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Okonjima as part of the Namibian Kaleidoscope
by Dr. Hu Berry
(formerly Chief
Biologist of Etosha & Namib-Naukluft Parks)
Namibia is rated as one of Africa’s top travel destinations.
That’s a claim requiring supportive evidence. Fortunately,
there exists an abundance of examples to substantiate this assertion.
Where else can the traveller stand atop a dune that towers well
over 300 metres above the surrounding desert floor, and glimpse
a fraction of 34 000 km2 of the dune "sea" that stretches
westward to the fogbound emptiness of the Atlantic shoreline? To
the south the so-called "Forbidden Area" (Sperrgebiet
in German) invites exploration, invoking memories of times when
diamonds lay in such profusion on the Namib floor that their collection
was facilitated by searching for their brilliance under moonlight.
The remnants of man’s habitation in this foreboding wilderness
lie decaying under the relentless onslaught of wind and sand, their
crumbling walls being stark reminders of the merciless forces of
abrasive weather. Ghost towns of yesteryear crumble and dissolve
into the desert sands.
East of this hauntingly beautiful area the Fish River Canyon beckons.
Africa’s most amazing geological formation exposes 550 metres
of water-eroded depth along a meandering 56 kilometres. The stratified
layers tell a tale beginning 350 million years ago. Where ice glaciers
once formed and later melted, the scene is now one of awesome desiccation,
the eerie stillness relieved occasionally by the muffled rumble
of the ephemeral Fish River in full flood. When this happens, eroded
sediments are carried from as far away as its headwaters 650 kilometres
to the north and discharged into the mighty Orange River, which
in turn empties into the waiting Atlantic Ocean.
Finding a certain measure of relief from this harshness, travellers
can wend their way northwards to relax in the bustling, cosmopolitan
atmosphere of coastal Swakopmund, where the dour determination
of early German settlers and modern innovative development has
resulted in a unique combination of Euro-African flavour. First
World comforts, in the form of excellent accommodation, restaurants,
arts-and-crafts are to be found in the heart of the Namib Desert.
Further north lies the Skeleton Coast, a place of desolation. A
sense of loneliness accompanies all who venture in this domain
of jackals and hyaenas as they ceaselessly scavenge the shoreline
for offerings that the sea throws out.
Satiated with vistas of seemingly endless sand, sea and sky, turn
eastward and inland. The emptiness gives way imperceptibly to sparse
vegetation. Low bushes dot the landscape, becoming denser, and
isolated mountain ranges jut their turrets into an azure, mostly
cloudless sky. Enter the world of thorn savanna, an undulating
land of seemingly endless bush, incised by dry riverbeds whose
sandy beds hide the underground aquifers of life-giving water.
These waterless washes may spring to life for only a few hours
or days a year when flash floods transform them into brief torrents
of swirling, sediment-rich watercourses. They are the life-giving
arteries of moisture to many plants and animals, which could not
survive this arid environment without these infrequent pulses of
moisture.
The mountains were born out of a much younger world when infant
Africa separated itself from the parent landmass of prehistoric
Gondwana. Millions of years passed, witnessing the effects of weathering
and erosion by the natural elements of wind, water, heat and cold.
Rock-cracking temperatures formed sheer cliffs where vultures now
roost and launch themselves to glide on air thermals for hundreds
of kilometres. Contrasting in their smoothness, huge granite outcrops
provide a multitude of habitats for a rich diversity of wildlife.
So specialized are the plants, insects, reptiles, birds and mammals
found in the mountain chain that fringes the desert, forming the
western Great Escarpment, that they occur here and nowhere else
on Earth. These endemics invite many hours of observation for the
ardent nature lover.
Continuing inland, we enter the giant Kalahari Basin, a scoured,
natural depression that stretches across several southern African
countries. Nestling in its northern extremity, is the Etosha Pan,
a saline desert surrounded by a National Park of world repute.
Few other African countries can equal its ability to provide the
visitor with the visibility and viewability of wildlife at close
quarters. Unforgettable scenes of animal concentrations jostling
for water at the natural fountains and boreholes that dot the Park,
provide unequalled opportunities for observation and photography.
At night, patience is rewarded at floodlit waterholes next to each
of three resorts, when the dry season entices the big and strong
to drink and bathe. Hook-lipped rhinos join elephants, lions and
hyaenas under powerful spotlights, to fascinate onlookers for hours
well into the night. It is a celebration of African wildlife, which
confirms that Namibia is a paradise for those who want to experience
and enjoy Nature.
To those journeying southwards to end their visit in Windhoek,
another surprise awaits. About 50 kilometres south of Otjiwarongo
lies Okonjima, home of the Africat Foundation. A
gravel road takes you 24 kilometres further west, past some unique
road signs – a
stout warthog reminds you to drive with care; a diminutive dik-dik
prompts you to remember that animals have the right of way; a leopard
tells you that Okonjima is its domain. Entering
a valley that lies within the Omboroko Mountains, you feel removed
from the frenetic world outside. A 25 000-hectare sanctuary for
wildlife surrounds you. Whether you stay at Main Camp,
Bush Camp or the luxuriously appointed Villa or Bush Suite,
you will remember the staff’s
helpfulness and experience AfriCat’s dedication to the cause
of long term conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores.
Sightings of free-living leopard, rehabilitated cheetahs and "welfare"
lions provide you with lasting memories of how these graceful cats
live under natural conditions. Internationally renown for its service
to guests, Okonjima is often fully booked. Consequently,
it is advisable that you make timely reservations in order to obtain
the accommodation of your choice.
The places described here are but a few of what Namibia has to
offer you. Okonjima fits perfectly into this kaleidoscope of unique
experiences. Many more destinations and landscapes await your first
or your return visit to a country that can truly be described as
a Gem in Africa’s crown. << back
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