Halali in Etosha--what did you see in that region in August?
Feb 16th, 2012, 01:54 PM
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Halali in Etosha--what did you see in that region in August?
How would you split 5 nts between Namutoni, Halali, Okaukeujo?
Do you know the distances between these?
Other comments appreciated as well. Thanks!
Do you know the distances between these?
Other comments appreciated as well. Thanks!
Feb 23rd, 2012, 07:52 PM
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1 night Namutoni
2 nights Halali
2 nights Okaukuejo
Can't remember distances but Halali about equal distance between the other two camps and usually a nice morning or afternoon drive to get from one camp to another.
The game you will see at Halali is largely the same as the other two camps however the only leopard we have seen in Etosha has been around Halali. Otherwise the usual suspects, elephant, lion, zebra etc. At night you will get very good sightings of rhino at the floodlit waterhole. Halali is probably my favourite camp. It has the best shop and I like the swimming pool!
I don't like Namutoni since the change to the fort and the accommodation. I find the shop hopeless, and the 'restaurant' out of place. The little 'beer and chips' kiosk (cart) at the swimming pool is good for a toasted sandwich and a drink. The mongooses running around all over the place are highly entertaining!
I like Okaukuejo for the waterhole and the surrounding area and watering holes which have given us incredible lion and cheetah sightings in recent years. The shop there is also hit and miss.
We don't use the restaurants in the park much anymore as I find the service and quality variable. If you want to self cater stock up well before you enter the park!
2 nights Halali
2 nights Okaukuejo
Can't remember distances but Halali about equal distance between the other two camps and usually a nice morning or afternoon drive to get from one camp to another.
The game you will see at Halali is largely the same as the other two camps however the only leopard we have seen in Etosha has been around Halali. Otherwise the usual suspects, elephant, lion, zebra etc. At night you will get very good sightings of rhino at the floodlit waterhole. Halali is probably my favourite camp. It has the best shop and I like the swimming pool!
I don't like Namutoni since the change to the fort and the accommodation. I find the shop hopeless, and the 'restaurant' out of place. The little 'beer and chips' kiosk (cart) at the swimming pool is good for a toasted sandwich and a drink. The mongooses running around all over the place are highly entertaining!
I like Okaukuejo for the waterhole and the surrounding area and watering holes which have given us incredible lion and cheetah sightings in recent years. The shop there is also hit and miss.
We don't use the restaurants in the park much anymore as I find the service and quality variable. If you want to self cater stock up well before you enter the park!
Feb 24th, 2012, 08:31 AM
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Thank you for the info, 3Dogs, that is what I had planned.
I'll be watching for the mongoose, also maybe the chips on the "beer and chips" cart. Not fond of beer, but very fond of mongoose.
I'll be watching for the mongoose, also maybe the chips on the "beer and chips" cart. Not fond of beer, but very fond of mongoose.
May 14th, 2012, 02:25 PM
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I would spend:
2 night Namutoni
1 night Halali
2 nights Okaukuejo
My first two times at Etosha were in October and my third time was this past February. We were warned we would not see much wildlife in February, but it was my favorite time of year. The rains made everything green and the flowers were everywhere! Stormy evenings made a great opportunity for us to get amazing shots of wildlife with great light, pretty flowers and lush vegetation. IT was awesome.
1) Namutoni
Great camp. If you are camping, you will find that this one is the camp that does not look like a dust pan. There is grass where you can pitch your tent. We love the restaurant, you can dine by candlelight inside the fort. Plus there is a chill out room in the room with AC, which is great if you camp and still need a comfy sofa to read. The mongooses are great, they killed a black mamba by the swimming pool in front of us last february. What we loved the most about this place is the wildlife. I cannot stress enough how amazing our sightings were. We found the magic Chudop triangle. Chudop is a waterhole about 5 miles west of camp. If you look at the map just before you get to the waterhole there is a triangle (formed by roads, being one the road to Halali and the other one the road to Chudop). Well, in that triangle we have seen almost everything. A pride of lions, giraffes, zebras, rhino, leopards (mum with two cubs), hyaenas, jackals, wildebeest, impala. Everything is there (somebody saw a cheetah too), in a triangle 2kmx3kmx2km. Pretty awesome. Almost everything. Every morning (we spent 4 nights), a new zebra carcass would appear in this triangle making a great spectacle of hyaenas, jackals and vultures interactions. A few tips: 1) beware of the lion pride. There are 12 of them, one evening they surrounded our car in full hunting mode (we rented a super tiny car, they obviously thought they could eat it). IT was terrifying. Do not underestimate them. We had a second encounter with them and they behaved in the same manner. We have photos of both encounters. 2) If you want to see hyaenas, get out there very early. In february they would open the gates at 7am, we would find them at 7:10 and they would disappear at 7:15 not to be seen until the day after. Since we saw a leopard with two cubs you have high chances to see 3 leopards as they will still be with the mother by that time.
2)Halali
A huge dustbowl. Yes, it has a big swimming pool. There is a leopard that apparently drinks at the waterhole everynight.
3)Okaukuejo
If you stay here you don't need to go for drives. Just sit at the waterhole. Awesome place. We have seen black rhino, elephant, impala, zebra, jackals (they are in camp anyway), we have even seen a lioness with two tiny cubs plus more lions. This is the place to sit there all night.
Hope this has helped!
If you go down the coast, kayaking with seals in Walvis Bay is a must.
If you need more info let me know, I have spent a total of 5 months in Namibia.
Hope you have a great time, I have just seen your photos of the pantanal. Cant believe jaguars cross rivers like that. On top of my list!
cristina
2 night Namutoni
1 night Halali
2 nights Okaukuejo
My first two times at Etosha were in October and my third time was this past February. We were warned we would not see much wildlife in February, but it was my favorite time of year. The rains made everything green and the flowers were everywhere! Stormy evenings made a great opportunity for us to get amazing shots of wildlife with great light, pretty flowers and lush vegetation. IT was awesome.
1) Namutoni
Great camp. If you are camping, you will find that this one is the camp that does not look like a dust pan. There is grass where you can pitch your tent. We love the restaurant, you can dine by candlelight inside the fort. Plus there is a chill out room in the room with AC, which is great if you camp and still need a comfy sofa to read. The mongooses are great, they killed a black mamba by the swimming pool in front of us last february. What we loved the most about this place is the wildlife. I cannot stress enough how amazing our sightings were. We found the magic Chudop triangle. Chudop is a waterhole about 5 miles west of camp. If you look at the map just before you get to the waterhole there is a triangle (formed by roads, being one the road to Halali and the other one the road to Chudop). Well, in that triangle we have seen almost everything. A pride of lions, giraffes, zebras, rhino, leopards (mum with two cubs), hyaenas, jackals, wildebeest, impala. Everything is there (somebody saw a cheetah too), in a triangle 2kmx3kmx2km. Pretty awesome. Almost everything. Every morning (we spent 4 nights), a new zebra carcass would appear in this triangle making a great spectacle of hyaenas, jackals and vultures interactions. A few tips: 1) beware of the lion pride. There are 12 of them, one evening they surrounded our car in full hunting mode (we rented a super tiny car, they obviously thought they could eat it). IT was terrifying. Do not underestimate them. We had a second encounter with them and they behaved in the same manner. We have photos of both encounters. 2) If you want to see hyaenas, get out there very early. In february they would open the gates at 7am, we would find them at 7:10 and they would disappear at 7:15 not to be seen until the day after. Since we saw a leopard with two cubs you have high chances to see 3 leopards as they will still be with the mother by that time.
2)Halali
A huge dustbowl. Yes, it has a big swimming pool. There is a leopard that apparently drinks at the waterhole everynight.
3)Okaukuejo
If you stay here you don't need to go for drives. Just sit at the waterhole. Awesome place. We have seen black rhino, elephant, impala, zebra, jackals (they are in camp anyway), we have even seen a lioness with two tiny cubs plus more lions. This is the place to sit there all night.
Hope this has helped!
If you go down the coast, kayaking with seals in Walvis Bay is a must.
If you need more info let me know, I have spent a total of 5 months in Namibia.
Hope you have a great time, I have just seen your photos of the pantanal. Cant believe jaguars cross rivers like that. On top of my list!
cristina
May 14th, 2012, 03:36 PM
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Lynn, wanted to share this with you: it's advice from a Destination Expert on Nambia; based on my experience (albeit limited) I would agree with her:
"For July/August I would recommend that you spread your time between Okaukuejo and Halali. Okaukuejo has the most established waterhole and will be bustling with animals through day and night. The waterhole at Halali is also excellent, Namutoni isn't so good at that time of year, and you can always do a day drive out that way from Halali, maybe have lunch at Namutoni and then come back again.
"Personally if i had 5 nights I would choose 3 at Okaukuejo and 2 at Halali. It is peak season though so make sure you book early!"
"For July/August I would recommend that you spread your time between Okaukuejo and Halali. Okaukuejo has the most established waterhole and will be bustling with animals through day and night. The waterhole at Halali is also excellent, Namutoni isn't so good at that time of year, and you can always do a day drive out that way from Halali, maybe have lunch at Namutoni and then come back again.
"Personally if i had 5 nights I would choose 3 at Okaukuejo and 2 at Halali. It is peak season though so make sure you book early!"
May 14th, 2012, 08:00 PM
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Thanks for the advice sdb2 and Travel4Widlife. Kayaking with seals, had not seen that opportunity.
Looks like it won't be this August that I put your advice to use. But will save it for later.
Jaguars are indeed water cats.
Looks like it won't be this August that I put your advice to use. But will save it for later.
Jaguars are indeed water cats.
May 18th, 2012, 05:50 AM
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Question for Travel4Widlife:
Is what you describe in Namutoni from Oct or from Feb? Can you distinguish what you saw in the 2 time frames.
And:
What do you all think about the Namib Desert in Nov?
Is what you describe in Namutoni from Oct or from Feb? Can you distinguish what you saw in the 2 time frames.
And:
What do you all think about the Namib Desert in Nov?
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