Namibia: A Photographer's Paradise

Table of Contents

• Exploring Sesriem
• Deadvlei: A Photographer's Dream
• Helicopter Tour: A Unique Perspective
• Flamingos and Zebras
• Wildlife Adventure at Etosha National Park
• Erindi Private Game Reserve: A Different Experience
• A Memorable Journey Comes to an End
• FAQs

Exploring Sesriem

I've made it to Namibia, and I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to be here. I'm going to be traveling through the country for a couple of weeks on a photography tour, and I can't wait to share it with you. We're currently in Sesriem, which is the desert. Namibia has the largest sand dunes in the world, and it's a photographer's paradise because the texture and the shadows make it so visually interesting. And the lodge that we're staying at is incredible. These are like luxury tent chalets. All of the rooms are individual units, looking out over the Namibian desert, and you can roll up the window, so it's all open air, like a canvas tent. But they also have air conditioning, and across your deck, you have a really nice bathroom. So it's like earthy but fancy. You get some wildlife in this region, and the sunrises and sunsets are incredible. And we're here on a full moon and lunar eclipse. Last night, we were out in the dunes at sunset, and the moon rose perfectly behind the dunes, and it was so big it looked fake.

Deadvlei: A Photographer's Dream

One of the most photographed places in the Namib desert is Deadvlei. And the best light is right at sunrise, so we woke up super early to drive in and hike into the dunes, which is not for the faint of heart. It is a workout. Deadvlei is a white clay pan that temporarily flooded hundreds of years ago, allowing camel thorn trees to grow. But when the water went away, the trees died, and only their skeletons remain. They're scorched black from the sun and don't decompose because the wood is so dry.

Helicopter Tour: A Unique Perspective

Something else I highly recommend doing if you come to the Namib Desert is a helicopter tour out to the coast. We did a doors off tour at sunrise while the lunar eclipse was happening, and it was incredible. You start off in the desert, so you see the sand dunes and formations from the sky. And when you make it to the ocean, the dunes fall into the water. And the ripples of the sand meeting the ripples of the sea is just spectacular. There's an enormous seal colony there as well, and our pilot took us right down to the water, which was exhilarating. We were so close to the surface, the waves were spraying us.

Flamingos and Zebras

One of the highlights of going to the coast was getting to see flamingos. And I'm going to admit something a little embarrassing here. Prior to this morning, it had never occurred to me that flamingos can fly. I don't know why, because it's not like they're traveling the Earth on their little stilt legs, but it made this sighting even more spectacular because I had only expected to see them standing in the water.

We've made it to Spitzkoppe, and we're staying at this beautiful lodge where all of the rooms are individual houses, overlooking the landscape. Namibia means vast land, and that is the perfect name for this country because there really is so much wide open space. Spitzkoppe is considered the Matterhorn of Namibia because it has this striking, shark tooth-like mountain in the middle of otherwise completely flat landscape. And it's the quietest place we've been yet. There really are not a lot of people here. It sounds like tours don't generally make a stop here, so it's very quiet and serene. So we're going to be spending the next couple of days getting up early and shooting the sunrise, exploring some of these rock formations. There's even zebras here. We saw a mom and her baby on the way in, and it was just the most precious thing.

Wildlife Adventure at Etosha National Park

Next, we moved on to the wildlife portion of the tours, starting at Etosha National Park, which is one of the largest fully-fenced protected areas in the world. We arrived in the afternoon, popped the tops of our safari vehicles, which was super cool, and headed in to look for some animals. Our first sighting was six lions sleeping around a waterhole. Waterholes are the best places to watch for wildlife because everyone's gotta drink. We had a couple timid giraffes come up for a sip, but the lions weren't really interested. We could see the lions were covered in blood, meaning they had recently eaten and were essentially in a food coma, just sleeping in the sun. You'll see GPS collars on some of them, and this is for research purposes. Etosha's home to one of the largest surviving wild lion populations in Africa, and monitoring them is critical to understanding their conservation status.

Now, the key to a great wildlife sighting is patience. The best thing you can do is find a spot to park and hang out for a couple hours. Sure enough, an hour or so after we arrived at this water hole, we saw three elephants approaching from a distance, and it was incredible watching the power dynamic shift when they arrived. Because up until now, the lions owned the waterhole. But when the elephants showed up, they moved out of the way. Elephants can cause a lot of damage to lions, and while lions can still kill one, it's rare, and they have to be desperate to make an attempt.

We spent the next couple of days in the park, from sunrise to sunset. We were greeted by a dazzle of zebras one morning. The term for a group of zebras is a dazzle. And there was this little foal following behind its mom, and whenever it got too far behind, it would kick up its legs and do this little run. Something incredible that I learned about zebras is new moms will keep other zebras away from their baby for a few days after it's born so that the baby learns her unique stripe pattern.

We also had some incredible elephant sightings during our time in Etosha. We were parked at a waterhole one afternoon, and a herd came in with this tiny little baby. Our guides guessed it was less than a month old, and it was absolutely stupid how cute this thing was. African elephants are pregnant for 22 months, which is the longest gestation period of any living animal. So it took a really long time for this little baby to get here. We were lucky in Etosha to see several large herds of elephants. And one afternoon, we even got a vocal display right next to our vehicle.

We saw lots of other animals as well, including tons of giraffes. Giraffes are by far the easiest animal to spot on safari. They're just so tall, they can't really hide. We also saw a hyena eating something out of a waterhole, as well as a lot of antelope species, including a kudu that has these beautiful spiral horns.

Erindi Private Game Reserve: A Different Experience

We've made it to the Erindi Private Game Reserve, which is one of the stops I've been looking forward to most on this trip because private game reserves are a bit of a different experience to a national park. This is privately owned land, so it doesn't have the same rules that a national park does. Like for example, the past couple of days, the gates to the national park don't open until sunrise, and they close at sunset. So you can't enter early and drive out to a waterhole to watch animals at sunrise, and you can't stay out until sunset or blue hour to take pictures then. Where on a private game reserve, you can go on game drives anytime of day. If you wanna go on a night drive or go out really early in the morning before sunrise, you can do that. Also, the accommodation on private game reserves is really nice. This property is stunning. The landscaping, the view from the rooms, there's waterholes where you can watch animals, there's swimming pools. So, we're going out on a game drive this afternoon, and I'm really, really, really hoping to see some cats. Some lions, a leopard, a cheetah. Some cat action.

The first cats we found in Erindi were some male lions lounging in the shade. It was pretty incredible to sit so close to them, and they were totally unbothered by us.

Next, we headed off looking for a leopard or cheetah. Now, unlike lions who are relatively unfazed by humans, leopards and cheetahs are very elusive and almost impossible to spot in the grass, even from a short distance. So, we dedicated the rest of our time in Erindi to tracking them. The first evening, our guide received a radio that a leopard was spotted in part of the reserve. So we went out tracking it right at sunset, and this was thrilling. Driving through the bush as the light was dimming, reading other animal behavior to figure out what direction the leopard was going in. And we ended up seeing a mom and her son, which was so exciting.

On our final morning, we went out doing the same thing and came across some lion cubs playing. This was one of the most exciting things I've ever seen in my life. I think all of us kids who grew up watching "The Lion King" have dreamed of seeing a real-life Simba and Nala. It was two brothers and one sister, and it looked like mom had her hands full.

And then we went looking for the one cat we hadn't seen yet, the cheetah. And after some searching, we found one laying in the shade. It was so hard to spot. We were only 20-feet away from it, and it blended in so well.

A Memorable Journey Comes to an End

It's my last day in Namibia. I've made it back to Windhoek, which is the capital city, which is where this trip started from. I knew Namibia was going to be great, but it surpassed my expectations. And I'm absolutely shocked that after two weeks of like a pretty busy schedule, waking up at 5:00 AM every day, heading out in the dark, in the cold, to shoot at sunrise, I thought that I would be pretty exhausted at this point and like kind of ready to be done. Because even when I travel to amazing places, after a week or two, like I'm ready to chill out a little bit. But I am not feeling that way today. I could easily do two more weeks, traveling around this country. There is so much to see, and you get such a diversity with the landscapes. From the desert, to the coastline, to the national parks, and the wildlife. So, I highly recommend adding Namibia to your travel list, if it's not there already. I know I'm going to be back.

So that's it for this adventure, but not for my time in Southern Africa. I am headed off to another adventure starting tomorrow, so stay tuned for that. Thanks for reading. I hope you all enjoyed this one. If you want to see more from this trip, I will have my Instagram linked down below, and I will see you in the next one. Bye.

FAQs

1. What is the best time to visit Namibia?

The best time to visit Namibia is during the dry season, which runs from May to October. During this time, you'll experience cooler temperatures and clear skies, making it ideal for outdoor activities and wildlife spotting.

2. How do I get around Namibia?

The most convenient way to get around Namibia is by renting a car. The country has a well-maintained road network, and driving allows you to explore at your own pace. Alternatively, you can book guided tours or use domestic flights to travel between major destinations.

3. What should I pack for a trip to Namibia?

When packing for Namibia, it's important to pack lightweight and breathable clothing, as the country experiences high temperatures during the day. Don't forget essentials like sunscreen, a hat, and insect repellent. It's also a good idea to bring a good camera to capture the stunning landscapes and wildlife.

4. Are there any safety precautions I should take in Namibia?

While Namibia is generally a safe country to visit, it's important to take some precautions. Avoid walking alone at night in urban areas, and be cautious of your belongings in crowded places. It's also recommended to follow the advice of local guides when visiting wildlife reserves.

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