Etosha National Park Safaris, Tours and Holidays

Etosha National Park Safaris, Tours and Holidays

Etosha National Park is unique in Africa. The park’s main characteristic is salt pans that are so large and can be seen from space. Yet there is abundant wildlife that congregates around the waterholes, giving you almost guaranteed game sightings. At the same time, Etosha National Park is one of the most accessible game reserves in Namibia and Southern Africa.

With an impressive array of wildlife in the park, lucky visitors can catch a glimpse of the rare and endangered black rhino as well as the more common white rhino. At night, animals flock to the Okaukuejo waterhole and this makes for mesmerizing and unforgettable viewing; elephants and lions emerge into the illuminated area around the pool to drink in their fill of the freshwater. Meaning ‘Great White Place’ in the local language, Etosha was formerly part of a huge lake that has long since dried up. Now, the Etosha Pan is a dusty white color due to its saline nature. With herds of elephants and impalas kicking up the swirling dust and lions stalking through the savannah; Etosha will forever be etched in your mind.

Wildlife and birds of Etosha National Park

The areas with thicker vegetation are home to elephants (some of the largest in Africa due to the vitamins and nutrients found in the ground), the endangered black rhino, and even the leopard. Lions are camouflaged in the pale-golden color of the grasslands, while giraffes rise- high above most of the dry vegetation and other wildlife include elephants, giraffe, eland, kudu, gemsbok, impala, caracal, lions, cheetah, leopard which are usually hunting zebras, springbok, wildebeest, buffalo, and other small rodents Spotted and brown hyenas can be seen in this National.

Birders will love the rainy season in Etosha. After good rains, the salt pan fills with water attracting a cloud of flamingos. More than 340 bird species have been counted in Etosha National Park. Among the migratory species, the European bee-eater is possibly the most popular sighting. The game reserve is also home to the world’s largest bird, the ostrich, and the heaviest flying bird, the kori bustard.

Things to do in Etosha National Park

The number one thing to do in Etosha National Park is to experience some epic game drives, littered with wildlife, just driving across the park (via the many tracks that connect the various waterholes) is bound to bring you into contact with a massive amount of wildlife.

Game drives

Morning and evening game drives are very popular in this park as the heat of the day can be serious and our expert guides know the water holes where there is great concentration of wildlife like zebras, lions, elephants, giraffes.

Walking safaris

Walks through the Etosha National Park are both awe-inspiring and humbling, as you tread along the paths animals use to roam free on and observe their intimate lives from a careful distance. It is the perfect setting in which to appreciate the natural environment.

Camping safaris

Camping in Etosha National Park is also an incredible experience and absolutely one of the best things you should do here. There are 3 official fenced camps within the park grounds; 1 on the east side (Onkoshi Camp), 1 on the west side (Okaukuejo Camp), and 1 on the middle (Halali Camp).

Birding safaris

Although the country possesses just one true endemic (Dune Lark, a Namib special); a further host of near-endemics extends only marginally into inaccessible Angola, which is most easily found in Namibia.

Where to stay in Etosha National Park

The park is malaria-free, accessible in a regular sedan car and the rest camps provide a range of accommodation as well as restaurants, viewing decks, shops, and petrol stations. Luxurious camps in Etosha’s remote areas have now added top-end accommodation to the park’s offerings. Some of the places to stay include Dolomite camp, Onkoshi camp, Okaukuejo camp, Halali camp, Namutoni camp, Namotoni. Olifantsrus camp, Accommodation option Outside the park Emanya lodge, Mokuti Etosha Lodge, Mushara collection, Onguma collection, Southside (Okaukuejo) lodges include Epacha game lodge, Etosha safari lodge, Etosha village, Ongava collection, Toshari Lodge

Best time to visit Etosha National Park

The best time to visit Etosha is during the dry season when the further limitations of this arid area are upped to the max. What this time of year does is send animals flocking to the few remaining waterholes, meaning the chance of spotting a huge amount of wildlife is even higher.

Etosha’s dry season is in keeping with that of its surrounding geography and Namibia’s dry season runs from September to December.