Arnoud Quanjer Wildlife Photography

Okaukuejo restcamp is the largest of the three camps (the others are Halali and Namutoni) in Etosha. The camp is located 17km from Anderson Gate which is one of the main entrances to Etosha. Okaukuejo Resort is the oldest camp in Etosha. It currently functions as the administrative hub of the Park and houses the Etosha Ecological Institute from where all park research is monitored and conducted.

Okaukuejo is located near the western border of Etosha National Park (the part at least that is accesible to tourists). Okaukuejo restcamp offers all the facilities that you need. There is a shop, a curio shop, postoffice, restaurant, swimming pool, filling station and even an Internet café. The shop sells basic food items and drinks and is reasonably well stocked. If you're planning on braaing in Etosha and you can bring meat with you from outside the park then that would be your best option. The shop sells meat but the choice you have is limited and the quality is mediocre.

Namibia Wildlife Resorts offers various 360 degree panoramic images from Okaukuejo. You can find these images here. 

Staying in Okaukuejo

The camp offers a wide range of accomodation. You can camp if wish or you can stay in a tent, premier bush chalets overlooking the waterhole, bush chalets, double rooms or family chalets. When you choose to camp or stay in a tent then communal ablutions and field kitchens are available. The last time I was in Okaukuejo was in October 2007 and the camp had just been completely upgraded. The communal ablutions and field kitchens were the best I've seen anywhere in Africa. They were clean, everything worked (including the hot water) and the styling was comparable to a luxury private lodge. Check the pictures in the gallery at the bottom of the page to see these facilities. Be aware that when you stay in a (premier) bush chalet, double room or family chalets you don't get braai (barbeque) facilities. This means that you are forced to eat at the restaurant. I think this is absolutely ludicrous and I haven't seen this in any other National Park in Southern Africa. Be aware that the best chalets with a waterhole view are numbers 10, 31, 32, 33,34 and 35. These chalets all have an unobstructed view of the waterhole. All the other waterhole chalets are close to the waterhole, but don't have a direct view of the waterhole.

After years of mismanagement and neglect of Etosha the managing authority of Namibia's parks (Namibia Wildlife Resorts) has started systematic improvement of all facilities in the NWR portfolio. This is obvious inthe whole of Etosha, but stunningly obvious in Okaukuejo. I hadn't been to Etosha since 2003 and the difference to 2003 is shocking. In 2003 the communal ablutions were filthy and absolutely nothing worked. An elephant could walk through the ablutiosn and you probably wouldn't even notice it. Now it's a very different story. Most of the bungalows and huts have been upgraded and especially the bungalows next to the waterhole looked absolutely stunning. From what had been done to the camp it was very obvious that Namibia Wildlife Resorts is trying to lift the standard of accomodation to that of private lodges. Unfortunately the price of staying Etosha has also gone up accordingly.

Floodlit waterhole

The main attraction of Okaukuejo restcamp is the waterhole. For viewing wildlife in the daytime as well as at night it is probably one of the best, if not the best, waterhole in a national park in Southern Africa. In the daytime you will always see lots of general wildlife at the waterhole as it is the main source of water in the Okaukuejo area. At night you have an almost 100% chance to see black rhinoceros drinking at the waterhole. I've spend five or six nights sitting at the waterhole and I've seen black rhinoceros on every occasion.

Image gallery

• Patio of bush chalet overlooking the waterhole Patio of bush chalet overlooking the waterhole
• Double storey bush chalet overlooking the waterhole Double storey bush chalet overlooking the waterhole
• Double storey bush chalet overlooking the waterhole Double storey bush chalet overlooking the waterhole
• Camping ground Camping ground
• Communal ablutions at campingground Communal ablutions at campingground
• Communal ablutions at campingground Communal ablutions at campingground
• Communal ablutions at campingground Communal ablutions at campingground
• Curio shop Curio shop
• Okaukuejo entrance Okaukuejo entrance
• Tambotie guesthouse (?) Tambotie guesthouse (?)
• Tambotie guesthouse (?) Tambotie guesthouse (?)
• Family chalet Family chalet
• Family chalet Family chalet
• Filling station Filling station
• Simple hut Simple hut
• Internet cafe Internet cafe
• Restaurant Restaurant
• Inside of the shop Inside of the shop
• Inside of the shop Inside of the shop
• View of the shop, curio shop and postoffice View of the shop, curio shop and postoffice
• View of the swimming pool View of the swimming pool
• View of the swimming pool View of the swimming pool
• Okaukuejo tower Okaukuejo tower
• Walkway to the waterhole Walkway to the waterhole
• Entrance to the waterhole Entrance to the waterhole
• View of the waterhole View of the waterhole
• View of the waterhole View of the waterhole
• View of the waterhole View of the waterhole
• View of the waterhole View of the waterhole
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