NWR Halali Camp

The watering hole is a nice feature, but it didn’t make up for the rest of our stay. For the price of a pitch, the facilities felt old and sometimes broken: showers were out of order, there was no hot water, and the sinks were grimy. Staff weren’t especially helpful or engaged either. Rain quickly turns the site muddy, so keep that in mind if you have a 2WD. We had a poor experience, and all the NWR sites we visited seemed worn out and neglected. I’d camp outside the gate and drive in, or book a game drive.

We’d already heard this was the worst campsite for maintenance and cleanliness, so our one night there was just okay. But the reception was unbelievably unfriendly. After four months traveling in Africa, I hadn’t encountered reception staff or game drivers who seemed less professional or motivated. They weren’t helpful or communicative, and spoke about people in Africans, maybe thinking we wouldn’t understand. That felt heavily unprofessional. It seemed like a tourist trap, and I stopped seeing tourists after a while. Still, that kind of behavior is too much in any situation.

The best part was the waterhole after dark. Five black rhino came by, which was amazing. We stayed in a clean, functional cabin at this very basic government camp inside Etosha Park. WiFi was available around reception and the restaurant, though it kept cutting out. The food was underwhelming.

It was quiet, and the room was reasonable. Dinner and breakfast were both pretty good, and the staff were friendly. The place is a little run down, but being inside Etosha made it easy to continue our drive through the park. Animal sightings are always hit or miss; I saw giraffes, zebra, springbok and elephants, among quite a few others. The drive on to Namutomi Resort and the exit was pleasant.