Reviews of Ongava Tented Camp
(91%) From 59 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
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Ongava Tented Camp review
The camp was not what we expected and not to our taste. That said, the staff were very helpful and accommodating. Please see previous emails for more detail.
Mushara Lodge, on the other hand, was super.
Ongava Tented Camp review
Guide was very lazy, irritating and frankly poor!!
Food ok?
No soul or feeling of management.
Amazing, Incredible
I had 4 fantastic nights at the camp, spending time in both Ongava Reserve and Etosha National Park. As I stayed several nights, I was able to spend a full day in Etosha, as well as a half-day. Each area produced quite different expereinces, but I enjoyed both areas equally. Gerda and her husband Paul were great hosts and really contributed to making it a most enjoyable stay.
The waterhole at camp is a definite bonus, attracting lots of visitors, including white rhino. And we frequently observed lions around camp at night.
Ongava is definitely the place to see lions. During our game drives we had several close up sightlngs; the lions were extremely intrigued by our vehicle and wandered right up to the vehicle for a closer inspection!
My guide Leon, was excellent. He was extremely patient, frequently stopping to observe even the commonest of animals, and he patiently waited as I photographed every antelope from every angle! We also stopped to observe the birds, and the small creatures were not overlooked - I was delighted to find a chameleon.
The absolute highlight was seeing black rhino mating in daylight in Etosha. We had just arrived at Ombika waterhole just inside the entrance gate, and looked on as a black rhino wandered off into the distance. The other vehicles started to leave and I thought that was all I would see of the rhino. But how wrong was I. Two more rhinos quickly came into view and what a show we had! It was incredible, we were so unbelievably lucky.
Ongava Tented Camp review
A fabulous tent with a view of the busy waterhole, frequented not only by game but also by lion. Our guide, Festus, was great, he found us rhino plus baby and a cheetah with a recent kill. Welcoming staff who joined us for meals and group drinks around a fire. Nothing was too much trouble - I want to live here (Mike).
Read more about the whole safariOngava
We had a good time here. Staff were very friendly and the room was big and well appointed. We had a great time on our drives around the area. We saw a lionness and her four cubs (very cute) and we even had the opportunity to approach a couple of rhino on foot!
Ongava- lions, rhino and great guiding
We had a good time here. Staff were very friendly and the room was big and well appointed. We had a great time on our drives around the area. We saw a lionness and her four cubs (very cute) and we even had the opportunity to approach a couple of rhino on foot!
I celebrated my birthday here and that was lovely. The staff brought out a cake and there was plenty of singing and dancing. A really nice personal touch!
The only downside that I have to mention was that for one night during our stay we were joined by a loud group of young travel agents (I must say none from Expert Africa). Unfortunately, they had no concern for paying guests (nor, does it seem, much for their lovely hosts at Ongava who were trying to make them as comfortable as possible) and dominated the dinner table by being loud and kept us up late into the evening around the fire (our tent was the closest to the fire/main area of the camp). We mentioned this to the Ongava staff, but of course the behaviour of others is something that they have little control over. I was relieved when the left the next day. We were meant to move onwards to Ongava Lodge and when I heard that the travel agents had also moved there I asked if we could stay instead at the tented camp. Thankfully, they accommodated us.
On the whole, a positive experience.
Ongava Tented Camp review
Great camp, wonderful hospitality, game drives were exceptional, our bush guide had so much patience and paid rewards 3 week old lions with mother plus many other sighting.
The bush camp "feeling" was a little too much when enjoying our evening meal and swams of insects invaded each night..
Expert Africa comments
These travellers travelled to Namibia in January which is during the rainy season. Unfortunaltey at this time of the year there can be an increase in number of insects around.
Lions, Lions and Lions
The camp has been upgraded in the Wilderness style but has not lost to much of its bush camp feel.
The staff were excellent and we were made to feel very welcome. We had lion in camp for most of the time we were there and had other excellent sightings away from the camp.
The resident porcupine also made dinner a memorableable event.
Ongava Tented Camp review
The tents are well appointed and very clean, but unacceptably close to each other affording little or no privacy. There is also very little shade making the camp almost unbearable during the afternoon siesta. There is a pool, but it didn't look too clean. The food varied between ok and dreadful - undercooked chicken and nearly raw sausages for example.
In the camp's favour it must be said that the water hole is very close to the camp and presented excellent photo opportunities.
Expert Africa comments
Wilderness Safaris, the owners of Ongava Tented Camp, have looked into the issues raised by these travellers, as they were both surprised and disappointed that guests did not enjoy their stay here.
They are sorry that these guests found the pool to be dirty during their stay. Wilderness explained that regrettably whilst every attempt is made to keep the pool clean, that week was particularly windy and leaves etc kept blowing into the pool. They would like to apologise for any inconvenience that this caused.
The managers at Ongava Tented Camp have also addressed the poor quality of the food with the chef, and want to sincerely apologise if guest were disappointed by the food offered - it's the first time in a while they (and us at Expert Africa) have received such disappointing feedback on Ongava Tented Camp. However, Wilderness would like to assure these travellers (and us) that their concession manager has taken this very seriously and will be looking further into the quality of the food.
We have always believed that acting responsibly is the only way to approach tourism and we're one of
the few companies to hold AITO's original coveted 5-star status for responsible tourism. It's a lead
that others are now following.
