Camping in Etosha, it's like a dream come true. Wake up, hear the lions roar, make coffee, and leave around sunrise to explore Etosha's salty grasslands. There used to be a river flowing through Etosha, but it changed its course millions of years ago, turning it into a salt pan. The animals here are adapted to the salty water; therefore, crossbreeding and relocating other animals into the park is impossible. The pan is so large it can be seen from space. That's a David Attenborough thing to say, right? (;
GATES INFO
You can enter the park through four different gates. If you're coming from 'Grootberg,' like us, enter Etosha through the Galton gate at the South-Western end of the park. Otherwise, you have three more options left. The Anderson's entrance is on the park's Southern end, which is closest to the Okaukuejo camp. On the east, you have Von Lindequist gate, which lies close to Namutoni camp; the other is Kind Nehale Lay Mpingana gate. This one is in the Northern part of the park.
The opening hours of the gate change 'weekly' because they are based on sunrise and sunset. We entered through the Galton gate and finished our safari at the Von Lindquist gate, covering a decent area.
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY?
You can stay as long as you want. We only stayed for three nights/ 4 days because we had more self-guided safaris in Botswana coming. A lot of people prefer to stay longer. Four days of driving in the park was more than enough for me. Another tip, don't stay at one campsite the whole time but drive your way through the national park.
Be aware that you must return to your campsite before the sun sets. It's forbidden to drive at night because of the safety of the animals.
OUR FIRST CAMPSITE
Our first campsite was 'Olifantenrus.' We recommend this stay. It's on the west side of Etosha, and you have a lot of chances of spotting the black rhino here. We saw many of them on this side of the park, including one with a calf. Around December, it's baby season for the animals, and we saw a lot of little cutie pies! If you're driving yourself, this also means that you have to be more careful about the distance between the animal and your vehicle. Mommies get overprotective about their newborns pretty quickly.
It's a 162 km drive from the gate to the campsite. It will take around three hours, but probably more because of all the stops and wildlife you'll see.
The campsite is basic but good, with no swimming pool and a little shop. It has an infra-red-lighted waterhole where we spotted a lot of rhinos during the evening. The price is higher when you sleep inside the park, but don't hesitate to book inside because it is worth the extra money. You don't have to drive in & outside the park every day. Another big advantage is that if you book a safari at your campsite, you'll leave earlier than the people outside the park. So you don't have to share your view with ten other cars. (;
THE SECOND CAMPSITE
We booked a camp spot on the second night in 'Okaukuejo.' They have some chalets with a waterhole view if you want a bit fancier. This accommodation has a restaurant, an infra-red-lighted waterhole, a shop, a gas station (with not always gas in stock, so make sure you fill your tank before entering Etosha), and a swimming pool perfect for the hot afternoons. It will take 2h30 and 127km to get from Olifantenrus to Okaukuejo.
At Okaukuejo, we did a night safari. They call it a 'night safari,' but the game drive starts in the evening when it gets dark outside. Of course, you always hope to see some actions or big cats, but let me offer you one piece of advice before you go on a safari. 'Appreciate everything; expect nothing.' This is probably the best mindset to go on a trip like this. Nature is unpredictable. So you're never sure what you will see. On our night safari, we saw a lot of small cats (like a lynx, serval, ..), hyenas, and birds of prey, which is also pretty impressive.
THE THIRD CAMPSITE
The last night we camped at 'Halali.' This stay has the same facilities as Okaukuejo. It was a good campsite, and I would recommend it. It will take 1h15 or 70km from Okaukuejo to Halali.
Mimi's tip: if you want to increase your chances of seeing something, ask the reception ladies because they know everything. They get an excited recount from every guest about the lion they saw at the waterhole. So they're very helpful!
THE FOURTH DAY
Do an early game drive and have lunch in the park. We booked our camping location just outside Etosha to enjoy our fourth day in the national park without rushing hard. We stayed at 'Camping Onguma Private Game Reserve.' It's only a 1h40 drive (85 km) from Halali camp. We also booked a massage here, which was one of the best massages in my life ever! (; Highly recommend this after a lot of game drives and camping. Finally, we exit Etosha through the Von Lindequist Gate, which lies east of the park.
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