Etosha is Namibia’s greatest wildlife attraction. The park is formed around a large salt pan, its name Etosha means ‘great white space’ and most of the time is dry. It is the remains of an ancient inland sea which has dried up over millennia. Today, the nearly 5000km square pan is surrounded by savannah plains which are home to plentiful wildlife. Several man-made waterholes supply water to the wildlife of the region and many different species of wildlife congregate in great numbers making for incredible game viewing.

Most of the waterholes are near park accommodation which is basic but they have floodlit waterholes as many species choose to drink at night and this affords great game viewing. There are a couple of private concessions with great luxury lodges on the edge of Etosha. The region is home to large herds of plains game like zebra, wildebeest, springbok and the rare black-faced impala and tsessebe. Etosha is also home to one of the largest remaining populations of Black Rhino in the World.

During the wet season from November to April, the rains fill the shallow pan, which creates an algae bloom which shrimp hibernating come out of the ground to feed on. The shrimp attract thousands of Greater and Lesser flamingos, Pelicans and a wide variety of waterfowl to the pan.