Etosha National Park opening and closing times

Understanding how Etosha opening times work is essential when visiting our incredible national park. 

All the entrance gates to Etosha National Park, as well as the gates to the Park’s state-run (NWR) Rest-camps, open each day at sunrise and close at sunset.

No tourists are allowed to drive around the Park between sunset and sunrise, so when you’re visiting Etosha, always make sure to be through the gate before sunset. Remember – the sun goes down much quicker here than in Europe because we are much closer to the equator!

Sunrise and sunset times for Okaukuejo

Below are the sunrise and sunset times for Okaukuejo. You can use these as a guide when planning your visit to the central area of Etosha National Park, if you are entering or exiting the Park at Anderson Gate while staying at Vreugde Guest Farm, or if you are staying overnight at Okaukuejo Rest-camp.

Etosha opening and closing times at the other gates and rest-camps will be slightly different due to differences in longitude (they are further west or east).

Making the most of the ‘golden hour’ in Etosha

The first hour of the day, the so-called ‘golden hour’, can provide an opportunity for some lovely photos, with great lighting and colour-richness. There’s also an increased chance of seeing some of the more night-active animals in the first couple of hours of the day (and again in the last hour or so of the afternoon). This includes lion, black rhino, spotted hyena, honey-badger, and bat-eared fox.

And between Klein Namutoni waterhole and Dik-Dik Drive in the east of Etosha NP: Damara Dik-dik.