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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 71-80 of 158
Duration
Arrival date
Mr C & Ms B
Colorado

"Ongava Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 14 Jun 2016
"The Ongava Reserve provides quite the opportunity to do much of " the big five" up close and personal. Etosha is much more commercialized and far less of a personal experience due to high traffic volume, separation from the water holes, and personally, we would pass on Etosha next time due to our other Namibian and Botswanan experiences. The lodge's staff and management were fabulous. Overall, the meals were fine. The steam table buffet-style food was disappointing; however, the "braii" meat entrees at dinner were cooked to perfection. For us, our objectives clashed with our guide: he was much more of a guide for the "big five" whereas we desired the birds, the ecology, and other African subtleties. The speed of everything made one miss much of the charm of Africa. The bunker at the lodge is a wonderful place to spend 3 or 4 hours watching the animals and birds up close, including the stunning sand grouse show through late evening." See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia; 7n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr R
Somerset

"Service recovery at Ongava Lodge"

2 nights Arrived 9 Jun 2016
"While at out previous location we received a message that Ongava Lodge had double booked us and could only offer us a place at Ongava Tented Camp. Not sure why we were the ones being bumped as our booking had been made 10 months previously and almost certainly at least some of those at the Lodge would have booked after that. They offered non stop activities at no charge in compensation. First feelings were of unhappiness but a few things happened that we would not have experienced at the Lodge so it worked out, albeit by luck.

We were taken out more or less as soon as we arrived early afternoon when normally we would relax in camp and recover from the drive from the previous lodge. Got to see 2 white rhino up close in Ongava Reserve and then on our way back in the dark the guide saw black rhino in the dark. He took us to a hide where we were able to watch 2 white and 2 black rhino from about 15 feet at a waterhole for about 30 minutes before returning to camp for dinner.

The location of Tented Camp means we would not have seen them had we been at the Lodge. The next day we were up early to be taken to Etosha, but the guide quickly turned back after reports of a lion near the camp. We within 10 feet of a large male lion for about 10 minutes as it made it's along the roadside. Had a good full day in Etosha and saw a wide range of animals including Giraffe, Cheetah and Elephant. Returned to camp after dark completely exhausted. Camp has it's own waterhole right by the restaurant so got see a few antelope at breakfast. we were taken to our lodges after dinner by armed guard and advised not to venture out. One guest assured us a lion crossed their deck during the night.

Staff service was excellent, just the back office error let them down." See all these reviews: 17n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs C
Southampton

"Great view. Very smart Lodge"

2 nights Arrived 8 Jun 2016
"The Lodge was very good. Food was good and the water hole was excellent. We loved going down to the hide to get a closer look at the animals. We were lucky to see both Black and White Rhino and giraffe coming up close to drink.

The staff were good although the guide came to talk to us and although we were interested in a night drive, he didn't take us up on it. We were driving ourselves around Etosha by day." See all these reviews: 18n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs S
Richmond

"Great Rhino viewing"

2 nights Arrived 7 Jun 2016
"Excellent comfortable accommodation. Lovely communal areas and especially enjoyed dining with a view of the waterhole and the nightly visit of the Rhinos. The hide was also a welcome addition being able to watch from such close range.

The Lodge is ideally suited for self drivers to visit Etosha." See all these reviews: 18n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs M
Colchester

"Miss this one at your peril!"

2 nights Arrived 25 May 2016
"All round excellence, even though this was the largest of our lodges.

Rooms 1, 2 and 3 are closest to the water-hole (some rooms had no view at all).

Highlights would include: the best food of the trip (kudu steak quite delicious); water-hole activity (including black and white rhino); the lioness roaring beneath our deck at 4 am!; the camp porcupines; the suckling giraffe (which our guide had never seen before); and generally lots of water-hole activity which can be viewed from the hide, just yards from the pool." 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 C
Suffolk

"Ongava Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 18 Feb 2016
"This Lodge we arrived at after spending sometime driving through Etosha, less game than we expected except elephant at Olifantsrus Water Hole. Met by Chris, meet and greet girl, after long confusing drive down their track which needs more signage.

Very hot and lots of steps to the main areas, very smart. lots of others staying. Our chalet, No 1, excellent position to view their waterhole, where there is always something going on. PM Game drive with guide Pascalis,. drove a long way through dense vegetation seeing very little. Expensive with not much to see. The Etosha Game Drive very expensive N$1200 each.

Lovely room extremely comfortable near pool & Lodge. Good night viewing of Rhino at dinner, escorted by armed staff back to room due to 16 Lions in camp night before.

Watched waterhole all next day, saw lots of game Black & White Rhino, spotted Hyena." See all these reviews: 19n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Average
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr M
Shrewsbury

"Ongava Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 8 Feb 2016
"Enjoyed our stay although very warm (40 degrees) so not much activity during day once we got back from our early morning trip in the the park (Etosha).

Our guide for the safari was not very interesting and gave impression that he was finding it all pretty boring having done it all many times before." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Activities:
Average
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Good
Mr Nelson
Baar

"wonderful place, wonderful staff"

3 nights Arrived 7 Feb 2016
"Wonderful location with lions, zebras, giraffes right in front of the veranda.

Very friendly staff.

The guide was very friendly and gave a lot of interesting information during our safaris." See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia; 3n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Piotr & Glen
London

"Lovely location but not great on service"

2 nights Arrived 1 Dec 2015
"This was the third Wilderness Safaris camp we were staying in during the trip. While Little Kulala and Desert Rhino Camp were outstanding, as per earlier feedback, Ongava was let down by service.

The location is wonderful, as was our very private tent, and the waterhole viewing from the verandas is incredible - particularly seeing 5 black rhinos while having dinner - were all very memorable. But in terms of the service, we felt it was quite distant, at times even strange (with one staff arguing that we shouldn't get a glass for a bottle of beer as it might get knocked over!), and also not once was it acknowledged that the trip was our honeymoon.

There was one lovely lady who served dinner to us both evenings, and another very friendly lady who served breakfast, but otherwise the service didn't feel very personal. Also on departure I was settling the bill and found the guy doing the check out to be rather cool, with not even a handshake for good-bye. It was a shame as the two previous lodges which are part of Wilderness Safaris were excellent.

We would not come back to Ongava, but perhaps even stay within Etosha at one of the camps there." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Poor
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
I&C
UK

"Ongava Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 24 Oct 2015
"Wonderful location. Service was ok but not as good as other lodges we stayed at.

This may have been due to the imminent change of management of the lodge. Disappointing to find that dinner was a buffet meal unlike the table service at all of the other lodges. Game drive guide was less informative than at other lodges." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Average

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Average
Activities:
Average
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Good
Showing 71-80 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

Okaukuejo Camp

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


83% (701 reviews)
Halali Camp

Halali Camp

The smallest of Etosha's erstwhile restcamps, overlooking its own floodlit waterhole, Halali has a superb location near the centre of Etosha Pan.


79% (330 reviews)
Mushara Bush Camp

Mushara Bush Camp

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

Ongava Tented Camp

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


93% (153 reviews)
Onguma Tented Camp

Onguma Tented Camp

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.


92% (103 reviews)
Dolomite Camp

Dolomite Camp

Opened in 2011, Dolomite Camp allows visitors access to the far west side of Etosha National Park, which was previously off limits to most visitors.


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Mushara Lodge

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Namutoni Camp

Namutoni Camp

Centred on an old fort, the government run Namutoni Camp is located just inside Etosha National Park, close to Fisher's Pan.


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Onguma Bush Camp

Onguma Bush Camp

For great wildlife viewing without breaking the bank, the affordable and understated luxury of Onguma Bush Camp could be perfect.


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Hobatere Lodge

Hobatere Lodge

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89% (74 reviews)
Mushara Outpost

Mushara Outpost

Intimate and luxurious, Mushara Outpost is well-placed on a private reserve to explore nearby Etosha National Park on your own or on a guided drive.


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Onguma Camp Kala

Onguma Camp Kala

For a bird’s eye view across African bush, the stilted rooms at Onguma Camp Kala are truly special.


97% (43 reviews)
Onguma The Fort

Onguma The Fort

The Fort is the jewel in the crown of the Onguma lodges, and arguably the whole of eastern Etosha.


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Safarihoek Lodge

Safarihoek Lodge

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Onguma Forest Camp

Onguma Forest Camp

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Taleni Etosha Village

Taleni Etosha Village

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Etosha Safari Lodge

Etosha Safari Lodge

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Little Ongava

Little Ongava

The beautifully located and luxurious Little Ongava is a stunning place to stay in order to explore Etosha National Park and the private Ongava Reserve.


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Etosha Safari Camp

Etosha Safari Camp

Funky, low-key and very original, Etosha Safari Camp is well placed for visiting Etosha National Park on a self-drive or guided safari.


86% (22 reviews)
Andersson's at Ongava

Andersson's at Ongava

With game drives on both its private reserve and in Etosha, Andersson's at Ongava also offers access to the Ongava Research Centre.


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Mountain Lodge

Mountain Lodge

In the heart of the private Etosha Heights Reserve, the family-friendly Mountain Lodge offers game drives and bush walks within an exclusive environment.


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Mokuti Etosha Lodge

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Etosha Oberland Lodge

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Etosha Garden Hotel

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Etosha King Nehale

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Safari House

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Toshari Lodge

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Onkoshi Camp

Onkoshi Camp

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