Tag: africa

Camping for Five Weeks in Namibia Part Two: Etosha and the Namib

Etosha (c) Etosha National Park

Etosha (c) Etosha National Park

Besides Epupa, and having the opportunity to visit the Himba people, there are two other spots in Namibia that I want to talk about. The first is Etosha. While camping there it was possible to observe animals both from the car, and from watering hole observation points. The generally flat land of this national park makes it the perfect place to go out and view game, and the watering holes are utterly fascinating. I saw a lot of amazing interactions between different species in these locations, the likes of which I don’t think I ever could have seen in Kruger, South Africa. For instance, the most amusing thing I saw while there was just the sheer attitude of the elephants that came through for water. They would casually swat the other animals out of the way, and there was even a bull that had to follow a rhino around the water’s edge until the rhino gave up and left. The lions fared no better when the elephants were around, so it was pretty obvious who was boss out there. In terms of seeing animals, I think Etosha is at the top of my list of places to go.

Etosha retrieved from http://d2iaf7xwaf71rg.cloudfront.net/640/Etosha_Okaukeuj1__large.jpg

Etosha

On the flip side, there were a few dangerous things that have happened in Etosha, so anyone visiting needs to make sure that they use their common sense. For instance, don’t fall asleep at the water holes; people have been attacked there in the past. It is fairly clear that those fences aren’t tall enough to keep curious lions out if there is a potential meal snoozing out in the open. Also, be careful when wandering around the camp at night, preferably go with a partner or stay close by. Etosha may be a national park, but it is still wild, and tourists should always be aware that just because they are on holiday, doesn’t mean that bad things can’t happen if they aren’t careful. The same thing is a problem in Phoenix. Always respect nature.

Fish River Canyon (c) Bunnik Tours

Fish River Canyon (c) Bunnik Tours

On that note, my final favorite place in Namibia was the Namib-Naukluft Park, which is part of the Namib Desert, and a very daunting landscape. Again, not the sort of place I would mess around in, but definitely somewhere I would suggest visiting. When my class and I came here, we stayed with a woman who lived along the road through the park that goes towards Swakopmund. She knew the desert like the back of her hand, and owed camels besides. So, not only did I have the amazing opportunity to go camel riding in the desert, but my class and I got a backroads tour of the desert. I loved the stone canyons, and desolate stretches of land. It was threatening, in the way that I think any desert is threatening, but it was also so inspiring. Besides the landscape itself, the Namib-Naukluft is home to large, desert chameleons and the welwitchia plant, which is a unique, native plant that any nature enthusiast would enjoy seeing.

In the end, Namibia is full of beautiful places and wonderful people. It is a great country to visit for anyone interested in seeing some of Africa, and it is very safe compared to many other destinations on the continent.

Also, you can experience some super unique, extreme sports there! The Pink Backpack has the low-down on sandboarding in Swakopmund!

As always, feel free to comment below about your experiences in Namibia, and any suggestions for travelers going there, or questions if you are considering it.

Part One of Camping for Five Weeks in Namibia: Epupa Falls and the Himba People

(c) ezilon.com 2009

(c) ezilon.com 2009

As an undergraduate student, I spent a summer in Namibia for a conservation and ecology study abroad program. During this time, I camped for five weeks, carried out a short research project, and went for a wonderful road trip in this beautiful country.

Windheok Skyline by jbdodane of Flickr

Windheok Skyline by jbdodane of Flickr

As I would guess most people do who travel to Namibia by plane, I flew into Windheok, the capital of the country. The most interesting thing about this location as someone from Arizona is just how similar the landscape of Phoenix and Windheok are. I mean, I felt like I had flown on a plane for 20 hours and survived an 8 hour layover in the London airport all in order to arrive back home. This is part of the reason why a school in Arizona supported this study abroad program in Namibia. Arizona and this country share a lot of similar ecological characteristics, and as a young ecology student, seeing these similarities was breathtaking. The longer I spent in Namibia, the more wonderful things that I got to see and experience, and thinking about it now really makes me want to go back. That being said, even though I was there for a summer, it has been several years since I went, so I will just highlight a few places that were my favorite while visiting there (also, my hard drive died shortly after my trip, taking all my pictures with it, so I will have to rely on other people’s pictures).

Epupa Falls (c) Rocco Mega

Epupa Falls (c) Rocco Mega

My number one favorite place in all of Namibia was Epupa Falls, and this may, in fact, be one of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen. I have a very intense appreciation for water. I love camping near streams, and when I spend time working on my dissertation, I love to just listen to the sounds of flowing water and rain. So, spending time camping near this beautiful set of waterfalls was a dream for me. One of the most distinct things about these falls are the Baobab trees that grow between the falls, but the whole Namibian side of the Kunene River is beautiful. As a student there, I was focused on research at the time, but there is whitewater rafting to be done on the river, as well as visits to nearby Himba camps in the area.

Himba women (c) National Geographic

Himba women (c) National Geographic

I will say, in passing, that visiting a Himba village is a worthwhile experience for anyone who has the opportunity. I didn’t really visit one as a tourist, so I am not sure what that experience is like, nor do I know the conditions under which the Himba people in any one area have agreed to be visited by foreigners. If you decide to do this, I would highly suggest doing some research to insure that your visit is will really benefit the people that you see. But the Himba are beautiful, and having the chance to see their homes and their traditional fashion is really a privilege. I would also highly suggest buying a little something from the local Himba artisans. I bought a bracelet from one of them, and have actually worn it ever since. Besides that, it is always good to spend a little money on local vendors, especially artists who are making their own, unique wares for visitors.

In my next post on April 15th, I will explore two more of my favorite places to visit in Namibia! Feel free to comment below with any questions or suggestions for people traveling to Namibia.

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