Imagine sitting alone at Okaukuejo waterhole in Etosha just before dawn with a cup of coffee and you hear that unmistakable roar of a male Lion on his way for a drink. Suddenly you are wide awake with excitement and anticipation. Minutes later he roars again, this time much closer and then suddenly; a Jackal drinking at the waterhole looks up and stares at a clump of Acacia trees and then…he appears like a ghost walking into the floodlit area.
An hour later you are driving in the park when a Pale Chanting Goshawk perched low on a small push gives away the presence of a Honey Badger digging away to find that hiding rodent.
Later, when it has warmed up and you feel the action is slowing down at a waterhole, thinking about heading back to camp when suddenly the matriarch appears followed by her herd of 28 Elephants.
On the afternoon drive, you see all the Wildebeest and Oryx standing alert and staring in the same direction. At first, you see nothing but then that flick of a tail gives away the presence of the female Cheetah stalking a herd of Springbok.
While enjoying an Amarula or glass of wine at sunset,you watch a Black Rhino slowly making his way to the water for a drink. Just a typical day in Etosha National Park. Definitely my favourite park in Africa!
Driving to Sossusvlei just after sunrise is mesmerising. The stunning colours of the red sand dunes makes you think: This cannot get any better. A majestic Oryx appears and slowly walks up the dune and disappears into this incredible sea of sand.
Driving in the Hoanib Riverbed, one of Namibia’s many ephemeral rivers and home to the famous desert-adapted wildlife, I am following the spoor of the desert-adapted Elephant when suddenly they appear. You watch them carefully shake the Ana Trees to get the pods down not to damage the trees to ensure future food supply and then somehow use their feet and trunk to dig for water.
The overwhelming emotion of standing no more than 50 meters from a desert adapted Black Rhino in Damaraland, unaware of our presence, after tracking him all morning and then leaving in peace without him having any idea that we were there.
Watching a herd of 2000 Cape Buffalo on the Okavango River Floodplains, watching a Leopard in a tree in Bwabwata National Park in the Caprivi with no other vehicle in sight… These are just a few of my personal highlights from growing up and travelling in Namibia.
Exploring the most scenic country in Africa and sharing this with people visiting for the first time is the reason I started Nature Travel Namibia.
With my veterinary background, I am fortunate to be involved in wildlife conservation working as a Wildlife Conservation Vet. Based on this I have tried to include a conservation aspect into all our safaris and I have created a few conservation safaris where you can get a behind the scenes look at wildlife conservation and the idea is that by doing the safari you make an active contribution to conservation in Namibia.
Namibia is an easy country to explore and most tours will visit the same attractions to which we aim to show you a different side.
We slow down the pace, take you off the beaten track to our favourite spots and aim to make the safari more personal. This is your safari and your adventure.
I am very fortunate to call Namibia home and look forward to welcoming you to this place of stunning beauty, amazing contrasts, fascinating friendly people and incredible wildlife. See you soon.”
Nick Buys and the Nature Travel Namibia team