"Porcupines and honey badgers" Namibia Off The Beaten Path Tip by toonsarah

Another must-do activity when staying at Okonjima Lodge is a night time visit to a hide. After dinner everyone wraps up warmly for the short drive to the hide. There you need to keep very quiet as you all file into the space. Torches are provided so that you can see where you’re going. Everyone is seated on a long bench, and when you’re all in place torches are switched off and the flaps covering the window slots are lifted. The guides put raw meat in a clearing just in front of you, and you wait…..

On our visit the porcupines were first to arrive – three or four of them came snuffling out of the surrounding trees and nosed around the meat for a while. We all took photos and the flashes didn’t seem to bother them at all – the guide explained that they probably think it’s lightening. But you will need a good flash to get a photo - mine were a little disappointing so I've borrowed the image from the Lodge website (thank you Okonjima!)

After a while the porcupines left, just as the honey badgers arrived. Just one at first, then a couple more. These aren’t anything like the shy, cuddly British badger – in fact I read a description of them as the fiercest animals, for their size, in Africa. Perhaps that’s why the porcupines left!

After an hour or so watching and enjoying, it’s time to go back to the lodge to get warm by the roaring fire, and a welcome warming drink.