Twelve Air-Conditioned Brick, Rock and Thatch Chalets
Accommodation comprises twelve air-conditioned brick, rock and thatch chalets, each with en-suite facilities. Meals are either served in the main dining area under thatch with a view over the camp's water hole, or on the dining deck under the stars. Activities include game drives in open 4x4 vehicles into the Okaukuejo area of Etosha where Lion, Elephant, Cheetah, Gemsbok, Springbok and Hartebeest can be seen at many of the waterholes in the park.
Ongava Game Reserve, Etosha National Park
Year Round
The best time to go to Namibia depends on where you’re headed.
Windhoek - The best time to visit Windhoek is between May and September, when it is cool and dry. From November to March the summer is hot with heavy rains that sometimes make the gravel roads to the Namib completely impassable. In December and January the main local school holidays happen and much of the populace heads to the coast, so if you visit during this time you may find some shops and restaurants closed.
Southern Namibia - If you're visiting southern Namibia (Luderitz, Keetmanshoop or Sossusvlei, among others) the best thing to do is avoid the summer, which is extremely hot. The best time to visit southern Namibia is between May and September. The climate of the southern coast is hospitable from February to May, but quite cool and misty year-round, and particularly windy in August.
The Namib - The Namib coast (including Walvis Bay and Swakopmund) is best visited from October to March when the weather is cooler. Inescapably, however, when the dry easterly winds blow it is sometimes very hot even at this time of year. For the inland areas of the Namib, the cooler months from May to September are best, though the easterly winds have the same effects here as on the coast.
Skeleton Coast & Kaokoveld - The northern Skeleton Coast experiences much the same weather year-round: moderate temperatures with mist, wind, and hardly any rain. For angling, November to March is the best period. For the inland Kaokoveld, the period from May to August is best. The summer months bring flash floods and very high temperatures, and most rain falls between January and March.
Etosha and the North - The most popular time to visit Etosha is from April to September, because during this time the temperature is tolerably cool. From May to September the animals gather at waterholes, so this is the best period for game viewing. Summer is best for bird watching, as migrant birds visit the pans after the summer rains.
Kavango and Caprivi - Summer is the best period for bird watching in the Kavango area and the Caprivi Strip, but visitors should be forewarned that the heat and humidity can be unbearable unless they are at least partially alleviated by rain. Winter, being cooler and drier, is best for game viewing.
Night Drives, Hides & Enjoy Walks with Guides on the Private Reserve.
Ongava offers daily game drives and walking trails, including adventure-filled drives after dark, as well as excursions into the Etosha National Game Park.
Local Info
Etosha is Namibia's premier game viewing destination. It is one of Africa's largest game parks being nearly the size of Switzerland. Large herds of plains game concentrate around the waterholes in the dry season making for exciting game viewing. Species that can be seen year-round include Elephant, Lion, Leopard, Cheetah, Giraffe, Zebra, Wildebeast, Springbok, Gemsbok, Kudu and the diminutive Damara Dik-Dik. Birdlife is also good with Ostrich and raptors in abundance. Local specials include the Short-toed Rockthrush, Hautlaub's Francolin, Rockrunner, Råppell's Parrot, White-tailed Shrike and Chestnut Weaver. A highlight at Ongava is that it is one of the few private game reserves in southern Africa where you have a chance of seeing both Black and White Rhino. For those who enjoy close wildlife encounters, tracking White Rhino on foot with an armed guide is a highlight not to be missed. Ongava Game reserve also has a good population of Lion, Eland, Hartmann's Mountain Zebra, Black-faced Impala and a number of other antelope species.
Guest Reviews
"Ongava Lodge is a real oasis in Namibia's heat. We were lucky to experience Etosha at its hotest and dryest so we saw a multitude of game at the waterholes. Our guide looked after us superbly, he always had a supply of cold drinks at hand and when we returned to camp it was great relaxing in the pool. The air-conditioned chalet was a real bonus. We thoroughly enjoyed dinner outside on the deck overlooking the waterhole. We had a great stay and cannot thank your staff enough."
- A.S., UK
"We have travelled for 3 weeks now in Namibia and were glad to take 3 days at Ongava. We felt refreshed and pampered after our stay. We saw 7 white rhino and 2 black rhino during our stay, which was amazing, and I hope I got some good photos."
- G.B., Germany
"Thank you for a wonderful honeymoon, for chalet number one close to all the animals at the waterhole, for our candlelit dinner by the pool and for the chilled champagne, you went out of your way to make it special for us. We will never forget our stay with you."
- M. B., Italy
"I have been fortunate to visit Africa several times due to the fact that I am in the travel business. This year I travelled to Namibia and stayed at Ongava Lodge for three nights. I was very impressed with not only the high standard of guiding, but also that of the service and cuisine. The genuine friendliness of the staff made my stay special. I will highly recommend this lodge to my friends and travel acquaintances."
- S.A., USA
"We were really impressed by the amount of game that we saw at Ongava. Tracking the white rhino on foot was experience that I will never forget. "
-S.J., France
Press & Media
January 2005: Ongava Lodge has been listed on the Conde Naste Traveller Gold Reserve List.
