Etosha National Park
Visitors come to Etosha to watch animals gather at waterholes beside Etosha Pan, a vast white salt flat that gives the park its name.
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Etosha National Park sits in northern Namibia and is built around Etosha Pan, a salt pan so wide that its far edge can disappear into the haze. The name comes from an Oshiwambo phrase often translated as "great white place," which fits the flat, pale expanse. Much of the park is scrubland and open grassland, and the pan itself stays dry in most years, filling only after heavy rains. The Anderson Gate near Outjo is one of the park's main entrances.
Go for the wildlife. Elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras, black rhinos and many antelope species come to a chain of waterholes, especially in the dry season from roughly June to October, when water is scarce across the bush. Many visitors self-drive, moving between waterholes on game drives and sleeping in camps inside the park. Plan at least two or three nights to cover more than one area. The green season, roughly November to April, brings rain, green grass and birds.
Etosha National Park in five
- Book the park camps before fixing datesEtosha's main camps, Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni, are run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts. Book them before you set your route, because the camp you sleep in decides how far you can drive each day.Where to stay
- Carry Namibian dollars for small costsCard machines at camps and fuel stops can be offline, so keep some Namibian dollars for small purchases and tips.Money and costs
- Download offline maps before the gravelMobile signal is patchy inside the park and disappears on the long gravel roads. Save the map and your route offline before you reach the gate.Phones and eSIM
- Stay in the car at waterholesGet out only at marked spots such as the camps and viewpoints. Lions and elephants use the waterholes at all hours, so keep the doors shut when you stop.
- Plan the last drive back before duskNight driving is not allowed for visitors in Etosha, so time your last drive to reach your camp before the gates close.
Need to know
- Currency
- Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand also accepted
- Entry
- Visa-free for many passports for short stays; check the current list
- Emergency
- 10111 police. Ask your camp for the local ambulance number
- Tipping
- Tipping in restaurants is customary; tip guides and drivers in cash
- Time
- UTC+2, no daylight saving
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryRainy season
- FebruaryGreen, wet roads
- MarchRain, calving
- AprilRains ending
- MayDry season starts
- JuneAnimals at water
- JulyPeak dry season
- AugustDry, busy
- SeptemberLate dry, hot
- OctoberHeat builds
- NovemberRains begin
- DecemberRainy season
Right now in Etosha National Park
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
27
- Feels like
- 28°
- Humidity
- 42%
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 20%
Etosha National Park
01:23 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today38°23°20%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 38°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Wed39°24°16%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 39°, Low 24°. Chance of rain 16%.
- Thu39°23°7%Thursday: Partly cloudy. High 39°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 7%.
- Fri39°23°12%Friday: Drizzle. High 39°, Low 23°. Chance of rain 12%.
- Sat38°21°2%Saturday: Clear. High 38°, Low 21°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun38°21°12%Sunday: Cloudy. High 38°, Low 21°. Chance of rain 12%.
Updated 09:57 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 16.69 NAD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Before you go to Etosha National Park
Rules for Etosha National Park, checked
- Stay in your vehicle except at marked areas, and do not leave the car on foot near animals.
- Do not drive the park roads after dark; plan to reach your camp before the gates close.
- Do not feed or approach wildlife, and keep to the roads and marked tracks.
Plan around Etosha National Park
Entry rules, money and the wider route
Read the guideWhere to stayCamps and lodges inside and near the park
Read the guideGetting aroundSelf-drive, transfers and distances
Read the guideMoney and costsCash, card use and tipping in Namibia
Read the guidePhones and eSIMCoverage gaps and offline maps
Read the guideTravel insuranceMedical cover far from clinics
Read the guideEtosha National Park FAQ
Do I need to book Etosha in advance?
Camps and lodges inside the park need booking, usually through Namibia Wildlife Resorts. Book well ahead for the dry-season months, when the camps fill.
How many days do I need in Etosha?
Three nights covers two or three waterholes and one long drive. Two nights works if you are passing through on the way north or south.
When is the best time to see animals in Etosha?
June to September, the dry season, when animals gather at the waterholes. The green rainy months are quieter and better for birds, but the animals spread out.
Which waterhole should I visit?
Okaukuejo's floodlit waterhole is the best known, and you can watch it at night from the camp.
What animals can I see?
Lion, elephant, giraffe, zebra and springbok are common at the waterholes. Black rhino are harder to see, and leopard is seldom spotted.
Can I drive Etosha in an ordinary car?
The main roads are gravel. Ask the gate or your camp about road conditions before you set out, since rain can close tracks.