Home / Namibia lodges / Etosha & the North
The region
Where to stay in Etosha
Etosha National Park covers 22,912 km², and the Etosha Pan takes up about a fifth of it. The park was proclaimed as Game Reserve 2 in 1907 and became a national park in 1967. The ministry counts 114 mammal and 340 bird species here, and half of the world's black-faced impala.
Where you sleep shapes the safari. Inside the park, three of the rest camps have a floodlit waterhole. Outside, private reserves such as Ongava in the south and Onguma in the east border the park, and further lodges sit close to Andersson and Von Lindequist gates.
17 lodges & camps
The Lodges
Etosha South · Andersson Gate side
Private reserves and lodges on the park's southern boundary, near Andersson Gate.
Etosha Oberland Lodge
Etosha South
4-star lodge close to Andersson Gate
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Etosha Safari Camp
South Etosha
Gondwana Collection
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Etosha Safari Lodge
Etosha South
65 rooms
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Etosha Trading Post
Etosha South
12 campsites
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Taleni Etosha Village
Etosha South
2 km from Andersson Gate
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Ongava Lodge Etosha
Ongava Private Game Reserve
14 chalets
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Anderssons at Ongava
Ongava Private Reserve
Conservation-led safari with on-site research centre
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Encounter by Ongava
Ongava Private Game Reserve
8 tented suites
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Horizon by Ongava Etosha
Ongava Private Reserve
Three luxury villas on a granite ridge
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Etosha East · Von Lindequist Gate side
Onguma's camps and the lodges around Von Lindequist Gate.
Onguma The Fort
Onguma Nature Reserve
Moorish-style fort on the eastern edge of Etosha
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Onguma Camp Kala
Onguma Nature Reserve
Exclusive 8-guest camp on raised wooden decks
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Onguma Tented Camp
Onguma Nature Reserve
7 tented suites
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Onguma Bush Camp
Onguma Nature Reserve
Family-friendly camp overlooking a floodlit waterhole
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Onguma Trails Camp
Onguma Nature Reserve
4 suites
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Mushara Outpost Etosha
Etosha East
Intimate tented camp near Von Lindequist Gate
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Emanya@Etosha Game Lodge
Etosha East
Quiet luxury chalets with spa, pool and complimentary Wi-Fi
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Inside the park
Rest camps run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts inside Etosha National Park.
Where the lodges are
Etosha on the Map
Gold outline: Etosha National Park. Green dashed: Ongava Private Game Reserve. Tap a pin for the lodge.
Practical
Getting there
About 435 km from Windhoek. Andersson Gate in the south is reached via Outjo, Von Lindequist Gate in the east via Tsumeb. Tsumeb to Namutoni is 107 km.
Andersson (south), Von Lindequist (east), King Nehale (north) and Galton (south-west). Gates open at sunrise and close at sunset.
Onguma has its own airstrip on the eastern side, and Etosha Oberland Lodge has the Etosha Oberland airstrip (FYYE) near Andersson Gate.
Etosha lies in a malaria area. Windhoek has none. Ask your doctor about prevention.
Seasons
When to go
Dry season, April to December: animals gather at the waterholes. Wet season, December to April: many animals give birth and flamingos breed on the pan.
Tap a month for the full Namibia weather guide.
On our itineraries
Safaris through Etosha
Before you go
Questions answered
Should I stay inside Etosha or outside the park?
Inside the park, Namibia Wildlife Resorts runs the rest camps: Okaukuejo, Halali, Namutoni, Onkoshi and Dolomite, plus Olifantsrus Campsite. Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni each have a floodlit waterhole you can watch after dark. Outside, private reserves border the park, among them Ongava on the southern boundary and Onguma on the eastern boundary, with their own lodges and activities. Park rules keep everyone in camp between sunset and sunrise.
Etosha South or Etosha East?
The south is reached through Andersson Gate and the east through Von Lindequist Gate. Several of our itineraries split their Etosha nights between the two, for example the 17-Day Namibia, Chobe & Vic Falls Self-Drive Safari (Etosha Oberland Lodge, then Onguma The Fort) and the 14-Day Best of Namibia Self-Drive Safari (Etosha Safari Camp, then Onguma Bush Camp).
Can I self-drive in Etosha?
Yes, on the park's roads. The park rules say: stay on the existing roads, stay in your vehicle except at rest camps and rest areas, and be inside a rest camp from sunset to sunrise. The western part of the park is open only to Namibian-registered tour operators.
When is the best time for game viewing?
In the dry season, April to December, animals gather at the waterholes. The wet season, December to April, is when many animals give birth and flamingos breed on the pan.
Is there malaria in Etosha?
Etosha lies in regions the CDC lists as malaria areas (Kunene, Oshikoto, Oshana, Omusati and Otjozondjupa). Windhoek has no malaria. Ask your doctor about prevention before you travel.
How far is Etosha from Windhoek?
About 435 km by road. Tsumeb to Namutoni, on the eastern side, is 107 km.
Your night at the Waterhole
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