used to minimal cover. I know we have deer here, and moose, that walk through the yard but we very seldom see them. I see their tracks through the yard and up in the woods behind the house but I never see them there. Following a deer trail I realize if they stepped off the trail just 4 metres it would be hard to see them because of the density of trees in many places. I could walk right by and never see them.
We sometimes get a fright when deer run across the road in front of the car but the view is so brief.
 
I’ve been thinking about those groups of animals out in the open. I suppose they get used to minimal cover. I know we have deer here, and moose, that walk through the yard but we very seldom see them. I see their tracks through the yard and up in the woods behind the house but I never see them there. Following a deer trail I realize if they stepped off the trail just 4 metres it would be hard to see them because of the density of trees in many places. I could walk right by and never see them.
We sometimes get a fright when deer run across the road in front of the car but the view is so brief.
Interestingly, it’s much more difficult for lions under these conditions. They have to be within 30 metres of their prey to have a chance of catching them and there aren’t too many places where they can sneak up on their prey unseen. Food during times of drought is the real issue for these animals.
 
Back
Top Bottom