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.

Today we move to the central part of the park and to reach it there is the main road, that runs through the park from East to West, and then there are a number of deviations, or loops, that allow you to explore the park more thoroughly.

exploringafrica safariadv romina facchi namibia etosha travel safari

In this season of the year the park is very dry and the animals gather at the ponds, so, going down to Halali, we stop at some of them to see which animals are there; we often wait for them, because if they are not there, sooner or later they are going to come, we adopt the same technique as predators, that usually stand near the puddles to wait for their prey.

We go back to Chudop Pond, where we were yesterday, this is one of my favorite, and here we see a beautiful Tawny eagle, the inevitable giraffes that, when they bend to drink, it seems to struggle a lot, some ducks and a Kori bustard, there are many in the park and they are easily sighted because they are very large.

exploringafrica safariadv romina facchi namibia etosha travel safari

We also stop at Kalkheuwel, here are several zebras with their foals, they are too beautiful, the giraffes drinking, and while we are there and wait, several elands arrive; they are gigantic and beautiful.

Along the way we see many zebras that often suddenly cross our path, this is why it is always better to drive in the park at moderate speed; we also see some elephants, but they are a bit distant, who knows where they are going, probably to some water hole to drink and bathe.

exploringafrica safariadv romina facchi namibia etosha travel safari

We drive through the loop that leads to the Okerfontein puddle and, when we arrive, we see a young male lion walking in the direction of the pan, moving away from the puddle; we arrived just in time!

We also stop at the pools of Batia and Springbokfontein, but we only see zebras, red hartebeests, the inevitable spingboks, giraffes and some wildebeests.

At lunchtime we stop in a very nice picnic area, they set some tables under a huge straw roof where they placed some information boards on the park and elephants; from the picnic area there is a wonderful view on the Etosha pan, where, of course, we took several photographs.

exploringafrica safariadv romina facchi namibia etosha travel safari

It's time to leave again, we continue along the main road and go to the Etosha Lookout, practically we drive on the road that moves inside the pan and ends in the most complete nook, around us, at a glance, it's just an expanse of white salt; in the distance it seems to see water, but most probably it is a mirage, an effect created by the sun-heated air and the white surface of the pan.

We go to another two or three ponds and then we have arrived, we turn around the two hills covered with Moringa ovalifolia and get at the Halali's entrance, tonight we sleep in this campsite, famous for its pond, we are curious to see it; first, however, we check in and position with our car in our pitch, then we go straight to the Moringa water hole.

exploringafrica safariadv silvano greco etosha namibia