Unforgettable 4-Day Safari to Etosha National Park
Pay close attention because in this post, I’m going to spill the beans on one of the GREATEST journeys I’ve taken so far. Without a shadow of a doubt, this “Unforgettable 4-Day Safari to Etosha National Park” journey is worth every moment. What makes it extra special is that not many folks dare to embark on this trip due to the extensive planning it requires and the scant information available online. Get ready for an unforgettable exploration!
Etosha National Park in Namibia stands as one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The park’s crowning glory is its vast salt pan stretching 130 kilometers across, a spectacular sight even from space. It serves as a haven for four of the ‘big five’, including the endangered white rhino, which we had the incredible opportunity to see. Additionally, it’s home to the world’s largest elephants.
Etosha National Park is not only home to the country’s most significant lion population, approximately 500, but also hosts other species like the African elephant, leopard, and black rhinoceros. It offers a chance to see all of the Big Five except for the Cape buffalo.
Whether you’re residing in Angola and long to witness majestic animals without the need for a lengthy journey, or if you’re seeking the best insider tips for visiting Etosha, keep reading “4 nights visit to Etosha National Park from Luanda”. This post is sure to captivate your interest.
When to Visit Etosha
The prime time to visit Etosha National Park is during the dry season, which spans from May to November. During this period, the chance of rain drops nearly to zero, greatly enhancing wildlife spotting opportunities. In the dry season, animals tend to congregate around waterholes and with sparser vegetation, they are easier to spot.
However, if your only option is to travel during the wet season, from November to April, don’t fret—it’s equally spectacular. The upside is fewer crowds and potentially lower rates.
You’ll need at least four days to have a full safari experience in Etosha National Park. And if you can spare a couple more days, it’s 100% recommended for an even richer encounter with the wild.
Trip Preparation
If you’ve made up your mind to embark on this adventure from Angola, I recommend booking your flight as soon as possible with TAAG. We flew from Luanda to Ondjiva. You can snag a round trip for roughly 100 dollars, which is a steal (especially if you manage to pay in kwanzas).
Pro Tip: This journey requires a minimum of 4 nights. We left on a Saturday morning and returned on a Wednesday morning. But as I’ve mentioned before, if you want to soak up more of Etosha, consider extending your stay by a couple more days.
What to Pack for Etosha National Park
- Valid Passport: Especially when coming from Angola, ensure your tourism or work visa is in order and that it doesn’t expire while you are in Namibia.
- Yellow Fever Vaccination: Entry into Namibia requires a yellow fever vaccination, which you likely have if you’re coming from Angola.
- Download Namibia Maps: You won’t have internet access as soon as you cross the border into Namibia, so it’s wise to download the map of Namibia on Google Maps for offline use throughout your trip.
- A Great Downloaded Playlist: You won’t have internet access during the journey, and you’ll spend many hours in the car.
- Mosquito Repellent: The insects in Etosha are huge, and as with any natural environment, there are mosquitoes to fend off.
- Binoculars: For spotting distant wildlife!
- Card, Dollars: Coming from Angola, it’s important to know that almost no one accepts kwanzas, only Namibian dollars, and sometimes, with a bit of luck, U.S. dollars or euros. Remember to bring a card, as Namibia is quite developed and organized, and card payments are widely accepted. I always recommend Revolut as the best option.
- Travel Insurance: Please, whenever you travel, especially to unpredictable destinations and on adventures, don’t forget to arrange good travel insurance.
Crossing the Border
Bear in mind that Angola isn’t a tourist hotspot, and neither is its border with Namibia. So, you have a few options to consider.
Opting for a Taxi Service
Be aware that in domestic and even international airports in Angola, there’s no taxi service as we know it. There’s no company providing taxis, no buses, nothing. You either have someone to pick you up or you get the contact of a taxi once you arrive at Ondjiva airport.
If you choose this route, upon arrival in Ondjiva, you’ll need to make your way to Santa Clara, the border town with Namibia. You’ll have to cross the border and once you reach Oshikango, you’ll need to find another taxi to take you to Ondangwa, where you can rent a car from one of the rental agencies at the Ondangwa airport since Oshikango does not have car rental services.
Hiring a Transfer: The Better Option
For simplicity and safety, I recommend arranging a transfer service from Ondjiva to Ondangwa. It wasn’t easy, but I managed to get the contact details of three people who provide this service. If you’re interested in getting these contacts, feel free to reach out to me here.
Car Rental
You should book a sturdy 4×4 vehicle, like a Land Cruiser or Range Rover, or any vehicle suitable for safari from one of the car rentals in Ondangwa. The price hovers around 100 dollars a day, and I strongly recommend opting for additional insurance for tire punctures and windshield damage.
The deposit was approximately US$500, the deductible was US$1300, the rent for the 4 days was approximately US$380 and the insurance was US$10 per day.. It is very important ot have the extra insurance for breakages and punctures.
We rented from Europcar and were very pleased with their friendly and excellent service.
Keep in mind that if you arrive during the weekend, they close at 14:00, and you should notify them if you are delayed. They may accommodate you with a later pickup.
Hotel Reservations
For a safari in Etosha, there are several options. You can choose camping to save a good deal of money, but if the logistics of carrying your own camping gear on the plane are a concern, the most convenient alternative is to book a stay at one of the fantastic lodges within Etosha National Park.
The official booking site is www.nwr.com.na — and that’s the only one you should use. Book directly through this site to avoid the numerous scams and seemingly official agencies that are not.
We booked two nights inside the park at different campsites. The advantage of staying within the park, whether in a campsite or hotel, is the opportunity to observe the waterholes where animals come to drink. It’s not uncommon to find a family of rhinos taking a midnight dip right in front of your window.
Furthermore, the lodges are equipped with swimming pools and all sorts of amenities. Also, if you stay inside the park, you will have the possibility to go on Morning drives safaris before the park opens and Night Drives after it closes. If you stay outside the park, you will not have this possibility.
Without further ado, let me give you all the details below!
Day 1
Arrival in Ondjiva from Luanda
The flight isn’t very crowded. We flew comfortably on a two-hour journey to Ondjiva in the south of Angola. Our transfer was waiting for us upon arrival.
Pro Tip: Keep in mind that Namibia is one hour behind Angola, which is useful for coordinating times with your transfer and making bookings.
We then proceeded to Santa Clara. Here, we had to disembark from the vehicle to go through customs. The Angolan border was relatively quick, but the Namibian side… we spent 3 hours queuing in a small, barely ventilated room until we managed to hand in our entry forms and got our passports stamped.
Pro Tip: If you’re in a group, have one person go ahead to collect the forms while the others queue. Bring pens to fill out the forms while waiting. These tips will save you a lot of time.
Pro Tip: Namibian border hours are from 6 AM to 7 PM.
Once in Namibia, we had to switch cars, which was arranged by our transfer service. We arrived at the Ondangwa airport significantly delayed due to the time spent at the border, only to find that all the car rental agencies in the city were closed for the weekend. This underscores the importance of communicating with them in advance about the possibility of delays, and the necessity of having internet and credit on your phone in case you need to make a call, even though it might be quite expensive.
We decided to spend the night in Ondangwa and return to the car rental agency on Sunday morning. We found a wonderfully cozy hotel, the Ondangwa Rest Camp. It was fantastic—spacious, clean rooms, extremely friendly staff, and excellent food. A solid 10/10.
Day 2
The next morning, feeling recharged, we went back to Europcar and rented a fabulous Range Rover. Now, we were ready to continue our journey to Etosha. But first, we stopped at a Shoprite to stock up on enough water and some snacks for the next three days, as everything inside the park is significantly more expensive (almost double the price).
We entered through Namutoni Gate. The entrance fee to the park is very affordable compared to other expensive safaris. The rates are as follows:
- Foreign adults: 150 NAD per person per day.
- SADC (Southern African Development Community) adults: 100 NAD per person per day.
- Namibian adult nationals: 50 NAD per person per day.
- Children under 16: Free.
- Vehicles with 10 seats or fewer: 50 NAD per vehicle per day.
Tickets to Etosha National Park can be purchased at the Okaukuejo and Namutoni camps.
The first thing that strikes you is the vast expanse leading up to the lodge; on our way, we encountered several gnus and giraffes. Namutoni hosts a camp that comes highly recommended and appears well-organized, but our first night was at Okaukuejo, the most distant camp. Since our time was limited, we preferred to cover the longer distance on the first day and then proceed with safaris as we moved closer to the exit.
Upon arriving at Okaukuejo, we had lunch at the restaurant and took a dip in the pool. We set out again in the afternoon to spot animals, but weren’t very lucky.
Pro Tip: As soon as you arrive at the camp where you’ll be staying, make an immediate reservation if you’re interested in a guided safari in the morning or evening. For an approximate cost of 30 dollars per person, you can enjoy the convenience of traveling in an open vehicle with a professional who will go the extra mile to spot some wildlife.
I would even recommend that if you’re certain you want to engage in such safaris, book the next day’s safari the day before. For instance, you could ask the receptionist at Okaukuejo to book the drives you wish to undertake in Halali or Namutoni.
I strongly recommend experiencing at least one guided night safari, as these are conducted after the park’s closing hours and you’ll virtually have the place to yourself.
Furthermore, it’s common to witness electrical storms and nocturnal animals during these safaris, which you otherwise wouldn’t see since venturing out on your own is not permitted after 7 PM.
Also, make a reservation at the restaurant for both lunch and dinner. It costs nothing and spares you the hassle of worrying about timing.
At night, make sure to visit the waterhole; it’s truly a spectacular sight. A softly lit pond where you can sit at a distance to watch the creatures that come to drink or take a dip. On our first night, we were fortunate to see a family of black rhinos enjoying the African midnight right before our eyes.
Day 3
We recommend getting up early, around 5:30 AM, to be ready for breakfast at the hotel and prepared for the day’s adventure. We spent the entire morning on safari until we reached Halali, our next stop. Although not as luxurious as Okuakuejo, Halali is a comfortable lodge. We were fortunate to encounter a white rhinoceros, which is endangered.
Pro Tip: Whenever you pass another car, roll down the window and ask if they’ve seen anything interesting. Thanks to starting these conversations, we began encountering many more animals!
Day 4
After spending a pleasant night at Halali, we continued our safari, and this day turned out to be the most spectacular of all. Near Halali, we encountered elephants crossing the road, a dead giraffe, and 50 meters further… a lion and two lionesses resting in the shade of a tree, digesting their meal!
We then headed to Namutoni to begin our journey back to Angola, as we wanted to cross the border a day earlier in case of complications at the border. The Namibian border operates from 6:30 AM to 7:00 PM
We left the park around midday and arrived in Ondangwa at 14:00, returned the car, and our transfer was waiting to take us across the border. I must say, the border crossing was quite swift, so we reached Ondjiva by 17:00, where we stayed at the Aguia Verde Hotel to catch our flight the next morning.
Well, the hotel is somewhat unique, but it’s clean, the staff is friendly, and it’s affordable. I have nothing bad to say, only that there was no internet, and the food options were limited and not very tasty. However, in Ondjiva, there really isn’t much choice, so we recommend staying at the hotel. With a small tip, they might bring you items from the supermarket.
Day 5
After a very complete breakfast at Aguia Verde, our return flight to Luanda was delayed (as usual with TAAG), instead of leaving at 11:00 AM, we departed at 5:00 PM. It’s okay, this is Angola, and these things happen.
Nonetheless, I’m very grateful that, among all that could have gone wrong, we faced so few issues.
In summary, this is undoubtedly one of the best trips you can take from Angola, affordably priced, and offering the chance to enjoy one of Namibia’s finest national parks—a true haven of peace. And Namibians are incredibly friendly people.
If you have any questions or advice you’d like to share, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send me a message. I’ll be happy to respond.
Additionally, if you’re in Angola and not quite sure what wonderful experiences this country has to offer, I recommend reading some of my posts about beaches in Luanda, or weekend plans in Lubango, Benguela, or Malanje.
Safe travels!
