Namibia Day 11 - Etosha NP Halali To Namutoni

Leaving for Namutoni early in the morning to try and catch the animals, our first sighting was the warthogs, very pre historic looking creatures and with a bobbing gait as they run along.

We had heard a good time to see the Rhino was first thing in the morning hence the reason for the early start.

The roads in Etosha especially off the most popular routes can be full of pot holes and with brush high on each side.

As we came to a bend in the road Dave was concentrating on the pot holes with Angela looking out of her side of the car. Just as we rounded the corner Dave noticed movement out of the corner of his eye about 5 feet away from the car.

As Dave looked up a huge Rhino looked up also hesitating for a couple of seconds before it charged off into the brush and not into the side of the car thankfully. Dave was struggling to shout and just hit Angela who looked around to see the Rhino's backside disappearing into the brush. Initially Angela thought it was an elephant until Dave finally managed to get the words out and say Rhino.

From what we have heard about Rhino's it could have been a different story if it had decided on fight instead of flight. Sadly in all the excitement there was no time to get a photograph.

Throughout the day we visited as many water holes between camps as we could and saw lots of animals including Impala, Springbok, Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeest, Rhino, Cheetah, Black Backed Jackal, Hartebeest, Ostrich, Warthogs, Kudu, Elephant, Secretary bird and Banded Mongoose.

The shear number of animals is mesmerising with prairies full again great herds of Zebra and Wildebeest.

We came upon a large herd of Wildebeest and 3 Cheetah that were slowly stalking them stopping when the Wildebeest did and searching out the shade of a loan tree to watch and wait. Following closely behind the Cheetah was a sole Black Backed Jackal no doubt hoping for a kill and the opportunity to scavenge something of it.

Something finally spooked the wildebeest who ran off at speed surviving another day. It's amazing watching how the different animals protect, keep guard and take turns in watching for predators, the young always kept near there mother.

At one of the water holes we came across more warthogs and we saw a set of wildebeest horns. You are told to stay in your car at all times whilst out of the protected camps in Etosha but Dave being Dave jumped out and put them on his head and told me to take a photo.

Silly bugger but funny none the less except maybe if a lion came out. There were certainly animals around the Wildebeest had been killed fairly recently.

The next waterhole had lots of giraffe. Watching a Giraffe drinking water is a funny sight and as one drinks usually another is keeping watch.

Late afternoon we arrived at Namutoni Fort originally a German Police Post but now a rest camp for our final nights camp in Etosha. We took a walk around the fort and tourist shops before heading to the water hole which was sadly very quiet just a single Elephant that was leaving as we arrived.

We cooked a simple tea of rice, peas, onions with smoked sausages, and then went to see what was at the water hole now it was dark. Probably the most disappointing water hole we had seen in Etosha as the lighting did not reach the water hole due to overgrown grass.

We waited a short while then gave up and went for a beer and an early nights sleep.