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Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge
Ongava Lodge

Reviews of Ongava Lodge

Wildlife sightings and reviews

158 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Ongava Lodge and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Aug-2018, 43 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Ongava Lodge.
Lion

90% success

Leopard

9% success

Cheetah

12% success

White Rhino

97% success

Giraffe

95% success

Oryx

90% success

Zebra

90% success

Elephant

88% success

Black Rhino

80% success

Wildebeest

79% success

Eland

38% success

Roan antelope

26% success

Sable antelope

15% success

Brown Hyena

14% success

Spotted Hyena

12% success

Pangolin

3% success

Aardvark

0% success

Showing 31-40 of 158
Duration
Arrival date
Four poms
Somerset

"Ongava Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 15 Feb 2019
"Generally the best overall experience of the trip. Lodge overlooking a waterhole and the hide next to the waterhole were highlights.

Superior service, very comfortable high quality rooms. Excellent guides. Lots of game. A wealth of Rhinos. Animals/birds not on the list: Hartebeest, Waterbuck, Impala, springbok, Hornbillls - grey, yellow, Kori Bustard, Koorhan, sand grouse, Goshawk, Steppe buzzard" See all these reviews: 17n in Namibia; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

Multiple sightings

Brown Hyena

Multiple sightings

Elephant

1 sighting

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Oryx

Multiple sightings

White Rhino

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr A
Oxfordshire

"Ongava Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 10 Feb 2019
"This is a stunning lodge in every aspect. From the moment you arrive at the gate you are looked after by a dedicated team. We took a number of drives in the reserve and a trip to Etosha with Leon and his knowledge really helped us get the most out of each trip.

Rooms and communal areas are well appointed and food always to a high standard. Dining whilst overlooking the waterhole is quite an experience.

Do try to take some time to sit in the hide at the waterhole." See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Eland

10 sightings

Elephant

3 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Lion

8 sightings

White Rhino

8 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr R & Mrs S
Southsea

"Beautiful Location, Excellent Service"

2 nights Arrived 19 Jan 2019
"From being greeted by Andriano, to leaving, a great Lodge in every regard.

Our room was charming and well appointed. The staff were very attentive and helpful. The restaurant and food a delight. As it was dark by the end of our evening meal, and there was the possibility of wild animals in the vicinity of our room, we were personally escorted back to our lodge room by an ‘armed employee’ which was reassuring.

My wife did a game drive which she loved....well organised and informative. Overall a great lodge which we would recommend." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs A
Hants

"Ongava Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 24 Dec 2018
"but it was Christmas.

We found the infrastructure, maintenance and management on our trip into Etosha had deteriorated badly since our last visit, and were most grateful you had insisted on booking us into Ongava for Christmas." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

1 sighting

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Oryx

Multiple sightings

White Rhino

1 sighting

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr & Mrs G
Cottenham

"Amazing location next to Etosha"

3 nights Arrived 1 Dec 2018
"Ongava Lodge was great. We arrived on saturday lunctime, and were shown to our amazing room. As enthusiastic safari lovers, we declined the Ongava lodge safari activity that evening, and instead headed straight into Etosha in our own vehicle. We had a great dinner that evening after our afternoon game drive.

On Sunday and Monday morning, we got up at 5.30am to breakfast and head out into Etosha again for opening at sunrise (6:15am). We were slightly disappointed that seemingly the breakfast was geared up for guests who were being driven into the parks for the 7am excursion (served from 6:30am-9am), and that we were only able to get food items after a kind member of staff felt sorry for us looking hungry!

As we were in Etosha for the afternoons, we were unable to go on the guided drive (afternoons only) in the Ongava Lodge reserve.

The watering hole at the lodge provided amazing viewing each evening, the hightlight being an altercation between a white rhino + baby, and a cantankerous black rhino, swiftly followed by a lioness with 6 cubs then being charged at by the same cranky black rhino!

We covered 1000Km from Saturday afteroon to Tuesday mid morning, and absolutely loved every minute we were in Etosha.

Another point of note was that our accomodation didn't have a fridge to store cold water, but this was available ftrom the dining area. There was restricted access to the accomodation in the evenings (requiring a member of staff to walk back with you), so guests just need to remember to fill up with water before heading back to their room in the evenings." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia; 6n in South Africa
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

2 sightings

Elephant

5 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Lion

4 sightings

Oryx

10 sightings

Spotted Hyena

2 sightings

White Rhino

5 sightings

Wildebeest

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr A & Mrs K
Wilts

"Great sundowner drive"

1 night Arrived 3 Oct 2018
"Comfortable chalet. Good food.

Did the sundowner drive and were treated to close up views of lion, elephant and white rhino, amongst others." See all these reviews: 19n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Elephant

1 sighting

Giraffe

2 sightings

Lion

1 sighting

Oryx

3 sightings

White Rhino

1 sighting

Wildebeest

1 sighting

Zebra

1 sighting

Mr& Mrs T
Poole

"Ongava Lodge"

2 nights Arrived 2 Oct 2018
"Great lodge with its own waterhole which during the day had many visiting animals which one could observe and photograph from nearby hide. Room ,food and staff excellent. Swimming pool small but very refreshing.

Game drives well organised with knowledgeable guides, not an abundance of wildlife but we did see both black and white rhinos and lions.

Watching 6 white rhinos while having a sundowner is an experience I will never forget." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

2 sightings

Elephant

2 sightings

Giraffe

8 sightings

Lion

8 sightings

Oryx

10 sightings

White Rhino

6 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Mrs E.
Exeter

"Great Lodge"

3 nights Arrived 28 Sep 2018
"On arrival after a long drive we looked at the steps with some trepidation!

However, it’s definitely worth the effort as it is spectacularly location." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

1 sighting

Elephant

1 sighting

Giraffe

1 sighting

Lion

1 sighting

Oryx

1 sighting

White Rhino

1 sighting

Zebra

1 sighting

Mr & Mrs G.
Egham

"Ongava Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 23 Sep 2018
"Ongava has a great location, just outside the South gate to access Etosha. The Lodge is on a hillside overlooking a small waterhole with the rooms spread out in a semi circle from the main building. The location is excellent and the elevated view of the waterhole means you can see a number of animals from the main lodge and your room, depending upon where you are located. The rooms are fine but in need of a little up-dating.

The waterhole has a hide which enables you to get up close to the animals and is a real highlight of Ongava Lodge. We went out on one tour in Ongava's own reserve. This was quite good and included the opportunity to walk close to a White Rhino. Each evening both Black and White Rhino came to the waterhole and we understand it is unique to Ongava to see this. We also visited Etosha on our own which is very easy to do.

The only downside was the service. Our welcome was not very useful and told us very little and apart from one or two exceptions at dinner the staff didn't seem as though they wanted to provide much help. However, I wouldn't let this put you off as the other aspects made up for it. (They also provide wine free with the evening meal)" See all these reviews: 17n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Average
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

2 sightings

Giraffe

5 sightings

Lion

1 sighting

Oryx

10 sightings

White Rhino

3 sightings

Wildebeest

3 sightings

Zebra

8 sightings

J and M
Ightham

"lovely lodge with great watering hole view"

2 nights Arrived 22 Sep 2018
"Beatuiful setting and lovely lodges. Being able to view a watering hole at night from a height while eating dinner was excellent. Slightly disappointed that there was no walking safari available when I asked us the game drive was very good. My husband was ill on our first night so I had to eat alone, it seemed that I didn’t receive as good service as I did the following night when he was with me." See all these reviews: 10n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Black Rhino

1 sighting

Eland

1 sighting

Giraffe

1 sighting

Lion

1 sighting

Oryx

4 sightings

White Rhino

1 sighting

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Showing 31-40 of 158
92%
158 reviews of Ongava Lodge by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
111
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3
0
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