Namibia, 2022
- Harris Brooker
- Apr 14
- 4 min read
“I have just returned from another sensational holiday to Namibia, this country has a wealth of wonderful wildlife and stunning desert landscapes. The amazing animals we saw ran through the A to Z of Namibian wildlife, from rare Aardwolf to playful Zebras and included some of the more unusual mammals and endemic bird species such as Bat-eared Foxes, Heaviside’s Dolphins, Damara Hornbill and Dune Larks. Highlights came thick and fast, with so many iconic African species and sights; watching Oryx and Ostriches amongst the splendour of the red dunes of the Namib; tens of thousands of Flamingos and Fur Seals along the Skeleton Coast; Rhinos and Hyenas emerging from the darkness to visit floodlit waterholes and mixed herds of Springbok, Giraffe, Zebra, Hartebeest and Wildebeest across the grasslands, under the watchful eyes of majestic Lions. Yet the magic moments for everyone were watching the incomparable African Elephants, from the high-spirited groups enjoying the water and mud at Etosha’s famed waterholes, to the special sight of the rare Desert Elephants outside the confines of the National Park, along a dry riverbed in rugged Damaraland. Truly magical!” Darren Rees, Guide, 2022
If you are interested in joining Darren this year, then our itinerary is as follows:
Days 1-2 - After an overnight flight from London, via Frankfurt, we arrive in Windhoek. On arrival, we meet our experienced guide Dalton Gibbs and transfer to our hotel to freshen up and relax, before birding for the rest of the day.
Days 3-4 - We travel south to the stunning Namib-Naukluft National Park, one of the world’s most photographed desert areas, with red dunes towering 300m into the air – the perfect backdrop to striking Southern Oryx. From our base we can explore the dunes and gravel plains that support Ostriches, Mountain Zebra and Springbok, as well as a world of tiny mammals, reptiles and insects. Birds include colourful Bokmakierie, elegant Ruppell’s Korhaan, huge Lappet-faced Vulture and the elusive Dune Lark.
Days 5-6 - The road west leads us to Walvis Bay, taking us from mountains and dunes to rolling grass-covered hills, with scattered acacia and we’re birding all the way, with species such as Black-chested Snake-eagle, Double-banded Courser and Pale Chanting Goshawk (last time we compared the Meerkats!).
Next, a tour highlight is our boat cruise from Walvis Bay, with the opportunity to see Cape Fur Seals, plus Heaviside’s and Bottlenose Dolphins. At one of Africa’s most important saltwater lagoons, expect White Pelicans, Greater and Lesser Flamingos, Kittlitz’s Plover, an abundance of gulls, terns and migrant waders, plus endemic Cape and Crowned Cormorants. Inland, beyond Swakopmund, is the bewildering moon-like landscape of Welwitchia, home to primitive desert conifers, as well as Stark’s Lark, Tractrac Chat and Ludwig’s Bustard.
Days 7-8 - Leaving Walvis Bay, our route takes us to Cape Cross on the Skeleton Coast - a sliver of desert, renowned for winds, shifting sandbanks and rusting wrecks. It’s also home to Namibia’s largest Cape Fur Seal colony with 100,000 animals - attracting sharks offshore and scavenging Black-backed Jackals. Inland we head for Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain (home to Rock Hyrax, Verreaux’s Eagles and Klipspringer), before our next base for two nights.
We shall explore the Ugab River that dissects an amazing, unpopulated desert wilderness, home to Violet Wood-Hoopoe, Bare-cheeked Babbler, Damara Hornbill and Hartlaub’s Spurfowl. We shall search for the much-prized desert-dwelling Elephants – we had wonderful sightings last time.
Days 9-12 - Etosha National Park is the jewel of Namibia and rivals any destination in Africa. From three bases we can explore the huge Etosha Pan, with its plentiful herds of Burchell’s Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Southern Oryx and, with luck, Lion and Cheetah. During the dry season waterholes, like the one at Okaukuejo, are magnets for wildlife with Elephant, Giraffe, Kudu and Springbok visiting throughout the day.
The rich birdlife includes Grey Go-away-bird, African Hoopoe, Bateleur and Martial Eagle and Namaqua and Burchell’s Sandgrouse. However, it’s after dusk at the floodlit waterholes that the excitement is greatest: Double-banded Sandgrouse come to drink, followed by ghostly Elephant and perhaps shy Black Rhino or elusive Leopard. At central and eastern locations, there are Spotted Hyena, endemic Black-faced Impala and shy Damara Dik-dik. The more verdant grasslands have larger birds, such as Blue Crane, Kori Bustard, Red-crested Korhaan, Secretary Bird and a fine array of raptors. Again, after ‘sundowners’, exciting evenings can be spent at the waterhole. Our last night in Etosha will be at Namutoni and we’ll arrive in good time to prepare for our night drive: nocturnal prizes may be Bat-eared Fox, Aardwolf, Aardvark or Brown Hyena.
Days 13-14 - We travel to Waterberg Plateau Park, where 120m high, sheer orange sandstone cliffs rise above the acacia savanna. There’s a high diversity of birdlife in the broad-leafed woodlands, thornbush and rocky screes: African Paradise Flycatcher, Monteiro’s Hornbill, Rockrunner, Ruppell’s Parrot and endemic Hartlaub’s Spurfowl occur. Here we shall search for endearing Dwarf Mongoose, cackling Violet Wood-Hoopoe and Rosy-faced Lovebirds breeding in the cliff faces. In previous visits we’ve also seen cliff-dwelling Verreaux’s Eagles.
Our extended stay here allows us one last game drive around the plateau – there’s more Mountain Zebra, hopefully large Eland (the biggest of the antelope species), but perhaps the most prized animal will be the White Rhinos that find sanctuary here. It could be a grand ending to the tour.
Days 15-16 - After an optional early morning bird walk, we breakfast, then return to Windhoek for our flight home, arriving in London on Day 16.
If you would like to join Darren this August you can find further details and book online or please get in touch with any queries.
Comments