Today is devoted to self drive birding and game viewing in the famous Etosha National Park, which surrounds an enormous salt pan that is the size of the Netherlands. Once the summer rains arrive, the vast salt pans are turned into seasonal lakes that attract thousands of migratory and wetland birds.
We recommend setting off as soon as the park gates open after sunrise, to take advantage of the best conditions of the day, as the vast Etosha Pan offers magnificent game viewing opportunities - including springbok, oryx, black-faced impala, roan, cheetah and the Damara dik-dik, Namibia’s smallest antelope. With over 100 different species of mammals and reptiles in this park, you can hope to see lion, elephant, rhino, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, kudu, sable antelope, warthogs, baboons and many other interesting animals. A series of waterholes throughout the park guarantees rewarding game viewing, with Etosha being renowned for its vast array of plains game and its 'great cats' which are more easily seen on the open pans.
Etosha is also home to 340 different bird species, about a third of which are migratory. These includes the colourful Lilac-breasted roller, Greater and Lesser flamingos and 35 raptors - ranging from the Bateleur, Tawny eagle, Martial eagle, Goshawk and Lapped-faced, White-backed and Hooded vultures to the tiny Pygmy Falcon. Namibian specials include the Bare-cheeked babbler, Violet wood hoopoe, Carp’s tit, Monterio’s hornbill, Rockrunner and Rüppel’s parrot. You can also see the world’s largest bird, the Ostrich and the heaviest flying bird, the Kori bustard. Eight owl species can be spotted after sunset.
Also look out for the Blue crane, Swainson's spurfowl, Red-crested korhaan, Double-banded courser, Spotted thick-knee, Secretarybird, Spotted eagle-owl, Meyer’s parrot, Sabota lark, Spike-heeled lark, Pink-billed lark, Red-capped lark, Clapper lark, Southern White-crowned shrike, Crimson-breasted shrike, Red-backed shrike, Lesser grey shrike, White-crested helmetshrike, Black-faced babbler, Southern pied babbler, Wattled starling, Long-billed pipit, Grassveld pipit, Marico sunbird, Scarlet-chested sunbird, White-bellied sunbird, Melba finch, Scaly-feathered finch, Yellow-bellied eremomela, Burnt-necked eremomela, Chestnut weaver, Blue waxbill, Golden-breasted bunting, Paradise whydah and Shaft-tailed whydah. You may see up to 12 different duck species including the White-backed duck, Hottentot teal and South African shelduck.
In the evening enjoy a beautiful African sunset and the pristine stars of the Milky Way as you have never seen them before – including the spectacular Southern Cross.
Note: All game drives are self-drive. Vehicles are not allowed to drive off-road in any national park in Namibia.