laurenanne

I just wanted to reach out to anyone that might be worried/concerned about going to Etosha during January/rainy season. My husband and I were really concerned and almost did not go because of all the opinions on how hard it would be to see wildlife, how hot it would be and how bad the roads could get.

I just wanted to say we had a fabulous time. The thunderstorms were scattered, actually cooling the park down and we saw an amazing array of animals, as you can see from our photos. We spent 4 days in the park- 2 at Mushara lodge, 2 at Okaukeujo. We also felt like we had the park to ourselves since it was low season, not to mention Namibia is beautiful when it is green. We were in Etosha the first week of January, hoping we would at least be early on in the rainy season.

There were no animals at the waterholes. None. We just drove around and found them all over the roads. Rhinos, Lions, Wildebeest, Zebras, etc.

I am posting albums of Damaraland, Swakop and the Dunes later, but the first album Etosha is done for anyone that wants to look. Thanks!!

http://community.webshots.com/user/E...host=community

Lauren

atravelynn

Great proof! Your comment in the trip report about it not being important to book certain waterhole camps in the dry season is helpful. Just go out on the road and find them. Nice pair of kori bustards.

laurenanne

I just felt like I wanted people to know!!! We almost didn't do this trip 2 years in a row because of feedback regarding weather during that timeframe, but december/january is the only time we can take 3 weeks off. So, we bit the bullet and hoped for the best and it worked out magnificently.

laurenanne

Plus lodge rates are much lower, so we stayed at nicer places than we otherwise would have.

mcwomble

Lovely report and photos. The blue and orange lizard is a rock agama, by the way. Amazing creatures.

laurenanne

Thanks! I wasn't sure what to title the lizard. Will make the note
working on the pics now before I get back to work, otherwise they will never get done!!

What about the yellow lizard? an agama also?

mcwomble

I didn't see a yellow lizard - where was it?

laurenanne

right after the orange and blue one...had a flourescent yellow head. it is in the damaraland album. saw those and the orange/blue ones all over. wondered if same rock agama species

kimburu

Proof accepted! I always seem to go places at the "wrong" time of year, so it doesn't surprise me that much, although you have to accept that a few days/weeks later/earlier and it might have rained every day and few big animals to be seen. I doubt that Etosha is that much different from other national parks in this respect (except for the waterholes). Sounds like you got perfect weather for the time of year, with enough rain to cool things down, but not too much.