By air
Hosea Kutako International (WDH), ~5 h by road
Africa · Namibia
Etosha National Park, Namibia
Wildlife gathering at waterholes around a salt pan
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to October — dry season wildlife at the waterholes
Don't miss
The Etosha Pan
The Okaukuejo waterhole
Fort Namutoni
The Moringa waterhole
Things to do
Self-drive game viewing
Guided drives
Waterhole watching
Birdwatching
Where to eat
What to pack
Binoculars, sunscreen, hat, warm layers for early drives
A quieter corner
The floodlit waterhole at Okaukuejo after dark
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Etosha National Park?
May to October — dry season wildlife at the waterholes. What to pack: Binoculars, sunscreen, hat, warm layers for early drives.
How do I get to Etosha National Park?
Fly into Hosea Kutako International (WDH), ~5 h by road.
What is there to do in Etosha National Park?
Self-drive game viewing, guided drives, waterhole watching, birdwatching. A quieter find: The floodlit waterhole at Okaukuejo after dark.
What should I eat in Etosha National Park?
Game braais, oryx steaks and camp breakfasts.
About Etosha National Park
- Inland
- Desert
Where it is
Etosha National Park is a large wildlife reserve in northern Namibia, built around a huge, shallow salt pan that shimmers white in the dry season.
History
The area was proclaimed a game reserve in 1907 under German rule, at first covering a far larger area than today. Fort Namutoni began as a German police post and is now a rest camp. Etosha became a national park in its own right in the 1950s and 1960s.
People
The park's neighbours include Oshiwambo-speaking communities to the north and Herero and Damara communities to the south, and many staff come from these areas.
Known for
- Elephants and lions at the waterholes
- Black rhino
- The vast white pan
- Floodlit waterholes at night
Did you know?
The name Etosha is usually translated from Oshiwambo as the great white place, after the glare of its salt pan.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.