Namibia Safari, Holiday & Travel Information
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Etosha National Park Travel Tips: When to go, how to get there and what to pack – Part 1

Posted on 10-3-18 in News

Etosha National Park Travel Tips: When to go, how to get there and what to pack – Part 1

If you are in Namibia, you absolutely have to include Etosha National Park in your itinerary. Etosha is undoubtedly Namibia’s top and most visited destination. Whether you are on a self drive holiday or organised safari tour spending a few days in Etosha is highly recommended. Etosha National Park, meaning “Great White Place” is one of the largest and most important game reserves in Southern Africa and covers an area of 22 270 square kilometers. Home to 114 mammal species, well over 300 bird species, reptiles and amphibians, Etosha is a wildlife enthusiasts dream. Visitors are likely to see many different buck species, giraffe, rhino, elephant and even lions. If you are lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of a leopard or cheetah. There are also fuel stations within Etosha National Park so don’t worry about running out of fuel while you are driving around Etosha just be sure to fill up whenever you get the chance. All three of Etosha’s main camps have fuel stations (Okaukeujo, Halali and Namutoni). There are also restaurants and shops selling food stuff and other goods at these 3 camps.   When to visit Etosha National Park This really depends on what you would like to see. Rainy season is from November till April– the hottest and wettest months of the year. The pans fill with water and the animals give birth during this time. Bird watching reaches its peak at this time of the year. The vegetation in the park transforms from dusty & dry to green and lush. Therefore animals and wildlife don’t necessarily visit the main watering holes and may be more difficult to find and see. A travel tip for visiting Etosha at this time of the year is to ask other travelers in the park what game they have seen and where they have seen it. One can also ask the game wardens and staff of Etosha where to go and see game. The dry season (May till October) is considered the best time to visit Etosha. You will find the animals congregating around the main waterholes to quench their thirst. The grass is also low at this time of the year and allows for much better game viewing. At times there is so much game waiting at the waterholes for their turn to drink water – it is remarkable to see so much game at one time and the interactions between them all waiting for that much needed time to drink water. The main waterholes are located at Namutoni, Okaukeujo and Halali. Between May and July (winter months), temperatures range from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius during the day with cold temperatures experienced at night. Photo Credit: Arno Dietz – Etosha Waterhole (3)   How to get to Etosha National Park Etosha National Park is approximately 5 hours from Windhoek if you are driving. It is best to drive slowly to be safe, although the road can be easily navigated in one day. Etosha’s main gates are Von Lindequist (west...

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The Do’s & Don’ts of Travelling to Namibia

Posted on 9-27-18 in News, checklists

The Do’s & Don’ts of Travelling to Namibia

Are you travelling to Namibia soon? Namibia is considered an ideal destination for self drive tours and offers great road tripping opportunities. If you’ve never been before, you may be feeling a little nervous about what to expect. Namibia is still Africa but it’s considered the ideal destination for first time visitors to Africa. It’s a classic desert and safari destination that is widely known for its beauty and is a lot safer than other African destinations. Of course, depending on the purpose of your trip, you will have different things to experience and your activities will look different if you are a bunch of single guys or if you are on a family trip. There are however, some universal do’s and don’ts which are good to follow to ensure a safe and enjoyable trip to one of Africa’s most breath-taking destinations. Below you’ll find some useful travel information on Namibia.   The Do’s Do plan your trip carefully. Remember that at least 80% of the roads are gravel (well maintained) and that distances are vast! You will be required to travel at a slower speed and this means it will take you longer to reach your destination. Don’t plan your next nights’ accommodation too far away otherwise you will end up spending far too much time in your car driving just to get there. Know where it is you want to go and what you want to do there. Give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to be and make any accommodation bookings you need to make in advance especially in peak season (July –November). Do make sure the car you are using is able to navigate the roads you plan on using. If you are going to be using any secondary/gravel roads, it is probably best to use a 4×4. If you don’t have one, you can hire one. Certain areas such as the national parks in the Zambezi region (Caprivi) require a 4×4. If you are hiring a car speak to your car rental company and tell them where you are planning to go – they will advise you accordingly. The north western region (Kunene) requires a vehicle with high ground clearance. If hiring a car make sure it has air con. Do fill up the car with fuel whenever you get the chance and make sure you have enough cash on you to cover your fuel expenses in the event there are no card machines available. Even if you think you still have plenty of fuel left fill up anyway. Do bring a decent map of Namibia along. GPS devices are great things but not always updated and accurate. Even cell phones can’t always help you in areas where there is no signal (and there are lots of areas in Namibia that don’t get signal). Do use sun protection – the sun is intense! Just because you are in the car, it doesn’t mean you can’t get burnt. Pack in a...

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