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REGION INFORMATION
ETOSHA
Etosha was first established in 1907, when Namibia was a German colony known as South West Africa. At the time,
the park’s original 100,000 km² (38,500 mile²) made it the largest game reserve in the world. Due to political changes
since its original establishment, the park is now slightly less than a quarter of its original area, but still remains a very
large and significant area in which wildlife is protected.
The Etosha Pan dominates the park. The salt pan desert is roughly 130 km long and as wide as 50 km in places.
The salt pan is usually dry, but fills with water briefly in the summer, when it attracts pelicans and flamingos in
particular. Perennial springs attract a variety of animals and birds throughout the year, including the endangered Black
Rhinoceros and the endemic Black-faced Impala. This area boasts a number of exclusive and upmarket lodges around
the famous national park.
Proclaimed a game reserve in March 1907. The Etosha pan covers 23% of the total area of the national park.
Explorers Charles John Andersson and Francis Galton are the first Europeans to record the existence of the Etosha
pan on 29 May 1851
Etosha Pan - The salt pans are the most noticeable geological features in the national park. The main depression
covers an area of about 5,000 square kilometres
The Etosha National Park has a savanna desert climate.
GROOTFONTEIN
Grootfontein is green in summer but drier in winter. In spring, jacaranda and flamboyant trees bloom in profusion.
The town has an old German Schutztruppe fortress from the year 1896, which today houses a museum that expounds
on the local history.