Waterberg Plateau Park

A 1-night stop-over which was good, but may have more to offer

I spent 1 night at Waterberg Plateau Park, as part of a guided birding and wildlife watching tour of Namibia. To be honest we really only stayed here because it broke the journey from Etosha National Park back to Windhoek nicely. Also because of the limited time we had, we only scratched the surface of what the Park had to offer. For example we didn't have time to join one of the organised game drives on the plateau itself, which I understood is stocked with various animal species, including game that is scarce elsewhere in Namibia. However we still managed to find some memorable wildlife encounters.
The well-watered grass just in front of the chalets attracts some extremely tame wildlife, including the unbelievably cute Damara Dik-dik - a small species of antelope. Equally close when we arrived but a lot less cute were Warthog and Chacma Baboon. The Baboons in particular have a reputation for mischief, so my advice would be to keep your wits about you when they are about.
The park also yielded some excellent bird sightings, with a resident pair of Verreaux's (Black) Eagle on the impressive cliffs, and when we visited (at the end of the dry season), there were good numbers of sunbirds, weavers and the magnificent African Paradise Flycatchers. We were also entertained by a raucous gang of Green Wood-Hoopoes, plus Purple Rollers, Hornbills, Swallow-tailed Bee-eaters and many other species.
The park is situated at the base of some impressive red sandstone cliffs which dominate the landscape, and mark the edge of the plateau itself. At the time of our visit the arrival of the first rain showers had brought an emergence of butterflies, which made a real spectacle.
The accommodation chalets are situated some distance from the other facilities, which means a bit of a walk to the restaurant, which is not so much fun in the rain or at night. However if you are camping, then the campsite is more centrally sited. The chalet I stayed in was clean and perfectly acceptable, and the bed was comfortable, but don't expect any frills here. The bathroom was basic but functional and everything worked.
The service at the restaurant was typically laid back (i.e. slow) and the quality of the food was okay.
As with many of the other rest camps run by the NWR, allow plenty of time for checking out on your day of departure.

The mountain alone is a sight not to miss!

I spent one night, out of my 10 days Namibia private guided tour, at Waterberg Plateau Park. The bird watching (the main purpose of our trip) one mid-afternoon/evening and the next morning, was excellent. I would have loved to stay longer to enjoy the wildlife as well as the great scenery. Especially the evening sun created an unforgettable image of the orange-colored mountain range majestically framing the area. Damara Dik-dik were wandering around not far from the neat houses of the rest camp, and we saw Baboons and Southern African Ground Squirrels on various occasions. You can find a list of the birds observed on ebird, and a choice of my photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/88593217@N04/albums/72157648777792800. A lovely quiet spot with a lot to detect. I can warmly recommend it.

The namibian green area.

It's just a place that you don't expect, specially if you come from Sossusvlei or Etosha (very dry areas). The park has stunning views and is full of green, something that you miss in the country. Is a very recomendable alternative place to make a couple of nights during your road trip. Wildlife is not the most spectacular thing, even though you will see mongoose, baboons, warthogs, dick dick, hyrax, giraffe and if you're lucky rhinos, eland or roan antelope.

Waterberg Plateau Park has beautiful scenery, but wildlife is difficult to spot without staying at a private reserve. I only spent one night here and, having been to Etosha National Park, I was there for the scenery and not for the wildlife.

The landscape is amazing. It was a privilege to see sable and roan antelope in addition to numerous other species at one of the hides. The educational center is well worth visiting and staying at if possible. Visited during the dry season.

Worth the detour. The view from the top of the plateau is stunning. Though the entry is not well shown.

The wildlife was more sparse on the Plateau but the views were stunning.

Very warm great place.

The amazing Waterbury Plateau

The beauty of Waterberg Plateau is astonishing. We have finished our trip in Namibia by this amazing site. The campground is probably one of the best in Namibia, large, quite. People are very nice on site.
Waterberg plateau is a place where you can both see wild life but also do some hiking and going up to the plateau throuh the forest is a gift. When you arrive at the top you can see the landscape around and a lot of animals, especially birds.

Nice stop on the way to Etosha

I've spent just an afternoon at Waterberg, anyway trail is good and easy to walk without a guide.
At the top there is a really nice view of the plateau and the country around.
Unluckily there are many monkeys around and sometimes they can be aggressive also if you stay away from them, they even broke our car antenna while we were trekking!