It is worth inquiring at the camp offices which waterholes are dry as not all the waterholes are in use all year round – some may have dried up naturally and others may be undergoing maintenance work.

Some of the waterholes are natural, some are natural waterholes that have been expanded by man, and some are man-made. Regardless of type, this is a great thing to be able to witness at so many locations in the area, whether you’re used to the kind of activities found locally when you’re booking at www.britanniahotels.com or you’re a veteran of safaris around the world.

This is not intended to be a full list of the waterholes, rather it is a suggestion of some of the waterholes that might be worth visiting or avoiding.

Andoni
This waterhole is a long drive North from Namutoni and is a fair distance from any of the other waterholes. The waterhole is clearly visible from the car parking area and is in a large shallow bowl. I have sighted lion here, but the distance to this waterhole make it one to avoid unless you’ve had no luck elsewhere.

Chudop
This waterhole is around 6km from Namutoni, and is another waterhole with a Spotted Hyena den close to it, and game sightings can be excellent here.

Dik-Dik drive
Not actually a waterhole, this is a 6km drive in a circular route near the Klein Namutoni waterhole. This is a good place to see the Damara Dik-Dik – the smallest antelope species found in the park. These are often found near the road under large bushes. Dik-Dik drive is also a good place for sightings of black faced impala and zebra and giraffe sightings are also common here.

Etosha
Not actually a waterhole, this is a lookout on the edge of the pan. There is also a short drive out on to the pan which is open when the pan is suitably dry, so you can drive approx 20 metres out onto the pan on a short road marked by ropes. When you drive on to the pan like this you get an idea of how vast it is – the pan extends a far as the eye can see and is totally empty and barren.

Halali
This waterhole has en my experience proved to be the best one for sightings of Black Rhino, and sightings of elephant are also good here. If staying at Halali camp it is well worth spending as much time as possible in the evening at the waterhole to maximise chances of spotting Rhino. During the day there is a steady flow of wildlife coming in to drink.

Helio
This waterhole is dry and is usually deserted – one to avoid.

Khoinachas
This waterhole is fairly close to Namutoni and is within the home range of the Hyenas living at Chudop, so Spotted Hyena can sometimes be seen here drinking or scavenging on a kill.

Klein Namutoni
This waterhole is just 3-4 minutes drive from Namutoni camp, and as such it is very popular with tourists shortly before sunset as they can continue watching wildlife as long as possible. This waterhole is well used by wildlife including Giraffe, Zebra, Springbok and more. There is also a Spotted Hyena den nearby so Spotted Hyena sightings are possible, particularly around dawn.

Namutoni
The rest-camp’s waterhole can be active during the day with Springbok, Oryx and Warthog, but the view is restricted by the large mass of reeds in the centre. Of the three rest camp waterholes, this is the least busy.

Nebrownii
This waterhole is about 9 Km East of Okaukuejo, just off the main East-West road through the park. The waterhole is adjacent to a flat plain and also has some scrub nearby. Game sightings can be good here, particularly during the dry season.
Oryx wait close to the Nebrownii waterhole in Etosha

Okaukuejo
By far the busiest of the camp waterholes, this is a good place for sightings of elephant in the evening, and during the day the waterhole can be crowded with springbok, kudu, oryx, zebra and other wildlife
Springbok crowd the waterhole at Okaukeujo Elephant and other wildlife at Okaukuejo waterhole A Rhino visits the okaukuejo waterhole at night

Okondeka
This waterhole is located North of Okaukuejo and is on the very edge of the Etosha Pan. A pride of lions is resident in the area and can sometimes be spotted. The view across the vast empty waste of the Etosha Pan is spectacular
A lion walks near the Okondeka waterhole with the Etosha Pan in the background

Ombika
This waterhole is located near the Anderssons Gate entrance to the park, and is worth visiting as you enter or leave the park, but it can be frustrating to see wildlife arrive then vanish out of sight – the waterhole is in a large dip, and as animals go down to drink they can sometimes move out of sight

The restaurant at Namutoni differs from those in the other camps as its lunch menu is not a buffet – instead it offers an a la carte menu including some delicious choices – the Kingclip (a type of fish) is excellent and serves as a welcome change from the usual meat based diet.

The waterhole attracts some wildlife including Springbok and Oryx, but very little in comparison with the waterholes at the other two camps. Some wildlife does roam the camp – Banded Mongooses are common, and Ground Squirrels, Warthogs and Jackal can also be seen on occasion within the camp.

Stamps can be purchased at Namutoni, but the post tends to be far slower for items posted here than for items posted at Okaukuejo.
The fort at namutoni rest camp in Etosha

The camp is unfortunately not very close to any of the other waterholes in the park. This means that if you are staying the night at Halali, you need to leave whichever waterhole you are at well before sunset to ensure you are back at the camp before the gates are locked.

Like all the camps, Okaukuejo contains accommodation, facilities for camping, a restaurant, bar, petrol station and shop. Okaukuejo also has a post office where you can purchase stamps and post letters and cards.

The restaurant operates a buffet service and normally has a choice of two or three meats available including one game meat (e.g. springbok, kudu, ostrich). In the evening it is often a good idea to dine early and then head down to the waterhole to watch the animals come and drink.

The camps waterhole is separated from the camp by a wall and low fence to prevent wildlife entering the camp without obstructing the view for tourists. The waterhole is floodlit at night and is normally busy during the day time as well as night. It is quite common to see elephants at the waterhole as well as Zebra, Springbok, Oryx and others. Rhino can also be seen here. The waterhole is very close to some of the rondavels where tourists stay. Whilst this can be convenient, it can be a problem if noisy groups are staying in one of them as the noise can disturb the wildlife. This problem seems to be worst at weekends. While there is some lighting throughout the camp, it is advisable to carry a torch when going to the waterhole at night to help find your way back to your accommodation.

The tower in the camp, located near the entrance, and the restaurant is a good place to view the sunset from, and provides a good view during the day time as well.

Okaukuejo is located near the Andersons Gate entrance to the park and is the most westerly of the three camps.

Namutoni is located near the Von Lindequist Gate entrance to the park and is the most easterly of the three camps.

Halali is located approximately half way between Okaukuejo and Namutoni.

All three rest camps contain accommodation, camping areas, a restaurant, a bar, a shop and petrol station. Each of the camps is built bordering a waterhole so visitors can view the wildlife at the waterhole from inside the camp. The waterholes are floodlit at night.

Detailed Information about the Rest Camps in Etosha wildlife Safari Park;

Okaukuejo Rest camp
Halali Rest camp
Namutoni Rest camp

The amount of wildlife you see will depend on when you visit.  During the rainy season and for some time afterwards, there may be water on the Pan, and lots of small pools may form around the park.  This means wildlife is less dependant on the permanent waterholes, and as such are less likely to visit them.  During the dry season these temporary water sources dry up and animals become dependant once again on the permanent water holes, and tend to remain fairly close to them, and this becomes more pronounced as the rainy season approaches again and water is more and more scarce.  With game such as springbok, wildebeest, impala and zebra congregating around the waterholes, this acts as a magnet for the predators so sightings of Lion and other predators are better.  August and September are good months for game viewing but are when the park is busiest with tourists.

For the best wildlife viewing, you have to arrange your day to fit in with the times when the animals are most active.  This means when staying at one of the rest camps, you should set the alarm for before dawn !  This means you can be dressed and ready to set off as soon as the camp gates are unlocked and opened at dawn.  This is the best time to see wildlife as most of them are active at this time.  After a game viewing session, its a good idea to head back for a quick breakfast before another game drive in the morning.  There tends to be little activity during the middle of the day due to the heat, so this is a good time to relax, have a short sleep, or remain at one of the rest camp waterholes.  Then a final game drive in the afternoon as the temperature starts to drop is a good idea as the animals start getting more active as sunset approaches.  At night, visiting the rest camp’s floodlit waterhole is another chance to get good game sightings – most of the sightings I have had of rhino in Etosha have been at the rest camp waterholes (Halali and Okaukuejo).