ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK - FAQ`S
This park is enormous in size and is acclaimed as being one of the best wildlife spotting areas in Southern Africa. One of the best things about Etosha National Park is that if your intention of a safari is to spot the Big Five, then you will be able to see four of the five here. It’s just the water buffalo you won’t see but it’s very common to spot elephants, lions, leopards and rhino.
The park is set in a desert. This desert is an ancient evaporated lake which dried up millions of years ago. It’ll become apparent quite quickly that the landscape in and around Etosha can only be described as barren. The land is scattered with thorny shrubs, salt pans, sandy slopes, and mud flats. Because of this, it makes it so easy to spot animals. The low foliage means the animals can’t camouflage themselves as much and the watering holes can make for a great concentrated area to spot wildlife.
The top reason to visit Etosha National Park is for the varied concentration of wildlife in the area and the enormous size of the park. This is what makes Etosha so very different from other game reserves in Southern Africa.
If you love camping, then Etosha National Park is a great location as campsites are fenced off within the park boundaries and they’re a great place to stay to spot the incredible wildlife which is within a few feet away from you. The lack of light pollution also means that star gazing is amazing as well.
Etosha is situated in the north of Namibia, close to the Angolan border with the nearest towns being Grootfontein, Ondangwa and Tsumeb, these all have ATMs as well as supermarkets and shops to stock up on snacks.
If you’re on a Namibia road trip, you’ll be driving from the south, via the town of Outjo, which is about 62 miles from the entrance of the park.
Arriving in Etosha can depend upon where you’ll arrive from as there are four entrances; King Nehale gate in the North, The Anderson Gate in the South, the von Lindequist Gate in the EAst and Galton Gate in the western end of the park.
The easiest way to reach Etosha National Park, is by renting a 4x4 vehicle on your arrival at the main airport, Hosea Kutako, situated 25 miles from Windhoek, Namibia’s capital.
Between the airport and Etosha National Park, the distance is around 271 miles, taking around six hours to drive to arrive at the Anderson’s Gate entrance where you can easily access the Okaukuejo camp.
Many travelers choose to incorporate Namibia as part of a self-drive road trip so would be arriving from Swakopmund or Damaraland which would take an hour or two less than coming from the airport of Windhoek directly.
If self-driving is not for you, you can of course take a tour from the capital, either straight to Etosha or to a number of locations.
Due to limited time, many people do head to Etosha just for the day. This really is not enough and to experience the park, two or three nights at least is recommended. There will be more of a chance to spot wildlife, as well as scope out the landscape with two to three days in the park.
What do I need to visit the park?
Visiting Etosha is a pretty unique experience and with that comes a whole different way of being prepared.
It’s good to note that there can be huge variables in temperature, possibly cold and crisp in the mornings to very warm and bright from midday. Being prepared for all situations is key to being comfortable and enjoying your time.
There are no shopping facilities at all within the park. Here are a few essentials you’ll want to have:
-Sunscreen, sunhat, sunglasses
-Toilet paper, wet wipes (biodegradable preferable)
-Stong insect repellent and anti-malarial
-Headlamp, binoculars
-Good camera equipment preferably with a 200-500 mm zoom lens and a good camera bag
-Neutral-colored clothing, in layers to blend in with the surroundings
-Food and water
-A Great map and guidebook
If you are self-driving in Etosha National Park, you will have to pay both visitor an vehicle fees.
If you are visiting as part of a group tour or are on a game drive for the lodges, this fee will already have been covered.
It costs around $80 NAD ($4 USD) per person per day to enter and experience Ethosha National Park. The vehicle charge is around $10 NAD ($0.50 USD) per vehicle per day. Just to note the park can only be accessed between sunrise and sunset hours.
Visiting Etosha National Park at the right time is essential for the opportunity to spot wildlife at its most prevalent. The best time for this would therefore be the cold and dry season.
During the months between May to August, you will certainly find a substantial amount of animals gathering at many of the 40-plus water holes present in the park.
The hot dry season, from August to September, is also a great time to visit. However, you’ll want to get out for your game drives to early morning as the temperatures do rise fast and to quite unbearable levels.
Visiting Etosha in September is when the hot and wet season will start and you may get the odd shower which can affect birdwatching but a lot of wildlife can still be spotted around water holes.
One of the best times to visit Etosha is early October when there are virtually no crowds. You may get the odd rain shower during the night but early game drives from 8am - 12pm are great for seeing an absolute abundance of animals.
Keep in mind that high season will often mean that accommodations such as campsites in the park are fully booked as many of the beautiful lodge locations in close proximity of the park. Make reservations as early as possible.
If you’re not planning on doing any guided safaris then it’s best to spot wildlife with binoculars and use the detailed map of the park. You can find these for rent at some of the kosks at the park or even the accommodations where you’re based.
Maps are a great resource for help to find things accurately and also will identify where the 40-plus waterholes are located, and where most animals will congregate.
If you won’t be doing a guided safari then ensure you consult a good illustrated wildlife book to help you identify some of the wildlife.
The best place to spot animals are the waterholes but so is looking under trees as many animals during the midday sun will be sheltering from the heat under here.
You will need to be super patient when scoping out animals. Be quiet and drive slowly.
Organized tours can be a convenient way of visiting Etosha. If you don't have your own car, this is a great way to go and many options range from half-day trips to multi-day excursions.
What are some tips for self driving?
Etosha is well suited for self-drive. Apart from a couple of roads near the entrances, the vast majority of the driving in Etosha is on gravel tracks. Most are relatively straightforward and easy to drive on but some can become rutted, making journeys a bit slower (and a lot bouncier). During the rains, mud can cause road closures.
A 4x4 is not necessary, but it is recommended to use a vehicle with higher clearance for better viewing and to make driving a bit more comfortable on bouncy gravel roads. Off-road driving is strictly prohibited in Etosha, so 4-wheel drive is not necessary.
However, if you intend to include Etosha on a road trip to Namibia then it is highly recommended to have a 4x4.
Etosha National Park covers over 8,494 miles. A majority of the park's camps, lodges and watering holes lie on the eastern part of the park, below the vast Etosha Pan.
The entire western part of the park is remote and seldom-visited. Access used to be blocked off and restricted to those staying in the Dolomite Camp, but it has since been open to the public.
The park has four entrance gates. Coming from the north is the Nehale ly Mpingana Gate. On the east side, near Tsumeb, lies the Von Lindequist Gate. It is the most popular among visitors.
The Anderson Gate is located just south of Okaukuejo. If you're traveling to or from Sossusvlei or the Skeleton Coast, it is the gate that you'll probably use.
And on the far western side of the park lies the Galton Gate. It is the most seldom used of Etosha's Gates, though it is no longer restricted.
In almost all safari parks the best time for gaming is the early morning. The temperatures are cooler and lions and leopards (the have been hunting at night) are still on the prowl or eating their kill. Etosho is no different, so enter the park when it opens at sunrise.
The evening is also a great time to see the animals that come out from the shade to feed on the open plains or to grab a drink at the watering holes.
In the dry season, Etosha National Park has excellent viewing in the heart of the day - thanks to the several watering holes. Vast herds of zebra, springbok, impala and oryx are joined by ostriches, giraffes and elephants trying to cool down and quench their thirst. You can simply drive to a waterhole, sit there, and watch the array of animals make their way to and from the waterholes.
In saying this, Etosha National Park is truly an all-day experience (especially in the dry season).
Etosha National Park is enormous and the animals roam all over, so if you want great game-viewing experiences on your safari. Typically, the best opportunity to see great wildlife will be at the waterholes. The best waterholes for great views of game in the middle of the day are Ozonjuitji m'Bari, Okaukuejo, Chudob, Groot Okevi, Ombika, Gemsbokvlakte, Charitsaub, Rietfontein and Sonderkop. You will not only see herds of antelope but giraffe, rhino and elephants are regular visitors too.