Ongava Lodge

Ongava Resort, what can we say? You were perfect in every way, from the first step into your resort to the very last, from the safaris to all the little attentions you reserved for us. The location offers an incredible view over their reserve, stretching for 30,000 hectares. The rooms are the most beautiful we have ever seen, with balconies overlooking the waterholes and showers both indoors and outdoors. The cuisine is outstanding, and Chef Leo is truly an artist. Yes, an artist. Manager Leroy and his colleague Vanessa ensure you know your program and is always available to help with anything you might need. This reserve also holds a hidden gem that is hard to find elsewhere: Salathiel. He is an incredible guide, a man of great knowledge and exceptional character. With him, you can visit the southern part of Etosha and learn about local tribes and African, specifically Namibian, culture. Salathiel is not just a guide—he has a true mission: describing the real Namibian beauty to the world. If you’re looking for a moment of relaxation, there’s a cozy spa corner with an incredible masseuse. Another remarkable feature of this property is the bunker overlooking the waterhole, where you can safely observe even the most dangerous animals up close. For us, it was the black rhino—an absolutely spine-chilling experience but completely safe, perfect for thrill-seekers. The walking safari is also worth mentioning, as well as the many lions that inhabit the reserve. Here, you can enjoy off-road safaris, but the experience in Etosha Park is equally breathtaking. Thank you, Ongava, for this unforgettable experience!

There are some good and some not so good aspects to this lodge. It is on a private reserve just outside Etosa and it is fenced. Although it's a large reserve, the fence takes away the uncertainty of what you are going to experience. Also, the reserve is generally very scrubby, so that animal sighting are not in the most attractive settings. We did a number of games drives over 3 nights of our stay and generally struggled to find animals. There are Rhinos in the reserve (and that alone might be the attraction for some people), but other animals seems to be few and far between. We saw two elephants a few giraffe and small groups of Zebra, Wildebeest and Springbok. There was a pride of Lions, which was good to see. It's really the setting and the low density of animals that was the disappointment for the game drives. The water hole in front of the lodge is just as good as the game drive. We spent a day in Etosa (a short drive from the Lodge) and although this is an open, much larger area, it is a national park so it is much busier, with no off-road driving and no leaving the jeep. The combination of games drives around Ongava and the southern part of Etosa were, by comparison with other games drives in Africa, disappointing. The lodge itself is good. I would not say very good, as it just misses too many small additions that characterise the best lodges. In general, I'd say there was a lack of attention to detail. If you go to stay at the lodge and forget about wildlife viewings (or are satisfied by the Rhinos) then this lodge maybe good for you. We did meet other people on our travels who had stayed here and loved it. It won't be for everybody.

Ongava has a unique asset: the huge private game reserve. With plenty of rhinos in particular - those are hard to find in Etosha. Another great feature is the waterhole with the adjacent hide. Unlike in Etosha, Ongava allows night game drives, going off-road and leaving the safari vehicle. On our first evening, we saw the full program including two mating lions, 13 rhinos and even an African wild cat. The next day, it was just two elephants. Some of the scheduled game drives go to Etosha, which defeats the purpose of staying at an exclusive game reserve. Also, the area around Okaukuejo is certainly not the best part of Etosha. The lodge itself is too basic for the money. My daughter missed a gym while for me, the swimming pool should have been larger, cleaner and warmer. Food and beverage was also ok but by no means luxurious in quality and presentation. Staff was friendly and helpful, everything was well organized and in working condition.