Waterberg Plateau National Park

We took a couple of days off earlier this week and visited the Waterberg Plateau National Park. However, before covering that trip we wanted everybody to know the California is not the only place with wildfires. We had a veld fire (that's what they are called here) on the outskirts of Windhoek that we could easily view from our apartment. All told, it burned for two days but caused no damage to any structures or housing.

I am also trying to get better with my night photography

Waterberg Plateau is the site of an old German fort during colonial days. It is also the location of the 1904 battle where the Germans battled the Herero and Nama tribes and chased the survivors into the Kalahari Desert where they were left to die. The incidence is often referred to as the first genocide of the 20th century. Only a German cemetery remains with no memorial noting the Herero or Nama losses.

My German is not very good, so you will have to interpret the memorial on your own.

Geologically, the Waterberg Plateau is the petrified remains of ancient sand dunes. The sandstone rock is very porous and any rainfall seeps through the stone and exits as springs at the base of the plateau. We actually got to see some real running water as the rivers in Namibia are currently dry. The spring water makes the area around the plateau much greener than adjacent areas.

Real free flowing water!

On top of the plateau, the government has created a game reserve where they have imported some of the more exotic and endangered animals. The location on top of the plateau helps protect the animals from poachers and predators. You can only access the game reserve through organized game drives, so we spent almost five hours on a drive through the park.

We were fortunate to see cape buffalo and black rhinos; two animals that we had not yet seen in Namibia. We also saw giraffe, eland, steinbok, oryx, and kudo. It is also suppose to be home to cape vultures, sable, and roun but we did not see any. Due to the brush, the game viewing is more difficult than in Etosha.

Due to the porous nature of the rock, there are no natural water holes and all of the water is pumped from bore holes. Blinds have been constructed around the bore holes and you are able to sit in the blinds and watch the animals. So, we didn't have to sit in the vehicle for the whole time.

View from camp to the top of the plateau

There are numerous hiking trails inside the accommodation side of the park. We attempted a hike to the top of the plateau but didn't quite make it at is became to steep and rocky.

Cape Buffalo

Cape buffalo are part of the "Big Five" game animals and are suppose to be very dangerous to hunt. To me, it looks like a really big cow.

Eland grazing in the bush. They are the largest antelope in Namibia

Walking through a blind

Some of the beautiful rock formations

Black Rhino. The mom also had a calf but it stayed pretty hidden behind the brush

They also have insects. Some of this ant's comrades were eaten by a lizard right before this picture was taken. It was the first time we have seen something get eaten in Namibia.

We had wart hogs (and baboons and Dik-Dik) foraging right outside our room.

You can see a long way from the top of the plateau.

This would be looking towards the southeast with the start of the Kalahari Desert in the far distance.

It was a very enjoyable and relaxing few days. Now on to our next trip - back to Swakopmund for a few days next week!