Etosha is Namibia’s largest national wildlife reserve and probably the country’s number one tourist attraction. Here are my notes after being there twice.

Camps and lodges

• With the exception of Olifantsrus camp, all have a restaurant so you do not need to cook if you don’t want to
• With the exception of Olifantsrus camp, all have some lodging so you don’t need a tent if you’re willing to pay

East to west:

Onkoshi

• Lodge only, no campsites
• A bit ran down, especially for the price
• About 45 minutes drive from Namutoni, make sure you plan enough time
• The only place in Etosha where we spotted a cheetah

Namutoni

• The only place we didn’t spend a night, that was probably a mistake as the Namutoni area was the only place with reported leopard sightings during our trip, albeit we didn’t see any ourselves

Halali

• Let us do a game drive with a 4yo
• A bit dry, very few trees to provide shade around the campsites
• Definitely try the Etosha lookout on the way from Namutoni to Halali

Okaukuejo

• The only place that wouldn’t let us do a game drive with a 4yo
• The closest place to Windhoek and by far the bussiest

Olifantsrus

• In the western part of Etosha, different landscapes, no longer a salt pan
• Quiet, with only about 10 campsites, by far my favourite
• Waterhole lookout is raised, lower level is all behind glass windows, so not great for photography
• Remarkable place with sad history, do visit the culture center to read about it

Dolomite

• Lodge only, no campsites
• The most luxurious lodge in Etosha, some chalets even come with a small jacuzzi
• You can find lions in the area, or rather the local guides can