Posted by Craig Nash on January 15, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Has anyone been and if so any recomendations.
Posted by Graeme Lee on January 15, 2008 at 4:44 PM
oh yeah.... it's fantastic! Any more needed
How long are you thinking of going for?
What are you looking to do?
I'm no expert but I know someone that spent a lot of time there that could help
Posted by Craig Nash on January 15, 2008 at 4:59 PM
I am going with my wife (Non birder for 12 days self drive) in five weeks time.I was going to kenya but decided to change location!!! My main interest will of course be birds but having never been to Africa I will be happy with the animals as well.
I cant make up my mind re lenses. I think I am going to leave the sigma 500 behind and just take my canon 400 f5.6 with converters and a 70-200 f4 is and probably 17-40 and maybe my 100mm macro lens.
Posted by Ian Hardy on January 15, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Hi Craig,
I lived in S. A. for several years and could kick myself for not going to Namibia, i know several of my friends in S.A. think it is pretty good for birds and animals. I hope you and your wife have a great time .
Posted by Phil Shaw on January 15, 2008 at 6:01 PM
I did a self-drive trip in Namibia a few years ago. The best place I found for birds were the lagoons and salt works at Walvis Bay. A word of warning, be prepared for long days of driving; 12 days isn't long so don't be tempted to try and cram in too many locations. Driving at night is not recommended.
A fantastic country indeed with loads to do. Etosha is great with many good opportunities to view and can be reached in a day if you get an early start (from Windhoek?). The 3 government rest camps in Etosha are all pretty comfortable and have options for most budgets although the booking process can be a bit trying. Phil is spot on with Walvis Bay, flamingoes in very good numbers, plus I'd recommend a boat trip to the seal colony: very touristy but still a great day out with close-up cormorants, dolphins, fur seals and pelicans to be expected. I'd also suggest a trip thru the Namib towards Sossusvlei/Dead Vlei - probably one of the most iconic places on earth. Again its a day drive from Walvis but the journey is really interesting (if you like deserts!), check out the apple crumble in Solitaire on the way.
Roads are generally pretty good with a decent tarred network that can move you round the country quickly enough. Its good to check your navigation by heading from town to town rather than trying to follow specific road numbers as these often change without apparent reason. Take care on the unsealed roads (keep your speed down), carry plenty of water in the car and always ask 'how are you' when you meet someone.
If you want any more tips on where to stay/what to do give me a shout. Enjoy, I'd love to go back there soon.
i've been, simply an amazing place. it all depends on how indepth you want to be on your trip as to your subjects. etosha is great in the dry season (sept-nov), you might want to check out what its like at this time of year as it might have rained and spread the life across the park, although i'd presume there are salt licks at the holes to keep things around for the tourists.
if you are into people, as well as wildlife, take a VERY reliable 4WD into the north west of the country, damaraland and kaokoveld. it's absolutely enormous, but the (they say) the only place in africa where you can find real wildlife outside of a national park. this includes the legendary desert elephant. obvously its time consuming and very hit and miss but any time spent with the amazing himba people and just driving through that massive wilderness tells us what it all used to look like (minus the charity clothing on the locals of course :) )
the namib is really amazing but to get something really different i'd strongly suggest looking into the posibility of a small plane, otherwise in a short period you will end up with samey images of dead vlei and sous vlei and i bit of a kitsch time with lots of other tourists.
i wish i was going!!
mark
Posted by Graeme Lee on January 16, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Craig, your lens choice sounds pretty good to me. Lots of scope. The comments above all make sense and you wouldn't be dissapointed taking any of the advice. In my very limited experience, you need to be careful about trying to cram too much in otherwise you'll be travelling in the car for most of it. As nice and quiet and peaceful as that is (1km per person the ratio is I believe!) the distances are vast.
I doubt you'd do Etosha, Sossusvlei and Walvis bay comfortably in those 12 days with time to relax and soak up the atmosphere as well. I was going to go in July this year but have opted for Kruger purely for the bird numbers and game numbers at that time of year. It was a tough call as I would go to Namibia at the drop of a hat, but I had to consider carefully what I wanted to do and it is purely a photography trip. The downside is it's not quite as raw as etosha, but there are swings and roundabouts I suppose.
If it was me going to Namibia, I would look at staying a day in Daan Viljoen for a night/day as there are meant to be loads of birds there and it's just outside Windhoek. Maybe have a look at going across to Walvis bay? Some good dune buggying around there that is good fun and a good photographic opportunity.
I would make my way up to Etosha and stay a couple of nights in each camp. The waterhole at Okakeujo is second to none that I have ever experienced. If you can't chill and soak up the wildlife there, you never will. You can sit there all day and not be bored (I'm a hardened waterhole sitter, by the way!) Caprivi strip is meant to be fantastic and I would certainly make that a place I got to. It's on the border of Botswana and the Okavango.
Writing this, I still maintain you need to plan it well, as you could end up with seeing quite a bit, but a lot of it in the car and sometimes missing the atmosphere of each place. Just my opinion...wish I was going too But I'm off to Kruger or Namibia maybe
Posted by Craig Nash on January 17, 2008 at 4:28 AM
Thanks for all your comments. Hopefully will post a few pics when I get back.
Posted by Duncan Armour on January 17, 2008 at 4:48 AM
My wife and I did a big trip round some of Namibia in Oct 2006 and spent 3 weeks doing it so you are going to have to be very selective, and I would be planning quite hard to make it work, rather than just going with the flow so to speak.
Assuming that you fly in direct from the UK you will get in reasonably early to Windhoek but on that first day it is difficult to safely drive any kind of distance. Daan Viljoen is an excellent place to get your eye in on some of the common birds (and actually there are good chances on some less common ones there too) and mammals so is quite a good place to start. As there are no big predators you can walk on foot here which makes it a different experience too. We stayed overnight in one of the park rondavels which was basic but fine.
Your biggest decision is probably whether you have time to go south to Sossusvlei - it will cost you 3 days of your trip but as a photographer I wouldn't have missed it and would happily have stayed another day or two more. There's not much wildlife to photograph though, and yes you've seen the shots before, but it is an amazing place just to visit. If you do this though you will seriously compromise your time elsewhere.
Walvis Bay is a bit of a no-brainer - the wader opportunities are first class and with a 400 and teleconvertor you should be nicely in range. If you are a fanatical birder it is your best chance for Dune Lark, the only true endemic, but chasing after that will take up quite a bit of time in return for very few photos. May be best to stay in Swakopmund as there are some very nice restaurants to take the other half as compensation (I'd recommend The Tug).
The seal colony at Cape Cross should be pretty packed at this time of year I think and can make an interesting diversion on the way north. Quite a lot of action, with predatory jackals always on the look out for an opportunity.
Etosha is a great park but perhaps a little worn around the edges compared with the Kruger for example, and certainly that shows in the accommodation. But as Graeme says the waterhole at Okakeujo can't be beaten, especially for black rhino, and you'll get good chances of owls at all three camps (and mice in your room at Namutoni !). The lion density in the park seemed very high although they tend to be a bit pursued at times (self-driving in parks can be a curse at times, as any muppet is allowed to do it without regard to the animals). Beware the buffet food though - we left Etosha at speed on the last day as the bouts of projectile vommiting meant I couldn't keep the antibiotics down, and we were beginning to think we might need serious medical help. Don't forget to pack the Cipro !
We did spend some time in the far north but again I think you'll struggle to do that with the time you have available. It works best if you are with a tour operator as they are allowed to go in to Etosha through the Western gate -as a self-driver that is not an option for you.
Other places to consider:
Erongo Wilderness Lodge - driving from Swakopmund you would have time to visit Spitzkoppe (difficult to see Hereo Chat, lots of raptors, bustards) on the way here. Fantastic granite inselbergs with an early morning start to give you a chance to see (but probably not photograph) Hartlaub's francolin. The area around the lodge is very photogenic and they put bird seed down in front of the bar so you'll get great opportunities for lovebirds and other small birds.
Okonjima - a cheetah and leopard rehabilitation centre that is superbly run and while expensive, more than justifies the price they charge. They get very heavily booked up but you could try and persuade them to let you stay in the guide accommodation (which is fantastic anyway). For a non-birder this place gives really close encounters with cheetah and leopards in huge enclosures, and while some animals are radio-collared (and I did find the radio-tracking of leopards all a bit touristy), and night viewing of honey badger and porcupine. The lodge is very birdy, each room has a pot of bird seed for you to dispense, and we found that many finch species and hornbills would feed out of our hands giving us the opportunity to set a number of good photos. It is a good place to finish a trip as it is close enough to Windhoek that you can leave at lunchtime and make an evening flight out home.
The Caprivi strip - I doubt whether there are many Southern carmine bee-eaters around at this time of the year but there would be plenty of other waterbirds I'm sure. We nipped across the border into Botswana to go to the Shakawe area (Xaro lodge) which would probably have to have been the highlight of our trip. Pel's fishing owl is almost a certainty, there were many other waterbirds and the lodge owner is a very keen photographer who is always just looking for an excuse to take a boat out with like-minded individuals. Again though this is probably a stretch with the time you have available (it would probaly take you 4-5 days).
Most of the time I used a 100-400mm and didn't feel I needed a longer lens than that. Looks like you'll have everything you need. Definitely one of my favourite countries of all time to visit, with very friendly people, deserted roads and fantastic wildlife.
Discussion
9 repliesHow long are you thinking of going for?
What are you looking to do?
I'm no expert but I know someone that spent a lot of time there that could help
I cant make up my mind re lenses. I think I am going to leave the sigma 500 behind and just take my canon 400 f5.6 with converters and a 70-200 f4 is and probably 17-40 and maybe my 100mm macro lens.
I lived in S. A. for several years and could kick myself for not going to Namibia, i know several of my friends in S.A. think it is pretty good for birds and animals. I hope you and your wife have a great time .
A fantastic country indeed with loads to do. Etosha is great with many good opportunities to view and can be reached in a day if you get an early start (from Windhoek?). The 3 government rest camps in Etosha are all pretty comfortable and have options for most budgets although the booking process can be a bit trying. Phil is spot on with Walvis Bay, flamingoes in very good numbers, plus I'd recommend a boat trip to the seal colony: very touristy but still a great day out with close-up cormorants, dolphins, fur seals and pelicans to be expected. I'd also suggest a trip thru the Namib towards Sossusvlei/Dead Vlei - probably one of the most iconic places on earth. Again its a day drive from Walvis but the journey is really interesting (if you like deserts!), check out the apple crumble in Solitaire on the way.
Roads are generally pretty good with a decent tarred network that can move you round the country quickly enough. Its good to check your navigation by heading from town to town rather than trying to follow specific road numbers as these often change without apparent reason. Take care on the unsealed roads (keep your speed down), carry plenty of water in the car and always ask 'how are you' when you meet someone.
If you want any more tips on where to stay/what to do give me a shout. Enjoy, I'd love to go back there soon.
Andrew
hi craig,
i've been, simply an amazing place. it all depends on how indepth you want to be on your trip as to your subjects. etosha is great in the dry season (sept-nov), you might want to check out what its like at this time of year as it might have rained and spread the life across the park, although i'd presume there are salt licks at the holes to keep things around for the tourists.
if you are into people, as well as wildlife, take a VERY reliable 4WD into the north west of the country, damaraland and kaokoveld. it's absolutely enormous, but the (they say) the only place in africa where you can find real wildlife outside of a national park. this includes the legendary desert elephant. obvously its time consuming and very hit and miss but any time spent with the amazing himba people and just driving through that massive wilderness tells us what it all used to look like (minus the charity clothing on the locals of course :) )
the namib is really amazing but to get something really different i'd strongly suggest looking into the posibility of a small plane, otherwise in a short period you will end up with samey images of dead vlei and sous vlei and i bit of a kitsch time with lots of other tourists.
i wish i was going!!
mark
I doubt you'd do Etosha, Sossusvlei and Walvis bay comfortably in those 12 days with time to relax and soak up the atmosphere as well. I was going to go in July this year but have opted for Kruger purely for the bird numbers and game numbers at that time of year. It was a tough call as I would go to Namibia at the drop of a hat, but I had to consider carefully what I wanted to do and it is purely a photography trip. The downside is it's not quite as raw as etosha, but there are swings and roundabouts I suppose.
If it was me going to Namibia, I would look at staying a day in Daan Viljoen for a night/day as there are meant to be loads of birds there and it's just outside Windhoek. Maybe have a look at going across to Walvis bay? Some good dune buggying around there that is good fun and a good photographic opportunity.
I would make my way up to Etosha and stay a couple of nights in each camp. The waterhole at Okakeujo is second to none that I have ever experienced. If you can't chill and soak up the wildlife there, you never will. You can sit there all day and not be bored (I'm a hardened waterhole sitter, by the way!) Caprivi strip is meant to be fantastic and I would certainly make that a place I got to. It's on the border of Botswana and the Okavango.
Writing this, I still maintain you need to plan it well, as you could end up with seeing quite a bit, but a lot of it in the car and sometimes missing the atmosphere of each place. Just my opinion...wish I was going too
Assuming that you fly in direct from the UK you will get in reasonably early to Windhoek but on that first day it is difficult to safely drive any kind of distance. Daan Viljoen is an excellent place to get your eye in on some of the common birds (and actually there are good chances on some less common ones there too) and mammals so is quite a good place to start. As there are no big predators you can walk on foot here which makes it a different experience too. We stayed overnight in one of the park rondavels which was basic but fine.
Your biggest decision is probably whether you have time to go south to Sossusvlei - it will cost you 3 days of your trip but as a photographer I wouldn't have missed it and would happily have stayed another day or two more. There's not much wildlife to photograph though, and yes you've seen the shots before, but it is an amazing place just to visit. If you do this though you will seriously compromise your time elsewhere.
Walvis Bay is a bit of a no-brainer - the wader opportunities are first class and with a 400 and teleconvertor you should be nicely in range. If you are a fanatical birder it is your best chance for Dune Lark, the only true endemic, but chasing after that will take up quite a bit of time in return for very few photos. May be best to stay in Swakopmund as there are some very nice restaurants to take the other half as compensation (I'd recommend The Tug).
The seal colony at Cape Cross should be pretty packed at this time of year I think and can make an interesting diversion on the way north. Quite a lot of action, with predatory jackals always on the look out for an opportunity.
Etosha is a great park but perhaps a little worn around the edges compared with the Kruger for example, and certainly that shows in the accommodation. But as Graeme says the waterhole at Okakeujo can't be beaten, especially for black rhino, and you'll get good chances of owls at all three camps (and mice in your room at Namutoni !). The lion density in the park seemed very high although they tend to be a bit pursued at times (self-driving in parks can be a curse at times, as any muppet is allowed to do it without regard to the animals). Beware the buffet food though - we left Etosha at speed on the last day as the bouts of projectile vommiting meant I couldn't keep the antibiotics down, and we were beginning to think we might need serious medical help. Don't forget to pack the Cipro !
We did spend some time in the far north but again I think you'll struggle to do that with the time you have available. It works best if you are with a tour operator as they are allowed to go in to Etosha through the Western gate -as a self-driver that is not an option for you.
Other places to consider:
Erongo Wilderness Lodge - driving from Swakopmund you would have time to visit Spitzkoppe (difficult to see Hereo Chat, lots of raptors, bustards) on the way here. Fantastic granite inselbergs with an early morning start to give you a chance to see (but probably not photograph) Hartlaub's francolin. The area around the lodge is very photogenic and they put bird seed down in front of the bar so you'll get great opportunities for lovebirds and other small birds.
Okonjima - a cheetah and leopard rehabilitation centre that is superbly run and while expensive, more than justifies the price they charge. They get very heavily booked up but you could try and persuade them to let you stay in the guide accommodation (which is fantastic anyway). For a non-birder this place gives really close encounters with cheetah and leopards in huge enclosures, and while some animals are radio-collared (and I did find the radio-tracking of leopards all a bit touristy), and night viewing of honey badger and porcupine. The lodge is very birdy, each room has a pot of bird seed for you to dispense, and we found that many finch species and hornbills would feed out of our hands giving us the opportunity to set a number of good photos. It is a good place to finish a trip as it is close enough to Windhoek that you can leave at lunchtime and make an evening flight out home.
The Caprivi strip - I doubt whether there are many Southern carmine bee-eaters around at this time of the year but there would be plenty of other waterbirds I'm sure. We nipped across the border into Botswana to go to the Shakawe area (Xaro lodge) which would probably have to have been the highlight of our trip. Pel's fishing owl is almost a certainty, there were many other waterbirds and the lodge owner is a very keen photographer who is always just looking for an excuse to take a boat out with like-minded individuals. Again though this is probably a stretch with the time you have available (it would probaly take you 4-5 days).
Most of the time I used a 100-400mm and didn't feel I needed a longer lens than that. Looks like you'll have everything you need. Definitely one of my favourite countries of all time to visit, with very friendly people, deserted roads and fantastic wildlife.