Back to Namibia years later. Not much new ... just beauty !

[africawild]

Again , my initial plan was to skip Swakopmund and spend 3 days at Damaraland , one of the favorite places from my first visit , but the lodges and camps i wanted ( Grootberg Lodge specially after the great review by Jochen ) where unavailable or too expensive like the great Palmwag Rhino Camp !

 

So the plan had changed and we decided to spend 2 days in Swakopmund and enjoy some of the activities available in the area !

 

My sons wanted to visit the Cape Croos Seal colony so we went the first afternoon.

 

 

In the way back we stopped at what looked like a recent shipwreck

 

 

For our full day we had decided to take the Swakop and Khan Rivers Canyons tour , a 5 hour drive inside and around these 2 rivers admiring a different desert landscape .

 

 

 

 

 

The flora of the area was sure special

 

 

The enigmatic Welwitschia mirabilis

 

 

 

Dead Quiver Trees

 

 

And ancient Acacia trees , some of them believe to be more than 3000 years old!

 

 

We also had the chance to see several animals like jackals ,kudus,springboks,baboons,meerkats,ostriches or klipspringers , most of them quite shy and also tracks and spurs of hyenas,zebras or cheetah!

 

 

On the way back when the light was fading we could have a view of the plateau and its moonlike landscape!

 

It was a nice drive in a usually less traveled area of the country.

 

Next i will start with Etosha.

 

Paco

 

 

[twaffle]

Continuing the brilliance, thanks Paco.

[graceland]

Was away on our one dream like safari, Paco when your TR began.But i've spent a lovely evening reviewing it as we have thought about a Namibia trip with our guide from Zim

 

Quite gorgeous from your photos.....thank you for bringing it so alive!

[egilio]

Fantastic photos!!!

[xelas]

@@africawild

The photo below Welwitschia mirabilis surely is enigmatic! Could you share more about this photo?

[Peter Connan]

Love your work! Lovely photos, thank you.

[africawild]

@@africawild

The photo below Welwitschia mirabilis surely is enigmatic! Could you share more about this photo?

Xelas , the photo shows a detail of the Welwitschia leaf with the sun light coming from behind . I have to admit i had not noticed it , it was our guide that point the shiny green color produced by the back light!!

 

Paco

Edited October 13, 2014 by africawild

[michael-ibk]

I really love your photos. The last one looks like a painting, fantastically beautiful. And the "Welwtschis" one is just extraordinary.

[Marks]

I'm playing catchup here, but the detail in your photos is truly extraordinary.

[FlyTraveler]

@africawild: Great trip, Paco and absolutely brilliant photos, one of the very best of Namibia that I have ever seen. We are planning to visiting the NamibRand reserve in early May 2015, just for an overnight stay, but still better than not visiting at all... Looking forward to seeing the Etosha part of your TR.

[Marks]

Having finished reading in full, I must say I am still very impressed by the little details...like the crisp textures of the ground by the dunes, or the unexpected colors in the night sky photos...not things that I always notice, and as such are a testament to your skill!

[Atravelynn]

These are postcards! Every one of them.

[Soukous]

Stunning photography @@africawild

absolutely gorgeous

[africawild]

I need to go on and finish this trip report . The last part is Etosha where we spent 6 nights. I will try to cover each area with one post , basically pictures.

 

 

Okaukuejo : in my previous visit to Etosha we decided to stay outside the National Park but this time i wanted to try the night viewing waterholes inside the camps . Not much my stile but the good thing is they are affordable and of course the night viewing .

 

 

We spent our first afternoon in one waterhole basically enjoying this bull elephant !

 

 

 

 

 

We had a demonstration of how grey elephants become white in Etosha !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the way back to camp we had a backlight herd of zebras

 

 

 

 

Back in camp we headed to the waterhole for the sunset and had a great time !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After dinner we went back to the waterhole where giraffes and rhinos putted up and incredible show , this was the best part of being inside the park!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some things we saw in our first full day in Etosha

 

Kudu alert with a simple wild cat

 

 

 

 

An impressive bull

 

 

 

Some birding

 

 

 

 

An Egyptian Goose acting like a raptor

 

 

 

 

An a true raptor

 

 

 

Some regular visitors at Etosha waterholes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best moment of the day was having this black rhino close and personal , about 15 minutes just for ourselves with warm light

 

 

Back in camp i enjoyed taking reflections while the warm light of the sunset was painting the water

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last and the first light at the waterhole with the most usual visitors

 

 

 

 

The next day we would start to head towards Halali area which i will cover in the next chapter.

 

Paco

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sangeeta]

Speechless with admiration, Paco! From those landscapes to those aerials and now these reflections?!!! What an amazing collection of shots.

 

Do we have a Show us your reflections thread already? If not, you should certainly begin one with these images.

[twaffle]

I don't expect anything but beautiful photographs from you Paco but you have exceeded all expectations. Stunning.

[Marks]

I just love the golden color in which you've captured the zebra.

And also, I liked the goose playing the raptor.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Marks

[michael-ibk]

Sensational stuff! All fabulous, but I particularly like the rhino night pics, that magnificent Kudu bull and the Whydah.

[Zim Girl]

Love the reflections pictures, lovely set of shots

[Treepol]

Beautiful photos of the reflections at Okaukuejo, especially like the rhinos.

[Bush dog]

The jackal and the reflections pictures, simply great art!!!

[Soukous]

sensational Paco - I love the Shaft Tailed Whydah - actually I love them all as they are much more than just wildlife photographs, they are artistic.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Soukous

[FlyTraveler]

@africawild: As usual, absolutely stunning photos, Paco! Thank you for sharing!

 

Looking forward for the Halali part of the TR...

Edited October 21, 2014 by FlyTraveler

[Sar4h]

Absolutely amazing photographs @@africawild !! Breathtaking!

Edited October 21, 2014 by Sar4h

[africawild]

Thank you all again !!!

 

 

 

Halai area : We wanted to stay 2 nights at both Okaukuejo and Halali but the last one was full so we ended up with 2 and 1 .

 

The area around Halali has good game and waterholes and you will find some hills and mopani woods in the vicinity of camp which i find good for a change for the otherwise monotonous Etosha landscape.

 

The camp´s waterhole is a bit farther than the Okaukuejo one but in one night we had plenty of activity and visitors . The camp is also smaller and quieter than Okaukuejo which is also appreciated !!

 

This is an example on pictures of what we saw in one night at the Halai waterhole and one full day driving from around the area.

 

In our way to Halali to visited Sueda and Salvadora but there was not much around

 

 

 

However both times we visited Charitsaub seemed rush hour

 

 

 

 

 

Rietfontein was a nice waterhole to spend time in , lots of elephants around !

 

 

 

 

Birds are always around also!

 

 

 

More regulars at the waterhole

 

 

 

 

And more birds

 

 

Just before camp with the sun already very low!

 

 

When we arrived at Halai waterhole there was a nice elephant heard and when this one left another came!

 

 

A few minutes later it was dark and black rhinos began to arrive , 5 or 6 in half an hour !

 

 

Many people left the waterhole for dinner and when we where about to leave! They left in a few minutes but we saw them again when we came back after dinner.

 

 

 

 

Also a few hyenas came for a drink like in Okaukuejo.

 

One last shot before going to bed , moringa tree and milky way

 

 

Next day we visited again Sueda and Salvadora for cheetah but no luck .

 

 

 

 

Again Charitsaub very busy with plain game

 

 

 

We then took the Rhino and Eland drive for a change in landscape but we saw very few wildlife!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We arrived at Namutomi camp in time for lunch. Camp was under construction but we had a very good meal anyway .

In the afternoon we where going to start our drives in the Easter Etosha Area but that i will cover in the next chapter, only 3 days to go!

 

 

Paco

Edited October 26, 2014 by africawild