EtoshaEtosha is one of Africa's most famous parks and remains the country's most popular wildlife destination. Viewing game here is always good due to the sheer concentration of animals in the park, however, the reality is that Etosha is the best game viewing area in a country that is not held in high regard for its safari! It is a great park for people wanting a couple of days safari and are not wanting to venture further afield, to the likes of Botswana for example, which offer a far superior quality of game viewing. This park can be exceptionally busy.
Consisting primarily of a huge salt pan and a number of watering holes that provide the focus point for the looping game drive routes off the main park road, Etosha has a huge self drive following. Self drive was in fact the park's goal and subsequently the ease of driving yourself around Etosha is better than virtually anywhere else in Africa.
The main road through the park is broken up by three large hotel complexes (restcamps) that were all designed to accommodate for the large self drive market. These three camps, Namutoni, Okaukuejo and Halali take up the centre of the park and in high season provide accommodation in camp sites and hotels for literally thousands of tourists. Needless to say, even though the game can be very good, the experience can be fairly hectic! If you head outside of the park, however, there are a number of private reserves that offer game viewing in their own exclusive areas while also giving guests the chance to drive inside the park if they choose. We tend to advise clients to choose safari in these regions. Etosha: Accommodation choices
Leaving Namutoni, Okaukuejo and Halali aside, there are private camps/reserves set to the East and South West of the park. The first to talk about is Wilderness Safaris Ongava Reserve located just South of the main gate at Ombika. Ongava Tented Camp is a lovely, small, classic tented camp with only nine rooms and a watering hole directly in front of the main guest area. Ongava Lodge is located higher up the hill and offers accommodation in twelve stone cottages. This lodge may have been the most luxurious camp in its day, but we feel it is now somewhat dated, whereas the three roomed Little Ongava sits right on the top of the hill and commands spectacular views. This is by far the most luxurious accommodation in the area.
The Eastern side of Etosha is home to the Mushara accommodations and the Onguma Game Reserve. Mushara has three properties - Mushara Lodge, Villa Mushara and Mushara Outpost. The Lodge and Outpost are designed for self drive clients whereas the villa is a "fly in" lodge. Onguma’s lodges are all high quality and compete with Wilderness Safaris Ongava Lodges for top end clientele.
Recommended lodges in this area:
Etosha
Little Ongava takes Etosha accommodations to a completely different level. With only three rooms and the efficient organisation of Wilderness safaris, service here is as personal as it get. Little Ongava has the areas most impressive views and is the finest accommodation in Etosha. Etosha
Ongava Tented Camp is a charming small tented camp in a private reserve owned by Wilderness Safaris just outside Etosha. There are only eight rooms here, all of which look over a small watering hole that attracts game throughout the day and night. Etosha
Ongava Game lodge is the largest of Wilderness Safaris lodges in Etosha and ultimately are least favourite. As much as we appreciate the quality of the operational side of this lodge we don’t see the point of spending the same amount here as at Ongava Tented Lodge but getting what we believe is a far less quality experience. |
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