Etosha National Park

The Etosha National Park is Namibia’s best-known tourist attraction, and one of the most interesting and largest game reserves in Africa! Etosha is a combination of grasslands, dense brush and open plains in the south and dried lake (saltpan) in the north and due to this unusual terrain, makes it one of the largest and most impressive game reserves in the whole of Africa. The reserve was named Etosha, the Ovambo name meaning “place of dry water” because of the vast, shallow saltpan, which shimmers a silvery bright white, from salt across its entire surface during the dry season. 

Almost all African animal species are represented in this National park. Well-maintained gravel roads that are mostly easy to drive with a normal vehicle, lead to watering holes, where game viewing is at is best. The water holes, scattered throughout the park, are the basis of life for countless wild animals. There are an estimated number of more than 300 lions, 300 rhinos, 2000 giraffes and 1500 elephants in the park. 

Particularly numerous are the zebra and springbok, of which at least 30,000 can be found here. Protected species such as the black-faced impala and black rhino are also seen regularly. After exceptionally rainy periods, the pan fills with water and enormous flocks of flamingos and pelicans arrive to feed and breed. 

Etosha is home to more than 3,000 species of birds and large animals, among them the elephant, giraffe, zebra, leopard, cheetah, lion, kudu, black-faced impala, wildebeest, black rhino and hyena. The best water holes are found on the southern side of the park (unfortunately, they are only full after the rainy season). The Kuvelai River, which feeds Etosha from the north, either floods or dries up completely, vanishes into the sand.