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Pictures of our 2nd Africa trip 2014/15 to Namibia
- Part 2 from Windhoek to the Angolan border, back again and on to South Africa
 
before:
Angola Part 2 October 4th to 22nd, 2014
Angola Part 1 September 26th to October 4th, 2014
Namibia Part 1 from Walvis Bay to Windhoek
Cape Verde: Santo Antão/Western side part 2April 7th to 10th, 2014
Cape Verde: São Vicente/Mindelo part 2April 10th to 29th, 2014
Cape Verde: Santo Antão/Eastern side part 1 – March 20th to April 7th, 2014
Cape Verde: São Vicente/Mindelo part 1 – March 13th to 20th, 2014
Cape Verde: São Nicolau – February 28th to March 13th, 2014
Cape Verde: Santiago/Praia part 2 – December 26th, 2013 to February 28th, 2014
CapeVerde: Brava – December 23rd to 26th, 2013
CapeVerde: Fogo – Dezember13th to 23rd, 2013
CapeVerde: Santiago/Praia part 1 – November18th to December 13th, 2013
 
 
Namibia Map
                     
                        Southern Africa Map
 
 
latest picture: January 21, 2015
  • click a picture to see details

 
 
 
 
 
 
082  A particularly impressive termite
mound at Omuthiya along the main
road B1 from Tsumeb to Ondangwa
in the north, leaving
our LandCruiser pretty small
083  The lady at the gasoline pump in
Oshivelo and Emil in beaming
competition. Nearby is the veterinary
control gate (important for tourists mainly
for meat products carried along)
084  There is an autumn feeling
at the Mondjila Camping, 20 miles
short of the Etosha Park entrance
(Anderson Gate), which lies
11 miles south of Okaukuejo
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
085  Over and over again we marvel
about the perfection of the bird-nest of
the southern masked weaver
(Ploceus velatus)
086  A birds nest in the savannah where
an entire colony of sociable weaver birds
(Philetairus socius) lives and breeds,
each pair having its own chamber …..
087  ….. „What is going on down there?“
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
088  A warthog (Phacochoerus
africanus) at the roadside. Outside the
fence the grass seems to taste better
089  The Okaukuejo waterhole in the
dry flat Etosha Park, where a few
gazelles are gathering
090  A side-striped Jackal
(Canis adustus) satisfies
its thirst at a waterhole
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
After a downpour herds of graceful springboks (Antidorcas marsupialis) roam along the roadside in the Etosha Park
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094  An elephant (Loxodonta africana)
trudging leisurely on its way. Unfortunately
we see only two loners in the Etosha Park
along the 90 miles long park road C38
from Okaukuejo via Halali to Namutoni
095  A family of giraffes (Giraffa
camelopardalis) strolls between
bone-dry scrub
096  “Yet again tourists who are
eager to take my picture!“
A male lion (Panthera leo)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
097  Black and white: A wildebeest
(Connochaetes taurinus) and a termite
mound grace the dry savannah of the
eastern Etosha National Park
098  High yellow grass, dotted with
acacias, is the typical picture of the
savannah in the eastern part of
the Etosha National Park
099  Unlimited freedom: An
African ostrich (Struthio camelus)
roams through the land
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
100  The waterhole – here in Okaukuejo
– is for everyone!
101  Plains zebras
(Equus quagga) on the tramp
102  "Yes, also our bottoms are striped!"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
103  A lone rapier horned gemsbok
(Oryx gazella) is resting in the rare shade
in the eastern Etosha National Park
104  An African fish eagle (Haliaeetus
vocifer) sits majestically on a tree stump
and scans the environment
105  The huge ears of the female “greater”
kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) give this
species of antelope its graceful look
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
106  One of the charming farms with
huge estates, here along the B2 main road
from Okahandja to Swakopmund
107  A short downpour conjures
a beautiful double rainbow
108  The sun is setting behind the
branches of an acacia tree
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
109  May be a little siesta? Emil makes
himself comfortable at our camping spot
at the Otjiwa Lodge, 22 miles south of
Otjiwarongo …..
110  ….. we love our quiet solitary
campsite (Nr. 8) underneath acacia
trees at the Otjiwa Lodge …..
111  ….. where the spectacular
sunset is nourishment for the soul
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Who has the best outlook? Birds on their vantage point:
112  The grey go-away-bird
(Corythaixoides concolor)
(Sachsenheim Guest Farm)
113  The pale chanting goshawk
(Melierax canorus)
(Etosha National Park)
114  The African red-eyed bulbul
(Pycnonotus nigricans)
(Elisenheim Guest Farm)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2014 at 100°F in the shade at the Elisenheim Guest Farm 9 miles north of Windhoek
115  Our little Christmas celebration 2014
“à deux” under an acacia tree: Our menu:
Rib Eye Steak, Spaetzle and Red
Cabbage. For desert: German
Christmas fruit cake with rum
116  The three of us with our little tree
on Christmas 2014. Despite of the
oppressive heat, it spreads
a little festive mood
117  New Year’s Eve together with
our camping neighbors Gabi and Marcel
from Switzerland. Our special treat:
Swiss Chalet Fondue – a lovely end
of our 30th anniversary year
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
118  “We also belong to your neighbor-
hood!” Warthog families (Phacochoerus
africanus) visit us now and then at the
“Elisenheim Guestfarm”
119  A young bird is sitting patiently
on a tree waiting to get fed
120  A chameleon moving slowly
forward. Chameleons are masters of
camouflage to suit their surrounding
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
121  No, this flying beetle is not going
for our cheese triangle. It merely shows
its impressive size
122  One needs to look very closely
to discover such a delicate flower
in the stony landscape
123  Wasps are working busily on
their nest built beneath a thatched roof
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
124  Emil’s strength: He is studying
the map and the Namibia guide book
to look for new destinations for our leg
to the South African border, which we
hadn’t visited already in May 1992
125  Peaceful morning mood at the
Oanob Dam from our ‘sea view campsite’
“Moyo”, 4 miles west of Rehoboth …..
126  ….. where in the morning
a group of ducks are lapping
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
127  About 15 miles into the gravel road
C24 towards Klein Aub dark clouds
announce an approaching thunderstorm
– a reason more to avoid the next
375 miles of corrugated roads until Aub.
We backtrack to the paved B1 .....
128  ….. and cross a lone ostrich
(Struthio camelus). It is flightless, but
is able to reach a speed of 43 mph
despite its weight of 139 to 320 lb. …..
129  ….. then we drive towards
the blue sky and the tarmac road
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
130  One of the 1’300 species of
acacias with half moon like pulses
131  Buds of candelabra cacti
flowers on the brink to open
132  The nostalgic overloaded stall
of the “Bastion Farmyard”, where we
camped on a very clean ‘ensuite’ camp-
site (each site has its own ablution)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
133  Our LandCruiser is driving on
the D1268 (turn off C20) through a flat
savannah to the red dunes at the edge
of the Kalahari desert …..
134  ….. our idyllic “ensuite”-campsite
between the small red chains of dunes at the
“Bagatelle Kalahari Game Ranch” …..
135  ….. where early morning a
curious pony is paying us a visit
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
136  Glorious red earth and a knobby
acacia – a typical picture of the
Namibian Kalahari Desert
137  View towards the east from a red
dune over the vast yellow savannah of
the Kalahari Desert at the Bagatelle
Campground …..
138  ….. and a nest of sociable weaver
birds (Philetairus socius) between
the red sand dunes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
139  Who are the busy insects or
worms digging up such lovely round
patterns on the red earth?
140  In the cooler evening hours,
millipedes (Diplopoda) crawl out of
their shady tree trunk hideouts …..
141  ….. in the morning the red
desert sand is crisscrossed by
hundreds of millipede’s traces
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
142  The yellow grass of the savannah
in the Kalahari is ablaze with the light
of the setting sun
143  A thundering atmosphere mix with
the red of the setting sun; mostly the rain
doesn’t reach the soil because it
evaporates already before
144  An irresistible fascination: The
setting sun transforms the clouds to
a stunning range of colors
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
145  Who is greeting us joyfully when
we park at the “Lapa Lange Game Lodge”?
Two playful 10 weeks old Cheetah babies
(Acinonyx jubatus) that make themselves
comfortable straight away below our
LandCruiser. Is there a better place?
146  Capturing a precious moment:
A playful cheetah baby with Liliana.
It likes to be caressed and purrs
contently like a “common” cat
147  So cute, but already sneaky:
In an unobserved moment, it chews
on our shoes. It cavorts with the others
and makes the first tries climbing trees
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
148  Two white rhinoceroses
(Eratotherium simum) are heading
determined to the waterhole of the “Lapa
Lange Game Lodge” in the Hardap region,
170 miles southeast of Windhoek …..
149  ….. later on they graze peacefully
around our LandCruiser on the camping
ground until a guard chases
them away at 10pm
150  A small herd of common elands
(Taurotragus oryx) is gathering in front
of the waterhole of the “Lapa Lange
Game Lodge”. They are good sprinters
and are able to jump up to 6½ ft.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
151  Two Kudus (Tragelaphus
strepsiceros) are peeking curiously
across the electric fence to our camping
spot at the “Lapa Lange Game Lodge”
152  “Aren’t we cute when standing up
on our hind legs?” Meerkats (Suricata
suricatta) live in large harmonious groups,
eat insects and worms, but also scorpions
153  A rock badger (Procavia
capensis) looks like glued onto the rock.
But when it moves on, it runs with a
remarkable speed to the next cover
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
154  Our LandCruiser climbs the good
gravel road to the extinct Brukkaros
Volcano (5’220 ft.), situated west of B1
between Mariental and Keetmanshoop
155  The crater is 2km wide and was
formed some 80 million years ago. It
dominates the skyline between
Mariental and Keetmanshoop
156  A ‘nightmare’ for our senior,
33-years old Landcruiser! The corrugated
road to the “Quivertree Forest Rest
Camp”, about 8½ miles northeast of
Keetmanshoop along road C17
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
157  The three of us, surrounded by
Kokerboom trees – called also Quiver
Trees (Aloe dichotoma) that only grow
in the south of Namibia and the northern
Cape region of South Africa. They
remind us to the dragon trees (Dracaena
cinnabari) on Socotra in Yemen
158  The quiver trees belong to the
Aloe family (Aloe dichotoma) and can
grow up to 26 ft.. Its name derives
from the Bushmen who used the hollowed
out branches as containers for arrows
159  Our campsite at the “Quivertree
Forest Rest Camp” where birds and
rock badgers are our only neighbors
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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162
Be it a forest of quiver trees or just a single one in the warm light of the setting sun with its unique, up to 13 inches long leaves –
all of them fascinate us
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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164
165  A beautifully colored Southern
Rock Agama (Agama atra), a species
of lizard that lives in Southwestern
Africa and measures about 10"
Feeding of the full grown cheetahs at the enclosure of the “Quivertree Forest Rest Camp”.
Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) can reach an age of 15 years in liberty and can speed
up to 70 mph (weight 46 to 159 lb.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
166  Liliana is taking in the bizarre
rock formations in the labyrinth of the
“Giants’ Playground” – the balancing
stones. It belongs to the “Quivertree
Forest Rest Camp” and is only
3 miles away (to the east) …..
167  ….. a fantastic example of balancing
rocks at the “Giants’ Playground” …..
168  ….. the bizarre natural rock
garden has a size of 3.86 mi² and
is formed by volcanic eruptions
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
169  Our camping spot under the only
acacia at the “White House Camping”
near Grünau along the B1, where in the
evening we get the visit of a scorpion,
apparently a sign that rain is imminent …..
170  ….. view to the northeast from
the “White House Camping” …..
171  ….. and to the hill from where
we are watched for quite some time
by two curious goats
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
172  We continue to follow the dead
straight highway B1 through yellow
savannah towards the Namibian-
South African border posts of
Noordoewer/Vioolsdrif. Thus we have
driven the whole B1 from Angola
173  At the Namibian border post of
Noordoewer at the Oranje River, we
reach one of the Namibian vineyard
cultivations. Apart from Maltahöhe in the
center, most others are situated in
Namibia’s North (Otavi, Omaruru)
174  Idyllic view over the Orange
border river from the Amanzi Camp
in Noordoewer. It is January 21st, 2015
– the very hot day (more than 104°F)
before we cross the border
(the 505th!) to South Africa
 
Back to the previous Namibia page: Namibia Part 1 from Walvis Bay to Windhoek
 
The African trip 2013-15:
CapeVerde: Santiago/Praia part 1 – November18th to December 13th, 2013
CapeVerde: Fogo – Dezember13th to 23rd, 2013
CapeVerde: Brava – December 23rd to 26th, 2013
Cape Verde: Santiago/Praia part 2 – December 26th, 2013 to February 28th, 2014
Cape Verde: São Nicolau – February 28th to March 13th, 2014
Cape Verde: São Vicente/Mindelo part 1 – March 13th to 20th, 2014
Cape Verde: Santo Antão/Eastern side part 1 – March 20th to April 7th, 2014
Cape Verde: Santo Antão/Western side part 2April 7th to 10th, 2014
Cape Verde: São Vicente/Mindelo part 2April 10th to 29th, 2014
Namibia Part 1 from Walvis Bay to Windhoek
Angola Part 1 September 26th to October 4th, 2014
Angola Part 2 October 4th to 22nd, 2014