It isn't unfair to suggest that many regard Etosha game viewing as all about the waterholes, particularly during the dry season. As water sources become scarcer, animals of all shapes and sizes congregate around the more permanent waterholes for much needed refreshment. You can genuinely see families of elephant, lone rhino, jittery antelope, bandy legged giraffe and hungry prides of lion arrive at the same water hole within a couple of hours, and unsurprisingly there are regular kills made within the close vicinity.

Self-driving through Etosha, it is easy to hop between various well located waterholes, enjoy a spot of lunch and watch the game come to you. For those enjoying guided game drives in the park, the waterholes will also be a fall-back option for your guide if it's a quiet night in the open. Perhaps most enjoyable of all is to sit with an after dinner drink by a floodlit waterhole at your camp to watch the impressive nocturnal traffic. Okaukuejo waterhole is the most renowned and probably the best, although Halali and Namutoni also have their own very good versions. On the private reserves, Ongava Tented Camp sees serious traffic and the waterhole is very close to the central lodge.