Etosha National Park
User Reviews (125)
Namibia ParksEmail DSNam | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Abundance of wildlife in a vast arid landscape - a unique setting for a nature lover.
The Etosha National Park remains one of the largest natural habitats with a large variety of animals and birds. The scenery is unique with the Etosha Pan (dried lake) to the north and variety of habitats along the southern shoreline. Sunny weather through most of the year provides travelers (and particularly photographers) with great viewing opportunities. Luxury accommodation to basic camping facilities are available. Opportunity to self drive and pace ones trip is an added bonus.
FR
Email maevagam | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Etosha is wonderfull !
I stayed 2 days in Etosha national park including 2 nights at one of the campings. It was wonderfull, we saw a lot of animal, elephants, girafes, lion, ... the waterhole at the camping was one of my favorite places in Namibia !
Email ronmcbride66 | 65+ years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Etosha National Park, with its waterholes, is a wildlife experience, ideal for a self-drive holiday
Etosha is a vast National Park with 4 lodges within the park (Dolomite; Okaukuejo; Halali and Namutoni, travelling west to east) and a handful just outside the gates. The lodges are government-run and are not at the luxury end of accommodation. The largest is Okaukuejo with its iconic illuminated waterhole. In September we found it to be fairly busy: the accommodation, however, was very good with air conditioning. We were close to the camp site and only a short walk to the waterhole. The food is generally fine and the staff were always pleasant and helpful. The only mild criticism would be that the shop is poorly stocked and geared to campers. We could park our 4x4 right outside our chalet door. Most visitors were self-drive but there were a few huge trucks with 12 or so people on the camp site. Those who didn't wish to drive through the Park took advantage of the various guided tours. In terms of service in Etosha in general, one has to be tolerant. The service in the modern-looking restaurant at Halali was hopeless. It is the wildlife, however, that visitors come to see.
There is no point looking for hippos or crocs: there are none. Leopards and cheetahs are more or less impossible to find without a guide but the herds of elephants; zebra; wildebeest and oryx are superb. Solitary male lions and prides are a great sight, let alone rhinos slowly joining giraffes, elephants, jackals and springbok at the waterholes. The oryx, kudu, impala, Hartebeest and hyenas add to the rich tapestry. Driving along the road there are frequent sightings of Pale Chanting Goshawks; bee eaters and eagles (including the Martial Eagle).
A great thing about Etosha is that traffic is light. At the Goas waterhole there two other vehicles where we watched some 200+ zebras and around 80 kudus drinking: an amazing sight. There was a caracal, but I couldn't spot it. One aspect, rarely mentioned, is the silence at a waterhole: to hear the sound of hooves on stones as zebras approach or the splash of water, the snorting, is enchanting. The roar of a lion is something else! At the waterholes it is so marvellous to see the giraffes, elephant and rhino in particular slowly approaching, unhurried. This is especially so at sunset with the sun behind (the best for this Okaukuejo as night driving is forbidden and proximity to accommodation is vital). The illuminated waterhole at Okaukuejo is amazing at night. The hierarchy of 'rights' can be fascinating. Giraffes take a long time to have the confidence to drink but there was no panic as the roar of a lion filled the air: they stood up, faced one direction with ears pricked and slowly moved off as the lions approached.
The scenery in Etosha is nothing spectacular, of course, being fairly flat. The salt pan can be very dramatic with, perhaps, a dozen ostriches crossing the blazing white salt. There are many areas of bush and of light woodland in which one might suddenly come across a herd of 100 or so zebra: this type of vista is as compelling as seeing a herd in the open. To drive for ten minutes seeing little and then to see a male lion under a thorn bush or indeed a rhino is amazing. There is a degree of luck involved, of course as they can easily be missed. The herds of elephants are dramatic. In some areas they are very dark coloured, in others almost white from dust from the salt pan.
Amazingly, there a few small saloon cars around. A 4x4 would be the norm, giving height and ability to cope better with the rougher roads (the roads around the Goas waterhole were very rough but OK in a 4x4). The Park is so dramatic that after a 3 night stay, we stayed outside the eastern gate and re-entered it for another half day. If visiting Namibia and doing 'the circuit' over a fortnight, do finish the trip with Etosha rather than begin it ... leave the (fantastic) country on a high.
CH
Email mymaroundtheworld | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Outstanding Experience
Etosha National Park is quite a unique place - we got to see a lot of animals in their natural habitat. One morning when we left very early (6ish) from one of the camps we even saw a leopard perched on a tree, enjoying the scenic view (or maybe eyeing a kudu ...). We can really recommend staying several days in the camps, as there are water holes at each camp and animals do really show up at those. We even saw two rhinos at a waterhole at night (around 9pm) so patience really pays off.
PR
Email Dr Aurelio Ruiz | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Wild life as a best; jiraffes, zebras, wildbeasts and antilopes . Only place to see rhinos
Hotels are not prepared for kind services, specially in the restaurants.
The Park is a large one with more than 74 holes, manmade and naturals, where are the best places to see wildlife.
It was my first Safari, but I am looking to compare this one, with information in the web with Kruger National Park in South Africa and the Serengetti y Gorongoro in Safari of Kenya and Tanzania. All have its peculiar enchantments. If you are looking to obtain a real african experience in the wilderness, this is one of the places
US
Email Huali | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
A wildlife paradise
First and foremost, the types of wildlife I saw in Etosha Park were greatly varied. To list, there were many zebras, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, kudu, springbok, steenbok, wildebeest, red hartebeest, oryx, and ostriches. As it was wintertime, there was a scarcity of water around the park, so it was easy to see lots of animals gathered at the watering holes. I was told that there are also many leopards and lions in the park, but as I only spent two days there, I did not have enough time to see them.
I stayed at Halali camp, which was at the center of the park. It was at a good location with a waterhole nearby, but the rooms, especially the bathroom facilities, were old. I heard from others that there are better accommodations near the entrances of the park.
The park offers "game drives" twice a day, for 3 hours, for 500 Namibian dollars. These are very convenient, and you can make reservations for them upon arrival.
DE
Email Sandra | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Etosha did not disappoint
We stayed in the park for 14 nights and visited all camps. Each camp has it's own highlights, for instance the waterholes in Okaukuejo and Halali or the silence of Onkoshi. There were plenty of sightings every day. Elephants, lions, a leopard, a honey badger, giraffes and other game. We had organized everything on our own and used a rental car for the trip. It's not necessary to hire a guide, just drive from waterhole to waterhole and you will find animals.
SI
Email s_andreja | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: first safari
The Lion King scene ... without the lion
Have you seen the Lion King animated movie?
Well, in Etosha you have a feeling you are in that movie, right on the scene.
The sheer vastness of the place and number of animals is amazing. Meaning also that after a few days, a simple oryx is not enough for you to pause, now you are only for the lion. But (fortunately) he did not know that and decided to stay in distance ...
Self-drive makes Etosha not just another (giant) zoo, but rather a self-organized adventure.
'Chasing' animals in a car around the park and waterholes is one thing. However, standing still and observing animals from the camp is entirely different (and much more rewarding) experience.
I would recommend anyone to take the time and spend the night in one of the camps in Etosha. I was not the only one amazed. At sunset and sundown, you could see 50+ people gathered at the fence, watching a couple of animals doing their daily routine. All this without any noise, except for the clicking of cameras (some with 600 mm zoom).
I stayed in Etosha for 3 nights (2 in Okaukuejo, 1 in Namutoni) and can say the following:
o Okaukuejo - a definite must, always full of all sorts of animals and with great position to see the sunset; very busy, so staff did not really try to be friendly
o Halali (did not stayed for the night) looked more pristine, but smaller and without the big animals (when I was there)
o Nakamutoni - friendly staff, but otherwise a dissapointment due to facilities not maintained and pratically no animals (no real waterhole).
Apparently there are now 2 camps also in the western part of Etosha (previously closed for tourists), but have not tried those.
In order to explore Etosha, you do not need a local guide, GPS or a map (available at camps) is enough.
However, there are organized safari trips at night that might be worth trying (you are not allowed to go outside the camp at night on your own).
CH
Email darthdracir | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Once in a lifetime
So there you are, one day watching David Attenborough on your TV, the other day getting into the wild yourself, and what an experience it is. I traveled with my girlfriend around Namibia with the help of an accommodated tour, and of course that the main stop would be Etosha. I think winter is the high season, but we did not feel the crowd, the over touristic scene, everything was just good scenery, good weather and a good time. In two days of safari we easily spotted all the must see animals, expect the illusive leopard. Our guide just had an eye for it, he actually told us that when he was young he would hunt with his family riding the pick up in the dark, so pretty much nothing would escape his boosted eyesight, he would always be the first to spot everything! We didn't opt for the camping, instead we stayed in lodges, both would be a great option I think. Facilities often had swimming pools, great food, everything. I can only recommend Namibia as a country to visit. Although I've never done any other safari, I got the impression by researching and discussing with friends that this is the place to go nowadays, every condition for your wild trip with one of the best prices, in one of the safest places on Africa.
US
Email Jill Scoby | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: first safari
Incredible Animal Encounters In A Wild and Wonderful Country
In April of this year my 76 year old mother and I vacationed in Namibia for three weeks. I chose Namibia because I am a hobbyist photographer and wanted to visit the Namib desert and the Himba tribal lands. Mom came along because she wanted to see African wildlife in their natural habitat.
April was a wonderful time to visit Etosha, because there were many baby animals out and about (we saw baby lion, zebra, giraffe, elephant, warthog, wildebeest, kudu, hartebeest, springbok, impala). The grasses and vegetation were still green, but just turning into gold (the "blonde" season for Namibia) so the beauty of the landscape and the vistas was truly breathtaking at every turn. If you'd like to see some of the photographs, please feel free to visit this site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jillscoby/
Safari Tours to Etosha NP
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14-Day Namibia Flying Safari
$18,677 to $27,452 pp (USD)
Namibia: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Windhoek (Start), N/a'an ku sê (Wildlife Sanctuary), Kulala, Skeleton Coast NP, Kaokoland, Etosha NP, Windhoek (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.9/5 – 149 Reviews
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![3-Day Etosha Guided Camping Safari Experience]()
3-Day Etosha Guided Camping Safari Experience
$651 pp (USD)
Namibia: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetCamping
You Visit: Windhoek (Start), Etosha NP, Windhoek (End)
People Tours And Safari
5.0/5 – 26 Reviews
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13-Day Dunes, Desert and Wildlife Self-Drive Safari
$4,626 to $4,932 pp (USD)
Namibia: Self-drive
Mid-range Lodge & HotelYou Visit: Windhoek (Start), Namib-Naukluft NP (Namib Desert), Skeleton Coast NP, Damaraland, Etosha NP, Okonjima NR, Windhoek (End)
Secret Namibia
5.0/5 – 16 Reviews
