Etosha National Park - Namibia

One of Africa's best game reserves, Etosha National Park protects a vast shallow bowl of silvery sand the size of Holland - and its surrounding bush. During the dry season, tens of thousands of animals converge to drink at the waterholes beside this pan.

For most of the year, these waterholes are ideal places just to sit quietly, observing and photographing game from the comfort of your car. Follow the rhythm of the animals: rise at dawn to watch them feed in the cool morning; relax during the midday heat; and venture out again in the late afternoon.

Much of Etosha's landscape is very open, with huge vistas over the pan, so with patience game can be easy to spot. Most of Africa's big-game species are found here, often in large numbers. These include lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, black and white rhino, giraffe, zebra (Burchell's and Hartmann's mountain) and many other antelope. Etosha has over 300 species of birds, and a high concentration of lion.

Etosha was designed for visitors to drive themselves around – based at the simple, inexpensive restcamps inside the park. The parks good roads and signposts make this very easy. If you want higher levels of comfort or care than these can offer, or prefer to be guided around Etosha by a professional guide, then you should choose to stay in one of the private camps outside Etosha.

Restcamps inside the Park

Within Etosha there are three public restcamps: Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo. All are designed with self-drive visitors in mind. Each has a variety of accommodation, from simple bungalows with small kitchens to basic rooms. All have private facilities and are very good value, but all are plain – not luxurious or stylish.

Each camp has a shop with basic food supplies, a restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, a bar, a floodlit waterhole and a large swimming pool. Their service standards are often good, but sometimes these vary too. When making arrangements for you at these restcamps, we always aim for the best accommodation available. However, demand is high, so no guarantees can be made for any specific type of room. Even the best rooms at these camps don't compare well with the private camps outside the park; you should be prepared for this.

On the eastern side of the park is the picturesque Namutoni, in the centre is the smallest camp, Halali, on nearest the main western exit gate is the administrative centre of the park, Okaukuejo.

Private camps outside Etosha

There are a number of private lodges just outside the park which offer more luxury than the restcamps, and some also offer guided activities – which aren't usually possible when you stay at the restcamps.

On the eastern side of the park, both Mushara Lodge and Etosha Aoba Lodge is small, intimate spots whilst Mokuti Lodge is rather larger. Meanwhile, adjacent to the park, the relatively new Onguma Game Reserve has several small new camps, including Onguma Bush Camp, Onguma Tented Camp, whilst new for 2006 is Onguma Plains Camp.

On the south side of Etosha, in the adjoining Ongava Reserve, are the luxurious Ongava Lodge and Ongava Tented Camp, and the newer, ultra-luxurious Little Ongava. Further south, Epacha Game Lodge & Spa stands on an other small reserve, which it shares with its sister-camp, Eagle Tented Camp.

Simpler, more economic alternatives would include the Etosha Gateway Lodge (formerly Toshari Inn), the charming Namatubis Guest Farm and the fairly new Etosha Safari Camp.
The town of Outjo is an hour's drive away, but is home to the delightful Etosha Garden Hotel.