TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums Africa Namibian Desert Elephants

This is almost a year old but I have a half hour here so here we go. Pics, now, I will add a proper trip report later.

We flew from Cape Town to WIndhoek, grabbed a car and drove through this amazing country. The people, the animals, the absolute starkness of the desert, dunes and shoreline were amazing.

Wow, amazing pictures, thanks!!

Not to ask a stupid question, but how does one GET to the top of one of those massive sand ridges like that??? Amazing shot!!

That poor antelope there. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> Did you stay and watch to see what happened??

Well, (between flights again) There is a long, tiresome climb to the top of the first dune. It took an hour or so to get up to the first peak. The sand gives way the whole time, giving one progress of about one step for every three taken. Slow and tiring. Once you are on top, you can walk along the ridge as the wind has hardened the top edge over pretty well.
My girlfriend took the shot of me from the top of the first one we climbed. She was done there.

The antelope came gingerly to the watering hole, retreated and came back, then as the sun set and twilight dwindled, the lions came in. At that point, we could only hear but it was a good kill for the three big cats.

We took this trip because I had been intrigued by Namibia for a long time, and the desert elephants are a rare and interesting animal. They consume less water than most other elephants, and don't seem to devastate a complete area. Makes you think that maybe they are saving some for next time.

The lodge we stayed at up in the high desert had a three room VIP suite with a butler. Completely over the top fabulous. Outdoor tub that looked over the dry riverbed where the animals come through. It was one of the most amazing places we have ever seen.

All of the lodges in the game parks we visited were on the upper level of service, if not the top and the prices were less than we expected.

The vast, unending desert really was amazing.

I will go back.

PM me for any info.

Thanks for the info.

We stayed at Mombo in Botswana. No butler, but again, I would say that was probably the most amazing place we have ever stayed, just because of the variety of game--in addition to a fabulous room! Some day I would love to go back to Africa, when I win the lottery..

we and others never made it to the top- just stopped 1/2 way up then slid down like kids

I would bet I would be one of the ones who never made it.. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />