Into the Wilds of Namibia: Exploring Doro Nawas

During September, Wilderness Safaris Members Club subscribers Fayne and Stephen Connelly packed their car and headed off on a 24-day exploration of Namibia, stopping off at Doro Nawas to discover Damaraland, it’s fauna, flora and unique geology… Fayne tells us more.

I keep a diary religiously of my travels and adventures…

Wilderness Safaris Doro Nawas Camp was without a doubt a highlight for both my husband Steve and myself, on our 6 500 km Namibian road trip. Damaraland is a must. Having pretty much four full days we could have easily spent another day to just ‘chill’ and take in all that there is to see at Doro Nawas, an interesting and beautifully designed lodge.

Perhaps a little like a fortress, with large heavy wooden doors at its main entrance, Doro Nawas is perched on a rocky outcrop in the dry Aba Huab River Valley, with mesmerising 360-degree uninterrupted vistas of the surrounding plains.

Time allowed us to explore this arid landscape, the dry riverbeds, grasslands and lunar-like landscapes with Geraldo our charming and competent guide. On our first drive out, we were lucky to find five desert-adapted elephant, two adults with a couple of youngsters and a year old still suckling, walking along a riverbed toward a natural spring. After some time, they moved off to another water source where they were joined by a further seven elephants from the same group. All seemingly happy to see each other – with lots of rumbles and interaction among the herd.

 

We loved watching the skies – especially the magnificent colours… varying shades of orange, yellow and pinks as a heavy sun dropped behind the outcrops. The desert elephants were still drinking at the fountain as the sun disappeared and it grew dark. Slowly, one by one, they began heading up over the hills to feed elsewhere.

We explored Twyfelfontein with its ancient rock engravings and petroglyphs; Burnt Mountain, Organ Pipes and the Petrified Forest are all very worthwhile sites to visit, with incredible geological phenomena. We even had an opportunity, on our way back from the Petrified Forest, to meet a small group of Himba women and children.

Tracking the desert black rhino was a full day’s trip that started out early, exploring the breath-taking landscape. A landscape and colour palette that only nature knows how to put together. When it felt like our luck was fading a report came back to us that the trackers had found two black rhinos… what a thrilling moment. Our walk that day afforded an opportunity to also learn a bit about the flora and fauna in this harsh environment and how they have adapted to survive. Ana trees, huge mopane and camelthorns afforded us welcome shade from the warm sun.

A big thank you to managers Fritz and Theodora, and to our guide Geraldo, for making us feel so welcome and for making our Doro Nawas experience simply amazing. I am thrilled to have gone with my gut feeling and chosen this as our Wilderness stop.

Writing and photos by Fayne Connelly