Like many countries in Africa, Namibia is famous as a safari destination. While it may not boast the sheer variety of parks that Tanzania or Kenya might, Namibia is still home to a number of fantastic safari parks.
Of these parks, Etosha is the flagship. Located just a few hours north of Windhoek, the park is incredibly accessible and surrounded by a number of accommodation options.
Whether you’re with a tour group or doing a self-drive safari, Etosha maintains strict security including curfews and spraying your vehicle for pests. It’s a slick operation and left us feeling that the animals within the park were in good hands.
Accommodation
While there are a number of places to stay within the park, we would be calling the beautiful Etosha Safari Lodge our home for the duration of the visit.
Each ‘room’ is a separate chalet with a balcony located a short walk from the lodge itself, there’s a real sense of serenity. Aside from the rattling of air conditioners, the only sounds are the noises o f the savannah itself.
My little slice of paradise for two nights.
The lodge also had amazing food, featuring a mix of game meats, vegetarian-friendly deliciousness, and some stellar desserts as well. Enjoying your meal out on the terrace that overlooks Etosha at sunset is something special, and the outdoor firepit and sundowner lounge was a popular place for our motley crew to hang out at day’s end.
My delicious Namibia Sunrise enjoyed by the pool.
Another nice touch was the elevated pool. With a stunning view of the surrounding land, it was a really good place to relax. It was winter in Namibia when we visited, but that didn’t stop me from taking a rather brisk dip.
It’s….so….COLD!
On Safari in Namibia
We were lucky enough to pay two visits to Etosha National Park – one in the afternoon and one at dawn the following day.
Rather than give you a blow by blow of the entire sordid tale, I thought it would be better to instead take you on a safari in pictures.
Etosha isn’t as verdant as Ngorongoro or as famous as the Serengeti, but its dry and dusty plains had a stark beauty all of their own, and I was surprised by how many animals we spotted. Eleven lions wandering the road, five rhinoceroses, and plenty of kudu & oryx were definitely highlights.
Alright, shutup Chris. Let your photos do the talking.
Enjoy!
And then the giraffes turn their attention to me. Gasp!
A giraffe towers over a diminutive impala.
A raptor sits in the tree waiting for his dinner to wander by.
Another shot of the grisly shrike. Not pictured: murder victims impaled on spikes.
Another bird who I don’t have a name for. Help me out?
A pair of warthogs foraging.
Our one and only shot of a hartebeest for the day. Such interesting animals!
A male kudu and his harem wander through Etosha National Park.
A pair of female kudu.
A closer shot of the sick little black back jackal we encountered.
Another shot of an oryx looking all regal and shit.
A flock (?) of ostriches hanging out by the famous ‘pan’ at the heart of Etosha.
A zoomed out shot of the same bird of prey.
A close up shot of a bird of prey surveying his domain.
A baby giraffe looking a little lost on the plains.
Giraffes wander away from the water hole.
One last shot of the cute little lion cub.
Another shot of the cute little lion cub hanging out by the road.
Another shot of the beautiful lioness who brought traffic to a halt.
A lion pauses in the middle of the road and brings traffic to a standstill.
The entirety of Etosha seemed to come out at once to visit the water hole.
A male (black) and female (brown) ostrich move together through the park.
A lonely bull elephant remains behind after the rest of the herd has moved on.
I don’t know the name of this one! Any ornithologists able to help?
A shrike might look cute, but their habit of impaling dead insects on thorns certainly isn’t!
An adorable ground squirrel uses its tail to provide shade while it eats.
A lonely zebra walks across the stark plains of a dry and dusty Etosha National Park.
A family of impala enjoying a refreshing drink at the water hole.
A glossy starling cuts a striking figure against the blue sky.
A pair of terrapins seek refuge atop a rock in the water hole.
A male kudu. Their twisted horns are quite beautiful.
The largest water hole that we visited in Etosha.
A sickly black back jackal. With the drought particularly bad this year, this little cutie might not make it.
A giraffe feeding. Their flexible tongues can move through thorny bushes without harm.
The oryx is not only the most delicious of the antelopes, but also the most regal.
A male oryx meanders towards a waterhole.
A newborn (3-4 days old) giraffe trots after his mother across Etosha’s dry and dusty plains.
Another shot of the hornbill, this time from farther away.
Sociable weavers live up to their name, with dozens of birds sharing a large communal nest.
Another shot of an impala moving over rocky ground.
An adorable lion cub enjoying the dawn sun by the road.
It was dry season during our visit, so the zebras (pictured) had to really work for their food and water.
I love how this photo illustrates the way the zebra’s camouflage allows it to blend in.
An impala enjoying some shade in Etosha National Park.
A shy rhino in the undergrowth.
A young zebra trots across the road.
“Well, I’ve never seen a king of beasts with quite so little hair!”
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