After many days of travelling in arid backcountry with lots of sand and few animals, we treated ourselves to a very nice game drive through Etosha National Park for a few days.
the Etosha pan
The park is over 23,000 sq km and the pan itself is more than 5,000 sq km. Once a year, for a few days, the pan is covered with several inches of water and attracts lots of animals, mostly birds. The rest of the year, it is a big salt pan. The park being fenced with the current boundaries since 1970, you are guaranteed some good sighting in Etosha all year round, as no migration occurs. September is a good time to visit the park; the water level is low, so the animals are forced to share the few watering holes that still contain water.
we saw 31 new bird species in Etosha as well as dozens we'd already seen
It is really hot when we enter the park and we are not expecting much wildlife along the main entrance road. No animal would dare walk around in such heat and I don't blame them. Dan dozzes off for a little bit and I drive slowly, hoping to see something, anything. We are due for some game viewing!
When one or more vehicles are parked together, there is a good chance to see something big in the area. The problem with Etosha is that you are rarely the first one to spot an animal, there is always someone there before you. But it does not really matter too much to us this one time as we are about to see our first lion.... and what kind of lion! It is a big male, sitting right by the road.
From our previous experience in Etosha, we remember the crowdiness of the place, the campsites full of clean and well dressed tourists. This hasn't change a bit, if anything, it has gotten worse. Etosha is the perfect touristic destination in Namibia. You have most of the wildlife, accessible from your air-conditionned car. At night, you have a safe access to the lighted man-made watering holes.
entering Etosha and Okaukuejo
That first night, we stayed at the busiest campsite, with the best watering hole. As the sun is setting over the pan, the animals are getting back into movement and most species share the water at the same time. The people around the water are surprisingly quiet. No one talks, you whisper and the only human noise comes from the "click" of countless cameras. Once all the animals are gone, the rhinos (three adults on one side and a mother and a calf on the other side) make their entry. They take their time, drinking, grazing but mostly looking at each other. The mother and her calf are getting closer and closer to the other group, then a slow motion fight start and the female kicks the group away from the water.
The following morning, as we are approaching a small watering hole, we can see a cloud of dust on the horizon. There are probably close to a thousand mammals trying to get to the water. Zebras, oryx, springboks and wildebeest share the little water there is left. Most animals are courteous and leave the area after a few sips to make some room for the many more waiting behind. It is a well orchestrated choreography; there is no running around, and each species has its own rhythm.
At another watering hole, later in the day, we can see a lioness on the left side of the truck. What we don't understand right away is why nobody is looking that way. It all makes sense when we realize that seven more lions are lying on the sand, close to the water. They are not threatening the other animals and sprinboks wander around as if everything was normal. It's very interesting to see a pack of lions resting with "food" walking all around them; pretty daring springboks!
We saw plenty of elephants. These magestical creatures are amazing to watch. Elephants are distinguished from other mammals by their high level of intelligence, interesting behavior, methods of communication and complex social structure. Elephants are very social, frequently touching and caressing one another and entwining their trunks. Deep growling or rumbling noises is the principle means of communication. We are facinated for hours. We witness a sad sight though, a dead elephant.
Although Etosha is quite touristy, it's a fantastic place to see wildlife!