OVERVIEW

The Waterberg Plateau Park is a national park in central Namibia on the Waterberg Plateau. The area gets its name from the table mountain that rises up from the surrounding plains – Waterberg or ‘Water Mountain’ in Afrikaans. It’s called water mountain thanks to the springs which surface on the slopes to create a carpet of rich, green vegetation. Given its height, the plateau is largely inaccessible and several of Namibia’s endangered species were relocated here in the early 1970s to protect them from predators and poaching. The park supports over 200  species of bird as well as some incredible wildlife including brown hyenas, black mambas, warthogs, honey badgers, and dik dik. As well as living species, the rock making up the plateau is over 850 million years old. And in this ancient rock, you can find dinosaur footprints left some 200 million years ago!

Average rating: 4.0 (very good)

Average cost: entry to the park costs around $6 for international visitors. Camping costs around $24 per person while a private room can cost up to $115 per night.

Best time to visit: the dry season (July to September) is the best time to see wildlife. Animals are concentrated around water sources and the vegetation is lower making wildlife watching easier.

How to get there: the Waterberg Plateau is located 300 km (3½ hours drive) northeast of Windhoek and 320 km (4 hours drive) southeast of Etosha. The park can be visited on an organised tour or independently on a self-drive safari. Although self-drives within the park itself are not allowed. Game drives can be booked through the Namibia Wildlife Resorts office.

Typical activities: 4×4 safari, camping, hiking, wildlife watching

Number of reports: 1

WILDLIFE IN Waterberg Plateau

According to reports submitted to WildSide, the most popular species that can be seen here are:

Warthog – 100% OF WILDSIDE USERS (1/1) REPORTED SIGHTINGS

Warthogs are one of the most abundant species on the plateau, despite a decline in numbers in the 1980s due to a period of low rainfall. They can be seen throughout the plateau year-round and are easy to spot with their upright tails, erect manes, and regal bearings. Warthogs are herbivores that spend most of the day foraging for food. Their keen sense of smell allows them to uncover roots, plants, and bulbs. According to a recent study, good places to spot them are drinking at waterholes during the day.

Photo credit: Matthias Mueller under a Creative Commons licence from Flickr