
Kristin’s Journey Around Namibia
Beautiful and brazen, wild and whimsical
Filled with the heady scent of bougainvillea and jacaranda (well, in September, anyway!), Otjiwarongo is most famous for two of the country’s leading cheetah conservation projects – Africat and the Cheetah Conservation Fund – both of which welcome visitors. Also nearby is the Waterberg Plateau, an enormous red sandstone table formed some 200 million years ago and looming 150 metres above the desert plains. Take advantage of the wilderness trails and explore the area on foot, keeping an eye peeled for the endangered species that call the park home – roan, sable and black and white rhino to name but a few. Thought Namibia couldn’t get any better? It just did…
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At the heart of the Otjiwarongo area is a commitment to conservation. Focused on cheetah protection, research and rehabilitation, there’s also a strong emphasis on education and community development, and to stay in the area is to witness meaningful work in action. The main attraction is the Okonjima Reserve, home to the AfriCat Foundation, where cheetah are rehabilitated before making their return to the wild. Game drives with the cats, visits to the information centre, and meetings with the researchers are designed to help you understand a little more about their objectives. Also possible on the 49,000-acre private reserve are game drives (both morning and evening) to see the Big Five, giraffe, wildebeest and zebra, and birding safaris dedicated to spotting the 250-plus migratory and native species. Also in the area but on the eastern side of the region is The Cheetah Conservation Fund. They also welcome visitors at their research and information centre, while offering the chance to interact with resident cheetah on game drives and more close-up activities. You’ll never look at these regal predators in the same way again.
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