Leaving Etosha #3 Toshari Lodge & Okutala

Toshari Lodge & Okutala

I am “free” to travel now, but it is not easy to just leave a place that has been so intense as Etosha. The last week really helped me saying good-by to the park but it is unreal that it is no longer my home and to proceed this, I booked into a campsite just 25 km outside, the Toshari Lodge. I got to know the owners and they gave me an awesome rate, so I simply enjoyed myself for another week there, spent the time at the pool, read a book, and planned my travel route.

The location is nice, food is good, the coffee station always filled, and staff friendly. The campsite only consists of three spots which I have all by myself. Okay, I had to share the bathroom with a frog, but that does not really count, does it?

The day before I planned to leave and start my journey, I went to the Okutala Lodge where a friend of my former boss works. Simone was awesome, showed me around, explained everything, and two little orphaned elephants made my day. I am always suspicious when I hear that wild animals are hand-raised as this usually means that they cannot be released into the wild again. But the reserve is home to a small herd of all hand-raised elephants and if everything goes well, the two orphans will join them once old enough. It was just a joy to see them from so close and I keep fingers crossed that the reunion with the older elephants goes well. These calves are just the cutest!

While I was shown around, we bumped into more hand-raised animals, like ‘Big Daddy’, the Giraffe, that happily sneaked a bit of the elephant’s food, or an Oryx whose horns deformed when he grew up with the goats. They all roam free now, but obviously enjoy some company from time to time and come back to the lodge to say hello (and probably to sneak on some food).

Tomorrow I am going to leave this place and start my journey across Namibia. I am very much looking forward to eventually get to know more of this beautiful and friendly country. This all is very exciting!

Good night,
Sininho