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14th march - 4th april

Overlanding across Afica in our Land Rover Defender: Namibia

Andy Lees
2006-05-16 14:28:42

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be in the one place. i hope that it stays like this and doesn't go the way of say some of the tourist spots on lake malawi where the surroundings are beautiful but the hassle makes it unbearable to be there.

to etosha via opuwo and otjitotonge cheetah park - 31st march
from the kaokoveld we headed to otjitotonge, a cheetah sanctuary where we would join the cheetahs at feeding time and even pet some tame ones. on the way we stopped for supplies at opuwo, the capital of the kaokoveld, a small dusty town where 'hereros' and 'himbas' in full traditional dress go about their daily business. in the supermarket, in the toiletries aisle we were surprised to see a himba women looking at the pantene hair shampoo - she was dressed in an animal skin skirt, headdress, shell belt, ornate necklaces and skin and hair painted in ochre and butter. and in the next aisle there were a couple of herero women dressed in their full-length medieval style gowns with matching hats. it was an unbelieveable and unbeatable sight.

otjitotonge cheetah park is a sanctuary for cheetahs taken from the wild for one reason or another. in most cases, they are rescued from farmland where they would otherwise be shot. we arrived late in the day, just in time to park up and jump on the back of the trailer, loaded with two bins full of fresh meat. we entered the first enclosure. by the gate three cheetahs were lounging, waiting for dinner. the truck drove slowly through the compound until c. 15 cheetahs were following the vehicle, some close, some keeping their distance. we stopped. the driver and cohort emerged cautiously from the front seats, one armed with a heavy wooden stick. the cheetahs were hungry, the tourists were falling over the railings to get a good view. we watched enthralled as remnants of donkey flew through the air, to fall into the claws and open jaws of a waiting cheetah. this ended only when every cheetah had its own meal. ...