Camping overnight among lions, deer, elephants in Africa

The Republic of Namibia is located in southern Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the driest and sunniest countries in the world with more than 290 sunny days a year.

However, this country is blessed with beautiful landscapes, terrain and especially a diversity of wildlife. Etosha - the most famous National Park in Africa, with an area of ​​over 4,500 km2, is also one of the oldest and largest national parks in the world.

Etosha is located in the Kunene region of Namibia and was established in 1907 as a wildlife reserve. In 1967, Etosha became a national park. With a savanna desert climate and extreme temperatures in both summer and winter, it is home to many species of mammals, birds and reptiles, according to World Atlas.

During a 4-week road trip through 4 African countries (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe), Bui Huyen Chi, living in France, arrived in Namibia at the end of August.

Chi spent two days and two nights camping in Etosha National Park to admire and photograph wildlife. When Chi arrived, Namibia was entering winter, the temperature fluctuated between 20 - 30 degrees Celsius, the weather was dry and pleasant.

Chi’s means of transportation for these two days was a 4x4 pickup truck (4-wheel drive) that she rented before the trip. Without a tour guide, she downloaded a map of the national park in advance to know the places where animals often gather, such as by the lake or stream.

She also learned safety rules in advance, such as not getting out of the car when not in a safe area; closing the windows when approaching dangerous animals; stopping the car and turning off the engine when watching animals so as not to disturb them. Driving in the national park is quite easy, without complicated procedures.

Driving in Etosha National Park, Chi said the most common animals to encounter are zebras and antelopes. At times, her car was surrounded by a herd of deer and zebras and she had to wait for them to pass before she could move on.

With elephants and rhinos, Chi is reminded to keep a minimum distance of 20 meters because they can attack vehicles.

The wild lions that left the biggest impression on Chi were the ones that were wild. "In real life, they exude a majestic, authoritative aura," Chi said.

Lions are known as the kings of the grasslands with their agile bodies and sharp claws that can injure humans. So when Chi saw the lion walking leisurely right at the car door, just an arm’s length away, she felt both nervous and excited.

Giraffes are also animals that leave an impression on Chi with their "slender body, creating a feeling of gentleness and softness". If you look closely, you will see that each giraffe has a different pattern.

The funniest thing Chi witnessed was when she saw giraffes drinking water by the lake. They had to spread their front legs to lower themselves so their long necks could touch the water.

Despite their seemingly gentle, clumsy and harmless appearance, hippos are one of the most dangerous animals in the wild.

While on the hotel’s river cruise, Chi was told by a local boat driver that hippos had attacked mokoros. A mokoro is a traditional boat made from hollow tree trunks, and the driver steers the boat with a pole while guests sit on the boat and watch hippos and crocodiles float on the water.

"After hearing that, I was quite worried because I planned to go to the Okavango Delta in Botswana a few days later, which is famous for mokoro boat tours," Chi said.

As a child, watching the animal world, seeing elephants, lions, zebras, Chi never thought that one day she would see them in the wild until she went to Namibia.

"Namibia is not only about majestic landscapes and five-star resorts, but also about miles of sandy and dusty roads," she said. During her two days here, Chi traveled thousands of kilometers across the desert, through low bushes. In the dry season, trees lose their leaves, leaving behind withered branches, hiding among which are elephants, deer, ostriches. She spent hours sitting in the car watching herds of animals come and go.

At night, Chi set up camp on the roof of the car, in the designated national park area, surrounded by an electric fence for protection.

The first night, as she was getting ready for bed, she was surprised to see six adult lionesses and four cubs appear on the opposite side of the lake. "They were staring at the campsite, so I was quite panicked and had to go find the campsite staff to confirm if there was a protective fence," Chi said. Despite being reassured by the staff, hearing the howls and growls of wild animals all night was a "creepy" experience for Chi.

Renting a car in Namibia requires a series of steps, from asking the car rental company for a quote, confirming the booking via email, waiting for the company to send payment information, and confirming the payment. Chi waited and urged continuously for more than three weeks before renting a car.

Gasoline was also a problem. Gas stations in Etosha National Park were far apart, maybe hundreds of kilometers apart, and only supplied once a week, so running out of gas was common. Even though he had two gas tanks with a total capacity of 120 liters, when he got close to Etosha, because he did not refuel in advance, the car only had enough gas to go 300 kilometers, so Chi had to skip some of the faraway stations.

The highlight of Etosha National Park is the towering sand dunes of Sosusvlei (a clay and salt pan surrounded by high red sand dunes in the Namib Desert). Strong winds whip up red sand grains, creating sandstorms that paint the landscape a pale orange.

The best time to visit Etosha is during the dry season, from June to the end of the year. Etosha National Park opens and closes according to sunrise and sunset times. Driving before sunrise and after sunset is prohibited. Therefore, visitors should stay in the park to catch sunrise and sunset safaris.

Camping costs around $30 per person per night in Etosha National Park. Eco-tent hotels in the park are quite expensive, ranging from $300 to $500 per night with breakfast and dinner included.