About Etosha National Park
Etosha, meaning ‘place of dry water’, encloses a huge, flat calcrete depression (or pan) of about 5,000km² in north-western Namibia. The ‘pan’ provides a silver-white backdrop of shimmering mirages to an area of semi-arid savannah grassland. The pan itself contains water only after very good rains and sometimes for only a few days each year, but is enough to stimulate the growth of a blue-green algae which lures thousands of flamingos during the wet season.
Etosha National Park (South)
Named after the Etosha Salt Pan – so large it can be seen from space - the park is home to four of the Big Five (there are no buffalo in Etosha) and numerous other species of game. The arid nature of the desert provides a striking backdrop for a safari, and the limited water sources mean that animals congregate around waterholes, making good sightings almost a given.
Located just south of the boundary of Etosha National Park in north-western Namibia, Etosha South makes up the southern region of this wild paradise. The park can be accessed via the southern entrance at Andersson’s Gate. There are many game-viewing opportunities including lion, giraffe, elephant, white and black rhino. Popular activities include game drives, guided nature walks and watching the sunset over this magnificent landscape.
The game drive in southern Etosha is done in a tour vehicle with a maximum of 17 other passengers. The benefit of this is that you are protected from the heat and dust, although views are slightly obstructed and you won’t have a wildlife spotter. After having spent a night in this part of Etosha, you will spend a full day driving through the park to reach the eastern part.
Etosha National Park (East)
There are many game-viewing opportunities including four of the Big Five (there are no buffalo in Etosha) as well as numerous other species. In the eastern part of Etosha, there is the possibility to upgrade from your normal tour vehicle to an open 4x4 vehicle, which offers a more classic safari experience as you can get closer to the animals, with excellent photography opportunities.