Most visitors driving from Etosha back to Windhoek take the most direct route: Anderson Gate → Outjo → Otjiwarongo → B1 south. This covers the 440km in five hours and is entirely sensible. The alternative, detouring to the Waterberg Plateau Park, adds 90 minutes and one night, and delivers a wildlife and landscape experience that is genuinely different from either Etosha or Damaraland.
What the Waterberg Plateau Is
The Waterberg Plateau Park protects an isolated sandstone plateau rising 200 metres above the surrounding Kalahari plains. The plateau’s red sandstone geology, ancient rock formations, and dense bush cover provide habitat for wildlife not easily seen elsewhere in Namibia.
Key species: White rhino (one of the most reliable locations in Namibia outside Etosha); roan antelope; sable antelope (rare in Namibia); tsessebe; buffalo; leopard. The isolation of the plateau environment means animals here are distinct from those in adjacent farming areas.
Guided wilderness trails: The Waterberg offers multi-day guided walking trails that are not available in Etosha. Guided rhino tracking on foot is possible, providing a walking encounter that complements the vehicle-based Etosha viewing. Day guided walks are also available.
The Route
From Okaukuejo to Waterberg: Anderson Gate → Outjo (1.5 hours) → C38 east to Otjiwarongo (45 minutes) → turn north-east on the C22 toward Waterberg (60km, 1 hour) Total from Okaukuejo: approximately 310km, 4 hours
From Waterberg to Windhoek: Waterberg → Otjiwarongo (1 hour) → B1 south to Windhoek (2.5 hours) Total: approximately 300km, 3.5 hours
One Night at Waterberg
A single overnight at Bernabé de la Bat Rest Camp (NWR operated; basic accommodation and camping) provides a morning walk or guided activity before the drive south to Windhoek. The red sandstone cliffs of the plateau at sunset are one of Namibia’s more dramatic evening landscapes.
Who Should Add It
Visitors who have already done thorough Etosha wildlife viewing and want something different for the final day.
White rhino enthusiasts: The Waterberg’s rhino density and the walking access make it one of the best white rhino experiences in Namibia alongside Ongava.
Walkers: If you have spent your entire Namibia visit in a vehicle, a morning walk at Waterberg is a worthwhile change of mode.
Those with a specific Waterberg interest: The plateau’s palaeontological heritage (dinosaur footprints have been found on the plateau) and its colonial history (the Battle of Waterberg in 1904 was a pivotal moment in the Namibian genocide) give it depth beyond the wildlife alone.
Contact Mat-Travel to add Waterberg to your Etosha return route.