The Waterberg National Park has been the site of some of the major turning points in Nambia’s history. It was in its foothills that the Herero people lost the final and greatest battle against German colonial forces around the turn of the 20th century.

The Waterberg Plateau itself is a prominent feature and location – the distinct red sandstone precipice forms a defined line on the horizon high above the Kalahari plains of eastern Namibia. The oldest rock stratum is over 850 million years old, and fossilised dinosaur tracks have been found on the plateau which date back over 200 million years.

At 200 metres in height, the flat-topped plateau is often referred to as the ‘Lost Eden’ because animals at the top have no way to get down.

The Waterberg Park was declared a nature reserve in 1972, and due to its inaccessibility many rare and endangered species were transferred here to protect them from natural threats and poaching. This programme was a great success and rare animals are still supplied to Namibia’s other national parks from the Waterberg Reserve.

The Waterberg Plateau National Park is ecologically diverse and boasts over 200 bird species and a number of other wildlife species including the rare Black rhino. Other species include leopard, buffalo, and the rare and endangered roan and sable antelope.