Our first meeting with the animals of the savannah will take place on the Waterberg plateau. A huge rocky outgrowth surrounded by a curtain of cliffs the fate of the geology knocked in the middle of a plain. An approach track leads to this natural fortress where a flock of animals graze. Animals which, without knowing it, are prisoners of this lost world. Between the upper and lower part of the plateau, the vegetation diversity is striking. Jeep safaris are offered to go and discover these animals. We hop on one of them and let's go to the plateau...
Few animals to be noted despite all our attention. Some warthogs wonder about these aliens which step on their land. A quite-paradoxical animal since it is particularly fond of wallowing in the mud but still keeps a certain elegance to escape, the tail up. A little bit further, an eland – the biggest antelope – bolts in front of us. We unsuccessfully stop at several waterholes when, on a dirt track, three greyish colossuses loom. One of them faces us. A wonderful 2-ton-plus double-horned white rhinoceros. It feels the intruder's presence without really distinguishing it. We slowly go on when the rhino charges at us! The driver's composure is heroic – he goes into reverse and the animal stops. The 3 rhinoceroses swiftly cross the road and establish their position on the other bank. Unspeakable feeling of joy to observe these animals in their natural habitat.
We happily go back to the campsite. A refreshing night to start the stroll up to the edge of the cliffs, the next morning. The rising sun floods the top of the stone. When there is enough light, we begin the walk among red rock and verdant nature. An exploring walk that drives us onto the roof of the plateau. The rough-outlined carmine red stone under our feet and the flat plain as far as the eye can see. Intense silence. Immense serenity.
To share the pleasure of crossing this African animal life so vivacious, so ferocious sometimes and which habitat is so fragile, here is one of the smallest antelope: the Damara dik-dik.
It's not necessarily the biggest animals which are the most beautiful nor the sweetest...
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