Namibia offers so much to visitors that it is nearly impossible to stay for only a few days. But, if you do only have a short time to spend in the country, one of the best places to go is unquestionably the world renowned Etosha National Park. This 5 Days Etosha National Park Safari gives you the perfect chance to experience the wonderful landscapes, animals, quiet solitude, birds and fabulous photographic opportunities that Etosha National Park offers.
Maybe we are biased, but the 22,270 square kilometer park truthfully is one of the best in Africa, with incredible sightings, rare and endangered wildlife and mind-blowing sunsets.
For us it was no surprise when Etosha National Park was a finalist in the World Travel Awards’ African Leading National Park category in 2019. It truly is magnificent!
Itinerary Summary
Day 1: Windhoek, drive to Etosha National Park
Day 2: Etosha National Park (southern side)
Day 3: Etosha National Park (southern and eastern sides)
Day 4: Etosha National Park (eastern side)
Day 5: Etosha National Park to Windhoek and Departure
Details – 5 Days Etosha National Park Safari
Day 1: Windhoek, drive to Etosha National Park
Your guide will pick up from your hotel in the city, or at the Hosea Kutako International Airport outside of the city if you flew in. After loading your luggage into our comfortable airconditioned vehicles, you will embark on a drive to your destination; the world famous Etosha National Park!
You will only be driving through Windhoek today, but if you have an extra day it is a very interesting small city to tour, with many top attractions close by. It sits at 1,700 metres above sea level and it is the 12th highest capital in the world.
It is situated in the Khomas Hochland plateau area between the Auas and Eros mountain ranges. It is home to approximately 400,000 people at a low density of only 63 people per square kilometre and has over 300 sunny days every year.
You will drive northwards for around 5 hours, travelling through the towns of Okahandja, Otjiwarongo and Outjo which is best known as the gateway town to Etosha. On your drive today you will also pass close by to some of Namibia’s popular smaller parks and private game reserves, including Erindi, the Waterberg Plateau Park and Okonjima.
You will enjoy lunch somewhere en route, and you might get to sample some of Namibia’s unique and tasty Afro-German cuisine!
It is also worth keeping an eye out for wildlife during your trip, as Namibia is fairly unique in that most animals roam freely in the vast open spaces of the countryside. You might get to see Ostrich, Gemsbok, or even a Greater Kudu.
You will reach your lodge on southwestern side of Etosha National Park late in the afternoon and settle in to your comfortable accommodation.
If there is time it may be fun to walk around the lodge grounds looking for fascinating smaller wild creatures. Your accommodation for tonight is in an area perfectly situated to explore Etosha National PARK and all that it offers.
Day 2: Etosha National Park (southern side)
Wake up fairly early today and begin exploring the southwestern region of the vast Etosha, driving slowly and keeping our eyes open for movement and listening for tell-tale sounds in the bush.
Certainly, one of Africa’s great parks, Etosha covers over 22,300km2 and is synonymous with big game and wide-open spaces.
The name Etosha means “great white place” referring to the large dry pan in the centre of the park, believed to have been formed over 100 million years ago.
The San/Bushmen tell of a raid on a village where all of the men and children were killed, sparing only the women. One of the women was so distressed about the death of her family that she cried and cried until her tears formed a massive lake. When the lake dried up there was nothing left apart from a huge white pan, the Etosha pan.
Among many other highlights, Etosha National Park is also a photographer’s paradise, with the contrasts in light, colour and textures mainly dramatic.
Many a guest’s “lifer shots” of African wild animal and birds were taken in this park. The sunrises and sunsets are especially spectacular, so better get that camera ready!
You will do a morning game drive, stopping somewhere for coffee and rusks, a classic thing to do on a southern African safari!
You will return to your lodge in the heat of the day (it gets hot even in winter!) to have lunch and maybe a short siesta.
You will again go out in the afternoon for a game drive, looking for some of the amazing fauna and flora that make you wax lyrical about this park!
Day 3: Etosha National Park (southern and eastern sides)
You will enjoy another morning and afternoon game drive in Etosha today, but you will also slowly make your way to the eastern side of the park, where you will overnight tonight.
Etosha National Park hosts a staggering variety of wildlife, both common and rare.
The mammal list is at more than 110 species, including four of Africa’s Big 5 (Rhino, Elephant, Lion and Leopard), fleet-footed Cheetah, Spotted Hyaena, Giraffe, zebra, Eland, Kudu, Hartebeest, Wildebeest, Springbok and the beautiful Gemsbok, Namibia’s national animal.
Smaller species include Warthog, Bat-eared Fox, Squirrel, Caracal, Jackal, and the tough Honey Badger.
One of the best reasons (from a wildlife point of view) to go for a safari in Etosha National Park is its healthy population of the iconic Black Rhinos. This amazing beast is endangered and the waterholes are possibly among the best places in the world to see this prized animal.
Another rare and endangered species is the Black-faced Impala, which can be seen all around. The animals are very relaxed and will offer you with some excellent photographic opportunities.
One of the many unique features of Etosha National Park is the fact that there are natural waterholes scattered around the park.
The game viewing routes skirt these waterholes and offers some fabulous interaction with all sorts of wildlife. It is a memorable experience to sit and watch many mammal species come to drink at one of the waterholes. Some spectacular footage has been shot at these waterholes, with predator-prey interactions especially common.
Day 4: Etosha National Park (eastern side)
Today you will tour the eastern side of Etosha National Park, again going on a morning and afternoon game drive.
Named a game reserve in 1907 by the governor of then-German South West Africa, Etosha National Park was elevated to the status of national park in 1967.
Since then it has become one of the main reasons why visitors from all over the world visit Namibia, and annual numbers are over 200,000.
While Etosha is best known today as a remarkable refuge for an abundance of animals, it is also a part of the world that is offering significant evidence for the existence and evolution of ancestral animals. The rocks in the hills close to Halali camp have revealed several fossil life as old as 650 million years!
You will not only search for the big mammals that Etosha is famous for, but also look out for some of our feathered friends. Etosha has a bird list of more than 350 species, including regional specials like Kori Bustard, Blue Crane, Violet Woodhoopoe, and Ruppell’s Parrot.
You will also search for other fauna like reptiles, with Etosha containing more species of reptiles than mammals! Some of the more common ones you are likely to see include Fitzsimons’ Thick-toed Gecko, Namaqua Chameleon, and many lizards. Snakes are also fairly common, with frequent sightings of Boomslang, Black Mamba, and Anchieta’s Cobra.
Day 5: Etosha National Park to Windhoek and Departure
After an early morning game drive or a relaxing final breakfast, you will depart Etosha for Windhoek. It is a 5 to 6-hour drive southwards to the capital.
In Windhoek you will be taken to the Hosea Kutako International Airport for your homeward flight or for your connecting flight if you decide to combine this safari with an extension to the Caprivi, Victoria Falls, Botswana, Zambia or South Africa.
