By Roxanne Reid
Not many people know about Halali. It’s the poor relation of Okaukuejo and Namutoni camps in Namibia’s Etosha National Park. But it’s definitely my favourite. Here’s why.
Not many people know about Halali. It’s the poor relation of Okaukuejo and Namutoni camps in Namibia’s Etosha National Park. But it’s definitely my favourite. Here’s why.
Piggy in the middle between its more famous Etosha cousins, Halali appeals to me mostly because when you visit outside school holidays, as we do, it’s virtually your personal campsite. A few Overlanders chockfull of over-excited foreigners will stop for lunch but by nightfall there’ll be just nine or ten campsites occupied in a place that must take at least 80 at full capacity.
The peaceful campsite
There are good waterholes within 20 kilometres or so of Halali, but best of all is the Moringa waterhole right inside the camp – so you don’t need to drive anywhere if you don’t feel like it. You can just sit on a rocky koppie looking down at the waterhole and enjoy Etosha's 24-hour sightings – from plains game, elephants and lions during the day to black rhino, leopard and spotted hyena when it’s floodlit at night.
Our four evenings there in June 2013 were rich in black (hook-lipped) rhino – drinking, scratching, even a dueling pair of them huffing and screaming. It’s always faintly amusing to hear such high-pitched screaming coming from these huge beasts.
Moringa waterhole
We watched the sun set just to the right of the waterhole. Then when the sky started to turn dirty orange in a strip along the horizon, small groups of double-banded sandgrouse flew in low, flocking together on the ground and chattering, ‘Oh NO, he’s gone and done it aGAIN!’ Two black rhinos entered from the bushes, peering short-sightedly in the dark as they sank their huge heads to the water’s edge to drink.
Just 20 minutes after the sandgrouse symphony began, it was over and the birds were tucked up for the night. One of the rhinos left the stage and the other slowly scratched its chin on a dried-out tree trunk, up down, up down.
Act One seemed to have come to an end, so hubby suggested we walk back to our campsite for supper.
Just 20 minutes after the sandgrouse symphony began, it was over and the birds were tucked up for the night. One of the rhinos left the stage and the other slowly scratched its chin on a dried-out tree trunk, up down, up down.
Act One seemed to have come to an end, so hubby suggested we walk back to our campsite for supper.
‘No,’ I whispered, ‘I’m waiting for the leopard.’
It was a joke, because although it’s said you have a good chance of seeing leopard at Moringa waterhole, in more than 20 visits to Etosha over the years, we never have.
No sooner had I turned back to the waterhole than a leopard crept quietly to the water’s edge and began to drink, as if I had magicked it into being. Too bad the darkness made it impossible to get a decent photo to prove my wizardry!
It was a joke, because although it’s said you have a good chance of seeing leopard at Moringa waterhole, in more than 20 visits to Etosha over the years, we never have.
No sooner had I turned back to the waterhole than a leopard crept quietly to the water’s edge and began to drink, as if I had magicked it into being. Too bad the darkness made it impossible to get a decent photo to prove my wizardry!
The leopard drank deep and long, looking up every now and then before returning to its lapping.
Bored with scratching now, the rhino shuffled around to where the leopard was, head lowered with intent. Wisely deciding not to confront a bad-tempered rhino, the cat began to slink away. That wasn’t enough for Mr Crabby the rhino, who stormed the leopard till it broke into a run, slipping silently into the bushes.
Mr Crabby went up to the spot where the leopard had disappeared, hesitated for a moment, then bundu-bashed about two metres into the bush before turning awkwardly around and coming back to claim the waterhole.
Just another Act in the ongoing drama that is Moringa.
Like it? Pin this image!
Bored with scratching now, the rhino shuffled around to where the leopard was, head lowered with intent. Wisely deciding not to confront a bad-tempered rhino, the cat began to slink away. That wasn’t enough for Mr Crabby the rhino, who stormed the leopard till it broke into a run, slipping silently into the bushes.
Mr Crabby went up to the spot where the leopard had disappeared, hesitated for a moment, then bundu-bashed about two metres into the bush before turning awkwardly around and coming back to claim the waterhole.
Just another Act in the ongoing drama that is Moringa.
Like it? Pin this image!
You may also enjoy
12 of the best waterholes at Etosha National Park, Namibia
Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
12 of the best waterholes at Etosha National Park, Namibia
Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
