Etosha NP

Etosha National Park lived up to its reputation for amazing sightings of wildlife for us. The park is dominated by the vast salt pan, and the dry, dusty desert landscape results in large concentrations of animals and birds at the many waterholes and natural springs.

Namibia had had an exceptionally rainy wet season this year, but to us it still felt incredibly arid. In spite of having to deal with several cases of a viral vomiting illness raging through the group, we had a truly fantastic time at Etosha!

Our four days in Etosha were based in tents at Halali Camp, roughly in the middle of the Game Reserve. The waterhole there, although busy with (sometimes noisy and irritating) people, did provide us with brilliant views of lots of game.

On our very first evening we were fortunate in seeing one of our primary targets, Black Rhino, and also the notorious Honey Badger.

In addition there was a large flock of Double-banded Sandgrouse whiffling in to drink at dusk with their evocative, soft peeping calls.

Other features of the Camp were the Hyenas, which were often heard very close to the tent with their manic laughing serving as an alarm call for us just before dawn. They even tried their luck harrying the young Black Rhino at the waterhole without success.

One evening we had the magical experience of a large herd of Elephants including several tiny babies quietly drinking. Then a sudden grand entrance of a huge bull elephant in musth completely discombobulated the herd for a few comical moments. This was probably the individual that had mock-charged our jeeps earlier in the day to the boys' delight.

For a few lucky members of the group, a Leopard was seen fleetingly on the last evening; rather alarmingly Alex missed this cat whilst dodging a Puff Adder at his feet......

The Camp was also good for owls, and we found roosting African Scops Owl, Barn Owl and Southern White-faced Owl there, catching up with Verreaux's Eagle Owl on a visit to Okuakuejo. This camp's waterhole was really good with lots of very close wildlife, including point-blank views of Black-backed Jackals on our first day.

The game drives were also very exciting and productive (starting at the extremely chilly hour of 4am!). On these drives we added Bat-eared Fox, plenty of Kudu, Steenbok, Black-faced Impala, Zebra, several herds of Elephant, large numbers of Giraffe, oodles of Springbok, the gorgeous Gemsbok with babies, and even Lions at a kill, albeit distantly.

The birding was also great with highlights including four Blue Cranes (of the very endangered and highly endemic northern form), Burchell's and Namaqua Sandgrouse, lots of Kori Bustards and Double-banded Coursers, the weird Secretarybird, amazing sprawling Sociable Weaver nests and Rufous-eared Warbler.

We also found lots of larks including Red-capped, Eastern Clapper, Spike-heeled, Fawn-breasted, Pink-billed and Sabota, and also both Chestnut-backed and Grey-backed Sparrow-larks.

Raptors included lots of Black-shouldered Kites and Pale Chanting Goshawks, Martial Eagle, several Greater Kestrels, Bateleur, Gymnogene and after a bit of searching, a perched Pygmy Falcon.

Bird of the trip to Etosha for most of boys was, perhaps ironically, the incredibly numerous, characterful and ubiquitous Fork-tailed Drongo.