|
Africa
Travel Newsletter > Etosha
National Park - Namibia's Top Draw Attraction
> Page 2
1.1 Etosha
National Park- Namibia’s Top Draw Attraction
Round the bend from Okaukuejo, the legendary
“haunted forest” rises eerie in the landscape.
Tall Moringa trees pierce into the air, in this rather
creepy forest. But the animals are not intimidated,
and many small mammals can be spotted, among them the
Damara dik-dik - tiny antelopes endemic to Angola and
northwest Namibia.
From Okaukuejo, towards the eastern
edge of the pan, Namutoni Rest Camp awaits the tired,
sunburnt itinerant. The historical fort at Namutoni
was built in 1902, but was completely destroyed in a
great battle in 1904
between Germans and the Ovambos. It was rebuilt again,
but destroyed again in 1930- this time by a bolt of
lightning.
The fort –which today stands as
the Namutoni camp gate, was declared a National Monument
in 1958. The rest camp comes with a swimming pool, restaurant
and shops, and some good accommodation. Like Okaukuejo,
the camp overlooks a floodlit waterhole, though there
isn’t
much activity here.
Halali is the most recent of the Etosha
rest camps. It is located central to the park –halfway
between the other two. The camp is well shaded and surrounded
by a cluster of popular waterholes: a superb place to
watch hordes of plains game. The site is also well equipped
with
various facilities, and a waterhole under spotlight.
At Halali, the Etosha landscape changes from rolling
savannah plains to hilly countryside.
The park’s gates and its rest camps
open at sunrise, and close at sunset. Visitors are required
to be in their camps by sundown or to ensure to leave
the park all together by then.
Besides these three rest camps, there
are a few private reserves and resorts within the park.
Here, the accommodation is much better and predictably
also more expensive. The lodges offer lots of extras
not provided by the public camps; night game drives,
guided tours,
picnics and activities, car hire, personalised service,
craft shops, exquisite dinning and so much more.
The animals that reside in Etosha are
wild in every sense, and visiting the park is an authentic
wildlife experience. As Etosha is never crowded, most
animals have little experience with humans, and some
get pretty restless and nervous on seeing visitors.
Some lions get easily agitated and chase after cars,
zebras stampede at the roar of an engine, and elephants
charge at will. The authorities’ advice is to keep
a safe distance of at least 100 m between man and beast.
Etosha is commonly called ‘cheetah
country’ though cheetahs are at times difficult
to spot. The big five –elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo,
and leopard, roam the horizons in the evening cool,
and are an important
part of the Etosha ecosystem.
Etosha is famous for its black maned
lions, which though highly temperamental are quite a
treat to watch. The endangered black rhino has also
no doubt found a safe haven in Etosha, which is indeed
one of its last sanctuaries. The Black-faced impala
–endemic to Namibia is a major attraction, along
with other plains herbivores. The African wild dog is
on the brink of extinction, and efforts to replenish
the species have been largely unsuccessful.
Other easy to spot Etosha residents
to include in your checklist are: giraffe, Burchell's
and Hartmann's zebras, red hartebeests, blue wildebeests,
suni and roan antelopes, springbok, gemsbok, eland,
kudu, hyena, jackal and yellow-tailed mongoose. Birders
will not miss the kori bustard, ostrich, and Yellow-billed
hornbills.
Elephants are some of the most common
inhabitants of the sanctuary. Etosha’s elephants,
which stand at about 4 meters to the shoulder, have
been declared the world’s largest. Surprisingly,
these elephants have the
smallest tusks amongst the species. Some scientists
speculate that this is due to lack of adequate minerals
in the diet, while others argue that it is as a result
of overuse of the tusks as digging and excavating tools.
The elephant population in Etosha is remarkably high,
standing at over 2000 individuals.
Etosha enjoys 300 days of uninterrupted
clear-sky sunshine. The park begins the year on a rather
hot and humid note, little cloud cover and with temperatures
averaging 30 degrees C. By February the carpet cover
changes completely, as plant shoots begin to pop from
the ground. By mid March the plants are tall and bright
green; adding colour to the earthed landscape. The animals
then have plenty to eat and they roam far and wide –making
it difficult to sight them.
Beginning May, the clouds disappear
as the park begins to dry up. The atmosphere becomes
cooler, and winter slowly sets in. The Etosha sun has
by now sipped most of the pan water and the waterholes
are at half capacity. The animals collect at the waterholes
in plenty and game
viewing is great. By the end of winter, water is scant.
By mid September the lack of water is
eminent; a scarcity that spells doom. The battle for
survival under the harsh southern sun is trying, and
death hovers overhead. October through November is unbearably
hot
and some of the wildlife loose out to the grim reaper.
December brings some relief, when for a few days the
heavens weep for Etosha’s thirst, and send some
pattering drops.
With the short-lived cloudburst, the
dehydrated plains once again come to life. Pelicans
and flamingos in the thousands make their way to the
flooded pan and their joy is palpable. With good rains,
the birds stay longer and nest on the eastern banks
of the pan, making Etosha a birders’ paradise in
that summer. The rest of the animals show similar inability
to conceal their excitement. The water party is on;
the animals in great numbers come to drink and bathe,
and to play and celebrate along banks of the pan.
With the rains, the pan hums with life,
the dust settles and the air is crystal; but only for
a while. Soon the rains will pass and in fulfilment
of a timeless cycle, the Namib sun will once again scotch
the pan to
saline barrenness. Those animals with foresight will
move to watered parts of the park. Others, less fortunate
do not make it to the water holes, or when they do cannot
manoeuvre a suitable place, and they don’t live
to see another raindrop.
Namibia is strict on matters of conservation
and natural heritage and to tour the park, you must
obtain a permit from the government. This may be done
directly from the concerned ministry or with no hassle
throuh
tour agencies. Casual tourists are only allowed to tour
the southern part of the park on a day trip without
overnight stay.
Namibia has a good road network, and
a good way to enjoy exploring Etosha is to take a self-drive
tour. But caution must be taken to avoid getting into
trouble with the very keen authorities. Be advised to
stick to speed limits of 60 km/h in the park and 20
km/h within the camps. Drive
only on designated roads and paths. You may also take
an escorted
Namibia tour that will
combine Etosha with some of country’s other top
attractions.
Do not light fires or smoke outside
selected areas of the rest camps. While in the park,
you are not allowed to leave the safety if your vehicle,
until you are in the rest camps. Remember that no weapons
of any sort –
including catapults, and no stone throwing are allowed.
Forget bringing along pets, and music should only be
played in the rest camps.
If for some inexplicable reason, you
have no plans to visit Etosha, you can still contemplate
its magic through Adrian Warren’s "The Living
Edens" Etosha: Africa's Untamed Wilderness (1997).
This one-hour
movie takes you through Etosha over one year. His “behind
the scenes” write-up will warm the hearts of those
who love the splendour of Africa’s natural wilderness.
Etosha is an all year destination but
best during the cooler months of July to October. The
flow of colours through the changing landscapes under
cloudless blue skies it quite picturesque. No time favours
great
photography better than April–June. The park is
busiest during Easter, Namibian school holidays, and
from mid June to late September.
In Namibia, you can comfortably get
by, wearing light cottons and linens in summer. Over
winter nights and mornings, you need heavier cottons,
warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable walking shoes
are essential, as the ground gets very hot. Some useful
stuff to pack includes: camera, binoculars, sunglasses,
sun hats, sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
Be ready for dusty conditions and carry
your clothing, equipment and supplies in dust proof
bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made of ivory,
as you may not be allowed to carry them through customs
at home. And surely, you do not want to participate
in the bloody ivory trade that has brought so much grief
to elephants and their human admirers.
NOTE:
If you have a friend who is going on vacation to Africa
and would find the above information useful then you
can email this page to the person by clicking
here
|
