Towards Etosha

I’ve been making my way right around the outside of the greater area of Etosha National Park as I had been unable to change my booking to get into the Park early and then head south into Namibia.  The whole of the western side of Etosha is for private concessions so there is no access for mere mortals like me, hence the long way round. One of the places I’d read about on the SA Birding website is called Hobatere Lodge.  It also has a campsite.  This time I phoned the day before to book (hee-hee) and decided it would be for two nights although I had three before I can take up my Etosha bookings.   

I filled up with fuel at the Palmwag depot (three pumps in the open air – no shelter – not a garage building – nothing), declined giving a lift to one of the local children at yet another vetinerary fence ("What happens if I have accident?" I asked the father who beseeched me to give the child a lift to the next town, to which he backed off). We both knew Grootberg Pass and its gravel road waited.

Rock fig looks like it is growing out of the rock

Herero Sesame Bush looking like a miniature Baobab

Hartmann's Zebras adapted to life on the harsh rocky mountainsides

I drove slowly, admiring the scenery, taking pics of the flora and fauna and spotted yet another ‘lifer’ (an Augur Buzzard – whoop whoop whoop) and next thing I was over the top of the pass – nothing as exciting or spectacular as my previous day’s trip.

There’s a lodge on top of the pass that looks like a possible place to stay in the future. (This is the entrance not the lodge!)

Fabulous rock formations

A pretty uneventful drive to Kamanjab (sounds a bit like ‘come on up(b)’) and I stopped to buy water – another thing you buy whenever you can.   I always have a quick squizz around these stores when I’m buying water and am amazed at what they stock.  This store’s offerings even included tents and perfume.  I chatted to the young guy tallying up my purchase and asked who he thought would win the rugby Test between South Africa and New Zealand in the afternoon.

I arrived at Hobatere Campsite and was thrilled.  It is set in Mopane veld between hills covered in boulders and rockfigs.  As with the rest of the country, it is extremely dry and has such a beauty about the harshness of winter. I passed some black-faced impalas on the way in.  No road noise, only 6 campsites.  The ablutions were very basic, shade scarce but there were some scrawny Mopane tress, shrubs and little bird baths so there was plenty of activity.  The camp attendant then pointed along the path to the hide which overlooks a waterhole.  I was in heaven.

Black-faced impala

(bet you look at impala twice next time when you see them!)

My campsite with very basic ablutions on the left

View from hide down to waterhole

What's at the waterhole -- Hartmann's zebras

I set up camp and did not get into my car until it was time to leave two days later.  I went to the hide and found it set on a side of the hill and the waterhole is down in a little valley.  Water is pumped into it daily courtesy of the owners so impala, kudu, giraffe, gemsbok (a.k.a oryx), baboons, etc. come and go all day long to quench dry winter thirsts.

I pitched my tent so I could watch the sunrise.  The moon is nearly full so I didn’t bother to try and take star trail pics. It was awesome just watching and savouring the night sky and night sounds as I fell asleep.  I was woken by crunching gravel noises.  Footsteps outside my tent.  A spotted hyena was on patrol of the area.

 Laundry has to be done sometime!

I decided to play with remote equipment for my camera and set it around the birdbath.  I tell you I filled the birdbath with 6 litres of water.  1000’s of queleas and other little birds and evaporation – the bath was empty in half and hour!

Redbilled Queleas

Redeyed Bulbul and Cape Glossy Starling

Great Sparrows watching each other across the water

That night I set up my camera and remote onto my tent frame with a Gorilla Pod – worked great, but the hyena went passed the otherside of my tent (Murphy’s Law).

A Herero woman in traditional garb in Kamanjab

The next morning I slowly packed up as Hobatere is 4 hours drive from the entrance gate I have to use to Etosha and headed for a place closer to the entrance gate.  I had to backtrack to Kamanjab and then head to Outjo.  Thank heavens I did!  When I stopped at the same Sentra (attached to a service garage) to get a Coke I saw one of the tyres had a slow puncture. Aaaaaargghhhhh!!!!  The garage staff told me to go into the shop and ask for help.  Guess what – the same guy I’d chatted to on Saturday bounced up to help and sorted the whole thing for me.  There was a nail or something in the tyre.  We chatted about the rugby (SA lost narrowly) and he is a born and bred Namibian and attended school 500kms from his town and speaks Afrikaans.  He referred to the the SA rugby team as “we played…” and “the ref penalised us…” – Namibians feel like they are South Africans sometimes.

I refuelled in Outjo and wanted to buy extra oil.  I had to use some of my supply after getting lost and I’m still wary after my 710 story, but after SMS communications with my friend in SA about what was on offer, I decided to rather see what oil they have in Etosha’s restcamp garages.

Seven days in Etosha for me now

Till next time . . . . .