Spending the week driving a stick shift across Namibia, cooking our own food, while trying not to become the lions’ food. #SelfDrivingSafari#Namibia#Africa
We had been driving in Etosha for two full days without seeing a single lion. When we were about to give up at the end of the second day, we saw a car in front of us facing the other direction but occupying our lane, with the windows rolled down. We then looked to our left 100 feet down and saw a male lion dragging a zebra around – That was probably the most surreal moment of game watching when wild hunting happened in front of our own eyes!
@Etosha
The same night that we saw the male lion, we met a guy from Turkey (a photographer with a 600mm zoom lens that is longer than my forearm). We asked him if he had seen any lion. He said to us, “Drive down the road for 12km tomorrow at sunrise and look to your left, I guarantee you will see lions.” With his professional gear, it definitely seemed like he knew what he was talking about. So the next day we went out there at 6am, and sure it was the family of lions was crossing the road.
@Etosha
The same night that we saw the male lion, we met a guy from Turkey (a photographer with a 600mm zoom lens that is longer than my forearm). We asked him if he had seen any lion. He said to us, “Drive down the road for 12km tomorrow at sunrise and look to your left, I guarantee you will see lions.” With his professional gear, it definitely seemed like he knew what he was talking about. So the next day we went out there at 6am, and sure it was the family of lions was crossing the road.
@Etosha
Giraffes drinking at a waterhole.
@Etosha
Warthog. He walks funny.
@Etosha
Sharing road with springboks. There were so many of them this happened over and over all day.
@Etosha
Rhinos. This was the only time we saw them over the past 3 days.
@Etosha
Because of the lion situation, we stayed in our car most of the time. When we did get out, we stretched, stayed high, and took care of businesses.
@Etosha
The 4×4 that we are driving this week. There is a built-in tent on top of the roof and a ground tent.
I literally just spent a day learning how to drive a stick shift a few weeks ago. Driving a manual in an African country when all the rules are opposite to what I am familiar with has been an interesting experience to say the least (more like frightening when driving in the city).
@Etosha
Jackal.
@Etosha
Hyaena. Remember The Lion King?
@Etosha
Zebras drinking at a waterhole.
@Etosha
Elephants. They are not everywhere. We only saw them once this whole time.
@Etosha
Wildebeest.
@Etosha
Ostrich. Where are the eggs?
@Etosha
Gemsboks.
@Etosha
Steenboks. Everywhere all the time.
@Etosha
Springboks.
@Etosha
Jackal.
@Etosha
Two tents and one dusty truck.
My travel buddy and I have very different personalities. But at the same time we have very compatible travel habits: We are not afraid to rough it in order to experience something incredible. Sleeping on top of the truck while gemsboks run around chasing each other at our camp in the middle of the night? Not a problem.
@Sesriem
Steak dinner cooked at camp. Not too shabby.
@Sesriem
We have a very wide range of comfort level: We spent some nights camping in African heat, and other nights sleeping on comfortable beds in a beautiful lodge. Either way works.
@Etosha
Who used to be the biggest importer of Namibian oysters? Hong Kong.
@Swakopmund
Namibian are friendly people. We went to a restaurant and the girls who work there were very curious about us and that led to some interesting conversations.
@Swakopmund
Interesting place if you don’t mind the heat.
@Deadvlei
Interesting place if you don’t mind the heat.
@Deadvlei
Interesting place if you don’t mind the heat.
@Dune45
Desert biking.
@Swakopmund
Local Namibians and backpackers from Switzerland at Joe’s Beerhouse.
@Windhoek
