Namutoni (eastern edge of Etosha)
Namutoni looks like a building site when photographer Jéan du Plessis and I check in. The road to the old colonial German fort has been dug up and there is a temporary reception office at the bottom of the drive.
The fort itself is full of workers racing to beat the deadline for the official celebrations for Etosha National Park’s 100th year, when all the government ministers will be coming up from Windhoek. It’s two weeks to go and there’s a lot to do!
It’s clear that there are big changes already: All the old bungalows have been refurbished with expensive bathroom fittings and white linen, and there are no self-catering facilities. Also, visitors have to leave their vehicles in the car park and use porters to get their luggage to their rooms. Porters!
In the reception office, we meet Francois Kruger from Parys. He’s a commercial diver on a three-month journey through Namibia and Botswana, but he’s cutting short his stay in Etosha by five days because of the disruptions. “It will be nice to come back when all this is finished,” he says.
Beneath the new wooden boardwalks that link the rooms with the fort and the waterhole, a colony of banded mongooses has taken up residence in the welcome shade. At least they’re happy campers!
Jéan and I pull up at the gate the next morning, 20 minutes before opening time. We’ve heard there are lions at Klein Namutoni, a couple of kilometres from the camp.
A smiling Walter Rusch and his wife Rosemarie from Windhoek are waiting already. They’ve seen the lions twice in the past two days and want another look.
Walter is retired and a regular visitor to Etosha. He has great memories of Klein Namutoni, he tells us. He once filmed a lioness that attacked a giraffe by jumping on its back.
As we chat, we hear a lion roar: “Yes,” Walter says, “that’s them.” Flocks of quelea fly overhead from the overnight roosting spots. Then the gate creaks open.
Walter leads the way. He turns right and, less than a kilometre down the road, signals to us. There they are: the lionesses and their cubs. We count nine, but Walter says there are 11.
The pride has just been to the waterhole and they’re heading for the shade. On the horizon, a few giraffe heads bob at the waterhole that is just out of sight. One of the cubs playfully inspects each of the cars, and then the whole pride melts away into the bushes.
Gosh, it’s only 7.10 am, and we’ve been here less than 24 hours! This can only be good...

Kalkheuwel, 18 km west of Namutoni, is a good spot, says photographer Tony Camacho. 
It’s 8am when we get there shortly before Tony, who assures us things will heat up between 10 am and 11 am. “It’s hectic,” he says.
The passing parade starts pretty well immediately: first the zebras, then giraffe and kudu, then black-faced impala.
These aren’t just any old impala. They are only found in north-west Namibia and south-west Angola (there are fewer than 4 000 in the wild). They can fetch close to R10 000 each on a game auction.
Walter and Rosemarie pull up in their Kombi. They’re on the way to Okaukuejo, and report something special: They saw a flock of guinea-fowl chase off an African wildcat.
“I’ve never seen that before,” Walter says with a grin.
They’ll be in Halali in two days’ time, and hopefully we’ll meet again. It’s like that in Etosha – people quickly become friends.
After a few hours at the waterhole, I hear a rumble. Elephant? Lion?
“It’s my stomach,” Jéan says. Time to head back to camp!
On the way back, we see some men repainting the directions on a white stone marker as part of the sprucing-up operation.
We stop and meet Daniel Tsam, Markus Aogome, Malieagi Kuiseb and Jan Komob. They are Hai//om Bushmen, descendants of the people whose home this once was. In 1951 there were about 500 Hai//om still living inside Etosha. By 1954, they had been given their marching orders. The Namibian government recently announced plans to award two conservancies on land bordering Etosha to them.
Many of the 183 names of places and waterholes in the park were named by the Bushmen, I read in a little book on the origin and meanings of place names in Etosha that I picked up in Namutoni.
As the men pose for a picture next to the freshly painted sign, Malieagi says, “My parents were born here.”

Namutoni highlights
Namutoni (on the eastern edge) is about 100 km to the north of Tsumeb. Enter the park through the Von Lindequist gate, named after German Governor Friedrich von Lindequist, who first gave Etosha protected status, in 1907.
Best waterhole? This camp has lots of good waterholes within a 15 km radius, so it’s popular with photographers (try Klein Namutoni, Chudop and Kalkheuwel), and the area is game-rich because it gets 150 ml more rain a year on average than in the west.
Even though the camp waterhole is the least popular in Etosha, we heard that a lioness had just caught a springbok there in full view of the visitors. You never can tell what might happen.

Halali
We’re planning a slow drive to Halali, the central camp in the park. Soon after we set off, Jéan says excitedly: “Rhino, rhino, rhino…”
A rhino trots with intent across an open bit of veld. It looks as if it’s heading for the Chudop waterhole, which is 3 km off the main road. 
There are two safari vehicles on the scene. The driver of one has a big grin on his face; they also saw lion at Klein Namutoni. He’s done well for his clients this morning.
“It’s a black rhino,” he tells us. “Look at the hooked lip."
Well, now that we’re halfway down the road to Chudop we might as well go and see what’s going on at the waterhole. There we find two jackals– one with muddy paws and feathers stuck to its leg. This waterhole’s name means “black mud”, and we can see why.
There are two piles of feathers on the bank – the jackals have been catching birds. A hyena prowls, maybe wanting to steal their next catch?
But a gemsbok is trying to chase off the hyena. A pair of giraffes look as if they’re getting amorous, and then 12 kudu bulls with horns that go all the way up to heaven enter the picture. Two of them start to tussle with each other.
Jéan doesn’t know where to point his camera. There’s so much going on!

Halali is a peaceful camp set under mopani trees. Dry, orange leaves rattle in a hot, dusty wind.
It’s sunset and a breeding herd of nine elephant drinks at the waterhole. The surface is turning to liquid gold. The herd crowds protectively around two babies. Eventually, the matriarch moves off and gives a low rumble. She lifts her front foot and waves it over the ground.
Research at Etosha has found that elephants use seismic communication, sensing sounds through their feet.
Just minutes after they leave, a rhinoceros appears, as if it had been waiting in the wings.
And then a honey badger slips from among the rocks next to the people, and makes its way down to the waterhole.
As the dark settles, a flock of chirruping double-banded sand-grouse fly in for their evening drink. Then some bats emerge and I spot a giant eagle owl at the waterhole.
I’ve got that same goofy grin on my face Walter had this morning when he told me about the wildcat. This really is a special place.
In the morning, we stop to take a picture of the sun rising over the twin hills that are a landmark close to Halali. They are called the Helio Hills, because the German army once had a heliograph station on top from where they used mirrors to signal soldiers stationed at Fort Namutoni, 80 km away.
One of our first stops is Etosha lookout, which offers panoramic views of the 130 x 70 km pan, a quarter of the area of the reserve.
Here, several safari trucks stop, and the tourists pile out to take pictures. We meet Ian and Debby Hunter from Buckinghamshire in England, and their friend Cheryl Macildowie of Johannesburg. Cheryl marvels at the chalky blue colour of the sky that hangs over the pan. “It’s like a storm is brewing,” she says.
I peer into the distance and see a black dot hovering in the white haze on the horizon – an ostrich way out on the pan. Apparently they go out there to evade predators.
At the crossroads, we turn right towards Rietfontein, named by the Dorsland Trekkers in 1876. They tried to farm here, but diseases and tribal hostility drove them off.
It is getting really hot, and the harsh sun is flattening out the landscape, when suddenly we spot something lying on the side of the road under a bush. Can it be?
Leopard!
Jéan slows down, and I sink down in the passenger seat as the leopard, barely 2 m away, looks me in the eye before slinking off into the long grass.
A minute later, a couple pull up in a Citi Golf. Too late!
Back at Halali, stocking up on drinks at the shop, we run into Walter again.We tell him about the leopard and he says: “You were lucky.”

All this sitting in the car makes my legs stiff, so I decide to walk up Halali hill next to the camp. The hill is covered in dolomite, which looks like elephant hide when weathered. It also has many moringa trees (African phantom trees), which look like miniature baobabs. Some people have carved their names in the trunks.
It’s difficult to find the right path, and I’m a bit worried about walking alone in case there’s a toothless leopard waiting to catch me, but fortunately I run into Ursula, 66, and Erwin Stender, 69, of Hamburg who also want a bit of exercise.
Halfway up, Ursula and Erwin ask me to take a picture of them – and as I press the button, they give each other a kiss. They’ve been married for 46 years! “Travel when you’re young,” says Ursula. “When you still have your health.”
Even though Erwin has recently had a knee replacement, we make our way over the rocky hill and down the other side, to approach the waterhole from the opposite end.
A herd of kudu drinks, and a large bull gives short, sharp warning barks. It stares across the waterhole at something. Erwin goes to look and finds a young kudu cow huddled against the fence. As we watch, she collapses. I see Erwin gesticulating at the kudu. He’s talking to her in German, telling her to get up and go and join the rest of the herd. He comes back to sit with Ursula and me.
“It’s okay,” Ursula says. “That’s nature.” But I can see they are both a bit upset.

Halali highlights
Halali is in the middle of Etosha and feels a bit more remote than some of the other camps. The bungalows are also set further apart from each other, and some of the chalets still have braai facilities, so you can sit outside and listen to the night sounds. Access to the camp waterhole is via a boardwalk at the edge of the camping area.
Other waterholes? Visit Goas (12 km to the east), and Nuamses (17 km to the north), where there is said to be a resident leopard that sometimes pulls its prey up into a tree.
Pause on the pan. Don’t miss the Etosha Pan lookout. You drive 3 km onto the pan to a turning circle, where you can get out and feel as if you’re standing on the edge of the earth.
Stretch your legs. Climb up the Halali hill for a great view.

Okaukuejo (on the western edge)
Everyone knows the story of the old lioness and lion that killed a tourist sleeping behind the wall at the Okaukuejo waterhole in 1993. It’s the superbowl of Etosha waterholes, and I’m looking forward to seeing it.
But there’s a lot of traffic on the road today – cars moving between camps and plenty of safari vehicles full of German and French tourists. A safari vehicle pulls up next to us: “Haben Sie Löwen gesehen?” asks the driver, who looks hot and bothered. (“Have you seen lions?”) Nope, we’re just looking at the view. 
We’ve stopped to look at the Halali plains, where lots of animals trek across the grassland in search of the seeps of fresh water that run into the pan.
“It looks a bit like the Serengeti,” Jéan says.
I love this open space and the sound of the zebras chirruping at one another. Some roll in the dust, others nip at each other’s necks.
At Nebrownii, just 8 km from Okaukuejo, we come across an enormous bull elephant having a good old midday splash. He’s a ghostly white, covered in the pale clay that you find around here.
In the campsite, we meet Ian and Gill Charlton, and their next-door neighbours Sally and Pete Koopman from Centurion. They’ve been on the road for some time now, and there’s friendly rivalry going on between them about the relative merits of Castle beer (Ian) versus Windhoek (Pete), and Land Rover (Ian) versus Jeep (Pete).
They’ve been to see the flowers in the Cape before touring Namibia together. Pete says they are “skiing” (“Spending the Kids’ Inheritance”).
That night, a nasty, dusty wind comes up. These are the dry months before the rain, and each day it seems to be hotter and drier than the day before. So it’s early to bed.

It’s our last morning in the park, and we decide to head to Okondeka, about 25 km to the north, on the western side of the pan. Thousands of animals come to drink here because it’s the only permanent water in the area.
As we approach the waterhole, we notice a cluster of vehicles. Next to the road, a lioness walks purposefully through the grass, followed by three cubs. Their tummies are so full they are struggling to keep up, but the mother lion just keeps padding across the veld for kilometre after kilometre, with several tourist cars crawling alongside her.
This waterhole was once home to a pride of “man-eating” lions, which attacked farm workers on their way home to Ovamboland. Are these lions their descendents?
In the distance, 13 jackals feed on the remains of her kill. Their tails wag excitedly in the early-morning sunlight.
Once the lions have drunk and moved off to sleep in the shade, and the cars have dispersed, I ask Jéan to pause a minute.
Flocks of birds whirl around as a falcon swoops through them in an attempt to catch some breakfast. Then a cluster of black blobs emerges from the haze. It’s the ostriches coming in to drink along with a pair of gemsbok that were keeping out of the way until the lions moved away.
“It’s okay; you can go now,” I tell Jéan as I store the picture in my mind. It will have to do for now...

Okaukuejo highlights
Okaukuejo (pronounced “ô-koe-koe-yo”) is the largest and most popular camp, about 100 km north of Outjo. The floodlit waterhole is Etosha’s biggest drawcard; it attracts visitors from around the world. There’s even an Internet café and a poolside bar.
Other good waterholes nearby? Gemsbokvlakte, Olifantsbad and Aus. The latter attracts many elephants.
Stretch your legs. Climb the steps to the top of the old water tower to get your bearings.

1907
German governor Friedrich von Lindequist proclaims 90 000 km² from Etosha Pan through to Kaokoveld as Game Reserve No 2.

1946
The South African Railways organises the first coach tour to Etosha for the Easter weekend, using open 10-ton trucks to transport 137 visitors.

1963
The Odendaal Commission shrinks the park to a third of its original size: 27 554 km². The rest becomes “homelands” for the Owambo, Herero and Damara.

1967
Etosha is officially declared a national park. Halali is the last of the three rest-camps to be established.

1973
The park is completely fenced and about 80 artificial waterholes are built for the animals.

1980/81
Etosha experiences extreme drought and emergency measures are taken to save rare animals such as the roan antelope.

1989/91
Rhinos are de-horned as a deterrent after 23 animals were poached. The controversial operation proves to be a success.

2007
Etosha celebrates its 100th birthday with plans for conservancies, which will allow animals to migrate between the Skeleton Coast and Etosha.

Source: Sandpaper, 22 March 2007, Issue 6.

1. What! Is that how much it costs now?
Etosha is no longer a cheap holiday destination. From 1 November the prices are set to more than double, following an extensive upgrade of accommodation by Namibia Wildlife Resorts.
Camping. A campsite will now cost you R200 plus an extra R100 per person per night. Children between the ages of six and 12 half-price; those under six free. Remember to add the R60 per person daily park fee.
For a South African family with three teenagers this translates into R1000. (It would be cheaper to buy your own lion! – Ed.)
Rooms and chalets. Prices range from R650 per person for a double room without any catering facilities (breakfast included) to R1 500 per person per night for a waterhole bungalow at Okaukuejo (on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis).
There are a few bush chalets with outside braais remaining at Okaukuejo and Halali, but all self-catering facilities have been removed in Namutoni, so take your own equipment with you, including a gas stove if you want to boil potatoes to go with your braai.
Contact: For more details, visit www.nwr.com.na. In South Africa, call 021 422 3761 or e-mail ctbookings@nwr.com.na.
NWR has promised to make special offers available for southern Africans in off- season periods. Watch the website for details.

2. Pick your season
Hot and wet (January to April)
It’s oppressive and humid but also a good time for birding, and when it rains, the park is green and beautiful, but don’t expect to see the same amount of game.
Cold and dry (May to August)
May is an excellent time to visit because you’ve still got the carry-over from the rainy season. June/July is traditionally when South African and Namibian families visit.
Hot and dry (September to December)
This is when all the game comes to the waterholes, making it the best time to view animals. It’s also the high season for visitors from Europe, so you’ll have to book early if you want to get in.

3. Cash or passport!
Visitors are asked to pay a R500 deposit, or hand in their drivers’ licence or passport. This is returned once staff have checked the rooms.

4. Buy a guide book
Guidebook to the Waterholes and Animals (R90) and Origins and Meaning of Place Names in the Etosha National Park (R50) are excellent sources of information.
 

You can still have an Etosha experience for a more affordable price by sleeping outside the park close to the gates. Try to combine this with a night or two inside Etosha so you can experience the camp waterholes too.

Camp near the Andersson Gate (Okaukuejo side):
Etosha Safari Camp is only 10 km from the gate on the western side of Etosha. Camping costs R50 per person per night.
It also has tented bungalows for R390 per person (bed and breakfast). There’s a restaurant, swimming pool and bar.
Contact: Monica Kesslau 00264 62 245847; www.etosha-safari.com.
Toshari Lodge is 25km from the gate. It has rooms for R425 per person (bed and breakfast). The lodge is also in the process of building private camping sites, each with its own braai and private ablution blocks, for R80 per person.
Contact: Amanda van Schalkwyk, 00264 67 333440; www.etoshagateway-toshari.com

Camp near the Von Lindequist Gate (Namutoni):
Onguma borders the eastern side of Etosha with their entrance gate right next to the Von Lindequist gate near Namutoni. The campsite is 8 km from the gate and has a private ablution block with own shower, toilet and power point for a maximum of four people. Their rates are R80 per night for adults and R60 for children (three to 12).
Contact: Elke Pohl 00264 61 232009; onguma@visionsofafrica.com.na; www.onguma.com
 

Readers let us know what they think of the new developments....

Flip and Marita Swanepoel of Swakopmund wrote:
We have been visiting Etosha every year for the past 25 years. This year, we decided to camp. These were the changes we noticed:

Okaukuejo. All the campsites are now numbered. We were permitted to ask for another site number if we weren’t happy with the one given to us. The new ablution facilities were clean and neat, but there’s nowhere to hang your clothes and there are no benches in the showers.

Halali. All the campsites were numbered and we didn’t have the option of changing our site. The ablutions were neat and clean but the showers were impractical. The towels ended up on the floor because the hooks couldn’t carry their weight. Again, there’s nowhere to put your clothes. Take a chair along and some shoes to wade through the water because the water from the showers floods the floors.
We had a good breakfast for R60 each. The problem is that it is served too late. Many people like to get out of the gates early but they only start serving food when the gates are already open.
All the bungalows now include breakfast in their price. There are only 10 bungalows that have fridges, kettles and mugs and outside braais.

Namutoni. This camp was still far from finished. There are no braai or self-catering facilities. There are also 25 campsites but these aren’t numbered. The ablution facilities were chaotic and were still being worked on.
It’s nice to eat out now and then but not to have it forced on you. Also, the prices for camping, access and vehicles are going to double from 1 November 2007.

Bill and Jenny Orton of Clovelly, Cape Town, wrote:
It is with dismay that we have just returned from our annual trip to Etosha National Park, which we have visited since 1992. Our worst fears have been confirmed. The Namibian authorities seem to have abandoned the local market, including their own citizens, in favour of overseas visitors with lots of euros, US dollars or UK pounds to spend. Our nine-day stay this year cost us R5 100, but should we wish to visit again next year, it would cost us R18 000!
Our trips have always been to all three camps, Okaukuejo, Halali and Numatoni, as each camp and area has its own unique game-viewing opportunities. The self-catering bungalows sometimes required a bit of maintenance, but they were always adequate and reasonably priced, especially if shared by two couples.
The wildlife has always been spectacular and the wonderful evening weather creates a special atmosphere for meals around the fire.
This atmosphere has been dampened, as the authorities seem to be trying to change Etosha from a national park into a private game farm.
We found the furnishings to be “over the top” and impractical for such large camps. With the large number of visitors, mainly international, who only stay for a few nights, we can only imagine how difficult it will be for the camp staff to maintain the accommodation.
Due to the cost, this wonderful park will be closed to the average local tourist, especially those with teenage children. We are surprised that the Namibian public has allowed these changes to be made and wonder how much consultation took place.

Namibia Wildlife Resorts says:
We welcome positive criticism but also have a job to do. Our aim is to make Namibia Wildlife Resorts a company that has good quality infrastructure and provides good service quality to satisfy its clients.
There are those who are already reasoning that Namibia Wildlife Resorts may become too expensive for Namibians to afford.
While we appreciate their concern and will continue to be a proud Namibian company, we do not get a financial subsidy from anywhere to keep our prices “relative” for the benefit of Namibians.
Nonetheless, there are measures that will be implemented to encourage Namibians to visit and experience the natural resources in our country.
NWR operates in a competitive environment and is subjected to market forces. For example, only 17% (NWR reservations) of visitors to NWR are Namibians, the remaining 83% are foreign travellers. However, the focus is not on price, but rather on customer satisfaction and competitiveness, whilst maximising the return on investment.

(Note: Prices accurate in October 2007)