Wilderness Landscape & Natural Heritage
Etosha National Park, established in 1907, is one of Africa's greatest wildlife parks. Located in Namibia, it covers an area of approximately 8,600 square miles. The park's center, the massive Etosha Pan, is a vast, flat saline desert that is a dramatic landscape composed largely of white saline sand. During the dry season, the pan is a dusty depression, but it transforms into a shallow lagoon attracting flamingos, pelicans, and other birds during the rainy season. The park is home to a wide variety of animals, including elephants, lions, rhinos, and giraffes, making it a quintessential destination for ecotourists. The park offers an extensive network of gravel roads to facilitate self-drive safaris. Visitors can also stay in accommodations ranging from campsites to luxury lodges. The waterholes scattered throughout the park provide excellent game-viewing opportunities, especially in the dry season when animals come to drink.