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Waterberg - Namibia
The 200 metre-high, flat-topped Waterberg Plateau is sometimes described
as the Lost Eden because, once up there, the animals have no way down.
Leopard, buffalo, and the rare and endangered roan and sable antelope
live atop this magnificent brick-red sandstone block.
The
plateau can be explored on a Nature Conservation guided game viewing vehicle
or guided wilderness trail.
In the shadow of the plateau is a restful resort with bird studded camp
sites where parrots chatter above your head, and cottages with impressive
views over the surrounding savannah.
The plateau supports open grassland and broad-leafed woodland; the foothills
and plains are marked by savannah woodland with acacia the dominant tree.
Several springs well up to provide lush undergrowth and yet another wildlife
habitat.
Age-old geological attractions en route to the northern regions offer
interesting diversions and provide some spectacular scenery.
This area was the scene of a terrible massacre of the Herero people by
the German colonists and a graveyard within the resort is a poignant reminder
of the dead.
HIGHLIGHTS:
· Walking safaris and hiking trails through spectacular scenery
· Conservation projects offering interaction with Africa's rare
cats
· Luxury lodges in private game farms
· Age-old geographical attractions
Rare
species including white rhino, buffalo, and sable and roan antelope have
been introduced to the Waterberg Plateau Park and the existing game includes
giraffe, kudu, leopard, hyena and cheetah. While no match for Etosha National
Park as a wildlife destination, the park has two excellent - and very
popular - long walking safaris that provide a fascinating close encounter
with Namibia's wilderness. One is guided with no set route and the other
is a self-guided demarcated trail.Several excellent game farms have developed
over the years and offer exceptional private safaris with luxury accommodation
and good numbers of Africa's big game.
The Cheetah Conservation Fund is several amalgamated game farms with
private lodges on the western side of the Waterberg Plateau Park. The
AfriCat Foundation is part of luxury lodge/game farm combination where
they rehabilitate animals such as cheetah to be re-released into the wild.On
a farm, 60km south of Otjiwarongo, is a series of fossilised dinosaur
footprints estimated to be between 150 and 200 million years old. Further
north, near Grootfontein, is the Hoba Meteorite: the largest meteorite
ever found and a huge hunk of metal 1m high and nearly 3m across.