Etosha National Park was one of the highlights of my recent visit to Namibia.
The 22 750km² wildlife sanctuary is home to 150 mammal species, but the real action is at the water holes. The semi-arid savannah grassland and thorn scrub landscape means that water is in short supply at Etosha. As a result all the animals congregate at one of the park’s few waterholes, like the Okaukuejo waterhole. I also got all of my best elephant photos at the water holes. The result is incredible wildlife viewing opportunities:
Oryx
Zebras drinking while a giraffe looks on.
Springbok and a giraffe. Watching the giraffe drink I felt sorry for how awkward she was to lower her neck to the water.
Springbok, Kudu and Oryx congregated at a waterhole in Etosha.
Elephant taking a mud bath
Herd of elephants at a water hole
Zebra observing elephants at a water hole.
Elephants drinking at a waterhole
Elephants at the Okaukuejo waterhole/rest camp. Plan on staying here a minimum of 2 nights.
Know Before Go to Etosha National Park:
- By now I hope I have you convinced that thhe waterholes in Etosha are where all the action is happening. My favorite water hole was the Okaukuejo Rest Camp. Check out my photos. Plan to spend at least two nights at Okaukuejo.
- Plan to visit Etosha from May to October during the dry season if possible. It’s not as hot then and the dryness means that wildlife sightings are plentiful around the waterholes.
- #1 Travel Tip: Book early!!!! Etosha offers limited accommodation and it fill up early. German tourists often book a year in advance. In addition to booking your accommodation, also book your game drives early if you want a guide.
- See Five Things to Do in Etosha for more inspiration.
- Also be sure to check out the Cheetah Conservation Fund for a chance to get up close with cheetahs,. They are difficult to spot in the wild.
- And click here to find out just how well you would survive in the bush. Hint: It’s not just the animals you have to worry about.
Stayed tuned for The Dark Side of Etosha….I’m talking about a night safari drive of course!
Many thanks to the Namibia Tourism Board for making my visit possible. As always, all opinions expressed are my own and they did not force me to take the 1500 pictures I took in Etosha.