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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 121-130 of 158
Duration
Arrival date
Mr G & Mrs S
Somerset

"Ongava Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 3 Nov 2009
"Great location, very convenient for Etosha, plus game of its own. We missed the panoramic views and sense of privacy we'd enjoyed so much elsewhere because our room was in the second row. {Particularly felt exposed at wash hand basins}

Seeing & getting so close to white rhino with baby was the highlight. Enjoyed the different species coming and going at the waterhole.

Beware the Dassies!" See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Ms J & Dr S
London

"Ongava Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 15 Oct 2009
"Certainly the place to go and see lions. We had about 7 encounters (excl water hole visits), including coming across a group of 13 in a row across the road at sundown. There were six cubs, three of which were just 3 months old, who kept having to run to catch up with the others.

It rained both nights we were there: the second night was a torrential storm, with amazing lightening & 22mm of rain. The downside of this is that it plays havoc with animal viewing (it being the dry season) as suddenly water is plentiful and the water holes less alluring. This impacted on the trip to Etosha, where the water holes were practically deserted. But animal viewing is often down to luck, and I was very happy with what we did see, which included white rhino & calf, a baboon (unusual there), a tortoise (!) and a python (in addition to lions, zebra, giraffes, elephants etc). We were also treated to the lions roaring during the night." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs AH
York

"Mixed feelings about this site"

1 night Arrived 1 Oct 2009
"On one hand this place was excellent with good facilities and activities but on the other hand I felt they saw us as a source of money to fleece us if possible. Our game drive was with 10 of us crushed into a small 4x4 and with a driver who seemed inexperienced. I was very cramped in the middle row and when we stopped to see anything the guide revved up the engine and reversed often removing any view I had and scaring the animals or birds away. He would not listen to comments.

On the other side of the coin that night the water hole suddenly was visited by lions and then 5 rhinoceroses. A fantastic period followed but as we were watching all our food was removed and they stopped serving.

The accomodation and site was excellent." See all these reviews: 18n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Average
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Good
Ms L & Mr H
USA

"Rhinos at the waterhole"

1 night Arrived 1 Oct 2009
"The location, overlooking a waterhole frequented by rhinos (we saw several in the evening, plus lions) is excellent. However, the upper row of rooms (which is where we were) does not have a view of the waterhole, and are significantly less attractive for that reason.

Our afternoon game drive was not very productive, though we did see a small group of lions. Two lions actually walked right along the path between the upper and lower rows of cabins the night we were there!

We only spent one night here. I would advise at least two, with the full day spent exploring the west/central parts of Etosha." See all these reviews: 17n in Namibia; 3n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Average
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs C
Gloucs

"Ongava Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 1 Oct 2009
"For some reason we felt quite pressurised here. As soon as we arrived it felt like we had hardly paused for breath and we were being booked on trips.

In the end we went to the hide (which I had to ask for rather than it being offered) and we were really glad that we did as this was the only place we saw lions. We also saw them again at night outside of the room which was a great experience. We also saw 5 rhino at the water hole during and after supper." See all these reviews: 19n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location:
Good
Service:
Average
Activities:
Average
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs S
Inverness

"Ongava Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 1 Oct 2009
"Excellent rooms and general facilities, and helpful and friendly staff. Very good and productive outings as well.

Tremendous outlook from the rooms and common areas. Lovely views of the waterhole below the bar area and fascinating sightings of rhino there.

Sadly unable to keep screen between room and balcony open at night but this was totally justified but lions walking between the rooms during the night!

Only the minimal issue of the 'corporate' feel of a contract-run operation prevented the whole stay from being classed as excellent." See all these reviews: 17n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs & Mr R
Hampshire

"Ongava Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 22 Sep 2009
"I loved Mowani, but Ongava was equally good in a different way - our bungalow with twin sinks overlooking the waterholes were stunning - the bungalow was really spacious and comfortable. Everything was good including the food and service.

The game drives and tracking were excellent - everything was included in our package which was great, and we had nothing to pay at the end of three very memorable days, both in Etosha and in their own reserve. We also expewrienced the first rain of the season - a spactacular thunderstorm lasting several hours - wow it was a great light show as it happened in the evening.

Tracking rhinos on foot was fun, and Etosha was spectacular - what more can I say!!! other than the staff were great too - everyone was so pleasant." See all these reviews: 17n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Miss TT
London

"Ongava Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 13 Sep 2009
"We loved Ongava. It was a perfect base for exploring Etosha and being on a private game reserve offered us further fantastic and different game viewing opportunities in addition to Etosha.

The waterhole below the restaurant provided constant entertainment. The rooms were fantastic - spacious and recently renovated. However, unfortunately and very sadly 600 Rand went missing from our safe during our stay therefore we have given it an overall good r
ating, though without the theft it merits "excellent"." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs P
Belgium

"very nice to be there"

2 nights Arrived 30 Aug 2009
"Excellent. Just a greater flexibility of the guide for the evening activity would be appreciated : 4 girafes coming to the waterhall present a good opportunity as all the participants ( 6 people) indicate him. The guide didn't change the circuit he has in his mind...and we we missed any game.

A dialog between the guide and us would be appreciate in order to "negociate" the drive we want. In fact we didn't have chance with the game and may be - if we encountered an exciting game, I woulldn't write my remark." See all these reviews: 18n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr G & Mrs R
York

"Ongava Tented Camp review"

2 nights Arrived 16 Jul 2009
"Even better than Little Kulala. Our guide, Henook?, could not do too much for us.

The rooms were just about everything you could wish for." See all these reviews: 8n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Showing 121-130 of 158
92%
158 reviews of Ongava Lodge by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
111
36
8
3
0
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Other lodges in Etosha National Park

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Okaukuejo Camp

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Set within Etosha National Park, Okaukuejo Resort is a large camp with a productive, floodlit waterhole.


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The family-friendly Mushara Bush Camp offers great value and is an excellent base from which to explore Etosha National Park.


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Ongava Tented Camp

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Set around a waterhole on a private reserve, the small Ongava Tented Camp combines understated comfort with activities that include walks and night drives.


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Onguma Tented Camp is a lovely, little tented camp which centres around an attractive waterhole a short drive from the Von Lindequist Gate to eastern Etosha.


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Dolomite Camp

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Namutoni Camp

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Onguma Bush Camp

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Hobatere Lodge

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Mushara Outpost

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Andersson's at Ongava

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