Zebra Trail

Day 13, 09.01.23, Oanop Resort

As our arrival last night was quite late, we only discover the beauty of the surroundings and the location of our chalet in the early morning. The view from the balcony over the dam during our morning coffee is sensational, and one could easily spend the entire morning here alone. Just like the two pelicans gliding towards us from the east and resting near a small rocky protrusion. What a relaxing sight. The perfect moment to fill in some knowledge gaps:

Located in the beautiful Hardap region and just 100 kilometers south of Windhoek, the Oanob Dam is situated. It is 7 kilometers outside of Rehoboth, it impounds the Oanob River and supplies the town with a large part of its water. It has a capacity of 34,505,000 cubic meters and was completed in 1990, the year of Namibia's independence.

Spread over 6200 hectares, the Lake Oanob Resort is a unique resort with spacious luxury chalets, cozy rooms, and attractive camping sites. The resort offers a magnificent view of the lake and is the perfect place to relax, recharge, or engage in activities such as game drives, hiking, boat rides, canoeing, aqua cycling, or swimming, just to name a few.

A healthy mind resides in a healthy body, and accordingly, Cindy decides to start a stability power yoga session on the balcony, which I eagerly follow with a cup of coffee in hand, knowing well that these exercises, which already hurt just by watching, are not something I want to try to replicate... until the moment I end up on the mat and try to infuse a little flexibility into my stiff body with the help of my physiotherapist. And indeed, one immediately feels better.

Afterwards, we embark on the Zebra Trail, a 4 km hike through the resort, hoping to encounter some of the animals that are said to reside here.

Why is the Zebra Trail so interesting to us? Well, after Cindy dressed up as a zebra for carnival 5 years ago, she has been Julia's (the lion) zebra ever since, so it is only natural that we must follow this trail.

And indeed, after a few meters, we encounter not a zebra, but a nyala mother with her calf. What a sight.

The nyala is a Southeast African antelope from the bushbuck group. To distinguish it from the mountain nyala, it is sometimes also referred to as the lowland nyala. The term nyala comes from Swahili. The nyala was long considered one of the rarest antelope species. Strict conservation measures have helped the populations recover. Nevertheless, the nyala is still one of the least studied bovids. The maximum lifespan of lowland nyalas is about 16 years.

Unfortunately, we do not encounter any more animals on the further path of the Zebra Trail, which is not surprising as it is already 11 am and very hot.

Back at the chalet, we decide to drive to Rehoboth to buy some things for the braai in the evening and breakfast. The next few hours are used for rest and relaxation.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you have such a beautiful lake right outside your door? Of course, jumping in, and since it was still too windy in the morning, we take advantage of the late afternoon's calmness to go for a swim. Before that, we asked and confirmed diligently that there are indeed 0 crocodiles in this lake. This is followed by a refreshing and soothing swim.

Still wet from swimming, we start the fire, prepare everything with enjoyment, and spend another wonderful evening with a delicious braai, wine, beer, and a view of a beautiful sunset right from our terrace.

Good night, Oanop Dam.