Day 118: Etosha National Park – Day 2
Breakfast started at 5:30AM, and we were the first people to arrive. Animals are supposed to be most active at dawn and dusk, so we wanted to make sure we were the first ones through the park gates when it opened at 6:30AM. Since our park pass from the day before was valid for 24hrs, we were able to drive right through the gates without registering, and we headed straight for the Okondeka Waterhole – the waterhole that was the furthest West and was known for lion sightings.
7AM in Etosha National Park – a small herd of giraffes cross the road just ahead of us
Just as quickly as they approached our car, they disappear into the horizon
Just down the road, we see evidence of a kill! Poor giraffe. Africa can be magical…and deadly.
Our first waterhole of the morning is on the edge of the salt pan – where a large herd of wildebeest are chowing down on grass and butting a few heads
After about an hour, the wildebeest take off, and a few Springbok are the only animals left. We soon see why as a female lion slowly walks onto the scene. One lone Springbok stares down the lioness for a few minutes, before slowly backing off.
Turns out the lioness was only thirsty – no kill for us today!
Since the lion chased off all the antelope from the Okondeka Waterhole, we started the car and headed back toward the center of the park to check out all the waterholes that had a reputation for leopards. Still no luck, but we did find some very scenic spots with lots of playful animals (clearly no predators were nearby).
A Springbok mid-spring, two Springboks fighting, and a close-up of a Springbok.
A pretty, but empty waterhole next to the Etosha Salt Pan
A busy waterhole with lots of antelope, and a very chubby Springbok
Around noon, we decided to park out at the Rietfontein Waterhole, which Russell from Green Bushpig had recommended as “usually rewarding”. We shut of the engine, pulled out the snacks and laptops and settled in for a long wait. It wasn’t long until we were rewarded with another first: a huge herd of ELEPHANTS!
I have a view of elephants fighting next to an African waterhole as I type up my travel blog. Not bad for my temporary “office”!
We can’t get over how BIG these elephants are! Sure we got to wash elephants in Indonesia, but they were little puppies compared to these guys. Especially *that* bull heading right for us. OK, Lindsay is getting a little nervous now…
Wait, who just showed up to the waterhole? A RHINO! One of the most endangered species in all of Africa, wow!
OMG! A second rhino! And they kiss each other hello? Oh, Africa, this is just adorable.
The big bull elephant makes sure the rhinos know he is boss around this waterhole, by strutting by and staring them down. Look at the size of this guy compared to the rhinos – he’s MASSIVE
The elephants were really cool to watch…from a distance. After about an hour or so, another herd of elephants showed up. The big bull from the first herd decided he was feeling a bit crowded. And who can blame him? Not only does he have rhinos, and a wall of ellies taking up his waterhole, the parking lot next to the waterhole has slowing been filling up with SUVs and overlander vehicles. Apparently, he’s gotten tired of all the attention, so he starts to leave.
However, he decides that the path he wants to take is DIRECTLY THROUGH THE PARKING LOT. The fact that the parking lot if full of PARKED CARS each with their engine turned off doesn’t bother him. “They’ll move for me,” is what he must be thinking. He decides the car he likes least is a gigantic overlander bus. He starts heading towards it – rather fast! When the bus doesn’t move, he starts to flap his ears and shake his head – all clear warning signs he is about to charge…which he does! The bus driver pulls away at the last moment, as does everyone else in the parking lot – yours truly included. Of course, our mobility is limited as other cars have parked us in – Lindsay is FREAKING OUT – convinced that the entire herd is going to stamped at any second, while Igor is yelling at her to stop trying to drive away as he is filming the entire encounter.
The path finally clears for the big bull to walk by…with the rest of the herd soon to follow!
A smaller bull keeps eyeing the cars after the big guy has left – he seems to want to show off he is a big shot too, as he knocks down a tree – just for the hell of it! The rest of the herd takes their time drinking water and having a dirt bath before following their leader.
We start to drive away from the waterhole, only the realize that the road out is also directly in the path of the elephant parade! Oh boy, here they all come!
It’s too late to back up! There are *literally* dozens of elephants in front of and behind our car!
The rest of the afternoon was pretty uneventful, save for a pair of sleepy lions near the park exit. We were so disappointed when we looked at the clock and had to leave! Really looking forward to tomorrow – Lindsay’s birthday! – when we would be spending the night *inside* the park.
Poor zebras – they want to get a drink of water, but the sleeping lions are blocking the waterhole
What at day you experienced!! It’s truly amazing how the eco system works. The wildlife you saw—the large herd of wildebeest, Springbok and then the female lion slowly walking onto the scene. The Springbok stares down the lioness for a few minutes, before slowly backing off. A RHINO! OMG those elephants…another day in Africa…oh my!!! Can’t wait to see what is in store for Lindsay’s birthday—July 28th!!!