From Windhoek you take the freeway to Okahandja, built in sections between 2014 and 2024. You pass the Okapuka checkpoint, opened in November 2025. From Okahandja it is 174 kilometres on the B1 to Otjiwarongo, where you turn onto the C38 for the last 163 kilometres via Outjo to Andersson Gate. The whole route is tarred. The B1 and C38 within Otjiwarongo are due to be resurfaced.
For 415 kilometres allow four and a half to five and a half hours of actual driving. You can refuel in Otjiwarongo, in Outjo and at the Etosha Trading Post outside the gate. Do so. Deliveries to the state-run camps have failed repeatedly since early 2025, and in August 2026 a trip report found no fuel at any Etosha camp.
Andersson Gate has a veterinary check, and Okaukuejo lies about 17 kilometres beyond it. Since 1 April 2026 foreign adults have paid N$ 280 a day in Etosha, up from N$ 150, with N$ 50 or N$ 60 for the car depending on the source (as of October 2026). If you want to start in the east at Namutoni, stay on the B1 past Tsumeb and then take the C38 to Von Lindequist Gate. A route planner makes that just over 530 kilometres; one rental brochure says about 480.
Our tipStock up in Otjiwarongo or Outjo for your days in the park and enter with a full tank. Inside Etosha, 150 kilometres and more add up quickly.
The route at a glance
- Roads
- A1, B1, C38
- Distance
- 415 km
- Surface
- tar all the way
- Driving time
- 4.5 to 5.5 hours
- Fuel on the way
- Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Etosha Trading Post
Distances and times as of October 2026, driving time without stops or detours.
Places to stay in Etosha South (Andersson Gate)
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Tarentaal Guest Farm
10Km On D2695
- Pool
- Restaurant
- Parking
- Air conditioning
from €191per night on 23 November 2026
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Mopane Village Lodge Etosha
Road C38
- Pool
- Spa
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
from €208per night on 24 September 2027
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Etosha Village
On C38, 2km from Okaukuejo Gate
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Kitchen
from €32per night on 23 November 2026
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Mondjila Safari Camp
Situated Only 70Km North Of Outjo On The
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €166per night on 23 November 2026
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Etosha Safari Camp
Okaukuejo
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €110per night on 23 November 2026
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Gondwana Etosha Safari Lodge
10 km South of Andersson Gate on C38
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €178per night on 13 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoWindhoek to Etosha (Andersson Gate): frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Windhoek to Etosha?
Windhoek to Etosha's Andersson Gate is 415 kilometres of tar via Otjiwarongo and Outjo. Allow four and a half to five and a half hours of actual driving.
Where can I refuel on the way from Windhoek to Etosha?
On the way from Windhoek to Andersson Gate you can refuel in Otjiwarongo, in Outjo or at the Etosha Trading Post outside the gate. In August 2026 a trip report found no fuel in the Etosha camps.
Is there a checkpoint at Etosha's Andersson Gate?
There is a veterinary check at Etosha's Andersson Gate. From there it is about 17 kilometres to Okaukuejo camp.
How do I get from Windhoek to Etosha's eastern gate?
To reach Von Lindequist Gate in the east of Etosha, drive from Windhoek on the B1 via Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb, then take the C38. The route is roughly 100 kilometres longer than the one to Andersson Gate.