The best way to explore the park is to drive slowly from one camp to the next one. ), No sooner had we paid our park fees, purchased an official map and visitors guide ($4 US), and gotten back on track with our blue dot route than a zeal of zebras traversed the road mere yards in front of us. You can also join game drives and the guides on these tours will be much better than you spotting animals. Bone dry much of the year, the Etosha Pan has a cracked, crusted topsoil so salty that nothing grows on or lives within it. Etosha Weather Forecast - Best Time To Visit - Etosha National Park During these moments where there wont be as many other animals around either. What this time of year does is send animals flocking to the few remaining waterholes, meaning the chance of spotting a huge amount of wildlife is even higher. These animals know whats coming next. At the same time the park is still green and gorgeous after the wet season. At 8,598 square miles, its one of the biggest national parks in Africa. Self-driveMid-rangeCamping & Lodge, You Visit: Windhoek (Start), Kalahari Region, Fish River Canyon (|Ai-|Ais/Richtersveld TP), Aus (Town), Namib-Naukluft NP, Swakopmund (City), Damaraland, Etosha NP, Eastern Etosha, Erongo Mountains (Mountain Range), Windhoek Airport (End), $2,996 You can enter the park between sunrise and sunset only. Best Time to Visit Etosha: Month By Month Guide - TourRadar If you're planning to explore Etosha National Park, you'll need to know what months are best for a visit. I had an amazing time at the desert sand dunes of the Namib Desert and then to the. How to get around: Etosha is accessible in a regular sedan car. As this is outside the rainy season, the waterholes attract many drinking animals and without the summer heat they are much more active. Tours, Ethiopia Tours, Kenya The summer months cover November to April, otherwise known as the rainy or wet season. Zebras in Etosha National Park A lone wildebeest seeking shade under a camel thorn tree An ostrich cock on the prowl The one at the Etosha pan! One of the biggest attractions of Namibia is the Etosha National Park. Rains come to Namibia between November and February generally. This is when many of the animals are concentrated at waterholes and the grass is low, allowing for a better viewing experience. The Etosha Camps offer both lodges and camping spots, so you could choose either one. Read more: everything you need to know about camping in Etosha. The hotter, rainier summer season goes from November through April. Below you'll find information about the rain patterns in Etosha National Park. May to August: Etosha National Park has the best weather at this time, the days are not as hot, and nights can be chilly, so its essential to bring a couple of warm layers. Its also quite common to couple a few days camping with a few days at a luxury tent camp or lodge, as theyre completely differentand worthwhileexperiences. Get yours here. Etosha is Namibia 's most famous game park and one of Africa's best destinations for wildlife viewing. The number one thing to do in Etosha National Park is to experience some epic game drives. Do you spot a lot of cars somewhere? The salt pan appears like a mesmerizing, shifting mirage of gray-greens and chalky whites against various hues of blue sky. Weve experienced. Whenever you decide to visit, dont forget your hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, plus insect repellent for those pesky mosquitoes. It is forbidden to leave your car in Etosha. It is known for its elephants and rhinos sightings. If Ive not made it clear enough already, then Ill spell it out now Etosha is extremely remote, hot and dry. Check out my range of travel eBooks here! Did I already mention that youll want to take a lot of photos? It makes sense why many species give birth just then too it provides excellent camouflage protection for young ones who are vulnerable. Water is scarce at this time, forcing the various animals to come to the waterholes to drink. Tours, South Africa whatever else you might realize you need or forgot to pack, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Make decisions like a pro by using our 84,889 reviews and 216 destination guides. Etosha is Namibia's most popular park for wildlife watching and is characterized by the vast, saline Etosha Pan. to $2,368 pp (USD), Namibia: The wildlife are always there, it's just easier to spot them when it's dry. Save for your, The Best Time to Visit Namibia and Other Top Travel Tips for this Country, Good camera, lens, tripod and cleaning kit, Neutral-coloured, thin, light clothing you can layer, Camping gear including sleeping bag / silk liner. The plentiful wildlife and generally good weather means the park gets quite crowded at this time. This way you get the experience of traversing this park and camping in 2 different sites which, while secure, offer the chance to hear a huge amount of animals at night, gaze at some of the clearest, star-heavy skies Ive ever seen and even walk to floodlight waterholes where animals can be spotted coming to drink after dark. Etosha National Park, covering more than 20,000 sq km, is one of the worlds great wildlife-viewing venues. Spotting animals in this low foliage landscape is therefore easy, as camouflage is thin on the ground and the limited watering holes in this arid region make for a concentrated wildlife haven. Otherwise, if youre interested in a self-drive trip organised by a great company, then email me at [emailprotected] and Ill send you my top recommendations simple! The dry season The dry season known as the peak season is experienced from May to October and is considered to be the best time to go for game drives in Etosha National Park. If you decide to journey to Etosha in the winter, remember that this is peak season in the park. At the time of going to press, it costs $80 NAD per person per day to experience Etosha, plus $10 NAD per vehicle. We often read that a 44 is a must-have in Etosha, but we have never used the 4WD function of our rental car. Its different from other national parks in Africa, as you dont need a guide but can visit the park on a self-drive safari with your own (rental) car! Get to the heart of Etosha National Park with one of our in-depth, partners) to personalize our advertising campaigns and to allow you to share on social media. And if youre a keen birdwatcher then you will be in your element! The Wet season (November to April) is less productive for spotting wildlife because the animals tend to scatter. Safaris, Tanzania No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission. W, Waarom onze strandbezoekjes aan de mooiste zandstr. Something went wrong while sending your enquiry. Tented camps are largely clustered near the Anderson Gate (the southern entrance) and the Von Lindequist Gate (the eastern entrance). Namibia When Is the Best Time The Etosha National Park is the main attraction of Namibia, with a quarter of a million visitors annually. They dont last long, and the landscape becomes lush with greenery. Just park your car next to one of the many water holes, then wait and watch while a host of animals lions, elephants, springboks, gemsboks etc come not two by two but by the hundreds. Set in the desert in what is essentially the floor of an ancient evaporated lake that dried up millions of years ago Etosha landscape is barren, mostly comprised of thorny scrub, dried mud flats, salt pans, sandy slopes and dried clay beds. Etosha National Park - where the wild beasts roam - travelmemo To see our cookies and how to opt out of them, view our full. While there is a possibility of . Tucked in the northern corner of Namibia, Etosha is remote, hard to get to and set in some wild desert terrain, all of which hardly amounts to it being the most accessible of wildlife-spotting destinations in this continent! And eventually, I couldnt resist any longer. The scenery becomes tinged with pink when flamingos descend. Etoshas floodlit waterholes provide a rare opportunity for nighttime wildlife-viewing. Please select which cookies you would like to keep switched on. Etosha National Park Weather in February: With average humidity of 62%, temperatures sway between 59 to 95. That being said, there are perks to visiting Etosha any time of year. Expert Hacks for Affordable Adventures I visited Nambia during the months of January and February, and can definitely attest to this! Copyright 2023 SafariBookings. Ultimate guide: Self-drive safari Etosha National Park - TravelTaale Its also easier to spot wildlife at these times because theyre not hiding as often in bushes or trees. The air is absolutely dry, with humidity as low as 16%, make sure you stay hydrated if you plan to go sightseeing. Cartagena on a budget: 6 budget-friendly travel tips, This is how you get a discount on Booking.com, Parys Mountain in Wales You should visit Etosha National Park for the concentration of animals and birdlife as well as the lunar-like landscape, which is totally different to almost any other game reserve on the continent. This creates the most magnificent panorama of mammals and birds, all coexisting in relative harmony. The water becomes deep enough for the pan to act as a breeding ground for greater and lesser flamingo. SafariBookings is the largest online marketplace for African safari tours. The best time to visit Etosha National Park is anytime! 8,396, 10 days from 5,160 And thats my complete guide to this amazing destination, including the best time to visit the Etosha National Park, what to do there, how much it will cost, what you need to take and what you can expect. Tours, Namibia With some of the first earth-soaking rains of the season on the horizon, wed have to rely on the blue dot of the Google Maps route for the next 250 or so kilometers. The pan itself looks spectacular at this time of the year. Translated as 'Great White Place', Etosha takes its name from the enormous Etosha Pan a large silvery-white salt pan that acquires a thin layer of salted water after heavy rains. Put simply, Etosha is a huge national park in northern Namibia. December to June: Generally considered low season for the park so you can expect fewer crowds and slightly cheaper rates for tours and flights. (Park-managed bush chalets and modest double rooms can be booked directly through the reservation portal, as well.). Worried about tourists flocking or closing hours of Etosha National Park while planning your trip? Prices for night game drives start from $40-$45 USD per person. By clicking Accept you agree that we use Analytical cookies for gathering information about how our Id suggest at least 5 litres of water per day per person. We cannot recommend NTS highly enough! Many species of wetland birds migrate from the north to enjoy the riches of food the climate offers. When is the Best Time to Visit Etosha National Park? Continuing on my trip in Namibia is my next step, the Etosha National Park. Water sources for wildlife become fewer and vegetation thins out. This is also peak season, so you will need to arrange accommodation well in advance as the park's lodges and camps will book up quickly. The easy way to spend abroad with real exchange rates, no markups and no sneaky transaction fees, you can use your Wise card just like a debit card in Namibia and it links easily with Google and Apple pay sold! The vegetation is less lush and with the grass being low wildlife viewing is better than any other time of the year. By no means should this put you off. The wildlife are always there, its just easier to spot them when its dry. Op het eiland Angles, Bewijs dat ook de mama mee was op deze reis Alternatively, if youre a long-term traveller, digital nomad or frequent remote worker seeking travel health cover, check out Safetywings Nomad Insurance policies. Etosha National Park - Safari Deal Let me try and break it up into "dry and wet seasons". There is a good chance that you can see some rare animals there! Safaris, Madagascar So when our booking turned out to be on the wrong date oops! Please select which cookies you would like to keep switched on. The best spot? I love Amazon Audible, which is the best audiobook service around! When youre walking on the dunes, taking day trips or hiking here youll be exposed to the sun for long periods of time, so making sure you pack a sunhat for adequate protection is key. . If you want to visit the park as early as possible in the morning and want to be able to spot animals from your accommodation in the evening, we recommend you to book your accommodation in Etosha National Park. The risk of malaria is at its lowest and temperatures at their most comfortable. So you always need to consider the distances in between the camps, especially when you want to include the western area. Mornings and evenings are still relatively cool, the crowds have thinned, and the trees and bushes are just starting to leaf out. These cookies do not contain personal information and are not used for analytical or advertising purposes. Best time to visit Etosha National Park For the highest concentrations of wildlife around Etosha's waterholes you'll want to travel in the dry season from May to early November .