Erindi in Namibia: our experiences in the private game reserve

Erindi in Namibia is a wildlife reserve set in beautiful bush landscape. On several game drives we discovered many wild animals here, including some that we only got to see in Namibia at Erindi. Due to its proximity to Windhoek, the game reserve is perfect for spending your first or last night on the campsite. In this article you can read more about the wildlife reserve and our experiences.

Our best experience at Erindi in Namibia

It is game drive morning so of course we get up early. We quickly pick up a permit for today’s drive and then we are already heading off from the campsite in the rising sun. The first rays of sunlight are shining through the trees and the sky is still tinted in pastel colours. A few puddles line the track because it rained during the night.

Still a bit sleepy, we drive along the sandy tracks and watch it slowly getting lighter. We follow the tracks for a while and here and there we see a few springboks darting through the bushes. And then it happens:

All of a sudden he is lying there in front of us. Completely relaxed and yet with a self-confidence that only he, the king of the animals, possesses. For quite some time he lies there on the sandy ground without so much as glancing at us. Eventually he gets up, walks over to a puddle and starts drinking. This lion is truly impressive. His movements are graceful and his body exudes strength as he bends down to the puddle.

Then he walks towards the sun’s rays and lets out a "Roarrr" several times. We heard this sound last night as well. We think it is wonderful and get goosebumps at the thought that the lion was not far from the Erindi campsite during the night. Only a fence separated him from us.

Besides lions there are many different animal species to discover in the wildlife reserve. There are around 10,000 large animals. Among them you can see, among others, elephants, rhinos, hippopotamuses, leopards, cheetahs and giraffes. But with a bit of luck you can also observe the smaller animals such as various antelope species, turtles and the countless different birds.

Campsite at the Erindi Private Game Reserve

The Erindi Private Game Reserve is a private wildlife reserve in Namibia. It is not far from Windhoek and you can get there in about two hours of driving (approx. 178 km). The wildlife reserve includes a lodge and the Elephant Camp with chalets as well as a campsite. The luxurious Old Traders Lodge is separated from the chalets and the campsite on the huge grounds.

At Elephant Camp there is a shop with a selection of food and souvenirs. There are also two pools which campers can use as well.

Next to the shop and reception there is a board where visitors can record their daily animal sightings. Each time it is exciting to read which animals other people have seen on the same day. There are also a few covered tables and benches there. We sat there one evening when our campsite was flooded by rain and played "Mensch ärger dich nicht".

Self-drive game drive at Erindi in Namibia

The most beautiful activity you can do at Erindi is a game drive. With your own vehicle you can set off on a network of tracks with a total length of 100 km. All you need for this is a permit, which costs 300 NAD (approx. 19 EUR, as of 02/2018) per day and vehicle.

Four routes lead through the 707 km² wildlife reserve and are stunning in their own right for the scenery alone. Two of the routes can only be tackled with 4x4 vehicles and are really fun to drive. The self-drive routes lead through a smaller part of the reserve. The larger part of Erindi is reserved for lodge guests. However, we found the available routes to be absolutely sufficient.

We enjoyed our game drives to the full. As in Etosha National Park, the gates to the self-drive routes open at sunrise and close when the sun sets. The permit for the game drive has to be bought anew each day at the reception of the Erindi campsite.

Activities at the Erindi Private Game Reserve

In addition to self-drive game drives there are also guided tours and walks that you can do with a guide.

For example, there is the Summer Night Drive, which we are keen to join. Being out in the bush in the evening and experiencing the animals in the dark, when they are much more active than during the day, must be a special experience! But as it is the rainy season in Namibia, the rain and thunderstorms put a spanner in the works. The drive we booked quite literally falls through.

However, before our booking we were not aware that we would have to pay the price for the maximum number of 10 guests if no other people wanted to join the drive. We would therefore have had to pay a total of 2,800 NAD (approx. 180 EUR), which was too much for us. We found it a bit of a pity that this information was not clear from the website back then and also not from the flyers on site. However, we found a way around it and asked another couple whether they would like to join us on a night-time game drive. That way we paid 700 NAD (approx. 45 EUR) per person.

During the day there is also the option to go on a guided game drive. And if you feel like it, you can track animals such as cheetahs on a special walk through the bush. We imagine this experience would be super exciting too.

Erindi campsite – Elephant Camp

The Erindi campsite is equipped with every comfort you could imagine as a camper. There is a private shower block with toilet, a pitch with sun shade, a cooker, your own fridge, plug sockets and running water. All of this definitely makes your stay very pleasant. Visually too, the campsite with its braai area is nicely laid out.

For us, however, it was all a bit too much. So much is provided that it almost no longer feels like camping. For us, a well-kept campsite with fewer amenities but more natural flair is actually more appealing.

We particularly like the waterhole within Elephant Camp. As the campsite is fenced, we can move around freely and walk to the waterhole on foot. In the evenings we can watch the hippopotamuses slowly leaving the water to graze on land. In addition to the hippopotamuses, there are also crocodiles in the water. No question, it is well worth spending the evening here in the "outdoor cinema"!

Info:

Campsite Erindi Private Game Reserve: Elephant Camp

One night on the campsite costs 1,290 NAD (approx. 80 EUR) per night for 2 people. When we were there in February 2018 there was a discount so we paid 1,032 NAD (approx. 65 EUR) per night for 2 people.

This is where Erindi is in Namibia: