Best Time for Wildlife in
Etosha National Park

Etosha's lions are highly tied to permanent waterholes during the dry winter months, ambushing prey along the pan edges. In the wet summer, they disperse deep into mopane woodlands.

Plains zebras are extremely numerous, forming massive herds that move in long dust lines between the grasslands and waterholes during the dry winter months.

Cheetahs thrive in Etosha's open, short-grass plains where they hunt springbok. They avoid the thick mopane scrub and use calcrete ridges and mounds to scan the plains.

Giraffes browse the acacia and mopane woodland margins. They are highly visible and numerous, visiting waterholes daily in the dry season with extreme caution.

Leopards are elusive and prefer the dense mopane woodlands and rocky hills around Halali. Scanning horizontal branches and dry riverbeds at dawn yields the best results.

Blue wildebeest graze the open grasslands and pan margins. They are highly dependent on water, visiting waterholes daily alongside zebras.

Kori bustard — Africa's heaviest flying bird — is common on Etosha's open gravel plains. They walk slowly, searching for insects, and are highly visible on short-grass verges.

Spotted hyenas are highly active in Etosha. They den in calcrete caves and patrol waterhole edges at night, competing with lions for prey carcasses.

Etosha's elephants are famous for their massive size but short tusks due to mineral deficiencies. Dry winter months pull breeding herds to permanent waterholes, while wet summer disperses them north.

Etosha is one of the best places in the world to see the endangered black rhino. They drink reliably at Okaukuejo and Halali floodlit waterholes at night during the dry winter.