Highlights of Etosha and Okonjima, Namibia

By Roxanne Reid
Etosha National Park in Namibia has long been one of my favourite southern African game reserves. This year we expanded our repertoire of places to stay while visiting the park. We also visited the Okonjima nature reserve and AfriCat rehabilitation centre near Otjiwarongo – a top notch wildlife experience. Here are some highlights of Etosha and Okonjima.

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Olifantsrus campsite, western Etosha

Olifantsrus in the western part of Etosha, an area that’s  only recently been opened to the general public, has a fabulous double-storey hide overlooking a waterhole where we saw zebra and gemsbok drinking, and springbok rams having a ‘who’s the strongest’ battle of the horns. Campsite manager Hange Penandino said he often sees elephant, rhino, lion and hyena at the waterhole. This is the place to go if you enjoy camping – there are no chalets. We’d only booked a single night and how we wished we’d had another few days! There’s also an info centre telling of the culling of 525 elephants here in the 1980s. The huge scaffolds used to hoist them to be cut up for meat are still standing as a haunting reminder.

Etosha Safari Camp

Etosha Safari Camp, just a few kilometres outside Etosha National Park’s Anderson Gate, has a funky township vibe in the restaurant and Oshebeena Bar. Beer crates, car tyres and bright-coloured baths cut down the middle and mounted on wheels like wheelbarrows serve as chairs, an old bakkie door and window are used as building material plastered into the wall. There’s a pool hall, a shanty town of little shops full of old kettles, zinc baths and old signs for Cobra polish and BP oil. Here signs announce, ‘ Light of Admission is Leserved’ and ‘Only for Colour Blind People.’ Dinner included a delicious gemsbok osso bucco and pap, and two musicians played guitars and accordion, singing around a small campfire. The Gondwana Collection has some great ideas and the staff here were super friendly too.

Recycling

Almost everywhere in Namibia practices recycling. Here the heart is in the right place even though the spelling is a little dodgy. We found these bins at Etosha Safari Camp’s campsite, where there was green grass and lots of shade trees. Good ablutions and kitchens, taps at the campsites and power points too – everything you need for happy camping just a few kilometres away of Etosha’s wonderful Okaukuejo and Nebrownii waterholes.

Etosha Safari Lodge

The sunset deck at the Etosha Safari Lodge is where you hear the clinking of bottles as the drinks trolley is wheeled out shortly before sunset. Gone is the township vibe of its sister and close neighbour, Etosha Safari Camp. Here the theme is classic safari style, with dark wood and crisp white linen in the rooms, and an expansive dining area and terrace with views out over the mopaneveld and a small waterhole where the conservancy’s giraffe, zebra and kudu come to drink. Both lodges are just a short drive from Etosha National Park’s Anderson Gate, so guided drives into the park are possible, though we chose to self-drive instead.

Okaukuejo waterhole, Etosha National Park

This is a beautiful place to see elephants at sunset. We had about 40 of them, from large matriarchs to tiny calves. One of the littles couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old and was tired after his long walk, sinking onto his knees and rolling over for some nap time every now and then. But mom would nudge him with her good and he’d get up with trunk, ears and tail flapping. Everything played out against the background music of doublebanded sandgrouse – until one of the subadult elephants charged them with his trunk waving crazily and some 200 birds took to the air.

Moringa waterhole, Halali Camp

Halali’s Moringa waterole is one of my favourites in the whole of Etosha National Park. We’ve seen lots of elephant here, the littles carefully guarded by both adults and subadults, who keep them surrounded and safe from harm. Elephants in Etosha have very small tusks because of the lack of minerals, but that is probably a blessing in this era of poaching. We’ve also seen zebra, kudu, impala, black rhino, spotted hyena and leopard at Moringa. You sit on a koppie overlooking the waterhole, giving a dramatic amphitheatre-like view of wildlife up close. There are floodlights at night so you could theoretically enjoy 24-hour game viewing, but the nights had turned cold and we’re wusses who were tucked up in our sleeping bags by 8:30 or 9pm.

Leopard

We had an epic morning near Namutoni restcamp in Etosha National Park. First we saw five lions on the pan’s edge road, two of them bonking and a younger lion trying to mount the male so eager was he to be included in the fun. In the distance behind them we watched a cheetah mom walking with her two playful cubs, their route much longer and more exciting than hers as they wrestled and explored. Then, between Chudob and Kalkheuwel waterholes, we found this leopard in a tree right on the side of the road, not another human in sight. Such are the Big Cat joys of Etosha. We ended the morning with six species at Kalkheuwel, including elephant and eland. Now you know why we come here again and again.

Fort Namutoni

An earlier version of Fort Namutoni near the Von Lindquist Gate into Etosha National Park was destroyed in 1904 when 500 Owambo attacked the German fort. It was rebuilt into its current form in 1905. Visitors to Etosha used to be able to stay in rooms in the fort, but in 2007 the rooms were closed and restaurants and shops opened instead. These gave the central courtyard a jaunty air. The restaurant has now been relocated (back to where it used to be before 2007) and the fort is looking sadly abandoned, in need of repairs once more. Before independence, there used to be a ceremony on one of the towers every day at sunset. A recorded bugle played the Last Post and the flag was lowered in time with the setting sun. Today, the flag is still lowered and people still flock to the tower to watch the sunset but there’s no sense of occasion anymore. I’d love to hear some African drums and I’m sure foreign visitors would love that too.

Leopard tracking at Okonjima

Leopards occur naturally on the Okonjima private nature reserve and predator rehabilitation centre near Otjiwarongo, Namibia. We went out with guide Martin Njekwa from Okonjima’s Plains Camp in the chill of early morning to track them by radio telemetry. Some have been collared for research into density and territory. Trail cameras are also used for this research. Martin warned that there was only a 50% chance of finding a leopard; instead he found us two! Later we also visited AfriCat’s information centre to learn about the welfare, rehabilitation and education work it does to benefit predators in Namibia. A stunning day learning about these big cats.

Cheetahs at AfriCat

We were privileged to spend a day at Okonjima’s 200 square kilometre private nature reserve, where rehabilitated cheetahs are given a second chance at a natural life. These two were delivered after their pregnant mom was shot and they can never be released into the wild because they never learnt from her how to hunt. Today they act as ambassadors at AfriCat, the non-profit foundation that works to conserve Namibia’s large carnivores. Their job is to help educate people about the plight of cheetah in Namibia. From guide Martin Njekwa, we heard about AfriCat’s work and its motto of ‘conservation through education’. Okonjima is a major funder of AfriCat, but tourism to the lodge also brings in valuable funds for their work. This work includes rehabilitating predators so they can return to fending for themselves in the wild, caring for those that can’t be released into the wild, resolving conflict between predators and communities, and educating farmers and youngsters – our future conservationists – about wildlife and sustainability. AfriCat also gives support to researchers and conservation authorities. Thank you Okonjima Lodge and AfriCat for a wonderful insight into your important work here, south of Otjiwarongo. And thank you for the responsible way you allow visitors to appreciate these animals, without physical contact.

Friendly face of Namibian tourism

These two lovely ladies, Laura (left) and Josephine, made our stay at Okonjima Lodge’s Plains Camp near Otjiwarongo special. But they’re not unique; almost everywhere we went in Namibia over eight weeks people working in tourism, from guides to barmen, waiters and reception staff, were welcoming and helpful. We experienced a warmth that was authentic, genuine smiles and friendly interaction. This is great for tourism in Namibia, the face it shows to the rest of the world. Training and motivation at companies like Wilderness Safaris, the Gondwana Collection and some private campsites and lodges like Okonjima are a boon to Namibian tourism. We also visited five campsites run by Namibian Wildlife Resorts (NWR) and our prize for top quality, friendly service goes to Hange Penandino at Olifantsrus campsite in western Etosha.  

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