Reviews of Okaukuejo Camp
(84%) From 548 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
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Okaukuejo Camp review
Position of the chalet was outstanding, and the chalet itself surprisingly good, although maybe could have been maintained better, some taps didn't work and a number of bulbs were out.
Read more about the whole safariOkaukuejo Camp
Chalet and outlook could not be bettered. Many and varied animals at waterhole.
Very limited supplies of basics in the shop - a missed opportunity to provide income for the Camp. Buffet style meals were good.
Fantastic waterhole, rubbish food
Okaukuejo Camp is a great location for exploring Etosha and visiting the on site watering hole both at night and during the day is a must. We saw lots of animals (giraffe, elephant, rhino, hyena, jackal) come to drink at the waterhole at night and there's plenty of seating so take a glass of wine and settle in for the night.
The rooms were basic but clean and comfortable. There was a bit of a wait to check in and pay park fees (and to check out at the end) so allow time for that.
We went on the dawn and night game drives which were both fantastic - guides were knowledgeable and we saw lots of wildlife. We went in June and it was freezing on the drives when the sun wasn't out so wrap up warm!
During our visit in June 2017 both the restaurant and swimming pool were undergoing renovations so were building sites. They weren't roped off - you could walk right amongst their ladders and building equipment both at night and during the day which could be a bit dangerous for families. It also meant all meals had to be eaten outside which was cold and dark early morning and later evening. We weren't aware of this before our trip and there was just a sign from management apologising for the 'minor' renovations.
The main downside of this Camp was the food. It was really poor quality and not worth the money at all. There was barbequeued meat each night which was ok but the potatoes/veg/polenta/other accompaniments were awful. They frequently ran out of food at breakfast and dinner and didn't replenish it at all. If you can take food with you to eat in your room, I would.
That said, I would still stay here again because it's a great base for your safari.
Great waterhole - terrible camp
The positive-
Great waterhole where you can sit at your leisure and watch all the animals come down to drink and observe the dynamics of their interaction- especially when the rhino and elephant make their appearance. It is floodlit at night which makes for great viewing. You do need to be patient though as there are times when there is little to see and then an hour later it can be all action. The Bush Chalet was well located as it was a quick stroll to the waterhole and if you saw something interesting approaching the waterhole (e.g. elephant, rhino, etc.) you could quickly pop back to the chalet to call the rest of the family.
The negative-
The staff in reception taking registration/payment were the worst we experienced in Namibia. They were rude and disinterested.
The food supplies in the shop was very limited. Fortunately we had been forewarned and taken our own supplies so we could braai/BBQ.
In the chalet there was only a fridge, kettle, two mugs and two teaspoons, an outdoor braai but nothing else. It was a real hassle just trying to get plates, knives and forks (although we were on a B&B basis it was self catering accommodation) and they wouldn't supply us with bowls.
The breakfast was so bad most of us skipped it.
The swimming pools were 'under refurbishment' - this construction work along with the green mucky pools located right next to the restaurant made it an unpleasant area.
Chalets were not well maintained with doors not closing, toilets not flushing properly...
The waterhole was very busy with people which detracted from the overall ambiance - this made it feel quite artificial.
We had been forewarned to moderate expectations and this was certainly needed.
Despite the amazing waterhole we would never stay here again. There are so many other fantastic places to choose from.
Etosha's central hub
Found Okaukuejo pretty much as expected - large central hub for Etosha. Extraordinarily busy waterhole, but strange to share it with so many people resulting in safari park feel...... Surprisingly comfortable chalets and adequate room (on return) but a little confusing to find your way around. They ran out of Diesel for a day which could have been fairly serious if you were needing to get to the airport! Desperately slow and inefficient shop resulting in huge queues which were unnecessary and frustrating when wanting to use every minute for wildlife.
Read more about the whole safariOkaukuejo Camp review
Excellent
The Okaukuejo water-hole provides a magnificent arena from which to view birds and animals. The floodlit night viewing of two male rhinos fighting was something I never thought to see and will treasure for the rest of my life. In comparison some years ago I took two trips to Tanzania and they produced one distant viewing of a rhino. Sadly two have been killed in Etosha recently and one day there will be none.
Okaukuejo Lodge itself is rightly very popular, big and busy.
Checking in was slow as there were a number of people queuing ahead of me who thought they had reserved accommodation, but who discovered too late that their internet reservations had been ineffective.
I was grateful to Wilderness Safaris that I had no such problems. The key is to posses a reservation number!
Okaukuejo Camp review
A great place to stay in Etosha, it wouldn't matter which room you stayed in as we were pretty much out all day viewing the wildlife.
Read more about the whole safariBlack Rhinos make it worthwhile
Having stayed before I was not concerned at the quality of the room. However, I was unhappy that there was building work being undertaken which we had not been informed of. This meant the dining room was out of action and it was noisy and dusty while eating breakfast. In addition the chef did not prepare fresh cooked food either at breakfast or dinner, which spoilt our enjoyment.
As before that said the animals did not disappoint.It is a lottery as to what turns up, and on the first evening there was nothing until 8.30 when black rhinos appeared, phew. No elephants that evening either. The next evening both elephants and rhinos turned up. That's the trouble with expectations/experience you feel next time that they must be beaten!
Okaukuejo Camp review
A great place to stay in Etosha, it wouldn't matter which room you stayed in as we were pretty much out all day viewing the wildlife.
Read more about the whole safariFabulous water hole at Okaukuejo Camp
As you warned the Okaukuejo Camp was not up to the standards of the other camps you booked for us. The service was poor, and the reception was crowded and not very welcoming. The shop and garage closed at 4.00 pm for stock taking. The rooms were basic, fairly dark in decoration, but adequate. The restaurant service was poor but the food was good.
However the waterhole was excellent and meant that whatever the accommodation and service this is the place to stay. It was an opportunity to see elephant, giraffe, rhinos etc. acting very naturally for long periods of time. There was rarely a time when nothing was happening at the waterhole.
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.
