We have just returned from a fabulous safari to Namibia! It is truly a country of contrasts and endless horizons and this has ended up
a very long photo newsletter - and there are still many images not included! Namibia has had exception rainfall this season and this certainly
showed in the landscape.
There was water in the pan at the normally dry Sossusvlei (and even an Avocet!); Etosha Pan was full to the brim bringing in hundreds of
thousands of flamingos and other water birds; and the countryside was covered with grasses and flowers!
We start with scenes from Sossusvlei - an extraordinary area dominated by beautiful red dunes.
Onto some of the smaller things - many from the desert sands around Swakopmund, others from Damaraland and Etosha...
Namib Ground Agama
Tenebrionid Beetle
Shovel-snouted Lizard
Ridged Seed Beetle
Horned Adder
Namaqua Chameleon
Boulton's Namib Day Gecko
Namibian Rock Agama (F)
Namaqua Chameleon
Namibian Rock Agama (M)
We spent time in Damaraland and had amazing close encounters with desert elephants. They were very relaxed and
approached the vehicles while feasting on the Camelthorn pods - one young male decided to have a good scratch on the
back of the one landrovers!
We saw many flowering plants along our route - here are just a few; with many others awaiting final identification!
Welwitschia
Namib Edelweiss
Dollar Bush
Bottle Tree
Euphorbia virosa
Hermannia spp.
We included a visit to a remote Himba tribe and were fascinated by their still very traditional way of life.
Although this wasn't a birding trip we still managed an impressive list - with several exciting species!
Flamingos on the coast
Ostrich in Sossusvlei
Rufous-eared Warbler
Double-banded Sandgrouse (& chick)
Pygmy Falcon
Burchell's Courser
Red-eyed Bulbul
Namaqua Sandgrouse
Damara Hornbill
Double-banded Courser
Rosy-faced Lovebird
Ruppell's Korhaan
We included time at an interesting rock art site in Twyfelfontein.
And onto the mammals...
Kudu
Giraffe
Gemsbok
Bottle-nose Dolphin
Dassie Rat
Burchells' Zebra
Springbok
Cape Fur Seal
Black Rhino
Damara Dik Dik
Black-faced Impala
Elephant
Elephant (almost white from the Etosha soil)
Lioness
The same lioness on her way back to her hidden cubs!
We thought this sunset over the very full Etosha Pan was a fitting end!
We had an incredible time and Namibia is definitely a
destination that should be on everyone's bucket list!
