I went with my family and two friends, Ged and Lucy. We hired a minibus and drove across Etosha National Park, a vast tract of semi-desert larger than Yorkshire, with a huge salt pan at its centre.
There are fresh waterholes scattered all along the edge of this dry salt lake and when the animals cross its searing white crust to drink, the heat is punishing and the bright light harsh on the eye. After photographing them for a few hours, it was a relief to put my sunglasses back on.
We stayed in three different camps each close to a waterhole. Our first camp was at Namutomi and it was whilst on a drive from this camp to a waterhole named Kalkheuwel that we spotted the lartest herd of elephants I have ever seen.
We had seen the herd as it was making its way towards the waterhole earlier and so we got there first and then counted the elephants as they arrived. There were at least 80. Once they had drunk, the elephants were fun to watch. They are so playful.
This little one 'bravely' charged at a male impala, knowing it had an 80-strong back up team behind him!
Drinking at a waterhole can be a little less comfortable for giraffe. They are very vulnerable to lion attacks as they bow down and can be very tense as a result. This photograph shows the water spraying from the giraffe's mouth as it raises its head - the water spray is hard to see with the naked eye.
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