Etosha National Park

Etosha Safari Lion

Etosha National Park, with its wealth of animals and plants is one of Southern Africa’s finest and most treasured Game Reserves in Africa. Declared a National Park in 1907 by the German Government, Etosha lies in the north of Namibia and covers an area of 22,270 sq km. It is home to 114 mammal species, 340 species of birds, 110 reptile species, and 16 amphibian species and surprisingly, one species of fish.
The National Park is dominated by a massive mineral pan that formed about 1000 million years ago, a section of the Kalahari Basin and covers an area of 4,590 sq km about 25% of the National Park. The pan was originally a lake fed by the Kunene River. However the course of the river changed thousands of years ago and the lake dried up.
In the dry season the pan is made up of white, cracked mud that shimmers with mirages. In the rainy season the pan fills up with water that’s draining southwards from Angola via a delta like system of shallow rivers and oshanas. The pan currently is an out sized dusty depression full of salt and light clay only prevalent when the rains are heavy and even then only holds water for a short time.
Vegetation
Etosha vegetation is punctuated with diverse dwarf shrub savannah and grasslands plant cover, more pronounced around the pan; to thorn-bush and woodland savannah throughout the park with numerous mopane scrubs (Colophospermum mopane) especially in the western areas.  There are extensive woodlands of giant trees in the southern parts of the Halali area as well as in the camp. One of the most spectacular trees in the park is the African moringa and ghost tree. Others are red bushwillow (Combretum apiculatum).
Wildlife – Animals
There are over 114 species of mammals in Etosha National Park. These include the black-faced impala – there are no southern impala in Etosha neither the threatened black and white rhino. There are no buffalo, hippo, crocodile or monkeys. The drier months of June to November is when the water points exert much magnetic pull on the big game offering the best moment for visitors looking to see the nearly 150 mammal species. More fortunate visitors will see leopard and cheetah plus other rare species such as the tssesebe and gemsbok.
Bird life
Over 340 bird species are sheltered in Etosha. Most of the thousands of wading birds in Etosha including the notable flocks of flamingos are attracted by the temporary water source in the Etosha Pan. The perennial springs along the edges of the Etosha Pan also draw big concentrations of rare bird species. Like all southern African birding spots, Namibia is best visited for birding in the rainy summer months of October to April. This is when intra-African and Palaearctic migrants arrive and many to breed.
Best Time to Visit
Game viewing in Etosha National Park is exceptional from around late May to climaxing in September. This is the cooler season in the whole country and one in which visitors to Etosha can expect to spot numerous buck species, elephant, giraffe, rhino and lions. When the rainy season starts in the summer months, October to April animals rarely visit the water spots along the tourist routes. So this does not offer the best time to visit Etosha Park.
Getting There
Etosha National Park is served by a good network of roads linking the three main campsites plus other subsidiary roads that lead to the several waterholes. Drive to Von Lindenquist Gate through Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb, then to Namutoni rest camp, which is approximately 11km inside the park. The park’s main entrance is at the Andersson Gate located just near Okaukuejo in the south. The eastern entrance is the Von Lindequist Gate near Namutoni. In the north-east is the new Nehale lya Mpingana Gate (King Nehale Gate) that was opened in early 2003. By using the Eastern route, you will access Etosha just after 553km from north Windhoek All the road routes are tarred all the way. So expect convenience getting there.
Etosha Accommodation
If you are looking for Etosha National Park tour accommodation, Guideforafrica has a selection of Safari accommodation and camping facilities to cater for holiday accommodation in Etosha National Park and surrounds. Traditionally tourists to Etosha have had a choice of three rest camps – Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo. All three camps have floodlit waterholes, two of which provide excellent night game viewing. Rhino and elephant are often seen at the waterhole at Okaukuejo, while the newer waterhole at Halali is fast attracting more wildlife. However, Namutoni waterhole is disappointing, probably because there are so many other waterholes in the vicinity

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