Etosha National Park is one of our favourite places in Africa to do a self-drive safari. The sheer abundance of wildlife in this very diverse habitat makes game viewing pretty easy which is good news for beginners!
But as with any self-drive safari, there are things you need to know to help maximise your wildlife spotting chances and have a successful self-drive safari in Etosha.
Our guide to visiting Etosha National Park offers all the information you need to have a successful self-drive safari in Etosha National Park, particularly for first timers.
It includes the the best times to visit, the best waterholes, park rules and accommodation recommendations.
Before you carry on, you might want to bookmark this post on the best safari destinations for families (in case you get the safari bug)!
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Self-drive safari in Etosha
Etosha background information
Etosha National Park is one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife reserves with its enormous salt pan that can be seen from space and its abundant wildlife.
Covering approximately 22,270 square kilometers, Etosha’s varied ecosystems, ranging from salt pans to lush grasslands and waterholes, attract a vast array of species.
The name Etosha actually comes from the Oshiwambo language meaning “Great White Place” referring to the enormous salt pan.
The pan itself is an ancient lakebed that, during rainy seasons, fills with water, attracting a variety of bird species.
However, during the dry season, the pan becomes a shimmering, white expanse of salt and dust, offering an otherworldly landscape.
At this point is is worth mentioning that you will not be able to see the Big 5 in Etosha as there are no buffalo. I know this is important for some people. More on wildlife spotting later.
Getting to Etosha
Etosha National Park is located in the northwestern part of Namibia, around 4-6 hours drive from the capital of Namibia, Windhoek.
It is actually very easy to reach Etosha if you have flown into Windhoek as you just head straight up the B1, the main road in Namibia, which is paved all the way.
At Otjiwarongo (worth a stop at the Cheetah Conservation Fund if you have time) you will either carry on the B1 which takes you to the east of the park or branch off via Outjo to the west of the park.
Where you go will depend on where your accommodation is. Just make sure you book this well in advance of your trip. We have a section a bit further on covering accommodation.
If you are still wondering whether or not you want to do a self-drive safari in Etosha at this point, it is possible to get a private guided tour from Windhoek to do all of the driving for you.
You could also leave the planning and logistics to our favourite African safari company – Go2Africa. See our review of Go2Africa here. They are the world’s leading luxury tour operator in Africa and know Africa better than anyone else.
Etosha entrance gates
There are four main gates into Etosha National Park.
- Anderson Gate in the southwest. The closest camp in the park to this gate is Okaukuejo.
- Galton Gate in the southwest.
- King Nehale Lya Mpingana Gate in the northeast.
- Von Lindequist Gate in the east. The closest camp in the park to this gate is Naumutoni.
The park gates follow sunrise and sunset times. The optimal time to visit Etosha for the longest days is mid-December in the height of summer. The park is open from 6.10am to 7.30pm.
You will be checked at the gate and will have to provide your contact details and passport details. You will then proceed to the nearest camp to actually make the payment. Payment is not taken at the gate.
Whilst here, take time to read the sightings boards to get an idea of where people have spotted the more elusive animals like lion or leopard recently.
When to visit Etosha National Park?
The beauty of Etosha is that there is wildlife to see all year round. The type of wildlife you will see and your overall experience will change by season so it is good to understand the seasons and what to expect from them before you decide when to go.
Dry season in Etosha
The dry season runs from May to October and is a great time to spot the bigger game (lion, elephant, rhino, zebra, giraffe etc).
Rainy season in Etosha
The rainy season runs from November to April. During this time the grasses grow long and it can be difficult to spot animals. They also don’t have the need so much to come down to watering holes. You will still see lots of plains animals (zebra and antelope) grazing.
On the flip side, the rainy season brings incredible bird life to Etosha including flamingoes that flock to the salt pan.
Just be aware that some of the roads may have to close in the rainy season because they become impassable, even with a 4×4.
The best time to visit Etosha
This is a personal choice given the factors above but most people agree that the best time to visit Etosha is during the peak of the dry season (September and October). The animals will congregate around the last remaining water in the watering holes and the grasses are short making sightings much easier.
However, this is the busiest time to visit Etosha. You need to book accommodation at least 9 months to a year in advance and rates are higher.
If you haven’t yet finalised your itinerary, you may want to look at our more detailed guide to the best time to visit Etosha National Park to be able to make a more informed decision.
Wildlife spotting in Etosha
Etosha is home to four of the Big 5 (Lion, Elephant, Rhino and Leopard). There are no buffalo in Etosha National Park. It is important to note this in case you are absolutely set on seeing the Big 5 (although animal sightings can never be guaranteed anywhere).
Our best tips for spotting wildlife is to enter the park at sunrise as animals are more active at this time, particularly in the summer months. Head to waterholes and sit and wait. Sundown is also a good time to spot them but you need to make sure you leave enough time to get back to the gate for closing time!
I have to tell you though, spotting leopard, lion and cheetah in Etosha is quite difficult, unless you have a chance encounter with one close to the road. We have been twice and haven’t spotted any big cats!
They don’t like to come close to the roads and you can’t offroad (unlike a safari on a private reserve).
If you haven’t spotted any of the big cats on your self-drive Etosha safari, you might want to look at booking a guided Etosha safari drive for a better chance of seeing them.
What you will see during your Etosha National Park safari, however, are elephants. Etosha is known for its large migratory elephant population. We have visited in both the wet season and the dry season and have witnessed two very different elephant sightings between the seasons. See the photos below.
On the left are the elephants in dry season and on the right in rainy season.
During the dry season the elephants cover themselves in the salt rich mud to cool themselves. The mud dries and becomes quite light. This gives the elephants the name ‘Etosha Ghosts’. It really is an amazing sight.
The rainy season brings excellent bird life including flamingos who flock to the salt pan.
We highly recommend getting one (at least) of these guide books which are a great resource to have in the car with you. We found them invaluable. It is best to get them before you go because we didn’t see anything like them when we were there.
- Etosha (includes great maps of the park as well as animal spotting guides)
- Mammals of Namibia
- Birds of Namibia
Waterholes in Etosha
One of our top tips for wildlife sightings on safari is to locate popular watering holes, especially during the dry months. Etosha has a number of waterholes and some are better than others.
Below is a list of our favourite watering holes in Etosha. They were recommended to us at the information centre in the park and by the guide from our lodge.
- Okaukuejo Camp – possibly the best watering hole in Etosha as it is active indeed, particularly with the black rhino that like to come down at night to drink. It is floodlit and you can sit and enjoy a drink while keeping an eye out for visitors, day or night.
- Klein Namutoni – located just south of Namutoni Camp. This is a great one to come to at sunset when you need to be near to the exit. We parked up here and watched elephants, giraffe and zebra come for their evening drink.
- Chudob (close to Namutoni) – should find elephant, eland, zebra, impala.
- Charitsaub (close to Halali) – popular with plains animals and sometimes cheetah.
- Klein Okevi (slightly north of Namutoni close to the pan) – impala, elephant, giraffe, lion, kudu, gemsbok, zebra and maybe even cheetah.
Essential information for a self-drive safari in Etosha
This is by no means an exhaustive list of things to be aware of before your self-drive safari in Etosha National Park but it is a good start.
- Etosha National Park entrance fees for foreign nationals are NAD 150 per adult (USD 9), children 8 -16 years are NAD 100 (USD 6). Children under 8 are free. Cars with less than 10 seats are NAD 50. See here for the most up to date rates. This is incredible considering the park fees in Kenya can reach USD150 per person!
- It is open from sunrise to sunset. In April it was 7am to 7pm.
- You need a form of ID (Passport or Drivers Licence) to enter the park.
- Your car will be searched on entry. You are not allowed to bring certain animal products into the park. See below on what not to bring into Etosha.
- Etosha National Park is 20,000 km² and the roads are all gravel. A high clearance vehicle is preferred but not essential. A 4×4 is not necessary. You must, however, stick to the roads. Offroading is not allowed. Check your spare tyre and know how to change a tyre.
- Ensure you have an Etosha National Park map with you. There are signposts but they are few and far between. It is a good idea to download the official Etosha App for up to date information.
- The speed limit is 60km/h (although this is even a bit fast for spotting wildlife). Make sure to plan your route so you are not rushing to the gate to get out before the park closes. It took us about 5 hours to drive from Namutoni in the east to Okaukuejo in the west to give you a rough idea of distances and times.
- You can’t see the Big 5 because there are no buffalo and if you are doing a self-drive safari, sightings or lion, cheetah and leopard are rare (but not impossible).
- Visiting waterholes at just after sunrise and just before sunset is the best way to see animals during the dry season. In the rainy season, long grass makes it harder to see animals other than plains animals which are plentiful (zebra, giraffe, wildebeest etc). Bird life is also prolific in the rainy season.
- There are a few rest stops around the park and 6 rest camps in the park. Accommodation in the camps is fairly basic. You must book these around a year in advance during the peak season. More accommodation recommendations below.
- There are three petrol stations in Etosha (Okaukuejo, Namutoni and Halali). Keep an eye on your fuel levels and bear in mind that the rest camps sometimes run out of fuel.
- There are a few areas within the park where you can get out and stretch your legs and visit a toilet but they are few and far between. You must not get out of your car anywhere in the park other than rest stops and camps.
- Be wary of black rhinos. They can be very aggressive and have been known to attack vehicles in Etosha. It is best to observe them with caution.
Things to bring on safari in Etosha
There are restaurants at the rest camps in Etosha but if you are on a budget you can bring your own food into the park. Just
- Food – you can eat at several locations within the park but if you want to keep the costs down and enjoy a picnic in the park whilst watching animals at a watering hole, you can bring your own food in. It is good to have snacks in the car too.
- Malaria medication – Etosha is not malaria free (although it is lower risk in the dry season). Please consult your doctor before visiting. See here for non-malaria safari destinations.
- Torch – if you are staying in the park, lighting around camps can be limited so we like to bring headtorches.
- Decent camera with zoom – we aren’t professional photographers – more of a point and shoot and hope for the best style – so we’re never going to spend thousands on camera equipment. But we do recommend getting the best zoom lens you can afford. We have a Canon 100-400mm to go with our lightweight Canon
- Sun protection – although you are in the car most of the time, you might want to get out at rest stops.
- Water – make sure you have plenty of water in the car with you.
- Power banks – if you are out in the park all day, you don’t want to run out of power for photos but also navigation. At the very least make sure you take usb charging leads for the car.
We have a safari packing guide here and a guide on what kids should wear on safari which you might find helpful.
Things not to bring on safari in Etosha
- You are not allowed to bring certain animal products into Etosha. See here for guidelines.
- You are not allowed to bring plastic bags into Etosha. Lots of African countries are trying to ban plastic bags. We always bring a reusable shopping bag with us like this one.
How long you need in Etosha
Before we give you our Etosha accommodation recommendations, you will want to work out how long you need to be able to visit Etosha properly.
We find that heading up to Etosha straight after landing in Windhoek works best for us and then we spend the rest of the time working our way back down to Windhoek.
We have also driven from Botswana, through the Caprivi Strip and down to Windhoek but the standard itinerary would usually be a loop from Windhoek.
So – how many days in Etosha? How long you are able to spend in Etosha may be dictated by your full Namibian itinerary (see here for our 2 week Namibia itinerary) but in general we would recommend at least 2-3 days for Etosha.
Accommodation in and around Etosha
Etosha has 6 government run rest camps with assorted accommodation to suit most needs. Most of them are fairly basic though in comparison with the luxury accommodation options outside of the park.
What they lack in comfort, however, they more than make up for with fantastic wildlife spotting opportunities.
The main advantage of staying inside the park is that you will be able to set off on your game drives when the park opens rather than having to wait in a queue at the gate, make your way to the rest camp and stand in a queue to buy your pass for the day.
Most of the rest camps have floodlit watering holes offering spectacular wildlife viewing at night when the rest of the park goers have left.
If you’re wondering where to stay inside Etosha National Park, here are your options.
Accommodation in Etosha
Okaukuejo is located in the south west of Etosha. It is the oldest and largest of the camps and has a swimming pool which is very welcome after a long day in the hot, dry climate. The highlight of Okaukuejo, however, is their watering hole. It is the best in the park and has a steady stream of black rhino each night.
The premier waterhole chalets are very popular with fantastic views over the waterhole. We camped with our tent on our first visit there in 2010. It was pretty basic but functional. There is a fuel station and restaurants and shops.
Halali is around half way between Okaukuejo and Namutoni. There is a floodlit watering hole where you may even spot leopard if you’re lucky. They also have a swimming pool, fuel station and restaurants and shops.
Namutoni is in the east of the park and has a watering hole with raised deck. Sunset views from here can be pretty spectacular. There is a fuel station and restaurants and shops.
Dolomite is a smaller camp in the west of Etosha. Accommodation is more limited here but also more intimate. There is a also a lovely sunset deck and infinity pool overlooking the plains and boma areas (firepits) where you can enjoy a drink and chat about the days’ sightings. There is no fuel station but there is a restaurant.
Onkoshi is a small campsite on the edge of the Etosha Pan. This is the perfect place for bird spotting during the rainy season. They have a restaurant and a pool.
Olifantsrus is the newest campsite in Etosha and the most basic. It only caters for campers. There are no chalets. There is also no restaurant so you have to fully self-cater. This is one for the more adventurous but the location (close to numerous watering holes) makes it a great place to stay for wildlife viewing.
You can find out more about the camps in Etosha and how to book them here.
Accommodation next to Etosha
East of Etosha
Onguma Private Reserve
Onguma Private Reserve is a 20,000 ha private reserve bordering Etosha. They have a number of accommodation options available in all budget ranges and can arrange game drives for you within the reserve or in Etosha.
You are technically located right next to Von Lindequist Gate but you do need to drive through the private reserve for 10-15 minutes before reaching the exit of the reserve and arriving at the entrance gate.
We have stayed in all of their accommodation options, with and without kids and highly recommend them.
Onguma Forest Camp – has beautiful chalets (we had a large family chalet), gorgeous pool area overlooking the watering hole and a decked firepit area also overlooking the watering hole which was visited by so many animals. We were also treated to a honeybadger running through camp at dinner time! The camp is mostly fenced and welcomes kids of all ages but younger kids must be supervised at all times. Check it out on Booking.com.
The Fort – this one is very special and is not on the usual booking sites so you can speak to Go2Africa about it if you’re interested. We stayed in the honeymoon suite and enjoyed candlelit dinners on our balcony overlooking the watering hole. We had a tour of the wine cellar. The had spectacular sunsets. It was just very special indeed.
Onguma Bush Camp is best for families as it is fenced so there are no age restrictions and kids under 3 stay free. They have a restaurant and pool. They also have junior ranger programmes there where kids can go on a bush walk with a ranger within the fenced camp and learn about the flora and fauna of Etosha. Check it out on Go2Africa.
Onguma Tamboti Campsite is one of the most luxurious campsites we have ever stayed in. We pitched our tent next to our own private bathroom and were able to use the restaurant and pool at neighbouring Bush Camp. Check it out on Booking.com.
Other options in the east of Etosha are:
Mushara Lodge – ten well spaced chalets around a pool as well as a lovely family bungalow. Located 8km from Von Lindequist gate.
Mushara Bush Camp – a more affordable mid range selection of tented chalets. This is a family-friendly option with a kiddies pool and kids’ activities onsite. It has a real safari accommodation feel to it.
Mokuti Etosha is right next to the Von Lindequist entrance gate. It has luxury and modern accommodation with great facilities. There is a tennis court, two pools and a spa.
South of Etosha
These accommodation recommendations are close to Anderson Gate.
Etosha Village Camping (budget) – campsite with pool and restaurant on site. Each camping pitch has a private bathroom. Bring your own tent! 1km from Anderson Gate.
Etosha Village (mid-range) – the more upscale option at Etosha Village with chalets and a pool and restaurant. 1km from Anderson Gate.
Etosha Oberland Lodge (high-end) – beautiful safari tent accommodation. Great for families. Infinity pool and restaurant. 2km from Anderson Gate.
Ongava Lodge (high-end) is also a great option in the southwest on its own private reserve.
We hope you found this Etosha self-drive safari guide helpful but if you have any questions, please feel free to drop us a line!
