WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY: Judith Bircher, Nomad guest on NSV (Swakopmund to Vic Falls), NTVJ (Transit Vic Falls to Joburg), NJJ (4 Day Kruger Camping tour) 1278 (8th September 2012)
Cold and rainy… That’s actually the weather here in Switzerland today which makes it the best time to think back to one of the highlights on my tour from Swakopmund to Vic Falls with Nomad.
It was siesta time in the afternoon at the Himba Camp in Namibia and who could guess that on our tour, we would have an absolute once in a lifetime experience which we will never forget. As our group was relaxing, reading and doing some laundry, great excitement arosee in the camp, there was a giraffe in the bushes close to our tents!
Everyone wanted to see this beautiful animal, the relaxing was over and now it was giraffe time! We all took as many photos as we could… click, click, click.
Not at all shy but rather very curious, the giraffe walked into our camp. The first time all of us were a little bit careful because she came so close to us and it’s a very large wild animal. This was definitely one of the most curious and loveliest giraffes we had and will ever meet.
The bravest of our group who was trying to get the picture of the year stood close in front of the wild giraffe. Sometimes she tried to touch us with her long neck like she wanted to cuddle us and she licked us with her extremely long tongue.
After the photo session, the giraffe walked further into our camp like it would be her home. Even our guides, Shingi and Sandile, were surprised about our guest, because they had never seen giraffes in this camp before. They thought that it could be a domestic giraffe from a farmer but later on as the Himba guide with with his kids for the visit to the Himba village, she told us that nobody in this area has a domestic giraffe, so it definitely was a wild one. Even the kids of the Himba guide were afraid at first because they had never seen a giraffe before.
Our new star walked through the camp and inspected everything. She was so tall that it would have been great if she had been around to help us when we were trying to erect our tents. She looked at them in a way that she thought perhaps she could have helped us….(smile)
One of our group, Andy, must be the giraffe whisperer. He started to walk through our camp and the giraffe just followed him around… for several rounds! It was amazing to watch this “couple”, it seemed like they had known each other for years.
With the graceful giraffe on our camp the time flew past very quickly until we had to go to the Himba village. All of us started to walk to the camp… and you can guess who came with us! Our giraffe! At a junction in the road, she said goodbye to us and went her own way.
Nobody will ever forget this friendly and curious giraffe.
Like Sandile always said: “It was a real African speciality!!”
Thank you so much to Judith for sharing these pictures and her words with Nomad! It is so great to get the opportunity to share these memories with our other travellers. If any of you would like to share your pictures, words and memories of Africa with us, please email Jess: jess@nomadtours.co.za so that we can get the ball rolling!