The moment 50 elephants appeared on the horizon in Namibia

It took Anne Mortlock three years to find the courage to travel solo, but a journey through Namibia delivered the wildlife, landscapes and human connections she had been hoping to find.

The truck came to an unexpected stop in the middle of an Etosha National Park game drive, leaving Anne Mortlock and her fellow travellers searching the landscape for an explanation.

Then an elephant appeared on the horizon.

“We all looked around wondering what was going on when an elephant appeared on the horizon,” Anne said.

“It was like we all stopped breathing for fear of ruining the moment, but the best was yet to come. Another elephant appeared behind the first one, then another, and another.

“There must have been 50 or more in the herd, and to hear the thuds of their footsteps – well, it’s something that will be etched in my mind forever.”

It was one of several “happy to be alive” moments Anne experienced during a 12-day journey through Namibia, a destination she chose for its nature, history and geography.

The trip was her second solo adventure with Just You, following an earlier tour of China. Her sister, a travel agent, had initially recommended the company, although it still took Anne three years to work up the courage to travel alone.

China proved she could do it, leaving her feeling safe and well looked after, and Namibia was the destination she chose next.

The tour began in Windhoek and travelled to Sossusvlei, known for its towering red sand dunes, before continuing to the coastal town of Swakopmund, Damaraland and Etosha National Park.

Even before leaving the airport, Anne began meeting the people with whom she would share the journey.

“Most of us had a Just You luggage tag on our hand luggage so we could easily spot each other and start getting to know each other,” she said.

The group included travellers of different ages and backgrounds, each bringing their own stories and experiences. Five formed a particularly close friendship and are now making plans to continue catching up at home.

While the wildlife was a major drawcard, Anne was equally surprised by the warmth she encountered from the Namibian people.

In a shop in the middle of the desert, a conversation with the shopkeeper turned to the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the sadness it had caused. At one hotel, staff gathered to farewell the group and sang as they departed.

“It was completely heart-warming and another ‘happy to be alive’ moment,” Anne said.

The landscape supplied plenty of those moments too. At Sossusvlei, she watched the vivid desert colours change in the early morning light and took on Big Daddy, one of the area’s immense dunes.

“On the face of it, you think the Big Daddy dune would be impossible to climb, and I’m not a hill walker by any means, but it was easier than I thought to get there and over,” she said.

Nearby Deadvlei, with its centuries-old dead camel thorn trees standing against white clay and red dunes, offered one of the trip’s most memorable contrasts. Anne, who had recently completed a photography course, found no shortage of opportunities to practise her new skills.

“The photography opportunities were stellar,” she said.

“It’s so hard to put into words. Even just watching the sun go down and observing birds in the distance, it’s that back-to-nature encounter that is unlike any other wildlife trip I’ve ever experienced.”

Some wildlife encounters arrived when she least expected them. During a swim at one hotel, Anne looked up to see kudu strolling past a nearby watering hole.

On an optional dolphin and seal cruise at Walvis Bay, pelicans and a seal joined the passengers aboard, while dolphins appeared in the surrounding water. Oysters and champagne served during the cruise added another memorable touch.

Anne also valued the chance to learn about life beyond Namibia’s national parks during a visit to a Himba community.

“It was fascinating learning about how people live,” she said.

She bought bracelets made by local women, knowing the money would directly support the community, and appreciated that the itinerary created room for cultural encounters as well as wildlife viewing.

“It felt like we could travel with a bit more meaning and focus some time on more than just the wildlife,” she said.

The days were busy and left little free time, which suited Anne perfectly.

“Even though you might feel tired after a day out on the road, that’s not what you’re going to remember when you get home,” she said. “For me, it was about collecting as many travel memories as possible.”

Her advice for other travellers is to research before leaving, speak with people who have already visited and pack boiled sweets to provide some relief in Namibia’s dry, dusty conditions. Keen photographers may also want a long lens and extra dust caps for their equipment.

On the final evening, the group’s local guide took Anne and three fellow travellers to a mountaintop overlooking the plains. He brought biltong, crisps and drinks for a small picnic as they toasted the end of the journey.

For Anne, it was a fitting conclusion to a holiday built from extraordinary sights and unexpected gestures.

Next she will travel to Vietnam with her sister and brother-in-law, while Costa Rica and another African adventure are also under consideration. A return to Africa may give her the chance to find the one animal that eluded her in Namibia: a leopard.