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Friday 23 May 2014

FOUR THINGS TO DO IN ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK


Visiting Etosha National Park is one of Namibia's most exceptional adventures. This wildlife sanctuary of over 27,000 square kilometers has a protected status that stretches back over a hundred years. Etosha provides a new experience even for seasoned wildlife viewers, and unlike many other African parks, you can explore the vast expanses and numerous waterholes in your own vehicle at your own pace, enjoying a more personal experience with nature.
While the opportunities at Etosha are endless, here are five things we think are great ways to experience this amazing destination:

1. Join the Etosha "Night Life" at Okaukuejo Water Hole
Okaukuejo Camp (pronounced Oh-kah-KEW-yoh) is located just within the park's southernmost entrance, Andersson Gate, and serves as the park's administrative hub. Many visitors to Etosha choose to make use of Okaukuejo's rustic camp site or the chic bungalows for lodging, but the main attraction is the Okaukeujo waterhole. Throughout the day, animals dip in and out to quench their thirst. The big show begins at dusk when floodlights are turned on to transform the waterhole into one of Namibia's greatest stages. You can kick back on the benches that surround the waterhole with a Windhoek lager and watch as the wildlife - unphased by the light - slinks and strolls out of the darkness to the banks of the spring-fed pool. Towering giraffes perch precariously while jackals skittishly circle the perimeter. Rhinos emerge from the distance and tussle for turf throughout the night with heavy thuds. It's not uncommon to see large herds of elephants sharing the pool with lions. Okaukuejo is a must see if you're interested in knowing what Etosha's four-legged residents are up to when the sun goes down.

2. Cool Off at Halali
Etosha gets HOT during the day, and it's rare that you'll see too many creatures wandering around when the sun is high in the sky. They know the best thing to do is find shade and cool off. Follow their lead by visiting Halali Camp at lunch time. Halali is about 45 minutes from Okaukeujo and also offers overnight accommodation. When you arrive, check in at the Halali waterhole's elevated viewing stand. Pending no surprise arrivals, change into your bathing costume and take a dip in the cool waters of the swimming pool. You'll be able to beat the heat and relax amid the camp's quiet, Mopane tree-covered surroundings. Halali also has a restaurants and bar that can help you meet all your body's other needs while you escape the sun.


3. Discover the native Hai||Om Culture
For many thousands of years, the Hai||Om San (or Bushmen) inhabited the areas that now constitute the park. Their intricate society of hunters and gathers attained a rich understanding of local biodiversity - how plants could be used for medicine, and the patterns in animal behavior. In the 1950s, the local Hai||Om population were removed from Etosha, though their cultural identity still strongly remains attached to the area. As their numbers dwindle, the Xoms-|Omis Project has been working with the Hai||om to document the knowledge and skills passed down from generation to generation. Get a uniquely Hai||Om perspective on the plants, animals, history, and geography of Etosha by referencing these guides available to download for free from the Xoms-|Omis Project website. 

 4. Take in the Expanse of the Etosha Pan
When you arrive at the Etosha Pan, it's easy to see why the name roughly translates into "great white space." This 120km-long dry lake bed dominates Etosha's geography. The dizzying experience of being the only vertical object on the horizon is exceptionally humbling. The salt that encrusts the parched mud gives off a startlingly white sheen, making it difficult to see where the pan stops and the sky begins. On rare occasions, rains that sweep across Etosha will leave a small film of water across the pan that lures greater flamingos









Saturday 10 May 2014

Etosha National Park Warnings and Dangers

Do not show your pictures to the lion
Watching animals becomes exiting and in the process one might forget the dangers accompanying the activity. These are wild animals with reflexes of a lightning sometimes within a couple of meters of your vehicle so precautions should be taken at all times. Taking of pictures is main occupation in Etosha but make sure that you do not share them with the lion and be on the alert and on the window leaver of your car all the time.

Animals on the road
It is very common to see all kinds of animals on the road, so be careful and drive slow. If you are not careful you might crash into some poor animal, and worst, you do not want an elephant crash into you.






Stay in your car!
This might seem obvious but some people sometimes seem to forget that wild animals can be dangerous even if they look nice. Our guide told us enough stories of accident.

On this picture below, you can see how close we were from the elephants but luckily, our guide started the car very quickly because this big elephant didn't seem very happy to see us there and began to come in our direction.