Ongava Lodge - Etosha Namibia
The Ongava Experience
Etosha is Namibia's premier wildlife park. It has great concentrations of game and there are wonderful views out onto the salt pans which dominate the centre of the park. Etosha's drawback is that the only accommodation offered within the park is in the large rest camps. Ongava Lodge offers an excellent alternative. Ongava is situated on the 35,000 hectare Ongava Private Game Reserve which shares a common border with Etosha on its southern boundary. The lodge offers the full Etosha experience but, at the same time, also offers great accommodation and service - as well as the opportunity to do night drives and nature walks which are not allowed within Etosha.
Accommodation
Ongava Lodge accommodates a maximum of twenty guests in ten chalets attractively built out of rock and thatch. All your creature comforts are taken care of. Each chalet has en-suite bathrooms with flush toilets, a bath and a shower. The main lounge, pub and dining area is under thatch and is situated close to the top of a hill with wonderful views across the plains below. There is a pool as well.
Activities
Wilderness Safaris have just taken over the management contract for Ongava and have changed the emphasis from game drives on the property to game drives within Etosha. If guests so wish, game drives in open 4x4 vehicles and night drives and walks can also be enjoyed on the Ongava Game Reserve.
Wildlife
Etosha has good concentrations of elephant, lion, leopard, black rhino and all of Namibia's plains game including springbok, gemsbok, and hartebeest. Ongava also has white rhino on the reserve so guests can experience a wonderful variety of animals during their stay. Birdlife around the waterholes is good with ostrich, pygmy falcon and all the raptors in abundance. Some of the local specials include short-toed rock thrush, Hartlaub's francolin, freckled nightjar and Meyer's parrot.
Ongava at a glance
Situated along the southern boundary of Etosha, close to the Andersson Gate.
Ten superb chalets built out of natural rock and thatch, each with private en-suite facilities.
Lounge/dining room and pub under thatch.
Pool.
Activities in open 4x4 vehicles on Ongava Game Reserve or in Land Rovers or minibuses into Etosha National Park. Night drives and walks at Ongava.
2 km long airfield on the property.
Access is by road, air charter or Air Namibia from Windhoek or Swakopmund.
For those who want a more rustic experience, there is a small tented camp in a different sector of the reserve.
