Andersson's Camp - December 2011
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Weather and Landscape
This month the weather has been very unpredictable but the great news is that the rainy season has started. We had a few rain storms around Etosha and Ongava Game Reserve, which sparked a dramatic change to the environment. Everything has turned into a shade of emerald green. It's wonderful to be able to witness such a quick change - the green grass shoots started emerging only three days after the first good rain storm.
The temperature has also dropped a bit due to the rain, so everyone has been able to enjoy the cool evenings. The rain created some fairly humid conditions during the day which definitely increased the camp pool's popularity!
Wildlife
This month, the game viewing was slightly more challenging than the winter months.
This is due to the fact that the wildlife can easily find water around the area and the animals don't need to go to specific waterholes for a drink. Also the animals are feeding on a lot more fresh grass which already contains a great quantity of water inside and so the animals don't need to drink as much water.
The elephants in Etosha have also moved to the north leaving behind only the four dominant bulls in the Okaukuejo area. We will be able to see the big herds only next year at the end of the rainy season. The black rhinos are also starting to be more difficult to see as they tend to spend time in the thicker vegetation.
Some guests have also been very lucky to still have some great sightings, including some white rhinos with their calves and also the lions have been showing off a bit. There have been sightings of lion kills both in Etosha and in Ongava. One guest was also very lucky to witness a cheetah kill right next to the road in Etosha.
Due to the rain, we have also been seeing a lot of insects around, especially in the evenings. There has been a mass emergence of flap-necked chameleons around camp, which also provided a good amount of entertainment for the guests.
Birds and Birding
This month we were quite excited to see a pair of Golden-tailed Woodpeckers around the camp. We don't see them very often but the pair was very relaxed and we managed to observe them as they systematically searched each tree around camp for food. The Red-billed Buffalo-Weavers have also been quite busy this month renovating their nests on top of the marula tree next to the pool.
Guest Comments
"Your staff is the friendliest of any camp and hotel staff we met on our trip."
"Delightful warm staff, food was excellent and tastefully presented. Keep up the joyful spirit! We had a wonderful time."
"Excellent guided trips with Frans, very friendly welcoming staff, good food and comfortable beds. Thank you for a great stay."
Staff in Camp
Managers: Silvia Morgante, Corne Cocklin, Corrie Adams and Sakkie Hoeseb.
Guides: Shilongo Sauges, Franz Nuyoma and Ramon Coetzee.
Pictures by Silvia Morgante.
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