Etosha National Park
A national park built around a vast white salt pan. Self-driving between waterholes lets you watch elephants, rhinos and lions. At the Okaukuejo camp, the floodlit waterhole is a spot to see black rhinos at night.
Etosha National Park lies in northern Namibia and covers 22,000 square kilometres. At its core is a 4,800-square-kilometre white salt pan. The name Etosha means 'great white place'. In the dry season it stretches endlessly into the distance, and in the rainy season it turns into a shallow lake. The park is about 150 kilometres from east to west and has entrances including Anderson Gate in the south (leading to Okaukuejo) and Von Lindequist Gate in the east (leading to Namutoni). Wildlife viewing here works differently from Kruger. You do not need to search around. Instead, you wait quietly beside dozens of natural and artificial waterholes. In the dry season, elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and springbok gather in herds to drink, and lions often lurk nearby. The three main official camps each have their own character. Okaukuejo's floodlit waterhole is visited almost every night by black rhinos and elephants, making it the most famous waterhole in Africa. Halali's waterhole is quiet and good for spotting leopards. Namutoni preserves a fort from the German colonial period. Entry costs about N$150 per person per day, plus N$50 for the vehicle. The park roads are gravel, with a speed limit of 60 km/h, and a regular saloon car can manage them. It is recommended to stay at least two nights and plan a route crossing the park east to west. The gates open at sunrise and close at sunset. From Windhoek it is about 5 hours' drive along the B1 road, and from Swakopmund about 6 hours. Notes: Outside the camps and designated toilets, leaving your vehicle is prohibited. There is a malaria risk in summer. Camp accommodation is booked through the NWR official website, and in peak season (July–October) you need to book up to six months ahead.
Opening hours
Sunrise to sunset (approx. 06:30–18:30, varies by month)
Nearby sights
- Etosha Lookout
- Halali Camp & Moringa Waterhole
- Okondeka Waterhole
- Nebrownii Waterhole
- Olifantsbad Waterhole
- Okaukuejo Waterhole
- Chudob Waterhole
- Fort Namutoni