One of Africa's greatest game parks

Etosha National Park is one of the best game parks in Africa. The name Etosha means 'huge white area' or 'place of dry water'. And this is certainly one of the largest game parks in all of Africa. Most of the year, Etosha is a vast shallow pan which shines brightly due to the crystallized salt that shimmers across the entire surface of the area. In the surrounding areas there are many types of vegetation, which feeds various kinds of wild life.

Etosha National Park has several waterholes, some of which are natural, and others that are fed artificially through boreholes. Game viewing is the best during the dry season, when the landscape is arid, and visitors can sit at the edge of a waterhole to see a variety of wild life taking respite in the water.

During the rainy season, this vast arid land transforms abundantly and attracts thousands of birds and other kinds of wildlife. These include: huge herds of elephant, zebra, wildebeest, springbok, eland, black-faced impala, rhinoceros, lion, hyena, jackal, Oryx, curly-horned kudu, and an incredible array of bird life, including yellow-billed hornbill, eagles, vultures, lilac-breasted rollers, and flamingos.

The temperatures in this area give an indication for the best time for game viewing. The best time is during the coolest dry months of May to September, although birding is at its peak during the rainy season from November to March. The average daily temperature is 88°F (31°C) and average minimum is 57°F (13.7°C). During the rainy season, the precipitation is recorded at approximately 14 inches (358mm) per year, with the hottest and wettest period between January and March. During this time the pans fill with water and animals give birth.