The Daan Viljoen Game Reserve near
Windhoek, Namibia: Situated amongst the rolling hills of the Khomas Hochland, the
Daan Viljoen Game Park is a sanctuary for game typical of Namibia's highland. Because of
its proximity to Windhoek and its tranquil setting, it is a popular overnight stop for
visitors who wish to avoid the hustle and bustle of the capital. Although small, the Daan
Viljoen Game Reserve supports a healthy population of Namibian game and is also a good
spot for bird-watching. One of the main features of the Daan Viljoen Park is the reservoir
around which the bungalows and picnic sites are situated, as this is a permanent source of
water it attracts bountiful birdlife as well as a good selection of wildlife.
In addition to the tarred access road, there is a 6,4 km gravel-surface circular drive
which facilitates game-viewing. An outstanding feature at the Daan Viljoen Game Reserve is
that it allows visitors to explore on foot, which offers a closer look at the plants and
animals of the park. As there are no large predators in Daan Viljoen, visitors are
encouraged to make use of the walking trails.
The park has good populations of Hartmann’s mountain zebra, blue wildebeest, kudu,
gemsbok and springbok, as well as klipspringer (as you would expect from the hilly
terrain), red hartebeest, impala and even eland. Baboons and rock hyrax (dassies) are
often quite visible. Over 200 bird
species have been recorded here, and Daan Viljoen is a good place for several species
endemic to this north-central area of Namibia. These include the lively rockrunner, or
Damara rockjumper, which warbles a distinctive song in the morning and evening, and is
often seen jumping around with its tail high in the air. The white-tailed shrike is black,
white and grey and tends to bounce along the ground, often in groups making lots of noise.
Montiero’s hornbill is quieter, and more difficult to spot, and Rüppel’s parrot
and the rosy-faced lovebird are particularly ‘cute’ species often seen here. |
