Between dry riverbeds, rocky mountains, vast desert plains and Namibia’s rugged Skeleton Coast live desert elephants and desert lions. They are not officially separate species. Yet the conditions in this extremely dry area have led them to adapt in a noticeably different way from their counterparts on the savannah. And it is precisely these adaptations that make travelling through this part of Namibia so fascinating.

When finding an elephant suddenly becomes a quest

During our travels through Botswana and Zambia, you do not have to look for an elephant: they are simply there. In the north-west of Namibia, things are different. Here, you actually go in search of the desert elephant.

This is mainly because these elephants cover enormous distances. In a landscape where water and food are scarce, they can travel dozens of kilometres a day in search of a suitable place to drink or plants containing enough moisture.

As a result, they are not always exactly where you expect them to be.

You can also see that their bodies have adapted to the landscape. Desert elephants have relatively longer and taller legs than savannah elephants. This helps them move efficiently across great distances.

Puros or Sesfontijn are good starting points for beginning your search. The road from Sesfontijn to Puros can be bumpy, but it is manageable in the dry season. That can be completely different after rainfall. It is therefore important always to enquire about the current road conditions beforehand. The surroundings change constantly along the way. One moment, you are driving through an almost white, dusty moonscape full of potholes and deep tracks. A little later, the landscape changes into a rocky environment with a surprising amount of greenery. Puros has a beautiful, simple campsite, and local guides can accompany you to look for elephants in the bush.

From Puros, you can also drive via the Hoanib River towards Sesfontein. The same applies here: make sure to enquire carefully about the road conditions beforehand and preferably travel in convoy. The dry riverbed of the Hoanib is one of the areas where you have a good chance of finding desert elephants. What particularly struck us was how relaxed these elephants were. The thought that these animals make their way through this vast, dry landscape in search of the little water and food available makes an encounter even more special. Giraffes and other animals that use the same dry riverbeds also live here.

Desert elephants and desert lions