Safaris-Namibia - Testimonials

This was my first trip to Namibia and also my first safari. Although I had done some research on what to expect on the safari and also talked to Roy the whole experience exceeded my expectations by far. Namibia is a very interesting country offering the opportunity to see fabulous animals and birds as well as very diverse habitats and culture. The experience was brought to life by Roy’s expertise, passion and enthusiasm. He really went out of his way to ensure that I had a unique and personal experience.

Upon arrival at Windhoek a few of the historical sights were seen before we headed to Melrose Game Farm where we had a very relaxing afternoon in the newly refurbished rooms before enjoying a wonderful meal. In the morning we woke early and went to the look-out where we watched numerous species of birds come to the lake as the sun rose spectacularly over the horizon.

Later that morning we took the road to Solitaire and got our first glimpses of the variety of Namibian wildlife along the way. Ostriches, Common warthogs, Ground Squirrels, Springbok and large number of bird species were seen. One of the most amazing bird seen was the Rosy-faced Lovebirds, they do actually occur in the wild and not only in cages. Solitaire is a quaint little town. It reminded me of the small towns you see in old western films. The countryside around it was very rugged and constantly changing as the sun moved across the sky and the shadows lengthened. Solitaire was our base to explore the Namib Desert. From here we travelled to Sossusvlei where the different shades of red of the huge sand dunes were a sight to behold. Trying to describe this sight will not do it justice! The sandy desert here was teeming with wildlife which was not what I expected. From the large Oryx and Springbok on the sand dunes to the scampering lizards and beetles diving into the sand under your feet, all was just amazing. Our guide suggested that we climb a sand dune for a better view. He suggested that we meet again in an hour at the bottom. It looked like a ten minute job but it was much harder than that and was equivalent to a good work-out in the gym (and took more than an hour) but very much worth while as the view from the top was just breathtaking!

After our dune experience we travelled through the desert on to Walvis Bay to see the spectacular flamingos in their thousands. Along the salt road to Henties Bay the diversity of the ecology of the coastal desert was very apparent with the Atlantic ocean crashing into the beach on the one side of the road and some lichen fields on the other side. It was just a spectacular site to see a Black-backed Jackal trotting along the road in the middle of nowhere. Further along the skeleton coast we visited the seal colony. Never have I seen so many animals at any one time! For miles and miles I could see nothing but seals! We also saw quite a few Black-backed Jackals and various seabirds in the seal colonies. This was a real opportunity to take some fantastic photographs of the Namibian wildlife.

A drive through the spectacular rock formations in Damaraland brought us to our next stop at Twyfelfontein. Set into the rocks, this is a beautiful lodge where the staff entertained us with their singing whilst we dined in the evening. This was a great vantage point to watch the baboons playing in the rocks as well as various species of antelope heading for the waterhole. We went out in search of the desert elephants, and although we saw many tracks, unfortunately we could not find them this time. We did however see a group of five Bat-eared Foxes, a sight even very few of the locals have ever seen. We also visited the ‘moon rocks’. I could easily believe that these rocks and craters were actually on the moon. We then enjoyed a glass or two of champagne as we watched the sun set behind the mountains. The following day we visited the information centre to learn more about the history of the Twyfelfontein area. It was very interesting to learn a little about the culture of the people of Damaraland and also get a sense of how they have travelled and how the animals have migrated to and from the area over the centuries. This was all wonderfully illustrated through the ancient rock paintings and engravings.

Although all of the above was wonderful to experience, the real safari began with the trip to the Estosha National Park. We not only saw four of the big five here but much, much more besides. I really wanted to see a live, wild elephant and you can imagine my delight as we stopped at our first waterhole, just a large bull elephant came out of the tree line straight towards us! The next day on our daily elephant spotting trip, we came around a gentle bend in the road to meet a male lion on the road about 20 feet in front of us. This really brought the reality and exhilaration of Africa to life. My favourite animals in the Park were the diminutive Damara Dik-dik antelope and the 99 individual giraffe seen in one day! Roy is an excellent safari guide and was eager to share is knowledge and passion for the animals and birds with us.

After a relaxing afternoon and five-star meal in the luxurious Mokuti Lodge Hotel we headed north to the Caprivi through the Kavango area. All along the road we saw small villages of the local ‘tribes’ many of which were all mud huts with their TV ariels and satellite dishes on the roofs! The Caprivi area is a bird watchers paradise. We saw 52 new species of birds in the first day at Mahango Lodge. In contrast to the desert scenery seen on the early part of the safari, it was more tropical here, with lots of large trees along the fast flowing rivers attracting some spectacular species of birds such as Black-headed Oriole, Yellow-billed Oxpecker and Mosque Swallows building their mud nests on the massive baobab trees. Larger animals seen here including African Buffalo, Sable Antelope, Hippopotamus and crocodiles.

Thanks to Roy, I had an experience of a lifetime and I am already planning my next Namibian safari.

Below are some of Kim’s favourite photos: