Etosha National Park is
one of Southern Africa's finest and most important game reserves covering
an area of 22 270 sq km. It is home to 114 mammal species, 340 birds,
110 reptiles and only one species of fish.
The park is dominated by the massive 5 000 sq km Etosha mineral pan
- all that remains of an ancient lake. Etosha means 'Great
White Place' in the Herero language and in the heat of the day
the dried out surface of the pan is dazzlingly white. A lone wildebeest
or herds of oryx can be seen crossing it or just standing, as if mesmerised.
In complete contrast, when the rain arrives up to one metre of water
turns the parched surface into an algae-rich lake attracting thousands
of birds, including pink-tinged flamingos and pelicans.
Etosha has dozens of waterholes; some are natural while others are
artificially fed from boreholes. These are ideal places to sit and
wait for game. A veritable Noah's Arc of
species queues up to take a drink. The desert-dwelling oryx, upon which
the mythical unicorn must surely be based, will certainly be seen,
along with the impressive curly-horned kudu. Etosha also contains
endangered black rhino and unusual species like the black-faced impala. It
is said to have the tallest elephants in Africa, measuring up
to 4m at the shoulder.
There are three rest camps in Etosha: Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo.
Each has modern facilities including restaurants, shops and swimming
pools with a perimeter fence making them safe to walk around. The
highlight at the camps is the floodlit waterholes open for 24-hour
game viewing. It’s not uncommon to see a pride of lion or a
family of rhino amble through the darkness. The viewing is so good
that people end up staying all night at the waterholes.
The best time to visit Etosha is in the cool dry winters when the
animals stay closer to the waterholes. During the rainy season (October
to December), there’s more surface water and the animals disperse.
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