Etosha National Park, located in Northern Namibia, is one of Africa’s most unique National Parks. It’s main characteristics – apart form boasting 4 out of the big 5 – is that at its center is the Etosha pan – a salt pan large enough to be seen from space! Believed to have been formed over 100 million years ago it is 130km long and 50km wide. (It’s actually bigger than the entire Kruger National Park in South Africa!)
When the Europeans discovered the area in around 1851, they were accompanied by the Ovambo Traders. Etosha can be loosely translated as “Great White Place” in the Ovambo language – due to the salt pan and dusty landscape in winter – and it is their traditional name for the land that stands to this day.
Etosha National Park, Namibia – A Quick Travel Guide
Quick Note: These photos are from my trip to Africa in 2016. I like to think my photography was OK back then (it did get me noticed by Google and invited to Christmas Island as one of their wildlife photographers in December 2017), but it has improved dramatically since then. Take a look at my photography page or recent Hong Kong Photo Guide for a taste of what 2 years on the road + my upgraded camera gear puts out!)
Etosha is home to thousands of animals across hundreds of species. With 4 of the Big 5 including Elephants, Leopards, Lions and both White and the endangered Black Rhino, you’ll be spoilt for choice for wild game (only missing out on seeing the great African Buffalo). With multiple waterholes located throughout the park you’re almost guaranteed sightings of at least a couple of the 5.. and if not there are plenty of giraffes, zebra, ostrich, hyena, and every type of antelope under the sun to go around!
Being able to watch these majestic creatures in their natural habitat is one of the most incredible travel experiences I have ever had, and one I would repeat in a heartbeat should the opportunity arise. From listening to safari guides explaining about the wildlife and their habits, to watching it unfold before you eyes, you’ll never want to step foot inside a zoo again. But for those who are not able to visit Africa, I hope this photo tour gives you a little glimpse into our wonderful natural world – and if this inspires you to hop on a plane and see for yourself, the quick tips below will help with your planning!
– Best Time To Visit: Winter (May – December) when the park is dry and game viewing is easier with the number of waterholes within the park
– Park Fees: approx $80 NAD per adult
– Self Drive is possible in a high suspension vehicle. Trails are easily marked and it is one of the easiest South African Parks to overland or road trip yourself.
– Guided Game Drives: $610-650 NAD per adult (available Morning, Afternoon + Evening)
– Where to Stay: Gondwana Etosha Safari Lodge (in Okaukuejo, 10km from Anderson Gate inside the Park) or Gondwana Safari Camp – staying inside the camp and hearing the animals all around you as you go to sleep is ah-maze-ing! Okaukuejo is also home to the large illuminated waterhole that I feature later in the post.
– Essential Things to Bring: Sunglasses, Sunscreen,Binoculars,Mosquito Repellent, and a sun hat
– See More of Namibia on these Overland Safari Tours (which includes Etosha and so many other amazing Namibian sights and experiences like Sousselvei, Fish River Canyon & Spitzkoppe)
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Etosha National Park in Photographs
The landscape is just incredible in the dry season with vast emptiness as far as the eye can see – until you drive into a dust storm! If you visit in Summer (the wet season) this is transformed into a lush green animal hiding haven. Think of visiting in the dry season as a Safari for beginners with much higher chances of seeing lots of wildlife at the waterholes, making for an amazing Safari experience.
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We sat at this waterhole for over an hour watching the animals come and go. But this tower of giraffes grabbing a drink were one of my favorite sights.
It’s no mean feat to get water down that long neck. New research suggests that there is a ‘plunger pump’ at work. Want to know more about how this works? Click here!
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The ostrich is the largest flightless bird in Africa and they can run up to 43 miles per hour – that’s 70km! In South Africa Ostrich’s are bred for their feathers and skin – but here in Etosha, they can roam wild and free.
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This is a black rhino. One of the most endangered animals on the planet. Despite both white and black rhino’s being the same colour, you can tell them apart by the shape of their mouths. Black Rhinos have a small rounded mouth, whilst white rhinos have a quite prominent square jaw. (Apologies for the less than crisp image quality, my Lumix Fz70 was stretched to capacity trying to capture this moment from a few km away and on short notice before he walked behind the bush!)
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Zebras are one of my favorite animals, but did you know that no two Zebra are exactly the same? The striped pattern is different on every zebra and acts as camouflage from predators. This is because those big cats (lions/leopards) cannot tell where one zebra ends and another starts when they run as a herd. How cool is nature?!
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Oh, and speaking of lions… this lonely male was seen out on the prowl. Unlucky for him (and us!) he was no where near any potential food source when we spotted him! As morbid as it sounds, to see a ‘kill’ – the whole circle of life encapsulated in one event – is still at the top of my Africa wish-list.
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Oh my. Those eyelashes! Simply Gorgeous!
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The Oryx are one of the biggest species of antelope and can weigh up to 170kg!
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You may be thinking, hey – Vicki said there were no buffalo in Etosha – and there are not, if you are counting them as the Big 5. These are in fact Water Buffalo, and they originated in Asia. I’m not entirely sue on how they ended up in Namibia.. but they did.
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Blink and you’ll miss this spotted hyena – how well camouflaged is he?!
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How many zebra can you see? I think we stopped counting at 100!!
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Did you know that Ostrich’s mate for life?! The male has the striking black and white coloring which is said the attract the females, who are a light brown in color.
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Don’t Springbok’s (part of the antelope family) have the prettiest faces?!
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These gorgeous creatures are known as the lesser Kudu – also part of the antelope family – and are enjoying a little drink at the waterhole.
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All the animals together on the pan – check out how tiny the springbok look beside the giraffe!
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These two are Jackals. Closely related to the wolf family, they are carnivorous scavengers who are filled with disease.. Not as cute now, hey?! These are the critters can be found stripping the carcasses of dead animals that have been left by other predators. I have footage, but it’s a bit graphic. They are also small enough to get into the campsites at night and will steal your flip flops if you leave them outside your tent.. (true story)
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If you only have one day/night in Etosha – make sure you stay in Okokaukuejo, located 10km from Anderson Gate inside the park. It boasts a large waterhole that is illuminated throughout the night and surrounded by benches (behind a wall and wire) so that you can sit and watch the animals come an go all night.
One of my absolute highlights of my time in Africa was this night when 30+ elephants rocked up to the waterhole and stayed for over an hour. This night I was on the cooking team and nobody got dinner until very very late!
… and when I thought it couldn’t get better – say hello Mr White Rhino!! Look how small he is compared to the baby elephant in the background! Just incredible!
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And make sure you don’t miss sunset. The red hue as the sun goes down is beyond beautiful!
So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed my photo tour of Etosha National Park in Namibia – and I hope you get to see all of this and more if you ever get to Africa!
And if this post has got you curious as to what the rest of Namibia looks like – take a look at these beautiful Photographs of Namibia.
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READY TO EXPLORE MORE OF AFRICA? YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THESE ARTICLES
- Namibia: 10 Reasons to visit Namibia in 15 stunning Photographs
- Zimbabwe: Which side of Victoria Falls is Best? Zimbabwe or Zambia
- South Africa: Plan an Epic Road Trip on South Africa’s Garden Route
- Africa: Have a Giggle at my expense with my Africa Outtakes!
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Wow! I had to stop and stare in awe at the zebra photos. Haha! Would want to see Africa for myself too. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Jing – the zebras are my favorites too!
Planning a vacation in South Africa and wondering about the best wildlife parks to cover…Namibia looks pretty good too. You’re right, the Springbok is the loveliest of them all.
Hi Punita – If you’re in SA I can highly recommend Kruger – I know it’s the most well know, but that is for a reason. We had one of our best safari days in Kruger and would recommend it to everyone!
Wow what ain incredible part of the world. Those animals are amazing. I love the close shot of the giraffe’s face. What a lovely photo story. You really took us there.
Thanks Skye! I loved the eyelashes on that guy too!
Such lovely photos bring alive the vibrant wildlife. It is always such a pleasure to see wildlife in their natural habitat. Your pictures take me really close to these beauties.
Thanks Vyjay!
Some great photos of the national park.We love the ones of the giraffe drinking and the two Jackals.
Thanks Mr & Mrs W – I could sit and watch the giraffes drinking all day – it’s such an incredible sight. And the jackals play like puppies!
WOW great photo’s you have there! the giraffes on the small pond is definitely the photo of the day
Thank you Kevin!
The pictures delighted me like a child! :)
I was really excited with the sights of these animals roaming free in the wild. What an experience for you!
Thanks Indrani – it’s pretty incredible in real life!
I am totally enamored with your photos! This would be a dream trip for me as I love every kind of animal you can view there. And I do have to say I still think Jackal are adorable! :) I can tell those giraffes were posing just for you!
Thank you Nancy – I spent hour going through about 600 photos to decide which one’s to include! The Jackals are pretty cute – and they play like puppies too. Pretty adorable really!
Oh wow… black rhinos! So cool. So many amazing creatures on this planet and you captured them beautifully. Thanks for sharing :)
Thank you Carmen – it was awesome to see a black and white rhino on the same day!
Some amazing pictures there, they really make your story come alive. As someone who will probably never get to Africa stories such as yours may be as close as i get. I would love to see a giraffe in the world they are such majestic creatures
Thanks Mark – and I’ll keep my fingers crossed you get to go to Africa one day – its simply incredible :-)
Woww…. amazing captures. It is great to see the animals in their natural habitat than caged in Zoos.
Thanks Gokul – and it sure is great to see them in the wild!
Thankyou so much for this photo tour – I am ridiculously jealous!! Namibia has been on my list for the longest time, and I hope to get there one day. Etosha National Park would be a dream – funny how people instantly think of Kenya or Tanzania for an African Safari when you can have just as amazing an experience, if not better, in lesser known countries with lesser crowds!
Thanks Meg! Namibia really is an amazing country and it’s great that it’s starting to get more recognition from tourists/travelers. And yep – it’s certainly quieter than its neighboring countries!
Namibia looks like a paradise! Def high on my list!
Hey Vicki,
Totally loved it. Your photographs are simply amazing. I love the face of Springbok. It is indeed cute.
Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Himanshu
Thank you Himanshu :-)
Safaris are such a great thing! I only went on two in Kenya and Tanzania and absolutely loved it! Hopefully I’ll make it to Namibia soon. I’ve only heard great things about it!
Namibia is incredible Viki – I hope you get to visit soon!
WOW!! Looks like you had a proper adventure and great time in this safari trip. Would love to go soon! Love your pictures too! <3
Thanks Ryazan – it was an incredible adventure :-)
Gorgeous photos! I especially love the one of the giraffe by the watering hole–so cute! Looks like a fantastic experience!!
Thanks Jenna – watching the giraffes drink is certainly an amazing sight to witness. The mechanics are mind blowing!
wow, that looks amazing! That giraffe bending down to drink water, you never really think about it when you see them in a zoo.
I think the highlight at least in your pics is that Hyenna! It looks so beautiful!
Thanks Eric – glad you liked the Hyena – I nearly didn’t include him because I didn’t think he was that appealing!
What an absolutely incredible experience! Your photos of the animals are brilliant too. I also love zebras! But I had no idea about how the lions can’t figure out where one starts and ends…very clever! Giraffes are my other favourite wild animal because of their eyelashes, they’re insane! Awesome post. Very envious.
Thanks Juliette – and yeah, we learned so many little nuggets of animals related info whist we were there. It was awesome!
I love seeing the giraffe so awkwardly drink water! haha! Oh the antelope- definitely agree with you- such a pretty face!
Safari is an amazing experience! I did one last year in Tanzania and loved it!
So far I have associated Namibia with beautiful pictures of sand dunes, but now I can see there much more there :)
Thanks Monika – Tanzania is next on my list! And yeah, the dunes do tend to get a lot of publicity but there is so much more to Namibia – it’s such a country of contrasts!
Zebras, lions, giraffes and other wildlife. Etosha National Park looks fabulous. I so love going on an African safari. Pick me anytime.
Thank Christina – and I agree – going on Safari is such a magical experience :-)
Oh wow, it must have been an unforgettable experience! Love your photos, Vicki – especially the giraffe (I love their eyelashes too :D)
Thanks Vicky – it really was an unforgettable experience!
What a really beautiful place – and what great photos too. That one of the elephants at the water hole at sunset is beautiful. I would love to visit one day. Coming over from the Audley Blogger Challenge linky :)
Thanks so much Victoria! When those elephants strolled up at dusk my heart literally burst with excitement! I ran back to the camp to get my camera, loosing a flip flop in the process – and I didn’t collect it until 2 hours later!
What a great post. I’m very envious! Wonderful pics.
Thank you! It really is an AMAZING part of the world and one of my favorite National Parks in Africa!
Such beautiful photographs! I got so excited to see not one, but two, rhino pictures. It is my dream to go to Africa and see rhinos in the wild one day.