Namibia: Trip Overview

Our party of five chose Namibia because it offered far more than a typical game safari. We chose Piper and Heath because Kathryn read in Travel and Leisure that it was the best operator in Namibia.  Our accommodations and itinerary were superb.

 Orange, Pink and Black Dunes of Namib-Naukluft National Park

Swakopmund Walvis Bay Catamaran Cruise 

Dunes Tour - Down a 70 meter dune and later we got stuck

Skeleton Coast is 2000 km of protected coastline with shipwrecks and colonies of over 80,000 Cape Fur Seals (really sea lions) 

Damaraland has Mountain Zebras, Desert Elephants, and and glowing blue scorpions, 

Petroglyphys at Twyfelfontein are at least 5,000 years old. 

A glimpse into the Himra culture at an orphanage

Abundant game viewing including the endangered Black Rhino in Etosha NP. Kathryn, Doug and Mary saw over 15 lions at this watering hole the next night.

We saw a Harvest moon, Southern Cross and Mars & Jupiter on one night

 We finally returned to city life and shopping for a day in the capitol of Windhoek before our long and arduous (over 30 hours) journey home

Namibia: Etosha National Park - Abundant Wildlife

We stayed at two luxurious accommodations just outside Etosha National Park: Ongava Lodge is south central and featured a watering hole and night drives. Onguma Fort Lodge is on the eastern edge with savannah views.  Both were unfenced and required escort to and from our rooms. We had one night drive at Ongava, many day game drives, and the drive between the two lodges turned into one long game drive.  Many animals congregated at the water holes, but there were plenty to see along and crossing the roads.

We were assured that these were the endangered Black Rhino.


Hyena and Warthog

Angolan patterned giraffes

Plains Zebras are plentiful

Blue Wildebeest

Cheetah

Yellow Mongoose

Ostrich

Probably a White Rhino but ???

Namibia: Black Rhino vs White Rhino

Black Rhino are "critically endangered" and White Rhino are "nearly endangered" per the WWF.  We depended on our guides to identify the rarer Black Rhino but we were thrilled to see them all.

Black or White, all were in Etosha National Park