Etosha National Park : How to visit this stunning park?

Like the vast majority of travelers visiting Namibia, there is a big chance you will integrate Etosha National Park into your itinerary. You would be right do so. In fact, this park offers great opportunities for wildlife sightings. Contrary to the famous Eastern African park of the Serengeti, Ngorongoro in Tanzania or the Masai Mara in Kenya, Etosha is very affordable and possible to visit independently.

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How to reach?

The first thing to remember is that Etosha National Park is located at 435km from the country’s capital Windhoek. Thus, it takes around a 4h30 min drive on the highway to reach the gate of the national park.

Where to stop on the way?

There are a few stops and detours you can make if you have enough time. 

Erindi Private game reserve

Halfway through the journey sits the amazing private reserve of Erindi. We heard fantastic feedback about this reserve. However, it is rather on the costly side. Thus, one must stay at the lodge to enjoy a game drive. As per the echoes we had, the conservation efforts and overall experience seem to be top-notch.

Waterberg Plateau

Located 278km from Windhoek, this natural Park offers stunning views. Indeed, for those who enjoy magnificent viewpoints and hiking, Waterberg is a great option. To reach the plateau, turn right at the intersection 10km before Otjiwarongo. Then, from the intersection it takes about 45 minutes (50km one way) to reach the park.

Cheetah Conservation Fund

It is located 40 minutes away for the town of Otjiwarongo. It is a conservation project created for Cheetahs. Basically, you get to learn about the work of the foundation to help protecting the cheetahs. You also learn about this magnificent animal. Note that cheetahs will be extremely difficult to see in Etosha National Park. In case you absolutely want to see from your own eyes, stopping at the Cheetah Conservation Fund would not be such a bad idea.

Where to stay in Etosha National Park?

A few options are available depending on how much time and budget you have. Comparatively, the best one that we can advise is to stay at the Okaukuejo campsite. 

In order to reach the camp, it takes 4h30 min driving from Windhoek. It is located 17km after the southern entrance of the national park called Anderson Gate.  

NassPacker Tip: At the gate of the National Park, you may be checked for raw meat or eggs. Also, in case you have a drone, you may be asked to seal it so you won’t use it inside the park. Drones are strictly forbidden inside the park. They are sometimes used by poacher to locate animals and easily hunt them.

Okaukuejo camp has a small shop where you can buy maps, firewood and other essentials. In addition, they have several types of rooms and chalets. There is also a swimming pool and even a gas station. For the campers that we are, many spots are available. 

The bathrooms are clean with hot showers. Additionally, each camping spot has an electric light, a BBQ area and a tap with running water for the dishes. 

Another option for camping in Etosha National Park is Etosha Trading Post Campsite. Located 3.2km from Anderson Gate also has a swimming pool a garden and an ATM available on site.

Set up your camp and check-out the tiny wildlife

To select a camping spot at the Okaukuejo camp, just head to the registration office. In there, you will pay both your National Park and camping fees :

• National Park fees : 150 NAD/10 USD per night (Foreigner including conservation fees), 60 NAD/4 USD (SADC citizens*), 30 NAD/2 USD (Namibian)
• Car fees : 50 NAD/3.5 USD per night
• Camping fees : 350 NAD/23 USD to 410 NAD/27 USD per night for the camping spot

After that, you can claim any empty spot. To do so, just leave your chairs/table. Then, make sure register your spot number with the agent.

*SADC : The Southern African Development Community is composed of the following countries : Angola, Botswana, Comoros, DRC, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

NassPacker Tip: Get a camping spot as close as you can from the waterhole and away from the toilets. This will give you peace of mind at night. Besides, it will also allow to watch the stars at night without disturbance.

NassPacker Tip : Beware of the squirrels. No matter how cute they are, lots of them have rabies. As a consequence, avoid getting too close and friendly with them.

Make sure to check the spectacular sociable weavers birds nests. Indeed, the species is endemic to Southern Africa. In fact, their nests are so big that they often occupy as much as half of the tree in which they are.

NassPacker Tip: Avoid getting too close as the nests attract many snakes. They find in there a great and easy source of food.

Etosha National Park guided tours

One of the great things with parks in Southern Africa is that you can visit them on your own. On the other hand, it was not the case in their East African counterparts. Besides, they are much more economical than the pricey Serengeti, Masai Mara or Ngorongoro for instance.

The best time to visit the park is during the dry season (May-October). Indeed, at this season, spotting the animals is much easier as they all gather around a few water holes.

Now in case you are interested in guided tours, these tend to fill up very quickly. Therefore, it might not be a bad idea to book in advance. 

• Morning or afternoon drive : 650 NAD/45 USD per person
• Night drive : 750 NAD/50 USD per person

NassPacker Tip: In case you are interested in a night Safari, the only option is to book for a guided night drive through the registration office. 

Go on a self drive to witness amazing wildlife in Etosha National Park

For self-drives with your own vehicle, the gates open from sunrise to sunset. As a general rule, one must rise as early as possible to increase potential sightings. We recommend, heading to the Okaukuejo waterhole first before the gates open. In fact, make sure to enjoy the waterhole for 15 minutes to try to spot elephants, rhinos, wild hogs, zebras, antelopes…

Afterwards, you can drive to the national park. Firstly, you can start by heading to the Olifantsbad waterhole. In there, you may witness crossing of preys and elephants.

NassPacker Tip: Do not stop at each and every water hole. Select a few ones based on recent animal sightings. There is a book at the registration office. In it, people write where and when they saw animals. Thus, it helps other fellow travelers to spot wildlife as well.

We can only recommend driving slowly. Open your eyes to spot animals and remain quiet. They are everywhere and are real experts at camouflage.

Witness lions hunting at Etosha National Park

Another interesting stop is at the Etosha Salt Pan. The pan reflects as a large body of water in all maps. However, it is unfortunately dry most of the time making it a vast empty area.

Little did we know that it was in this area that we got to observe the best Safari action we ever witnessed. Indeed, as we were driving back to the camp, we saw a pack of 7 female lions on the left side of the road doing their best to hide.

It is only after a few minutes that we realized that we were in for a treat. In fact the lions had spotted a herd of zebras. They were patiently waiting for them to cross to the other side of the road and step right into their trap.

The herd of zebras then finally crossed the road. In the meantime, the lions were carefully preparing for the attack. And then it happened. In a split second, the lions started attacking one of the zebras, causing all of the herd to spread around. We are now looking at 5 lions closing their trap on one single poor zebra that tries to escape. Was it able to save its life?

Watch the below NassPacker video to discover what happened to that zebra.

Sunset time are golden hours for photography

Spending time exploring at midday when the sun is the strongest is very often useless. Indeed, animals tend to rest under the shade and nap until the temperatures become more bearable.

Late afternoons, however are often perfect for animal sightings and photography. The light is golden and animals tend to roam outside. It is at this time that we spotted our first black rhino, ostriches, giraffes and many other animals.

Wildlife is also abundant at night time in Etosha National Park

Finally, we can only stress out to spend time at the Okaukuejo waterhole. In there, you have very high chances to see elephants and rhinos every evening.

Make the most of your camping experience

In order to set camp properly, make sure to start before the end of the day when the daylight is still bright enough.

A camping in Namibia wouldn’t be complete without a braai. In other parts of the world, we know it as a barbecue. Make sure to have all you need to start your fire. Thus, a proper Namibian braai has to be with firewood. You can buy some wood at the camp shop for 50 NAD/3.3 USD.

Make sure to look around for the tiny wildlife. They can be as fascinating at the bigger animals.

As everywhere in Namibia, night skies are absolutely out of this world. With very little pollution and a clear weather, you are almost guaranteed to have the clearest skies every night you spend in the country. Prepare your camera, snacks, firewood and your blankets and enjoy the show.

After encountering the best of country’s savannah’s wildlife, head on the cultural heartland of Namibia and Meet with Local Tribes.