Etosha National Park, Namibia

The Etosha National Park consists of three restcamps. The biggest one, Okaukuejo, lies about 120 kilometres north of Outjo - on the south-western border of the Etosha saltpan. This is also the main entrance to the Etosha Park with its administration offices.

The restcamp has a petrol station, supermarket, kiosk, restaurant, picnic spot, swimming pool and a waterhole, which is floodlighted after dark.

Its government run so don't expect to be in the lap of luxury but its well enough run clean and in good condition.

One highlight is to spend the evening at the floodlight waterhole. Its like a mini wildlife documentary with a succession of different animals slipping silently out of the shadows to come and drink. In the space of 2 hours I saw Elephants, Giraffes, Oryx, Hyena, Black Rhino, and a lion.

A vast area on Namibia's central plateau, a haven for 93 mammal species and 340 bird species, the park's focal point is the Etosha Pan - a flat saline desert, 130 km long by 50km at its widest in the eastern sector of the park. The park covers 23175 square kilometres which was reduced from over 100,000 sq km in the 1960s to make way for farmland.


The Pan originated over 12 million years ago as a shallow lake fed by the Kunene River. Subsequent climatic and tectonic changes have since lowered the water level so that the pan only holds water for a brief period each year - it teems with flamingos and pelicans in the summer. The saline and mineral residues together with moisture from perennial springs attract an immense number and variety of game and birds from mid March into November just before the new wet season starts.

Etosha is known for impala, and is said to have the tallest elephants in Africa, measuring up to 4m at the shoulder. The park is also well recognised as being one of the last wild sanctuaries of the endangered black rhino.

Despite the massive size of Etosha, only the southern edge of the pan is accessible to casual visitors. There are three rest camps within the park at Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni. An extensive network of roads links the campsites with over 30 water holes in the central and eastern region - ideal places to sit and wait it out for game.

I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about seeing lots of wildlife but I was not dissapointed. In the course of only 1 day I saw: Giraffe, Elephant, Lion, Leopard (v rare!) Impala, Oryx, kudu, Hyena, Jackal, Ostrich. check out the travelogue section for photos.

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Etosha National Park is 22'270 square km and is one of the biggest parks in Africa.

You will have the opportunity to view wildlife when going on game drives as well as observing the animals at waterholes, in the resorts for example. The best times for animal viewing is early in the morning or late afternoon.

We were lucky to see a lot of animals, zebras, elephants, lions, kudus, etc. We could have stayed for hours, sitting silently in the car, watching the elephants. Really amazing experience to be so close to them!

Observing the animals at waterholes is also a must.

Perfect moments like watching the sun go down, while the animals are drinking... Bliss.

Really, you shouldn't miss Etosha Park when travelling in Namibia!

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Etosha translates to the Great White Place, which is no surprise - it's pan is most easily seen from the plane, a wide expanse of shimmering white. Seen from the Etosha lookout the white explanse of snow-white sand seems impossibly interminable.

Etosha is one of the prime attractions of Namibia, and one of the best National Parks in Africa. The arid conditions in the dry season cause animals to gather at specific waterholes, making them easy to view compared with other parks in Africa. Also, the park is made for self-driving, which is another plus in itself. Another definitive plus is that this is one of the best places in the world (if not the best) to see rhinos.

Some of the animals in the park include: Black Rhino, White Rhino, Elephant, Windebeest, Oryx, Red Hartebeest, Black Faced Impala, Springbok, Zebra, Eland, Kudu, Giraffe, Dik-Dik, Warthog, Hyaena etc. Of course there are the big cats - lion, cheetah and leopard - though these might take a bit more work to find ... Etosha is also great for birdwatching. Look out for birds of prey, bustards, korhaans, hornbills, rollers, ostrich, helmeted guineafowl and secretarybirds.

For more info about Etosha, and loads of other animal pics, check out my Etosha pages

Etosha is one of the largest game parks in Africa covering an area of 22,270 sq km. The central landmark here is the Etosha Pan. Covering nearly 5000 sq km, the pan is vast salt plain, remnant of a large inland lake. The pan is mostly dry but occasionally floods bringing thousands of flamingos and white pelicans. The surrounding limestone formations create a reservoir that supply the pan and various water holes with water to support the huge numbers of plant life and wildlife. Most of the vegetation grows around the surrounding pan in the limestone ground. Sweet grass and umbrella-thorn acacias provide the greatest source for browsers and grazers. The park boasts 114 species of mammal including black-faced impala, black rhino, mountain zebra, and brown hyena.

Check out my Etosha National Park page for more information.
Etosha National Park

Of course Etosha is one of the must if you come to Namibia.

I went in October, it was very hot, but we saw many animals. How you see them? ... you see them as you go driving along the park, but specially at the waterholes where they go to drink during day and night.

What can you find there?
Black Rhino (I saw)
Elephant (I saw many)
Gemsbok (I saw many)
Giraffe (I saw many)
Zebras (I saw many)
Ostrich (I saw)
Springbok (I saw many)
Red Hartebeest (I saw many)
Wildbeest ( I saw many)
Lions ( I saw many .... two times, over 15 together and one alone)
Kudu ( I saw many)

I did went to Etosha with a very good guide Uanee. Thanks to him we saw all the animals we saw with detail.

If you go to Etosha you should go with a good guide that will make you see every bird and go to the waterholes at the best times

Oukakoueja Camp has (as the other two camps in Etosha Ntl Park: Halali and Namutoni) a waterhole that is lighted in the night. This one in Oukakoueja is the waterhole where you most likely see most animals.

Starting after dark, it seems to be a theatrical play: Here come the giraffae, very cautious and slowly they proceed to the waterhole. Why so cautious? Because there are lions around. You haven´t seen them yet? But you will. They keep the giraffae at a distance, at least until the rhinoceros arrive.... and they only stay until the elefants come...

Don´t forget: the gates of the Camps iin the park close at sunset. You have to be in before that happens

More Tips: Dress with long sleeves and use a repellent against the mosquitoes.
Take a flash light with you (especially, if you are not staying in the bungalows on the camp but on the campsite)

This is a must when visiting Namibia. The siza of park is 4/5 of my island Taiwan. You can see most of the Big Five here. But I saw a lot of giraffs and zebras.
If you go with a organised tour, I think you can standing on the seat of the bus looking out from the roof, which is a wonderful experience.