The safari experience at Namibia’s flagship national park has undergone many changes since the run-up to its centenary last year – animals are no longer the only creatures on the prowl at night, nor are they the only thing worth writing home about. Matt Phillips visits to discover the latest.
 Momentum is hard to stop. In this case it was carrying 1200kg of black rhino straight through the darkness. Thankfully, neither we, nor anything else fragile, were in its path. In fact, the trail it was blazing fortuitously ran parallel to the gravel track we were on. With my guide’s foot held firmly on the accelerator, and our Land Rover holding steady at 25mph, the rhino’s torso seemed frozen in place, only its legs spinning and the landscape rushing by in a blur. Occasionally it would disappear behind a flash of greenery, only to materialise again, as if I’d simply blinked. Machine, man and beast, linked by a single shaft of light, were racing side-by-side through the African needed to have a rest. And then it was gone, hidden behind some nondescript scrub. To be honest, I wouldn’t want to be stared at while catching my breath either.
This certainly wasn’t my first wildlife drive at Etosha National Park, but it was my first under the cover of darkness. The park has long been world renowned for the nightly animal antics around its three floodlit waterholes – seven years ago I witnessed three antsy black rhino, 15 aggressive elephants and one shy leopard crowded together trying to drink at Halali. However it has always been the human contingent that has had to wait for the wildlife to come to them. Last year, for the first time in the park’s 100-year history, organised night drives with park rangers were introduced. Now visitors staying within the park can head out into the dark for three hours and hunt for exciting animal encounters. Besides observing dozens of nocturnal species that you don’t stand a hope of seeing during the day, you also have a much better chance of watching large predators in action. Implemented by Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), the company managing all accommodation within Namibia’s national parks, these drives are just one of the many changes that are taking place within Etosha as part of the massive centenary revamp.
NWR have invested heavily in upgrading their camps at Namatoni, Halali and Okaukuejo, with each now featuring a swimming pool, restaurant and various luxury chalet options. The fort at Namatoni has also been developed and includes two restaurants, a lounge and bar, as well as assorted curio and craft shops. It’s clear that NWR’s upmarket move is to compete with the growing range of elite lodges that sit just outside the park. These lodges, such as those run by Onguma and Mushara, have proved incredibly successful, putting the natural wonders of Etosha on the luxury safari map and capitalising on Namibia’s newly-found popularity in the international travel scene.
After visiting Onguma’s four properties, each within their 20,000ha private wildlife reserve, it was easy to understand their popularity. The Tented Camp’s seven spacious tents, which manage to contain contemporary comforts without losing their African safari feel, are spread around a picturesque waterhole, with plenty of space and vegetation that provide privacy. With unobstructed views of the floodlit waterhole, your bed becomes a viewing platform – I rather enjoyed putting my book down before bed to watch a couple of jackals gallivanting nearby. The open-air lounge and dining room, sitting near the rim-flow pool in the middle of the camp, are also both beneath canvas, providing a shady haven for relaxing or wildlife viewing during the day.
While both of Onguma’s newest camps – Tree Top Camp and The Fort – also overlook scenic waterholes, they couldn’t be more different from each other or from the Tented Camp. Tree Top Camp’s four tents are set on platforms and connected by elevated walkways, giving the place the feel of an oversized tree house. While more rustic than The Fort or Tented Camp, it is still very comfortable. With a maximum occupancy of eight and a cosy lounge area, this diminutive camp is designed for family groups or friends who want an exclusive accommodation experience. By contrast, The Fort has been built on a grandiose scale. Its massive angular walls, stone cladding and towers rise above the camel thorn trees and cut a dramatic figure against the blue sky. While its impenetrable-looking facade is imposing upon arrival, once you step through the massive Indian doors you are welcomed with an airy, sun-filled interior that offers panoramic views across Fisher’s Pan. The panoramic sunsets from here are rather epic. Twelve downsized versions of the The Fort’s main structure – complete with viewing towers – can each accommodate a couple of guests and are spread 50m apart on either side of the complex. These suites include an air-cooling system for hot days, a fireplace for cool evenings, a gargantuan bathroom and wooden decks leading to a private outside seating area with sun loungers. It’s no surprise then that onguma means “the place you don’t want to leave”.
To subscribe or buy back issues, click here
With manicured gardens and lawns, large swimming pools and sprawling lounges, parts of Mushara Lodge and the newcomers, Villa Mushara and Mushara Outposts, look more like large private country estates than safari camps. However, they are far from being detached from the African bush – various species, including kudu, often wander silently through. The modern take on tents at Outposts even allows you to view the passing wildlife from your glass-walled shower. Incredibly luxurious, and offering more modern amenities than Onguma, these properties make you feel at home while not letting you forget that you are in Africa.
As far as the safari experience is concerned, guests at all these private lodges can join guided wildlife drives into Etosha during the day. Those staying at the Onguma properties can also take part in day or night drives through the Onguma Wildlife Reserve, which hosts species such as lion, cheetah, leopard, black rhino, kudu, eland, zebra and oryx.
It was perhaps in response to the ever-rising standard of service from these lodges on the fringes of the park that NWR decided to start running night drives within Etosha for its guests. Paulus, my brilliant NWR guide during the running rhino encounter, said NWR are considering two key things to further increase their competitiveness: introducing new safari roads within more remote areas of Etosha, which will be only available to their safari vehicles; and allowing NWR safari vehicles to drive off-piste to get closer to wildlife, something currently prohibited.
Competition is typically known for lowering prices, but the ongoing battle at Etosha to provide the ultimate safari experience only seems to be making them climb higher, both inside and outside the park. The park’s upgraded three camps, once the haven for those on a budget, no longer offer any double rooms for less than N$1300 (almost US$175); camping fees for a couple are close to US$60 per night. While many visitors who’ve experienced other famous safari destinations in southern or East Africa, which have comparable levels of service, agree that Etosha still offers good value for money, the park is unfortunately now proving too expensive for budget travellers and, more importantly, many Namibian citizens. With more and more people willing to pay top dollar to experience Etosha’s world-class wildlife wonders in style, there seems little hope that the trend to cater almost solely to them will reverse. Momentum is hard to stop.
|
