The waterholes do the work
Etosha National Park
About Etosha National Park
The pan gives Etosha its name and its character. It covers around 4,800 square kilometres, a quarter of the park, and is so large it can be seen from space. Most of the time it lies there as a white, shimmering emptiness on which almost nothing grows and over which mirages dance in the heat.
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It only gets water in the rainy season, and even then only in good years. Then the rain fills the rivers in the north and east: the Ekuma is fed by Lake Oponono, the Oshigambo comes from southern Angola, the Omuramba Ovambo from the northeast. They run into the pan, and between January and April a shallow lake stands there, usually only 30 to 40 centimetres deep. In some years the water seeps away into the riverbeds before it even reaches the pan. Neither zebra nor elephant can drink it, because its salt content is often twice that of the sea. For flamingos and pelicans, on the other hand, this lake is a breeding ground. The mammals avoid the pan itself and live around its edges.
That is the whole logic of the park. There is no permanent river, so the animals depend on a chain of waterholes along the southern edge of the pan. Some are fed by springs whose water comes from the dolomite of the Otavi highlands, others are man-made. The roads connect exactly these waterholes. You do not drive around looking. You pick a waterhole, stop, switch off the engine and wait. Over an hour or two, the whole “bush” comes to you. For example: first a few zebra stand at the water, then gemsbok and springbok push in, and at some point an elephant family appears. It does not go like that every time, though; every waterhole and every day writes its own script. It is most impressive in the dry season from May to October, because the animals concentrate at the waterholes then. With the first rains in November the picture changes: the herds spread out across the plains, and the waterholes go quiet.
If you are waiting at a waterhole, adjust your position over the hours, because the sun moves. What is in backlight in the morning can be perfectly side-lit by late morning. So feel free to move the car several times, as long as there is room.
It is just as important to stay flexible. A bird in flight or two fighting gemsbok call for a fast shutter speed that freezes every moment. If a rhino or a giraffe comes to drink and you want to show the animal as part of the landscape, it is less about the shutter speed and more about the aperture. So be ready to change your settings from one situation to the next.
What the driving is like
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The main routes are gravel and very well maintained. An ordinary vehicle with a bit of clearance copes with them very well; a 4×4 is not strictly necessary.
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The typical problems in Etosha have little to do with the vehicle; they are about planning. The most important is fuel. The distances are greater than they look on the map, and you drive slowly in the park.
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There is no fuel in the west. The last chance to fill up is Okaukuejo. Leave there with a full tank, even if the needle is still quite high. Dolomite Camp is about 180 kilometres from Okaukuejo, so getting there and back is around 360 kilometres on the road alone. Then come the drives to the waterholes around the camp, of which there are more than 15. Reckon with 450 to 550 kilometres in total, depending on how much you drive around in the west.
Depending on the vehicle, that takes you close to the limit of one tank. A rough calculation: a 4×4 with an 80-litre tank often uses 11 to 13 litres per 100 kilometres on gravel. That makes 80 litres good for about 600 to 700 kilometres, leaving a buffer of 100 to 150 kilometres. With a smaller tank or a thirsty vehicle it gets tight. Then take a full jerrycan, ideally secured on the load bed or in the boot, not inside the cabin. Do a quick calculation before you set off, with your vehicle's consumption and your planned route.
If you leave the west through Galton Gate, it is easier: the nearest fuel outside the park is at Kamanjab. If you drive back to Okaukuejo instead, you have to manage with what you brought.
The second thing is time. Many people underestimate how long the drives between camps take, especially if you stop at waterholes, which is the whole point. Better to plan one leg fewer than to arrive rushed at the end.
The third thing is toilets. Outside the camps there are almost none, and where there are, they are mostly simple long-drops in poor condition. So use the camps deliberately as breaks, for this purpose too.
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You may not get out of the vehicle outside the camps and the designated places, and the camp gates close at dusk.
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Staying overnight in the park pays off in many ways. You are at the waterhole at first light and save yourself long drives in. And in the evening you can stay at the waterholes that can be seen from the camps, so you watch the animals even when the gates have long closed and nobody is allowed to drive any more.
When to go
June to October, dry season
This is the time people come to Etosha for. The land is dry and dusty, the bush bare, the views long. The last water is at the waterholes, and everything that lives comes there. The animals are as predictable as almost nowhere else, and you see scenes you will never forget. May is a good start with mild days; October gets hot and dusty but rewards you with busy waterholes.
November to April, rainy season
Etosha shows a different side now. After the first thunderstorms the land turns green, there are young animals everywhere in the fresh grass, and the herds spread out across the plains. In good rain years the pan fills, flamingos and pelicans come to breed, and migrant birds bring colour to the park.
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The rainy season is low season: it is quieter, and prices are often lower. The exception is the holiday period in December, when the park can be full. It is summer, the days are hot and often humid from January to March, and thunderstorms build up in the afternoon. The waterholes lose some of their pull, but you get atmosphere, stormy skies and a completely different Etosha. The dry season is the classic choice for a first trip, but if you love birds and landscape, you will not regret the rainy season.
What this changes for your planning
01
A floodlit waterhole is worth planning around
When the gates close in the evening, a second show begins in Etosha, and you have the best ticket for it if you stay in the park. Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni each have their own floodlit waterhole within walking distance. You grab a spot at the fence, a cold drink in your hand, and wait for what the night brings. Then shadows emerge from the dark. With a bit of luck it is a rhino stepping silently up to the water, an elephant family drinking its fill in peace, or a lion claiming the place for itself. It is never guaranteed, but that is exactly the appeal.
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If you want it even more intense, drive west to Olifantsrus. A wooden walkway leads to a two-storey hide that seems to stand almost in the middle of the waterhole. Downstairs you sit behind glass just a few metres from the water; upstairs you look down on everything. When an elephant herd comes to drink, you are as close to it as you will rarely be, and still completely safe. Olifantsrus is a small, quiet campsite with only a few pitches. For anyone who likes sleeping in a tent or a rooftop tent, it is a real highlight.
02
Waiting beats driving
Covering ground is not the right tactic in Etosha. You can easily visit several waterholes in a day, but stay a while at each. If you switch off the engine and bring patience, you see far more than someone who only takes in each waterhole while driving past.
From my own trips
The dry season, roughly June to October, is best for watching wildlife: animals gather at the water sources and the vegetation is thinner.
How long to plan
At least 4 nights
Long enough to sleep at two different camps and visit their waterholes after the gates close.
The camps, and what they mean
The three main camps
01
Okaukuejo (south)
The largest camp in the park, about 17 km from Andersson Gate and so the usual starting point. It has a restaurant, fuel and a shop. Its waterhole is one of the most famous in the park and an easy walk from the accommodation; some chalets look straight onto it. Being so close to the gate, it can get busy in high season.
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Halali (centre)
The smallest of the three camps, at the foot of a dolomite hill halfway between Okaukuejo and Namutoni. It is quieter than Okaukuejo and has a restaurant, chalets and a campsite. Its waterhole with a viewing platform is exceptional too, but it is a little further from the accommodation, so some guests drive there.
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Namutoni (east)
The camp is built around an old fort and is reached through Von Lindequist Gate. Its waterhole is not as remarkable as the other two, because it is heavily overgrown with reeds.
More upmarket lodges and a tented camp
04
Dolomite Camp
In the west, reached via Galton Gate.
05
Onkoshi Camp
Overlooking the salt pan. Guests are brought in from Namutoni in park vehicles.
06
Olifantsrus
Tented camp in the northwest with a two-storey hide at a waterhole.
For the camera
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Sunset: silhouettes
Expose for the bright sky so that giraffe, acacias or elephants appear dark. Clean outlines and a simple composition work especially well.
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Salt pan: minimalism
Use the bright surface as a calm background. A single gemsbok or ostrich looks especially striking if you leave plenty of empty space in the frame.
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Do not forget dust protection: Etosha can be very dusty. Bring a microfibre cloth and a sealable bag for the camera, and avoid changing lenses when dust is in the air.
What goes wrong
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Starting the drive back too late. A common planning mistake is staying at the last waterhole until just before the gates close. Then a surprise sighting, a slow track or a detour is enough to use up your buffer. It is better to plan the return so that you reach the camp or the exit well before closing time. That way it is no problem if a spontaneous or exceptional sighting comes up on the way back.
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Sleeping outside the park to save money. You then arrive after the best light and leave before it comes back. And you miss the magic of the floodlit waterholes in the dark, when the park belongs to the animals again and nobody is allowed to drive around.
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Exploring the western part of the park with too little petrol or diesel. The last chance to fill up is at Okaukuejo. Fill the jerrycan too, then head west. Otherwise your range is very limited, and the west is worth it, because far fewer tourists visit it.
Questions people ask
Do I need a 4×4?
As a rule, no. The main roads are well-kept gravel that an ordinary vehicle can handle, ideally one with a bit of clearance. The side roads are usually fine too, and a 4×4 is not strictly necessary.
When is the best time?
The best chances for wildlife are from June to October. In the dry season life concentrates at the waterholes, and that is where most of the action happens.
The green season has its own charm: it is quieter, beautiful to look at and full of life. With the lush vegetation, though, the animals spread out more across the park, so sightings are harder.
Will I see rhino?
Etosha is one of the best places in Africa to watch black rhino. In the evening at the floodlit waterholes in particular, you have a good chance of seeing them. A sighting is still not guaranteed.
Are there hippo or crocodile?
No, because there is no river that carries water all year. That is also why there are no buffalo.
Can I combine it with Sossusvlei?
Most routes combine the two, but there are long driving days on tar and gravel in between. If you definitely want to see Etosha and Sossusvlei, allow enough time: at least 14 days.
Borders: Natural Earth
