atravelynn

Probably no Caprivi Strip, and only Namibia. So you can be less jealous.

Treepol

I don't think 5 nights in Etosha is excessive at all, but then I am a very keen fan of this park. You might think about dropping Halali and doing 1,2,2 - don't forget Dolomite Camp though - it looks very good and the TA comments regarding food and service are exceptional for this company. Halali is my least favourite camp - the guide summed it up when he said the waterhole was broken (lots of impala and ground squirrels and not much else in August 2008).

I wasn't enamoured with Sossuvlei when I visited in 2005, if you are short of time you could perhaps save a night here. 3 nights Damaraland sounds good - I've heard positive things about Etendeka Mountain Camp, http://www.etendeka-namibia.com/ I deeply regret the closure of Hobatere which was ideally situated on the western border of Etosha.

I tried to contact Cardboard Box in 2008 and they didn't respond - there are so many good agents, it didn't matter. Like Elizabeth_S, Gemma and I got on very well from the word go, and I am very pleased with her pricing and services. She is currently visiting lodges, calling on 19 lodges in 14 days so she has firsthand and current knowledge of the product she is selling.

Cape Cross Lodge looks good - handy for the seals and on the edge of the Atlantic, miles of endless ocean and great for sunsets. Interesting idea to stay at WB - did you know that you can fly direct from Cape Town everyday except Saturdays? I saw flamingos along the esplanade in October-Nov 2005, I've not heard of walking to see them, although in 2008 they were down behind a lagoon in Sandwich Harbour which the guide said was very difficult to reach due to tides and the length of time to get there and I remember some of that was walking. The drive between Swakopmund and WB is very interesting, again right along the seaboard, there is a shipwreck close inshore and some upmarket developments that break the sea view.

I would put in a plug for Shamvura Camp http://www.shamvura.com/ in the Caprivi - I have friends who are very keen to do a self-drive through Namibia and this camp is one where its possible to kickback, relax and enjoy doing very little. Mark has a colony of Carmine bee-eaters that nests nearby, although the actual dates are dependent on the water level and vary each year.


Happy to answer more questions,


Pol

atravelynn

Thanks Treepol. Helpful comments.

atravelynn

"Halali is my least favourite camp"

But aren't Goas and Rietfontein waterholes near Halali and aren't they suppoised to be really good?

It appeared Halali was your least favourite in part due to the surrounding area. That would contradict some assumptions I had about the surrounding area, which I believe includes those waterholes. I'd like to know more about which areas you liked most and least, Treepol, and why. Thanks.

Treepol

Gosh Lynn, I'll do my best - I've checked my notes, trip report and photos but I can't find anything notable about Halali. The report for my 2008 Namibia safari is here, http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...ugust-2008.cfm I will send you 2 photos of Halali waterhole at sunset to illustrate my point!

I've stopped at Halali twice - once was a lunch stop only and the other was for an overnight stay in a NWR bungalow. The Halali waterhole was very poor on both occasions - maybe I had been spoilt by the terrific wildlife at Okaukeujo and my expectations were too high. I've been through my photos to jog my memory, but there is nothing there that makes me say - I remember that now. Sorry, I just have this memory of a large herd of impala that was the only wildlife at the waterhole the evening I was there, when we were entertained by a ground squirrel fossicking around the seating area.

Okaukeujo between August and October which is when I have visited in the past is great for wildlife viewing. During the day large herds of plains game come in (zebra, kudu,oryx, wildebeest, impala) come in to drink and mix it up with giraffe, jackals and eles. At night more eles, rhino, giraffe, sometimes lion and jackals are frequent visitors. I have a favourite memory of 2 large maned lions in their prime drinking at Okaukeujo - their golden heads were reflected perfectly in the black water.

Halali Camp is a lunch stopover for overland trucks and can be quite noisy. I visited people I met at Hobatere in the Halali Camp Ground one night and didn't even see the legendary honey badger bin raiders on the way back to my chalet. The accommadation wasn't as nice as Namutoni or Okaukeujo - it was adequate though.

The waterhole at Namutoni wasn't great last time I was there either - 2 Egyptian was the total for the stay! However, the fort lends amazing atmosphere to this camp and dining inside the fort by lamplight is magical. The mongoose that run around the camp ground are a source of interest and amusement.

We had good lion viewing at Goas (a mating pair) in 2008, sorry I don't have any memories of Rietfontein. The general game viewing between Halali and Namutoni was quite good - many lion, elephant, zebra, hartebeest, giraffe, dikdik, kudu, oryx as was the game viewing from Galton Gate in the west to Okaukeujo. The western part of the park has more vegetation than the central and eastern areas, and much less traffic. Although I think this has now changed now that Dolomite Camp has opened.

A big attraction for me at Etosha is the number of waterholes and the sense of imminent discovery as we approach. Sure, mostly its eles, zebra, kudu, oryx - but the wildlife is so prolific that there is a good chance of interesting interactions - the oryx pushing the gentler zebra away from the water, the long lines of zebra with nodding heads approaching waterholes, the size of the male eles - just when a large animal settles down to drink, an even larger one ambles up. Viewing is easy in Etosha due to the salt pan and stunted vegetation - birds are good, lots of LBRs, secretary birds, lanner falcons.


Hope this helps,



Pol