Namibia
Etosha Waterholes
Kalkheuwel
The name Kalkheuwel means ‘limestone hill’ in Afrikaans. This is an artesian well, meaning a well that doesn’t require a pump as natural pressure forces the water to the surface. This one, however, has been augmented with a man-made borehole and solar pump. Kalkheuwel is one of the best waterholes in the entire park for photographing wildlife as its twin pools lie very close to the parking area, the light is good throughout the day, and the adjacent Mopane forest makes a colourful backdrop. Plus, the location is within comfortable reach of both Namutoni and Halali restcamps.
Despite spending a few hours at Kalkheuwel on each of my visits to Etosha, it never lived up to its reputation with regard to predators (the site is visited by lions and leopard) but I’ve often watched elephant herds and various bird and antelope species here. The above view was taken with a 28mm wide-angle lens in 2013 when the pools were quite full.
This Black-shouldered Kite stayed partially submerged for ages, the cool water obviously giving the bird some respite in the scorching heat.
I`ve never seen the parking area at Kalkheuwel much busier than this.
In contrast to visits in 2013 and 2015 when there was plenty of greenery, the pools were totally dry when I was last here in early October 2018, although there was an ample supply at the source further up the slope. Once the rains come, however, the barren landscape is transformed to make this location one of the most scenic sites in the entire National Park.
My wife and I stopped here about 13:45 hrs during a full day drive from Okaukuejo to Namutoni to find a herd of elephants. Adults stood guard while others, including youngsters slaked their thirst. Soon after we pulled up and cut the engine, a second herd appeared from our right and the two lead females greeted each other as space was made to accommodate the new arrivals. Thirsty Zebra wanted to make use of the waterhole too but remained at a respectable distance. Some members of the first herd began to move off just before we left, coming very close to the car.
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