Entry to Etosha National Park is paid at the gate: NAD 150 per foreign adult per day (plus NAD 50 for a standard vehicle) until 31 March 2026, when the rate jumps to NAD 280. Gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, with times shifting week to week — you'll need to check the posted schedule every day.
Etosha's gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, seven days a week, and the exact times shift weekly as daylight lengthens — think 06:55–18:50 in early September versus 06:10–19:25 in early December. The park never closes for the day entirely; it's the gate times you must track. Times are posted at each gate, so confirm at your camp reception every morning before setting out.
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| Day | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Sunday | Sunrise–sunset (weekly schedule: e.g. 06:55–18:50 on 8–14 September; 06:40–18:50 on 22–30 September; 06:15–19:00 on 27–31 October; 06:10–19:25 on 1–7 December; 06:20–19:35 on 22–28 December) | All vehicles must be inside camp by closing time; night driving outside camps is prohibited. Camp accommodation is available from 12:00 and must be vacated by 10:00. |
Etosha runs on sunrise and sunset rather than a holiday calendar, so public and religious holidays don't bring closures — the gates open on Christmas Day the same as any other. The variation that matters is seasonal: the wet summer months (November–April, rain heaviest January–March) disperse wildlife across the park and deteriorate the gravel roads, while May–October concentrates animals at the waterholes. December gate times run the longest of the published examples, closing as late as 19:35 over 22–28 December.
Entry to Etosha National Park (in northwestern Namibia) costs NAD 150 per foreign adult per day, paid at the gate — SADC citizens pay NAD 100 and Namibians NAD 50, with children under 16 currently free. Vehicle fees are charged separately, from NAD 50 per day for a standard car. Prices jump sharply on 1 April 2026, when the foreign adult rate rises to NAD 280 per day.
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| Category | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign adult | NAD 150 per person, per day (NAD 280 from 1 April 2026) | Paid at the gate; proof of ID (passport, driver's licence or ID) required at entry. Namibian dollars are pegged 1:1 to the South African rand. |
| SADC adult | NAD 100 per person, per day (NAD 180 from 1 April 2026) | Proof of SADC citizenship required at the gate. |
| Namibian adult | NAD 50 per person, per day (NAD 60 from 1 April 2026) | Namibian ID required. |
| Child (under 16) | Free (until 31 March 2026) | The official site still lists under-16s as free for 2026, but third-party sources report foreign children aged 9–15 paying NAD 180 from 1 April 2026, with only under-8s free. Confirm at the gate before you budget. |
| Vehicle, up to 10 seats | NAD 50 per day (NAD 60 from 1 April 2026) | Charged per vehicle per day, on top of per-person fees. |
| Vehicle, 11–25 seats | NAD 100 per day (NAD 150 from 1 April 2026) | Charged per vehicle per day. |
| Vehicle, 26–50 seats | NAD 400 per day (NAD 600 from 1 April 2026) | Charged per vehicle per day. |
| Vehicle, 51+ seats | NAD 700 per day (NAD 1,000 from 1 April 2026) | Charged per vehicle per day. |
No regular free entry days — fees apply year-round, and the park gives notice that rates can change without warning.
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View All ToursThe dry winter months, May to October, are the best time to visit Etosha: seasonal water dries up and wildlife crowds the roughly 86 remaining waterholes, making sightings predictable across the park. July to September rates 'Excellent' for game viewing but draws the biggest crowds — go in May or June for nearly the same animals with fewer vehicles at the waterholes. November to April sees rain disperse the herds, though birders come deliberately for summer migrants and flamingos at Fischer's Pan.
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| Period | Crowd Level | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning (gate opening – 09:00) | Low | Animals drink at central waterholes like Gemsbokvlakte, Charitsaub and Goas in the first half of the morning — pick one hole and sit still rather than racing between them. |
| Midday (12:00 – 15:00) | Moderate | Take a lunch and swim break at Halali or Namutoni while animals rest in the shade; suits families with kids who need the camp pools. |
| Late afternoon (15:00 – gate closing) | Moderate | The second drinking shift begins, but gate times change weekly and close as early as roughly 18:40 in September — plan to be behind the camp fence 30 minutes before closing. |
| After dark (floodlit camp waterholes) | Low | Okaukuejo's floodlit waterhole draws black rhino, elephant and lion meters from the benches — the only legal way to watch wildlife after dark unless you're on a camp-run night drive. |
| Green season mornings (November – April) | Low | Wildlife scatters once rains fall, so trade game drives for birding at Fischer's Pan, where flamingos and pelicans move in with the summer migrants. |
Most visitors stay 2–5 nights, with two nights as the workable minimum. The classic self-drive plan is a 3-night south-to-east loop: Andersson Gate, Okaukuejo's floodlit waterhole, Halali, Namutoni, then out at Von Lindequist Gate. Add a fourth or fifth night if you want the restricted west and Dolomite Camp, home to the park's best black-faced impala. Day trips from lodges outside the gates are possible but rushed.
Foreign adults pay NAD 150 per day until 31 March 2026, then NAD 280 from 1 April — so a visit before the increase saves real money on a multi-day stay. Fees are paid at the gate itself, no advance permit needed, but carry your passport or ID since entry checks are enforced due to poaching. Prices can change without notice, so bring cash as well as card.
Gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, and the exact times change every week — roughly 06:55–18:50 in early September but 06:10–19:25 by early December. Confirm the day's times at camp reception each morning, and plan to be behind the fence 30 minutes before closing. Night driving is prohibited, and animals on the road after dark are a genuine hazard.
Be at Gemsbokvlakte, Charitsaub, Goas or Nebrownii in the first half of the morning, when elephant herds, zebra and lions come to drink — May to October is when wildlife crowds the remaining waterholes and viewing is most predictable. Sitting still at one waterhole beats racing between them. Break at Halali or Namutoni around midday, then head back out for the late-afternoon shift.
Accommodation in the six in-park camps — Okaukuejo, Halali, Namutoni, Dolomite, Onkoshi and Olifantsrus — must be reserved through Namibia Wildlife Resorts, and July to November sells out months in advance. Okaukuejo's floodlit waterhole, where rhino and lion drink after dark, is the one to fight for. Entry fees are paid separately at the gate.
Morning drives on open vehicles are genuinely cold even in summer, so bring a fleece, beanie and windproof layer you can shed as the day heats up. Neutral earth tones over bright colours, a wide-brimmed hat, and binoculars — much of Etosha's action plays out across open plains at a distance. If you're visiting November to April, add a waterproof layer for the afternoon storms.
Until 31 March 2026, foreign adults pay NAD 150 per person per day, SADC adults NAD 100, and Namibian adults NAD 50, with children under 16 free. A standard vehicle (up to 10 seats) costs NAD 50 per day. From 1 April 2026 the foreign adult rate jumps to NAD 280 per day, SADC to NAD 180, Namibian to NAD 60, and the vehicle fee to NAD 60 — so a visit before April saves real money. Fees are paid at the gate and can change without notice, so carry some cash alongside your card.
Gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, and the exact times change weekly — roughly 06:55–18:50 in early September, 06:10–19:25 in early December. Current times are posted at each gate, so confirm at camp reception every morning rather than trusting an old printout. Every vehicle must be inside camp by closing time, and night driving outside camps is prohibited; plan to be behind the fence about 30 minutes before the deadline.
No — Etosha is in northwestern Namibia, roughly 420–435 km north of the capital Windhoek. Tanzania's flagship reserves are the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire. Etosha spans the Kunene region, bordering Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa, and centers on a 4,730 km² salt pan.
Two nights is the workable minimum, but 3–5 nights is the sweet spot — enough to cover the south, center and east without rushing. The classic self-drive loop runs Andersson Gate to Okaukuejo, then Halali, then Namutoni, exiting at Von Lindequist Gate. Add a night at Dolomite Camp if you want the restricted west and its black-faced impala.
All six in-park camps — Okaukuejo, Halali, Namutoni, Dolomite, Onkoshi and Olifantsrus — are run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), and you book directly through them. The July–November high season sells out months ahead, so reserve early. Rooms are available from 12:00 and must be vacated by 10:00; park entry fees are paid separately at the gate.
No advance permit is required — you pay the entrance fee at the gate and receive a permit listing the park rules. Every visitor must show proof of identification (passport, driver's licence or ID) at entry, a measure tied to poaching incidents; 46 of Namibia's 61 poached black rhino in 2022 died in Etosha. Anyone driving inside the park needs a valid driver's licence, and Namibia drives on the left.
May to October, the dry winter, when water dries up and animals crowd the remaining waterholes — SafariBookings rates July, August and September 'Excellent'. May and June give you good viewing with fewer crowds. Avoid November to April if game drives are your priority: rain scatters the wildlife, temperatures climb, and thunderstorms are common, though the green season brings newborn animals and prime birding at Fischer's Pan.
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