Etosha National Park is Namibia’s Top Draw Attraction
Those in the international media unfamiliar with the charms of Namibia were surprised when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie – one of Hollywood’s most celebrated couples-, selected the country as the birthplace of their child. The child was born in May 2006 in a small hospital near Swakopmund on the Atlantic coast. The country is so sparsely populated - 2 persons per square km that paparazzi have no place to hide.
Namibia Etosha National Park is one of the most interesting tourist destinations in Namibia. This country sits to the southwest of the African continent, and was in fact named South West Africa by German colonials. The country received its present name after independence from South Africa in 1990. Germans ran the country from 1884, but after the First World War, South Africa took over under a League of Nations mandate. The country borders South Africa to the south, Botswana and Zambia to the east, Angola to the North and the Atlantic Ocean to the west.
Though Namibia occupies some of the continent’s hottest and driest perches, it fascinates travelers and especially intrepid adventurers. The highlights of Namibia for the visitor are: Windhoek –the county’s capital and only city; the Namib Desert –the world’s oldest desolate tract with its spectacular dunes; the Fish River Canyon –one of Africa’s great natural gorges; the swampy reserves of the Caprivi Strip; the Skeleton Coast –on the ghostly Atlantic desert shores; the culture and traditions of the people of the land; and Etosha National Park –a wildlife and wilderness marvel, that is counted with the best in Africa. The country's top draw is the Etosha National Park, and which you will not miss on any good value tour of the country. Etosha nourishes life in abundance in the seething heat of Namibia’s north. Recorded inhabitants of the sanctuary include 114 mammal species, over 340 bird species, 110 reptile species, and swarms of insect species. The park has rich, magical backdrops, and some of the best wildlife photographs have been taken here.
About Etosha National Park Designated a national park in 1907, Etosha is one of Africa’s largest game reserves, covering well over 22,000 sq km. Up until 1967, it extended over 100,000 sq km and was the world’s largest national park. Etosha can be reached, traveling by road, 430 km northwards of Windhoek. Etosha in the Ovambo language means “the place of dry water”. This particularly refers to the Etosha saltpan that sits at the heart of the national park, and after which the park is named. The pan is a large, white sandy depression that converts into a shallow water mass in the rainy season. The rains are not always faithful- but are most likely to come in summer - between October and April. The Etosha Pan resulted from the caprice of the Kunene River, which thousands of years ago, coursed through here, forming a lake. With time, the river changed course, thirsting the pan as the dry desert heat exerted its toll. Today, except for a short period in summer, the lake remains a huge saline pan, which with its haunting mirage effect only clings to the memory of its abundant past. The Ovambo’s name for the pan as the ‘place of dry water’ is evocative and thoroughly descriptive. The salt-sand lake stretches 130 km long and 50 km in width, taking up nearly 25 percent of the entire Etosha National Park. The pan is an important source of life continuity and in the wet season provides unique opportunities for game watching. The fleeting waters of the pan attract large herds of plains game, which in turn attracts the big cats and other predators and inevitably the promise of drama. Elephants, giraffes, rare black rhinos, and thousands of birds –most visibly flamingos and pelicans, are also in attendance. Beyond the pan, Etosha National Park is characterised by vast savannah grasslands, Mopane woodlands, mixed thorn savannah, dense woods and bushes. There are well over 30 waterholes in Etosha, which all present the perfect chance to view wildlife. During the day, most game drives are centred around the waterholes which most visitors approach and quietly wait for the animals to come for a drink in the heat of the day. The waterholes around the rest camps are floodlit, providing opportunities for night game viewing, when it is cooler. Most of the waterholes are manmade and the park authorities ensure that they do not run dry. Mans helping hand supplements the rains and caters for most of the animals water needs all year round. This simple and clever strategy keeps the animals within park boundaries, which are tightly fenced off. It has the benefit of minimising human-wildlife conflict and has generally been successful. Etosha National Park has 3 main entry points: the Andersson Gate in the south, the Von Lindequist Gate in the east and the Nehale lya Mpingana Gate (King Nehale Gate) in the northeast. You are allowed to drive at the edge of the Etosha Pan, but not on inside the pan itself. The pan is reachable from any of the parks main entrances, rest camps and private game reserves. The Andersson gate is the main entrance to Etosha Park and is the most accessible from Windhoek. Okaukuejo, 18 km from the gate, is one of three main rest camps within Etosha, and is the oldest and best public camp. This is the best place to start your Etosha safari as there are more wildlife species here than anywhere else in the park. It is really more of a small town, and is an excellent place to overnight and restock. Etosha National Park Camps In addition to accommodation, other facilities include restaurants, swimming pools, a souvenir shop, motor garage and fuelling station, a leisure centre, and most convenient of all –a floodlit waterhole right at the edge of the camp. The station also houses the park’s administration centre and the Etosha Ecological Institute that manages conservation research. 1. Okaukuejo Camp Okaukuejo camp overlooks a waterhole that is a big puller, for both animals and visitors alike. The camp has a theatre-like setting around the waterhole, with a platform of benches from where visitors sit quietly to watch the animals drink. At night, the water base is floodlit and the viewing is phenomenal! The animals stream in, oblivious of their audience and of the stage on which they perform. It is the best time for seeing even the shyest of the game that only come out to drink when supposedly there are no spectators. In the night light elusive leopard, rare desert elephants, and the occasional black rhino are all guests at Okaukuejo’s flood lit waterhole
Round the bend from Okaukuejo, the legendary “haunted forest” rises eerie in the landscape. Tall Moringa trees pierce into the air, in this rather creepy forest. But the animals are not intimidated, and many small mammals can be spotted, among them the Damara dik-dik - tiny antelopes endemic to Angola and northwest Namibia.
2. Namutoni Rest Camp From Okaukuejo, towards the eastern edge of the pan, Namutoni Rest Camp awaits the tired, sunburnt itinerant. The historical fort at Namutoni was built in 1902, but was completely destroyed in a great battle in 1904 between Germans and the Ovambos. It was rebuilt again, but destroyed again in 1930- this time by a bolt of lightning. The fort –which today stands as the Namutoni camp gate, was declared a National Monument in 1958. The rest camp comes with a swimming pool, restaurant and shops, and some good accommodation. Like Okaukuejo, the camp overlooks a floodlit waterhole, though there isn’t much activity here.
3. Halali Namutoni Rest Camp Halali is the most recent of the Etosha National Park rest camps. It is located central to the park –halfway between the other two. The camp is well shaded and surrounded by a cluster of popular waterholes: a superb place to watch hordes of plains game. The site is also well equipped with various facilities, and a waterhole under spotlight. At Halali, the Etosha National Park landscape changes from rolling savannah plains to hilly countryside. The park’s gates and its rest camps open at sunrise, and close at sunset. Visitors are required to be in their camps by sundown or to ensure to leave the park all together by then. Besides these three rest camps, there are a few private reserves and resorts within Etosha National Park. Here, the accommodation is much better and predictably also more expensive. The lodges offer lots of extras not provided by the public camps; night game drives, guided tours, picnics and activities, car hire, personalised service, craft shops, exquisite dinning and so much more. The animals that reside in Etosha National Park are wild in every sense, and visiting the park is an authentic wildlife experience. As Etosha is never crowded, most animals have little experience with humans, and some get pretty restless and nervous on seeing visitors. Some lions get easily agitated and chase after cars, zebras stampede at the roar of an engine, and elephants charge at will. The authorities’ advice is to keep a safe distance of at least 100 m between man and beast. Etosha is commonly called ‘cheetah country’ though cheetahs are at times difficult to spot. The big five –elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, and leopard, roam the horizons in the evening cool, and are an important part of the Etosha ecosystem. Etosha National Park is famous for its black maned lions, which though highly temperamental are quite a treat to watch. The endangered black rhino has also no doubt found a safe haven in Etosha, which is indeed one of its last sanctuaries. The Black-faced impala –endemic to Namibia is a major attraction, along with other plains herbivores. The African wild dog is on the brink of extinction, and efforts to replenish the species have been largely unsuccessful. Other easy to spot Etosha National Park residents to include in your checklist are: giraffe, Burchell's and Hartmann's zebras, red hartebeests, blue wildebeests, suni and roan antelopes, springbok, gemsbok, eland, kudu, hyena, jackal and yellow-tailed mongoose. Birders will not miss the kori bustard, ostrich, and Yellow-billed hornbills. Elephants are some of the most common inhabitants of the sanctuary. Etosha’s elephants, which stand at about 4 meters to the shoulder, have been declared the world’s largest. Surprisingly, these elephants have the smallest tusks amongst the species. Some scientists speculate that this is due to lack of adequate minerals in the diet, while others argue that it is as a result of overuse of the tusks as digging and excavating tools. The elephant population in Etosha is remarkably high, standing at over 2000 individuals.
When to Visit Etosha National Park Etosha National Park enjoys 300 days of uninterrupted clear-sky sunshine. The park begins the year on a rather hot and humid note, little cloud cover and with temperatures averaging 30 degrees C. By February the carpet cover changes completely, as plant shoots begin to pop from the ground. By mid March the plants are tall and bright green; adding colour to the earthed landscape. The animals then have plenty to eat and they roam far and wide –making it difficult to sight them. Beginning May, the clouds disappear as the park begins to dry up. The atmosphere becomes cooler, and winter slowly sets in. The Etosha sun has by now sipped most of the pan water and the waterholes are at half capacity. The animals collect at the waterholes in plenty and game viewing is great. By the end of winter, water is scant. By mid September the lack of water is eminent; a scarcity that spells doom. The battle for survival under the harsh southern sun is trying, and death hovers overhead. October through November is unbearably hot and some of the wildlife loose out to the grim reaper. December brings some relief, when for a few days the heavens weep for Etosha’s thirst, and send some pattering drops. With the short-lived cloudburst, the dehydrated plains once again come to life. Pelicans and flamingos in the thousands make their way to the flooded pan and their joy is palpable. With good rains, the birds stay longer and nest on the eastern banks of the pan, making Etosha a birders’ paradise in that summer. The rest of the animals show similar inability to conceal their excitement. The water party is on; the animals in great numbers come to drink and bathe, and to play and celebrate along banks of the pan. With the rains, the pan hums with life, the dust settles and the air is crystal; but only for a while. Soon the rains will pass and in fulfilment of a timeless cycle, the Namib sun will once again scotch the pan to saline barrenness. Those animals with foresight will move to watered parts of the park. Others, less fortunate do not make it to the water holes, or when they do cannot manoeuvre a suitable place, and they don’t live to see another raindrop.
Etosha National Park Rules Namibia is strict on matters of conservation and natural heritage and to tour the park, you must obtain a permit from the government. This may be done directly from the concerned ministry or with no hassle through tour agencies. Casual tourists are only allowed to tour the southern part of the park on a day trip without overnight stay. Namibia has a good road network, and a good way to enjoy exploring Etosha is to take a self-drive tour. But caution must be taken to avoid getting into trouble with the very keen authorities. Be advised to stick to speed limits of 60 km/h in the park and 20 km/h within the camps. Drive only on designated roads and paths. You may also take an escorted Namibia tour that will combine Etosha with some of country’s other top attractions. Do not light fires or smoke outside selected areas of the rest camps. While in the park, you are not allowed to leave the safety if your vehicle, until you are in the rest camps. Remember that no weapons of any sort – including catapults and no stone throwing are allowed. Forget bringing along pets, and music should only be played in the rest camps. If for some inexplicable reason, you have no plans to visit Etosha National Park, you can still contemplate its magic through Adrian Warren’s "The Living Edens" Etosha: Africa's Untamed Wilderness (1997). This one-hour movie takes you through Etosha over one year. His “behind the scenes” write-up will warm the hearts of those who love the splendour of Africa’s natural wilderness. Etosha National Park is an all year destination but best during the cooler months of July to October. The flow of colours through the changing landscapes under cloudless blue skies it quite picturesque. No time favours great photography better than April–June. The park is busiest during Easter, Namibian school holidays, and from mid June to late September. In Namibia, you can comfortably get by, wearing light cottons and linens in summer. Over winter nights and mornings, you need heavier cottons, warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as the ground gets very hot. Some useful stuff to pack includes: camera, binoculars, sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen and mosquito repellent. Be ready for dusty conditions and carry your clothing, equipment and supplies in dust proof bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made of ivory, as you may not be allowed to carry them through customs at home. And surely, you do not want to participate in the bloody ivory trade that has brought so much grief to elephants and their human admirers. Article by AfricaPoint.
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