Etosha is Namibia's premier big game park, comparable in size and diversity of species to any other reserve on the continent. It is especially renowned for its abundant population of Elephants, though in fact it contains sizeable populations of an enormous variety of species.
Many different Antelope species, including Gemsbok, Impala, Dik-dik, Springbok, Eland, Kudu, and Duiker, are here, as are Wildebeest, Hartebeest, and Zebra. Lion, Leopard, and Cheetah are also found in Etosha, and Giraffe and Rhino as well.
What draws all of these creatures to Etosha is water. At the center of Etosha National Park is the enormous shallow bowl of the Etosha Pan, a depression that was once a lakebed. Although the pan does fill with water during periods of unusually heavy rainfall, the water source on which the wildlife depend is a series of underground springs that dot the pan's perimeter
If you visit between May and September, when the pan is quite dry, the temperature cool, and the wildlife thirsty, the contrast between the barren landscape and the concentration of animals can be stunning.
Go on exciting day safaris where lions, rhinos or elephants are already waiting for you. If you are wondering what that little black spot is that comes running up to you over the white and salty Etosha Pan during a game drive - it might be a male ostrich - not aware of the lion waiting for it behind a clump of grass.
Great photo opportunities are available, especially in the red glow of the early morning or the setting sun in the evening.