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Southern Africa's Deserts
Tsodilo Hills - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
About 30 km South of Shakawe there is a detour, well-marked with a UNESCO sign, leading to the Tsodilo Hills; the road is unpaved and it is 40 km long, but it is in good conditions up to the entrance, so you can proceed at sustained speed.
Time ago, the road leading to the Tsodilo Hills was very difficult to travel, it had to be done at 10 km / h and almost no one went to visit them; now, with the new road, some visitors venture out here.
Botswana border - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning we wake up as we always do at dawn, we are on the Okavango River and the sun rises beyond the opposite shore to where we are, the shore is full of high papyrus swaying in the wind; what a marvel, we have breakfast with this wonderful scenery and then we leave.
We head North to Namibia and we have to cross the border at Mohembo; we are sorry to leave Botswana because it is a wonderful country, both from natural and human point of view, but our journey continues and we are about to enter Namibia, that is a very fascinating country, albeit very different from Botswana.
Namibia: Mahango National Park - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
The Mahango Reserve is located in Namibia, near the Botswana border, so close that, just past the border, coming from Botswana, we find ourselves directly in the park.
Those who have to continue their trip, without visiting the reserve, can pass through the park along the main dirt road and exit from the gate 12 km further North; just sign a transit log positioned on a table on the side of the road.
Namibia on the road - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
Tonight we slept near the Mahango Reserve, that is on the border between Namibia and Botswana, yesterday we visited the reserve and although it is small we loved it, especially the Eastern path leading along the Okavango River.
This morning we leave soon, here in the Caprivi Strip in the winter months there is the same time as in Botswana, while in the rest of Namibia it is an hour behind, so we wake up as always at 6.00 am, but it's as if it is 5.00 am in Namibia; better, so today, traveling to the West, we gain one hour.
San people - Photo Credits: Living Culture Foundation Namibia www.lcfn.info
Today we left our campsite near the Mahango Game Reserve at the Botswana border, and after passing Rundu, we arrived at the Roy's Rest Camp, near the town of Grootfontein in Namibia, at lunch time.
In this area there are several traditional San villages, the San or Bushmen, are the population of this desert land, that is the basin of the Kalahari, and many of them continue to live here following their ancestral traditions.
Etosha National Park: Von Lindequest Gate - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
Early wake-up call this morning, we have breakfast at our pitch at the Roy Rest Camp, near Grootfontein, and then we go, finally today to the Etosha National Park!
We take the main road, the B8, turning right, and we head towards Grootfontein; here we turn right again and take the C42, that after about 60 km takes us to Tsumeb.
We do not even enter the city, besides having no need for anything, we have read that it is not a very safe town and that there is often the risk of being robbed; we take the B1 and, on our left, we see what looks like a small township.
Etosha National Park: Giraffes - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
We arrived at the Von Lindequest gate at 9.30am, we could not have been faster than this!
We complete all the formalities and get in, how nice it is to be here, each time it's as if it is the first and we're excited.
We walk along the paved road leading to Namutoni and immediately see a Damara Dik Dik, they are often noticed around here, probably they prefer the vegetation that is in this place; we get to Namutoni, we go to pay the entrance fee, buy some things at the store and then go for the safari.
Etosha National Park: zebras - Photo credits: Romina Facchi
This morning we woke up at 5.30am, outside it is so cold that it seems to be at Courmayeur in January; we dress up wearing two fleeces each and a woolen hat, it looks like we're going skiing rather than doing a safari, but now it is austral winter and it's normal that there are these low temperatures.
We have already checked out from the camp last night so to be ready to leave, we want to get in the Etosha National Park as soon as possible; the gate opens at 6.30am and we are there ready to enter, just the time to complete the formalities and we are inside.
Etosha National Park: Rhino - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
Just after arriving at the Halali campsite, in the Etosha National Park, and taking our place in our pitch, we go to the Moringa waterhole, that is accessible only from the Halali complex; there is a short path leading to a kind of terrace, where some stone seats and some benches were made.
We sit and, armed with camera and binoculars, we wait.
It is almost sunset and we took two Savannas, a dry and a light, and make a toast at today, waiting for some animals to get to the waterhole.
Etosha National Park: zebras - Photo Credits: Romina Facchi
This morning we get up early, have breakfast and go back to the Moringa pond to see if we are as lucky as last night, but today, apart from some birds, nobody comes to the puddle; but this is how safaris are, you never know what you can see, where and when.
We go back to our car and depart, we leave Halali; today we explore the part of the Etosha National Park that is between Halali and Okaukuejo; therefore we exit from the Halali's entrance and head West.
Along the way, we see several zebras, red hartebeests, some giraffes and a myriad of springboks.