Namibia - Damaraland - Etendela Mountain Lodge

After finding the desert elephants we moved on to Palmwag which is a small community just past the border agriculture check point. The agriculture check point is control the import of specific products. This is meant to keep the animals in Namibia safe from dieses.

Stopping at a lodge along the road we saw to see two elephants bathing. 

The rest of the drive into the remote area where Etendeka Mountain Lodge was along a track through their property. Most people leave their transportation at the lodge and have someone from Etendeka pick them up as the road is not very navigable for most vehicles. Charl had been here several time and was able to drive to the lodge. For the next two nights we had the first opportunity in Namibia to feel like you were truly in the wild. 

Mountain Area

Bucket Shower

Our accommodation was a tent with a separate bathroom area. There was running water to the bathroom but the outdoor shower was a bucket that needed to be filled with water from the sink. The shower was very pleasant when the sun was shinning.

Bottle Tree

Before dinner we took a short walk up the hill behind the main lodge to have a sunset view.

View from the top of the hill.

This area has been extremely dry for the last seven years and is one of the driest countries south of the Sahara Desert. Because of the drought, most of the animals have left this area. We did see a herd of zebra and heard a lion roaring at night. The only evidence of the lion was the paw prints in the dry dirt in the morning not far from camp.

You can do an overnight walk at this lodge. You and a guide can walk to different camps where you can sleep on an open raised platform and view the stars all night. They have a variety of trips from one night to several nights. This would be an excellent experience to feel like you are in the wilderness.

Elephant mud bathing at Palmway lodge.

Namibia - Damaraland Twypelfontein

Singing is a big part of their culture.

Our next stop was is Darmaland. We went to learn a bit about the Darma people. This was an area created for the indigenous people to show their traditions. We visited the Darma Living Museum.

Game

Our accommodation at the Twypelfontein Adventure Camp was a tent on a raised platform with a separate area at the back with a shower and toilet.

Tent Camp

The Twypelfontein area has preserved the rock drawing created on the hills. The pictures show animals in the area.

Zebra and Antelope

Giraffe and Lion

After leaving the camp we went looking for the desert elephants along the Huab River. Desert elephants are shorter and have larger feet. They live in the dry river beds. There are currently only about 62 desert elephants left in Namibia. We were in luck locating a small heard. They were on their way to get a drink form the local water supply. The towns people in this area had pumped water all morning to ensure that there was water when the elephants arrived.

Elephants need to drink water daily so it is important for them to know where the water sources are location. Once the elephants had enough they went on their way.

We also moved on to our new location.