Reviews of Okonjima Bush Camp
Wildlife sightings and reviews
251 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Okonjima Bush Camp and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
94% success
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97% success
95% success
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5% success
"Okonjima Bush Camp review"
"Okonjima Bush Camp is amazing!"
Our guide Daniel was excellent. He and the trackers did a great job finding a big male leopard called Nkozi, 2 pairs of cheetah and a pair of African Wild dog for us to track and watch.
On our evening visit to the hide we saw a family of porcupine, a honey badger and a brown hyena!
It was a bit unclear what activities were included and which were extras. We opted for a night drive on our last evening which we thought was included, but found out later was extra. Not a big problem but the paperwork we had in advance wasn't clear about this.
The stars here are amazing too.
The camp is in huge fenced area where you can walk on your own without the risk of meeting a predator. We were therefore able to walk the Dik Dik trail on our own to watch birds It was good to be out of the vehicle and stretch the legs! On our walk we saw black wildebeest." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia
"Okonjima Bush Camp review"
We did the Leopard trek in the evening and the early morning Cheetah trek with our guide Jonas who was brilliant. Both activities were great and were very lucky to see two wild dogs and a cheetah involved in a kudu kill on the morning walking trail. We were allowed to stay for as long as we wanted and not rushed back - they just worked around us, having breakfast laid on later and also letting us check out late - all staff seemed to work in sync.
Overall great place which is made special with the exceptional staff and service." See all these reviews: 6n in Namibia
"Another wonderful place!"
The boys' highlight were the wild dogs. We enjoyed being able to walk near the cheetahs.
Our guide was Daniel who was gorgeous. We also liked Jason and Angel
Our rooms were stunning and to have a day room was unexpected and very special." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia
"Fantastic again"
Saw Shanti twice, a leopard my wife had sponsored 2 years ago, as well as seeing a rare pangolin. A great way to start our Namibia trip." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia; 2n in Zambia
"Okonjima Bush Camp review"
"Excellent Camp"
Our guide (Rohan) was exceptionally good but we found the manager (Angel) a bit condescending. Our initial greeting from another member of staff was not very professional as he seemed confused as to why there were only three of us. He stumbled over the names and made us all feel a bit uncomfortable.
The drives were fantastic. Rohan made them an experience we will never forget, especially our walks - tracking Cheetah, Wild Dogs and Spotted Hyena. The food was excellent." See all these reviews: 18n in Namibia
"Great Guiding from Rohan"
Our greeting on arrival didn't meet expectations, we had to wait for someone to check us in and they still had my husband's name on the room list, something that the staff in every other Lodge had been extremely careful about." See all these reviews: 18n in Namibia
"Okonjima Bush Camp Review"
We have to also complain about one of the 'managers' - Rodney. He was totally incapable of a). sorting out our rooms, b).giving any information and c). any administration. To cap it all, he tried to charge us for standard alcoholic drinks, which we knew to be included. After arguments from all members of our group, he backed down and cancelled the charges. Not a good advertisement!" See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia; 3n in Botswana
"Glad we went but wouldn't go again."
First, the camp: The Bush Camp accommodations are amazing. The villas are large, well appointed, and quite luxurious. Each villa has a sala attached and from there you can lounge, enjoy the view, and feed the birds. Heavenly! So, no complaints whatsoever about the accommodations. But, when it came to food and service, there was a disconnect. Where the accommodations are five star, the food and service struggled to get past 2 stars.
This was another place that struggled with my food allergy but beyond that, the food was simply not good. Also, no meal options were provided. Like it or not, that was what was for lunch or dinner. Take it or leave it. Afternoon tea was offered but so little was put out that if you didn't arrive early, you might well go hungry. Unless, of course, you had a food allergy and an assertive personality and were willing to find a manager and specifically ask for something to eat. Kudos there to Angel, who seemed to be the afternoon manager. He was professional, accommodating, and seemed to have an understanding of service standards in the hospitality industry. The person who appeared to be the morning manager, however, (I think his name was Ronald) was withdrawn, surly, and prone to mistakes. Overall, the staffing levels were low, which made it hard for any of the staff members to do a good job. Also, the staff members' skill and training levels seemed to vary greatly with some staff members being very personable and competent while others struggled.
Now for the wildlife experience: We went to Okonjima specifically to see cheetahs and leopards and, in that regard, we were not disappointed, even though all our sightings - with the exception of one leopard cub - were of collared animals. What I wasn't really prepared for was how much our game drives felt like excursions into a big, fenced zoo. We have an attraction in the Toronto area called African Lion Safari, where guests can drive through a large park in their own cars and see the animals. As our Okonjima guide swung his tracking device around, and as we pulled up next to collared cheetahs and leopards (as well as a sleeping hyena and two wild dogs) that seemed completely oblivious to our presence, I kept thinking this was not a typical wildlife safari and these were not typical wild animals.
I felt even more uneasy when I learned from our guide that a fairly large number of cheetahs (I don't remember the exact number) have been killed by the resident leopards because the area is so heavily covered by brush and conditions are far better for leopards to hunt than for cheetahs. Apparently there are only 6 collared cheetahs left in the park while something like 14 have been kept in holding cages for some time now (at least 2 years) waiting for more brush to be cleared so they can be released. Another group of cheetahs are in the holding areas but will never be released for various reasons such as not being able to hunt for themselves. I understand there are also three or four leopards and three lions in holding areas and none of these animals will ever be released.
Several things the guide said made our group wonder how much professional guidance Africat has had over the years. For example, we heard of several "mistakes" made over the years that cost the lives of many cheetahs and how Africat has struggled with the cats' diets because of the high cost of feeding them (which apparently came as a surprise after having rescued a few cats). We also heard that Africat has consulted a "lion whisperer" but we didn't hear of any consultations with wildlife biologists or other scientists. It could be that Africat is guided by a board of highly training and variously qualified professionals (biologists, veterinarians, and others knowledgeable about conservation) but we didn't hear about this type of guidance or oversight. Also, please keep in mind that my criticisms must be taken with a grain of salt because not only do I not know the details of Africat's involvement with scientists and conservation agencies, I am well aware that even the most professionally guided and best run conservation efforts make mistakes, encounter conundrums and cannot "save" each and every animal. I'm simply expressing some of the concerns our group voiced.
We also heard that Okonjima has recently brought several different types of animals into the park including ostriches, horses, and rhinos. If these efforts are aimed at ensuring a healthy and balanced environment for the cheetahs, leopards and other current occupants of the park, then I applaud; however, if these efforts are aimed at diversifying the wildlife in order to broaden the park's appeal, I hope Okonjima anticipates the consequences for the animals currently under their care. For example, our guide stated that they are considering bringing lions into the park, a move that is certain to have negative repercussions for the cheetah population, especially with regard to cub mortality.
Although I am conflicted by some aspects of Okonjima's operation and approach, I applaud their current focus on education. They seem to have come to the awareness that in addition to saving individual animals threatened by human-animal conflicts, a focus on education may also save species.
In summary, this is a camp to visit if you simply want to get close to cheetahs, and especially leopards. If you are interested in an authentic safari experience, Okonjima is not for you." See all these reviews: 17n in Namibia
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