Morning and evening game drives through the park are a veritable feast for the senses, encompassing unbelievable scenery, fresh breezes that caress your face as the open-sided 4×4 ambles along, natural dusky perfumes that permeate the air and a veritable orchestra of African sounds. Game tours are led by experienced and trained guides who tailor excursions to suit the preferences of every guest, whether it’s to view a certain animal, learn about the mannerisms of different species and their habitats or simply to enjoy the vast expanse of the pans and the panoramic surroundings. Guides are always eager and willing to impart their vast knowledge and expertise to interested travellers.
Etosha National Park is one of Africa’s renowned wildlife areas and is located in Namibia’s prime wilderness conservation area. A massive silver-white salt pan that can be seen from space is bordered by vast grassy plains, semi-arid savannah and thorn scrub that stretches across the park’s 22 750 square kilometres (8 785 square miles) of land. The salt pan transforms into a stunning lake after heavy, seasonal rain and attracts a plethora of candy floss coloured flamingos that wade in the beryl algae. Etosha is home to myriad four-legged residents and close to 114 species of mammals, including the famed Big Five, elegant giraffe, rare black-faced impala, Hartmann’s mountain zebra and the smallest antelope in the world, the Damara dikdik, which weighs no more than 6 kg (13 lb). The park is celebrated as the home of the largest and perhaps the most stable population of the endangered black rhino in the world, as well as accommodating one of the high densities of giraffe in the area.
Colossal colonies of sociable weavers are found where bigger trees are rooted and can easily be seen up close at Okaukuejo Rest Camp. Discover the enchanted and eerie woodlands of Sprookjeswoud, set to the west of Okuakuejo and made up of moringa trees, more popularly known as phantom or ghost trees. As night approaches, head off to the Okaukuejo watering hole, where wildlife congregates in masses for a respite from the dry season. After the rainy season, the white, flooded pans draw in huge numbers of water birds, including the greater and lesser flamingo and the eastern white pelicans. The high concentration of lime and salt in the water gives Etosha and the entire area the ethereal bleached-white hue of a mirage.
years