Etosha National Park

Wildlife

Etosha supports a wide range of large mammals adapted to its dry environment. Elephants here are often coated white with the pale dust of the pan, and are among the tallest in Africa. Huge herds of springbok, gemsbok, blue wildebeest and Burchell’s zebra graze the open plains, alongside red hartebeest, eland, kudu and giraffe.

The park is one of the world’s most important refuges for the endangered black rhino, and Etosha’s waterholes give a rare chance to see this shy animal, especially after dark at the floodlit waterholes of the rest camps. White rhino are also present. Poaching remains a serious threat, which is why rhino locations are never shared publicly.

Lions are widespread, and leopard, cheetah, spotted and brown hyena, black-backed jackal and bat-eared fox are all seen. Etosha is also home to two specialities of the region: the black-faced impala, a localised subspecies, and the tiny Damara dik-dik, often seen near Namutoni.

Birdlife is surprisingly rich, with around 340 species recorded. Kori bustards, secretary birds, ostriches and a variety of raptors are easy to see, and in years of good rain, when water collects on the pan, flamingos and pelicans may gather to breed. There are no buffalo in Etosha, so it is not a Big Five park, but very few parks offer more reliable rhino viewing.

Key wildlife

• Black rhino
• White rhino
• Elephant
• Lion
• Leopard
• Cheetah
• Spotted hyena
• Brown hyena
• Giraffe
• Zebra
• Springbok
• Gemsbok
• Black-faced impala
• Damara dik-dik

Best Time to Visit

Short answer: Jun–Oct. Also good: May, Nov.

Peak Good Quieter

The dry season from June to October is the best time for game viewing. Water is scarce, the vegetation thins, and animals gather at the waterholes, so sightings are frequent and predictable. Days are warm and sunny, while early mornings and nights in June and July can be cold, so bring warm layers for game drives. By September and October it is hot and very dry, and the waterholes are at their busiest.

May is a lovely shoulder month, with the bush still green after the rains and comfortable temperatures. The rainy season usually runs from about November to April, with afternoon thunderstorms. Animals disperse widely as water collects across the park, which makes sightings less predictable, but the landscape turns green, many antelope have their young, migratory birds arrive and the pan may hold water. It is also quieter, with lower rates at some lodges.

Getting There

Most international visitors arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport (WDH) near Windhoek. From there, Etosha’s southern Andersson Gate is roughly a five-hour drive on good tarred roads, often broken with a night along the way. Many self-drive itineraries combine Etosha with Damaraland and Sossusvlei.

Ondangwa Airport (OND), north of the park, has domestic flights and is the closest airport with scheduled services. Many luxury and fly-in safaris use light aircraft to private airstrips in the reserves bordering Etosha, cutting out long road transfers.

The park has four main entrances: Andersson Gate in the south, Von Lindequist Gate in the east, King Nehale Gate in the north-east and Galton Gate in the west. Gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, and visitors must be inside a camp or outside the park before the gates close. Roads within the park are gravel but generally suitable for ordinary vehicles, although a higher-clearance vehicle is more comfortable.

Fees & Access

Entrance fees

From 1 April 2026, foreign adults (16 and over) pay N$280 per person per day, made up of a N$140 entry fee and a N$140 conservation fee. Foreign children aged 9–15 pay N$180, and children aged 8 and under enter free. SADC residents pay N$180 and Namibians N$60. A vehicle with up to 10 seats pays N$60 per day.

Fees are paid at the gate or at your rest camp, and guided safaris usually include them.

Gate hours

Sunrise to sunset. Be inside a camp or out of the park before the gates close.

Health

Malaria risk: Low. Ask a travel clinic about antimalarials before you go.

Fees and gate times change. Check the latest rates with the park authority before you travel.

Things to Do

Self-drive game viewing is one of Etosha’s great pleasures. With a good map, you can explore the network of waterholes at your own pace, stopping wherever the action is.

Guided game drives are offered by lodges and by the rest camps, including guided night drives, the only way to explore the park after dark. Private reserves on the borders also offer their own drives, walks and rhino-focused activities.

Floodlit waterholes at Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni allow you to watch wildlife late into the night from the comfort of the camp. Okaukuejo’s waterhole is famous for black rhino, elephants and lions.

Etosha Pan viewpoints let you look out over the vast white pan, an extraordinary sight, especially in the heat haze of the afternoon.

Photography is superb, with clear light, open landscapes and waterholes that bring animals to you.

Explore our Etosha, Damaraland and Sossusvlei fly-in safari and Namibia family self-drive, extend your trip to the Skeleton Coast, browse all safaris, or plan your safari with us.