Towards Caprivi – Roy’s Camp
Caprivi Strip – Etosha to the left and Zim on the right, the Okavango Delta and its ‘pan-handle’ can be seen to the south of the strip, above Maun.
A straightforward drive today, pleasantly all on tarmac. We stopped briefly at National Tyres in Tsumeb (a very pleasant looking town) as the rear offside tyre had a split between the treads. The manager there advised to carry on and keep an eye on it. We may change it for a spare at some point after we’ve extracted as much wear as we can.
Roy’s is a pleasant place with a well thought out layout with bits of ‘decor’ (horns, skulls, weathered wood, farm bric-a-brac etc) around the tree-shaded pitches and the bar, pool, restaurant area.
The restaurant was enticing, but we cooked spaghetti bolognese though, as at £16 per person the menu was too rich for us!
We are also trying to plan our onward route in as much that will determine the border crossing point. The question is, how to see Victoria Falls and visit Botswana/Zimbabwe without paying for two Zambian visas. Further, we are not sure on what might be possible in Botswana. With the “High cost, low-volume” strategy for tourism, combined with their busiest season being July through to September, it may be that we can’t actually get accommodation on any sensible route. The Bradt guide says that many private sector campsites “do not take pre-bookings from individual campers”. A further concern is the ‘technical’ nature of some routes. We are only one vehicle and if we should get stuck, the physical work to recover ourselves will fall mainly on Rachel, who balks at any reference to”4×4″ labelled byways on the map. (This is since the River episodes in Palmwag, and despite us having a 4×4 and a reasonable driver!) To be fair, it is very difficult to know what exactly is meant by “4×4″ in any given African context!
If we should get the equations wrong, the consequences are at the very least expensive (time, fuel, repairs, health and well-being), but again, what are we after on this expedition? We will need a plan by tomorrow.
Saturday, 2 July 2011
The Wallas diesel hob has failed again. How are we to rely on it if we were to cross Chobe (a two week ’4×4 route)? I think that a ghillie kettle would be more effective. At least then, we could easily make tea in the mornings!
Our immediate destination is by no means clear. Route planning is being thwarted by Rachel’s intransigence on anything marked as “4×4″ on the map. I am exasperated as in essence this applies to all game areas in Botswana and Zimbabwe! I am at a loss on how to proceed therefore, and have left her with the books and maps to make a decision. However she has avoided this most of the day by being busy washing and tidying the van, as we have a two-day stop. I do empathise, but the continent is not a cakewalk, especially if you want to see and do the things that formed the basis upon which you forfeited your career and immediate wealth…… as well as leaving family, the dog, and friends for the duration. Rant over (for now).
All said, I am confident that we will find a common ground to at least allow progress and the appropriate border crossing for Caprivi.
The choices seem to be:
1) Kasane (Botswana) – get bearings and proceed, possibly to Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe)
2) Livingstone (Zambia) – then to Kasane and Zimbabwe
3) the Okavango Panhandle (West), Maun, Maremi, Chobe, Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe), Livingstone (Zambia)
4) Livingstone and then to Victoria Falls and Hwange, (Zimbabwe) – missing out Botswana all together.
In the evening we contacted Lucy and Jaco, friends of ours in the UK, to find out their Botswana route of a couple of years ago. Very helpful but they did not have to book ahead at the time. We eventually worked out that they were lucky enough to do their trek before the ‘new’ booking policy came into play. They kindly offered to make some availability enquiries for us, but we are not optimistic regarding Botswana.
Hence current thinking is to go ‘Option 4′ and head for Livingstone and then into Zimbabwe to Hwange National Park. After all it is an extension of all that is in Botswana’s Chobe and Maremi. The animals at least don’t have the visa fees to consider.
Eastern Etosha
Our best day in Etosha. We are on the eastern side of Halali Camp. We were up at 0540 (Rach needed a wee) so we were in the park early. We drove to Goas waterhole first and were rewarded with five or more spotted hyena bathing, one completely submerging itself a couple of times. It is the second time I’ve seen hyena bathe (the other with friends Paul & Gayle in a previous trip to Addo Elephant Park near Port Elizabeth RSA). They seem to enjoy it almost as much as elephants do!
The next stop was en route to Etosha [Pan] viewpoint, at Nuamses waterhole. At first we thought it deserted and were about to drive off, when all of a sudden one, two, and then a herd of about twenty to thirty elephant, excitedly descended for a drink.
A mother politely indicated that we should back off a bit to let her small group access to a bush path that we were parked near, they came from our left and on a different tangent to the rest.
We obliged and once they’d passed, we moved back into position to watch them drink. Some good pictures.Indlovu meets Indlovu. Elephant really are special, they definitely have a common understanding regarding their immediate purpose.
I’d say they communicate well beyond our interpretation and insight. All of their moves as a herd seemed to be with deliberate intent, more so than the apparently more random meandering of solitary bulls.
And then the viewpoint. We were surprised to see, as we approached, the Etosha Pan, that it was, at this eastern expanse, for as far as the eye could see, full with a good couple of feet of water.
Evidence of the unseasonal and heavy rain seen in Namibia this year. Normally the pan holds water for a few months at the beginning of the year only, and then only if the summer rains have been particularly good. Exceptional then.
Of course the saline and the bottomless, soft substrate mean it cannot support large animals directly. [Both in the sense of drinking it and standing on it!] On scanning the vast view with binoculars, the pink ” haze” on the very horizon could be seen to be a moving mass of thousands of flamingos on the other side of the heat haze.
They must have been at least 10 km away. We drove to see if there was a nearer vantage point of this amazing conglomeration, but alas no better view of the throng.
We also saw the rare Black Faced Impala, they are only found in these parts, so we were pleased to them. they added some value to the long drives through Etosha’s denser thickets.
The cheetah's here honestly - but you have to look closely!
We did get a distant spot of a Cheetah (or at least of its ear and tail tips!). Inevitably the giveaway was lots of cars parked on the road with the occupants’ binoculars all trained in the same direction.
We saw a giraffe, who from a distance, looked like he had an even longer prehensile tongue than the norm.
When we got closer we could see that he was actually chewing on a horn.
They do this to obtain minerals not otherwise available in their diet. I’d read about it, but this was the first time I’d seen one actually engaging in this behaviour.
Finally we did a circuit of Fischers Pan and at Twei Palms we were greeted by the sight of a black rhinoceros drinking. The twitchy beast was disturbed enough by our engine noise and ambled off to the thicket, but towards the road we’d just come from. We doubled back to head him off and a nervy engine switch off got us close, but no escape if irritation at the camera shutter noise turned to anger!
I gauged we were downwind and he had room to go his intended path. A fantastic and rare encounter to get that close to one member of this notoriously bad-tempered species.
We would still choose HIP for its more ‘ interactive’ experience on the senses, but obviously Etosha has to be seen if you get the chance. I hope the pictures can convey the reward possible and do some justice to this World Heritage Site. Our few days there were certainly a highlight of the trip so far.
Etosha Okaukuejo & Halali Camps
We were not sure what to expect from world renowned Etosha. We drove towards the main camp and on the way to the gate nearly ran over a puff adder. I had to reverse to check it was okay! (Their natural defensive plan A is “do nothing”)
We had been told that it would be best to stay at last night’s venue rather than Okaukuejo Camp in the park itself. People had consistently said along the way that it was’ rather busy’. We thought we’d see how it went. We were late in Safari terms, so it was close to midday as we got to our first waterhole.
From the gate we headed northwards to Okondeka, past miles of flat, springbok laden grassland.
And then the waterhole. Compared to Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park (HIP – KZN South Africa), I was totally unprepared for the volume of game in one place! Burchell’s zebra, Oryx, Ostrich, Springbok, Wildebeest and miles of the famous pan. It was looking like a shimmering sea, although here it was bone dry and this was just due to a mirage effect.
HIP never yields’ herds’. For example zebra there confine themselves to simple harems, not the hundreds in herds on view here. But HIP gets you closer, is far more picturesque, and offers more’ tracking’ and” signs visible from the car.
The places are different and special each, but HIP gets my vote. Etosha is typically Namibian, in that the distances are large between pans and not too much to see whilst en route. Obviously Safari luck is a factor, but in HIP more happens, more often, in a more scenic and varied day, at least in my experience and opinion. Etosha is more ‘drive to a pan and wait’ (as long as it takes) to see what or if happens. I guess it’s a question of preference and style!
We drove to a few more pans on the western side that are open to the public (most accessible roads are to the south of the pan). A few elephant in the distant thicket, a couple of giraffe, and all of the game above.
Sundown was approaching so we had to return to the camp. We booked at the main park office earlier in the day. We drove in to try to find our allocated pitch, and after a tiring day, mainly due to the distances covered, for the second time, I was astounded. After the quiet and sole possession of camps enjoyed to date, this was bedlam.
Cars and people everywhere, tents, roof tents, trailers, caravans, mobile homes, and fires, smoke from braiis and much, much human noise. It looked like a news scene from the Ethiopian/Eritrean famines of the 1980s. Only the mass of humanity being fatter, white, people with food. Our pitch was taken, a resigned Namibian Wildlife Resorts’ official with a clipboard told us. Back to the office. It was dark by the time a slot was found and with the gates shut we were bound to stay.
A quick curry in the iron pot, which was delicious by the way, and at 2130 we went to the only possible redeeming attraction, the adjoining floodlit waterhole. Jackal fearlessly stroll about the camp as we made our way. A girl with a torch, from a melee of overland truck tents comes over. In a Scottish brogue she asks, ” Have you seen a jackal go past?”, “Er, Yes”…. ” Did it have a shoe?” Her flip-flop is lost to the wilderness. Her colleagues jest “You had better watch out he’ll be back for the other three!”
Click this link to hear a recording of Lion and Jackal Etosha at night
At the waterhole we are thrilled to see bull elephants jostle, two black rhino, also tussle horns. Earlier a black rhino on his own is harried off by noisy jackals. And then, lion, one, two, three. The elephant and rhino ignore them as they come and go. The lion drink then lay down for a couple of hours, possibly in ambush, but no luck. (Except maybe for the numerous jackal, who avoid any encounter, which surely would be fatal.) And as a finale, a lioness comes down with three cubs, they follow and copy her as though tied to an invisible line. They drink noisily. The cold bites and the number of people, all of whom have been reverently silent, diminishes. We are last to go, at midnight, as the lions slouched off to stage left, all that it was left was their mortal territory roaring. Etosha Okaukuejo Camp reprieves itself, that was really special. Too dark to photograph without a tripod, so a few blurry pics and some sound recordings will be our evidence, but the memory will be more enduring.
Click this link to hear a recording of a Lion and see if you don’t pooh your pants! One of the most beautiful and mortal sounds on Earth Lion calling territory Etosha
29th June Halali Camp
Up at sun-up and back towards the only pan where we saw lots of game yesterday, Okondoku. A few springbok, lots of jackal skittering about, and an early morning ostrich. Nothing like the Piccadilly Circus of yesterday! Rusks, juice and back, not quite the way we came, to see three young lion walking along the road in the early morning sunshine.
The rest of the day didn’t top that, but I did get a good snap of a lilac breasted roller. I’ve been after that for years. Our 100-400 mm lens is not quite long enough for birding, it’s also proving to be quite soft at anything wider than f8.
The beautiful Lilac Breasted Roller
A quiet night. I am tired and bunged up from our increasingly erratic diet. We go to the eastern side of the park tomorrow. The waterhole here at the much quieter Halali camp is not accessible by sticks or wheelchair unfortunately. The hob doesn’t light and needs two resets. I can see that all of the unpacking and packing to get to the fuse to do this, is starting to get on Rachel’s nerves. I can’t blame her. We still need Internet to feedback stuff like that to OEC, but it is also nice to be away from it.
Palmwag to Etosha – Broken Down Grader
We have done our bit for Nam’. We had just left Palmwag and at the junction to head towards Etosha, we were flagged down by two chaps, one older one in a sort of Day-glo jacket. We explained that we had no room for a hitch hiker (common in these remote parts with no public transport).” No that’s fine” they explained, ” but you see the grader needs oil, it’s about 50 km up the road.” We accommodated the large drum in the passenger foot well after all it wasn’t far to go. And we began the steady climb towards Grootberg Pass – just the sort of terrain and surface that was going to push the auto box transmission temperature.
It was a spectacular drive. Past a few villages with’ craft stalls’ – crystals of quartz and Springbok horns scavenged in the surround mainly. A huge escarpment dominated the right flank as we climbed and twisted. The gear oil got to 120°C. Cab heating on full and in low box, we continued at a steady 20mph up to 1450m altitude.
A triangular warning sign indicated to look out for elephants, although what we could do on such a narrow road with a precipitous drop, I’m not sure! Best enjoy the spectacular views then. Slow going, up and down – another Namibian landscape too big to photograph. No grader.
Some new terrain briefly, some vertical slates, shattered, framing koppies that looked for all the world like natural’ Boot Hills’ – all very eerie. Goats but no grader – 50 miles.
On we went, at about 80 miles (twice the estimated distance) we gave the oil to three guys resting by their stranded equipment. Bemused thank your, but the system worked. We were nearer the town of Outjo than Palmwag – why the oil wasn’t sent from there….?!
The road flanking the southern edge of Etosha is straight and climbs slightly for about 2 hours. Thorny scrub is all there is to see on both sides, other than a couple of treacherous, axle stripping, washouts it was a straightforward drive to Etosha Safari Camp, about 20 km south of Anderson gate into the park itself. The site was recommended by Clive and Taniya as being cheaper and better than the one in Etosha.
It was busy and welcoming with a novel quadrangle, bar, pool, restaurant complex. The most ‘ resort’ we’d seen in Namibia but tasteful and relatively quiet. A drunk Ex Pat from West Ham, ex-Australia, now Beijing (with his long-suffering Australian wife) did his best to embarrass Anglo German relations. We retire to bed lest be tarred by him.
Tomorrow, Etosha Park. We are curious to see what it offers and how we proceed from here.
Looking back on May and June …….we have learnt a lot. Rachel has now got more adjusted to African road-life c/w life at home (remember she finished work on the Thursday and was here by the Tuesday – I’d had a few months to get prepped on the psyche). I’ve tempered (a bit) some reckless tendencies (along the “Let’s try it, what could the be the worst that could happen?” sort of approach) – a sensible and happy medium. We may yet make it back alive.
Namibia is huge, it offers a lot, but I think they do a good job of disguising how you could do yourself harm here by not taking it seriously. Both South Africa and Namibia can be cold, and generally that is the case at night this time of year, especially whenever anyone suggests “It’s coming in from the Cape!” (It was 3 1/2°C last night.) We are good bush cooks now both braii and iron pot. African terrain is big and callous, but people are indescribably nice despite, or more likely, because of that. The Internet is crap. Get a dongle before you leave the UK.
Palmwag and River Crossings
We have decided not to press on to Purros. It’s been an eventful day. This morning’s vehicle checks caused Rachel to note that there was a transmission leak from the sump. There was evidently a drop of fluid on the ground. I suggested that as the concession ran Land Rovers as their guide vehicles, we should see if the resident mechanics could check it out for us. Up in the pit, it was simply a matter of hex-keying the drain plug tight. An important lesson in the ongoing need to check your vehicle daily!
As time had gone on, we decided to pay for a permit ($N200) to self-drive in the concession. (Guided drives are $N400 per person.) They advised it was “Quite 4×4″. Knowing the Defender to be capable, we thought to take our time. We entered at the nearby gate and at the first junction, decided to follow a loop, enticingly called ‘Leopard Drive’. It quickly descended down a steep, shale bank to a river. On the opposite side there was only steep bank, impossible for a vehicle to climb. The GPS T4A indicated that the road/track was there somewhere. It was probably too steep and twisted to easily reverse back-up from where we were, and I interpreted that the preferable option was to proceed forward. I read the situation to be, a short ford upstream, to an exposed, flatter, gravel river bank on the opposite side. Surely the road must join there now? – following the apparent washout from the year’s heavy rains. The channel looked innocuous enough with the water being clear enough to see the larger rocks on the river bed. The flow was gentle, and on our intended path it did not look too deep.
I slowly dropped the Azalai in and we lurched towards the drier land of the upstream opposite bank. And then the front offside wheel dropped into a deeper pit and I feared we would be over the bonnet on that side. It was shit or bust, so opening the throttle gently we luckily pulled up the other side and onto the gravel bank. No sign of the road. The shale was also a candidate to impede further traction, in that direction.
At least there was now room to turn around. But where was our original entry point? It was luck that Rachel spotted it just as we drove downstream past it! (And who knows what sort of bother would have been down there as it was in no way recce’d.) We needed to reverse, so Rachel had to get out and marshal the manoeuvre, to make sure that the rear nearside didn’t drop back into the deeper area that caused us trouble earlier on. She acquired the first leech into the bargain!
Relief, we were out! We could easily have got the vehicle stuck there. Thank you to Mike and all at Land Rover Experience, Eastnor, for giving us a semblance of a clue regarding what to do. (Although they’d probably be saying you should have foot recce’d the river first – and rightly so.)
The track seemed easier for a while and we saw lots of skittish Hartman’s Zebra, which are only found in this part of Namibia. We took three hours to cover about twenty-five miles of this enormous area.
We came unstuck on a further river crossing towards our exit gate. The far bank exit was sheer and about 0.9m – we were compromised by the exit angle, especially with the tail-lift.
Again Rachel got out to check. It was touch and go, but probably better than reversing back the way we had come through another rocky, river bed. We nearly made it unscathed, but as it needed some welly and an immediate right-turn on exit, the offside piston mounting dug-in and bent laterally, before prying free, and we were off.
We saw some giraffe near the road after the gate. Despite there not being much too much game on view, the day had at least established the vehicle’s limits as configured.
Back at Palmwag, a mechanic helped us for the second time that day. Ingeniously, he got a steel length and simply levered the bent mount back into alignment. It worked and the lift could again go down and up – although I don’t know what Paul at OEC would think, given the narrow tolerances necessary to keep the pistons symmetrical. We will have to see whether it lasts the whole trip.
So if that’s “4×4″ in local parlance, and Purros is both extremely remote and “4×4 for the last 100 km’s”, with road washouts earlier in the year making things even worse (or at least an unknown) – we know that discretion is indeed the better part.