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Bachelor gathering. A natural spring at the confluence of the Kaudom andT clabasche rivers attracts a group of elephant bulls for a leisurely drink and mud bath.

vernighting at the con- intriguing a spectacle to pass up, so we skittish springbok, we emerged from a belt veniently located Tsumkwe put our Khaudum plans – along with a of sun-baked woodland to behold the gi- Deep into ’s Country Lodge before taking case of Tafel Lager – on ice and set off to gantic Nyae Nyae Pan. on the thick sand and angry explore Nyae Nyae. Oelephants of Khaudum, my travel-mates A maze of sandy jeep tracks weaved Flamingo paradise and I heard talk of a “must-see” wildlife southwards into the heart of the con- To say we were totally unprepared for spectacle a stone’s throw to the south. servancy. Small dry pans peppered a the flamingo-filled watery wilderness that elephant country Nyae Nyae Pans Conservancy sits landscape dominated by wide-open greeted us would be a vast understate- deep within Bushmanland and light grasslands, separated by patches of ment. Over a mile wide and drenched in Khaudum, a place of elephants, is still one of Namibia’s most unknown years from the well-trodden Namibian thicket. I found it impossible to imagine pink, Nyae Nyae Pan blew us away. safari circuit. that any surface water could endure un- Pulling over at the water’s edge, we and seldom-explored wildlife areas. Stephen Cunliffe went It is not a place that many Namib- der this relentless Kalahari sun. immediately retrieved four frosted lagers to have a look at these marvellous creatures. ian safari-goers or 4x4 enthusiasts have Just as we were resigning ourselves to from our trusty Engel fridge/freezer and ever come across – ourselves included. the fact that our timing was off and we toasted the road less travelled; after all But the reports of huge seasonal pans probably wouldn’t see much more than this is what overland adventuring in Af- Photography: Stephen Cunliffe overflowing with flamingos sounded too the occasional flock of ostriches or herd of rica is all about.

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Aside from thousands of flamingos, the enormous shallow pan was alive with a diverse array of ducks, geese, teals, koots and assorted waders. We pulled out four deck chairs and settled in the shade to drink in the spectacle before us. It was so good – we unanimously agreed – that it demanded another beer, but be- fore someone could return with a second round, an avian disturbance drew our at- tention to the far side of the pan. Raising my binoculars for a more careful examination of the ruckus I saw a couple of trundling into the shallows where they retrieved the spiral-horned remains of an old bull In the pink. Large flocks of pink flamingos were a visually stunning surprise in arid Bushmanland at the before hungrily setting about satisfying Thirsty beasts. Khaudum’s free-roaming elephant herds cover vast distances in search of sufficient food and water in this arid environment. spectacular Nyae Nyae Pan. their appetites. The feeding hyena and strutting Gravel flamingos completed a picture-perfect Tar wilderness scene, but what made it espe- Jeep track cially memorable was the rare privilege of having it all to ourselves.

Here at last Khaudum had been floating around on Xaudum Omuramba my radar ever since 2005 when time con- straints forced me to postpone a planned Xaudum Omuramba Khaudum camp visit. Two more recent Namibian over- land trips had also failed to accommodate a visit to Khaudum. So this trip was long overdue. After our rewarding Nyae Nyae Burkea waterhole precursor, we were pumped up and itch- ing to get stuck into the main event. Magnificent specimens (above). Adult elephants like these two need Tucked away in the Kavango region to eat upwards of 200 kg of foliage and consume 150 litres of water Tsau waterhole of northeastern Namibia, on the border per day – no mean feat in this desolate part of the world. with Botswana, the gloriously wild and undeveloped 3 842 km2 Khaudum Na- Mini me (left). After a gestation period of almost two years (22 months) a single elephant calf is born which already weighs a staggering 120 kg Namibia Khaudum tional Park is the only conservation area National Park at birth! Leeupan in Namibia that protects the northern Kalahari sandveld biome. Large herds of elephant, roan, kudu kind of catchy marketing slogan. This it The elephant rammed their vehicle, Elandsvlakte waterhole Botswana Characterised by broken woodland and warthog were drawn to the life- most certainly was not, striking fear into leaving the occupants dazed and stranded and grassy savannah, the arid terrain is sustaining water before us. As soon as all but the most hardened bush-goers and deep in the wilderness until a rescue party peppered with natural clay pans (that one herd finished its mud-bathing ritual, seasoned wilderness enthusiasts. eventually found them the following day. Chadom Dussi waterhole remain dry for much of the year) and the next eager group moved in to quench “Elephants are the most abundant and They were shaken up, but otherwise OK. a network of ancient riverbeds, locally its thirst. It was wonderful to behold the also potentially the most lethal animals After hearing this tale we decided that known as “omiramba” – one of which, procession of thirsty animals visiting you’ll encounter in the park,” the Siker- Khaudum was not a place for the faint- Tari Kora waterhole Kaudom, gave the park its name. Tsoana­fontein and the spectacle remind- etti rangers informed us. They went on to hearted, nor an adventure to be undertaken Xaudum With two natural springs and twelve ed me of Etosha – but far more isolated. explain that the term “vein opener” was lightly. However, it must be said that our Omuramba waterhole artificial waterholes providing the only coined to describe adrenalin-charged en- innumerable elephant encounters over the reliable surface water during the dry Mind the elephants... counters with angry elephants that turned next week revealed two undeniable facts. winter months, these life-giving foun- While researching Khaudum ahead of sour (i.e. the enraged beasts opened some tains become magnets for the wildlife our trip, I heard umpteen stories about veins!). I made a mental note to be ex- Wild – as they ought to be Baikiea waterhole inhabiting this parched wilderness. its “badly behaved” elephants. The park’s tremely cautious around each and every Firstly, Khaudum’s ubiquitous elephants Soncana After spending the morning settling elephants­ were portrayed as unpredictable elephant I came across over the course of are truly wild. Secondly, it appears they into the basic camp site at Sikeretti, we scoundrels and I was told on more than the coming week. have gotten a bad rap over the years and Nhoma opted for a short drive to a nearby wa- one occasion that driving past these crazed However, after digging a little deeper, been unfairly vilified. The guarded grey Sikereti camp Tsoana waterhole terhole. As we whiled away the afternoon herds would be foolhardy and dangerous. we discovered that these stories of crazed giants were undeniably wary of 4x4s in the well-positioned hide overlooking Upon arrival, the Khaudum rangers elephants where borne from a terrifying (which I imagine they don’t encoun- D3303 the Tsoanafontein water point, I was exacerbated my feelings of trepidation nocturnal encounter with a breeding herd ter too often in their wanderings) but impressed by the reserve’s authentically by bandying about the rather terrifying way back in 2008 when a couple of Khau- – without exception – they behaved as D3308 wild feel. phrase “vein opener” like it was some dum staff where charged by a young bull. wild elephants should.

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Proclaimed a game reserve in 1989 antelope not to mention the majestic dodge herds of cavorting elephants – we through our camp site in the evening. The and given national park status in Febru- oryx, imposing eland and tiny steenbok. were provided with endless hours of en- ‘As soon as one local camp staff informed us that a pride ary 2007, Khaudum was recently included The untamed wildlands of Khaudum tertainment, but at least half the fun of herd finished of had also been hanging out in the into Africa’s largest Peace Park – the gi- are also a treat for twitchers as it supports discovering Khaudum’s secrets comes area, and the primordial sound of distant gantic 444 000 km2 Kavango-Zambezi 320 bird species, including Bradfield’s from conquering the soft sand and mas- its mud-bathing roaring corroborated this as we sat around Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA hornbill and the sharp-tailed starling. tering the rugged 4x4 trails that meander ritual, the next the campfire later that evening. TFCA). This has entrenched corridors After an unnecessary detour to the through its pristine Kalahari forests. The Sadly the felines refused to show and affords formal protection to Khau- waterless Elandsvlakte in the west of the conservation area is wild and rough in the eager group moved themselves in camp during our stay, but dum’s large herds as they migrate outside park, we carefully negotiated our way truest sense of the words. in to quench there can be no better way to drift off to the national park. through a runaway grass fire before arriv- Travel is slow, heavy on fuel, and your sleep than listening to their guttural calls Only the border with Botswana and a ing ravenous, sooty and reeking of smoke 4x4 needs to be constantly engaged. Ac- its thirst.’ across the Khaudum wildlands. 55 km section of the western park bound- at the picturesque Tari Kora waterhole. cordingly, the Ministry of Environment and ary are fenced, enabling the animals to We enjoyed a tasty brunch of bacon Tourism quite rightly insists that visitors A great game-driving route follow their age-old migration routes to Smoking hot. Runaway grass fires are an annual and eggs while warthogs and elephants must be self-reliant with adequate supplies The pick of the game drive options in the phenomenon ravaging Khaudum during the late and from the water-rich Kavango River dry season. wallowed barely 50 m from our table. of water, fuel and food when undertaking north was a full-day circuit from Khau- and floodplains to the northeast. After appeasing my rumbling stom- an overland adventure of this magnitude. dum camp site along the predominantly This makes it one of the few wildlife ach, I opted to forgo my siesta in favour Our Cruisers were specially fitted with dry Tclabasche drainage line taking in refuges in which large herds of elephant, of a stint in the shady hide overlooking built-in water tanks and long range fuel Doringstraat, Leeupan (we saw plenty along with endangered species such as the waterhole. A slender mongoose dart- tanks (plus we carried additional jerry of tracks although the lions themselves , can still roam freely. ing out of its hole to retrieve a dead dove cans for emergencies) so, with a total load eluded us), Tsau and Burkea before re- It’s worth noting, however, that this caught my attention and got me thinking. of 265 litres of diesel per vehicle, we were turning to the grassy Kaudom riverbed “open-park system” means game num- Over the course of our first couple of in the enviable position of being able to and camp. bers fluctuate seasonally in accordance days in the park we had seen an inordi- enjoy a full week exploring even the most These last two water points were es- with when and where the latest rains have nate number of dead doves and starlings isolated reaches of Khaudum’s wilder- pecially good for elephant-viewing with fallen. But when we visited, the elephants around the water points and drinking ness without fear of running dry in the obscene numbers of the grey giants con- were most certainly all in residence. troughs. Seeing yet more evidence of this often heavy-going sand. gregating around the water. at Tari Kora made me wonder if some- After three highly rewarding days in the Watching these sentient creatures jos- More, more, more Helping hand. A German couple in a bogged-down thing might be wrong with the water. south, we packed up and left our hyena- tle for position and assert their dominance Britz 4x4 rental were the jubilant recipients of a tow After a stunning afternoon at Tsoana­ out the soft sand. Could it be the water had low levels of frequented camp site at Sikeretti, relocat- over each other as well as any thirsty ante- fontein, we re-filled the Engel with a case contamination that affected the smaller ing to the north of the park. Khaudum lope that ventured too close to their cov- of Namibia’s finest and packed a picnic and more sensitive birds? Or perhaps it Campsite, thoughtfully located on a ridge eted water supply, produced spellbinding for a full day out in the park. was nothing... (Subsequent enquiries overlooking the dry Kaudom watercourse, scenes and intriguing insights into animal Early the next morning we made our with the Khaudum rangers and an ecolo- was a spectacular place to spend a couple behaviour that kept us – along with a few way north from Sikeretti taking in the gist failed to shed any light on this strange of nights. The sunsets were magnificent other privileged nature lovers – enthralled waterholes at Soncana, Shiambi and and slightly disturbing phenomenon.) and the sense of wilderness intoxicating. for hours on end. Omuramba. Aside from the obligatory Herds of blue wildebeest, gemsbok and Isolated, wild and rarely visited, Khau- elephant herds, we also came across in- Sand ahead. Lots of it... elephant grazed on the grasslands below, dum is Namibia’s forgotten wilderness. quisitive giraffe, families of stately kudu, Relaxing in a well-located observation while a pair of side-striped jackals flitted Its remote location, rudimentary tourist numerous small groups of the rare roan tower – watching mud-wallowing warthogs Braai time. Firewood and water are available at Sikeretti camp site, but aside Sand pit. Soft sand, especially in the north of the park, demands a powerful 4x4 Elegant oryx. The gemsbok, also known as an oryx, competes with the roan, kudu and eland for the title of ‘Khaudum’s most iconic antelope’. from that overlanders need to be completely self-sufficient. with decent clearance... unless of course you enjoy lots of digging and pushing.

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infrastructure and demanding driving conditions ensure that only the most ded- icated and adventurous off-road aficiona- dos will undertake the challenge and get to experience its virtues. In Khaudum elephants usually out- number tourists about 100:1, rendering the park a raw and soulful place where nature-loving 4x4 enthusiasts – especially those who are allergic to the crowds and smooth roads of Southern Africa’s more illustrious game parks – can thrive in an off-the-beaten-track wilderness area that has deservedly garnered a reputation for being “the wildest park in Namibia”. According to Dries Alberts, Warden of Khaudum National Park, “The Khau- dum National Park was established with conservation in mind and not for cash generation. This simple guiding charac- teristic gave birth to the true wilderness feel that embraces one’s soul when visit- ing the park. It is wild, and we want to keep it like that.” I couldn’t agree more. For anyone who Dust devil. The Toyota Land Cruiser proved equal to the task and more than a match for the thick Kalahari relishes exploring untamed Africa, Khau- sands that dominate Khaudum. dum won’t disappoint.

I want to go too Best time to go? Starting in November Khaudum. Visit www.namibialodges.com for 100GX and a 1999 Land Cruiser 105GX 4.2 and lasting until April, Khaudum experi- further information, or contact tsumkwe@ncl. diesel. Vehicles were fitted with 285/75/16 ences around 450 mm of rain annually. Winter com.na to make a booking. BF Goodrich All Terrain tyres and raised and temperatures drop to 7oC during July with an Roy’s Rest Camp, located at the junction of upgraded suspension (shocks and coils), which average maximum of 38oC, but can push 45oC the main B8 and gravel C44 to Tsumkwe, is proved their worth as we negotiated the soft, during the hot summer months. We explored an overlander-friendly option that offers rustic deep sands of Khaudum. Khaudum during August/September; it’s gener- en-suite bungalows and camping facilities. It’s General road conditions? In a word: sandy. ally accepted that the dry winter months from an ideal option for a night or two on the way in However, we didn’t find the soft-sand driving June to October are the best time to visit. and out of Khaudum. Direct booking enquiries to conditions nearly as bad as we were led to Getting there? There are two access points [email protected] believe in the build-up to our trip. to Khaudum National Park. From the south, Fuel and supplies? The soft-sand driving is Essential gear? At the very least two spare use the C44 to Tsumkwe before swinging heavy on fuel and there is no fuel available in wheels, a high-lift jack, spade, machete, tow/ onto the D3315 for 59 km to reach Sikeretti. the park. The nearest filling stations are located snatch straps and jerry cans (or long-range If approaching from the north, then take the in Grootfontein (360 km from Sikeretti Camp), fuel tanks). A winch, compressor, GPS and tool slow-going Katere Road for 57 km to reach Rundu (170 km from Khaudum Camp) and kit will also come in handy. Khaudum camp site. A fully-kitted out 4x4 Bagani/Divundu (150 km from Khaudum Camp). Best map? We used the 2012/2013 edition vehicle is mandatory due to the heavy sand, Supplies and fresh produce can also be sourced in of Gondwana’s Classic Routes of Namibia Map especially north of Dussi. these centres. and received a very useful A4 map (showing Where can I stay? There are basic camp- Highlights? Khaudum is truly wild and the Khaudum’s tracks and waterholes) upon enter- ing facilities at Sikeretti (in the south of the epitome of a genuine African wilderness experi- ing the park at Sikeretti. However, our GPS – park) and Khaudum (in the north). Water and ence. And if you love elephants, then this is a loaded with the latest version of Tracks4Africa firewood are available at both camp sites, but pachyderm paradise. – proved our most useful navigational tool. not much else. The water is said to be suitable Low points? During our visit the carnivores proved Which currency? The Namibian dollar is for human consumption; however, we opted shy and elusive, while large numbers of dead birds pegged to the South African Rand and both to carry our own drinking water and used the (mainly doves) where a disturbing sight around are legal forms of tender readily accepted borehole water for bathing and washing up. some of the waterholes. throughout Namibia. Tsumkwe Country Lodge, operated by 4x2 or 4x4? It is advisable to travel in convoy Visa? South African passport holders do not Namibia Country Lodges, offers 21 guest units with a minimum of two well-equipped 4x4s when require a visa to visit Namibia and tourists are and a camp site with a convenient location exploring this remote, sandy wilderness. automatically granted a stay of up to 90 days midway between the Nyae Nyae Pans and What did you drive? A 1998 Toyota Land Cruiser upon entry.

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