Reviews of Onguma Tented Camp
Wildlife sightings and reviews
107 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Onguma Tented Camp and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
62% success
25% success
37% success
97% success
97% success
93% success
90% success
76% success
39% success
36% success
30% success
27% success
26% success
21% success
17% success
0% success
0% success
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
Elephant
Multiple sightings
Giraffe
Multiple sightings
Oryx
Multiple sightings
Wildebeest
Multiple sightings
Zebra
10 sightings
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
Black Rhino
1 sighting
Brown Hyena
1 sighting
Cheetah
1 sighting
Elephant
4 sightings
Giraffe
2 sightings
Lion
3 sightings
Oryx
1 sighting
Wildebeest
3 sightings
Zebra
3 sightings
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
We went on a game viewing drive in both Etosha and the Onguma Reserve in a lodge vehicle as well as using our own car on other occasions.
The hide was particularly good." See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia; 2n in Botswana
Eland
10 sightings
Elephant
10 sightings
Giraffe
10 sightings
Leopard
1 sighting
Lion
4 sightings
Oryx
10 sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
White Rhino
2 sightings
Wildebeest
10 sightings
Zebra
10 sightings
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
The camp had recently been upgraded and it was stunning. The communal areas were stylish and relaxing. A small infinity pool was a lovely place to relax. And the 'tent' was amazing. Everything was well thought out and it was well appointed. The bed was huge and comfortable and in the morning we could lie in bed and watch animals come down to the waterhole to drink and bathe. We particularly loved the outdoor shower, the snacks and drinks station and the hot tub.
Breakfasts were varied and delicious. The smoothies were a highlight. We enjoyed watching hornbills in a nearby tree as we ate. Dinners were taken in front of the floodlit waterhole and were delicious. While we ate, Thomas prepared the wood-fired hot tub so that, on our return to our tent, we could relax in it and look at the stars.
We did a sundowner drive on the Onguma Reserve. We didn't see anything we hadn't already seen except a crocodile! But we'd spent the day driving through Etosha and had already seen huge herds of animals and had a lion sighting so we'd had our wildlife fix. The sundowner drinks and snacks were good.
The next morning we visited the Onkolo Hide. This was a highlight of our trip. My husband is a keen photographer and loved being able to photograph the animals at such close range. I enjoyed seeing the animals at eye level and watching the birds (the waxwings were delightful). We observed a variety of wildlife drinking and bathing in comfort. Our guide was friendly and and knowledgeable and there were plenty of snacks and hot and cold drinks available.
That afternoon we went on an Etosha game drive hoping to see lions that had been in the area in the morning. Unfortunately they were elusive, but we saw many animals around Fischer's Pan. We returned to the Onguma Reserve and were fortunate to see two female cheetahs under a tree and a black rhino.
We would say that wildlife viewing was better for us in western Etosha, but Onguma Tented Camp was a very special place and the Hide was an amazing experience. It is a beautiful, intimate camp with attentive but not intrusive staff. It was lovely to have the waterhole always in sight." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia
Black Rhino
1 sighting
Cheetah
1 sighting
Elephant
10 sightings
Giraffe
10 sightings
Oryx
Multiple sightings
Spotted Hyena
1 sighting
White Rhino
1 sighting
Wildebeest
10 sightings
Zebra
10 sightings
"Well frequented waterhole at Onguma"
The staff, especially Stanley, were friendly and welcoming. The game drive guides enabled us to appreciate the animals that we saw.
The food and dining experiences were excellent. On the afternoon game drive we saw very few animals, except for 3 lions just as dusk fell. Our sundowner refreshments prior to that were delicious. I particularly enjoyed my Cape Pink Gin and tonic.
On our second day there we had a lazy day sitting on our veranda. From there we saw animals coming down to the waterhole: black faced impala; zebras; warthogs; kudu. Walking back to our lodge after lunch, 2 giraffes were 25 meters away. The following morning we went on an early game drive. Very excitingly, we came across a group of 6 lions lying on the track. We were able to stop and observe them for 15 minutes." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia; 4n in South Africa
Brown Hyena
1 sighting
Eland
1 sighting
Giraffe
5 sightings
Lion
2 sightings
Oryx
3 sightings
Wildebeest
1 sighting
Zebra
4 sightings
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
We found the staff very well trained and friendly and the food very good. Although we were not fully inclusive we could see that most wine & spirits were included with only a few premium brands that weren’t. The tents also had a fully stocked mini bar.
The lodge offers game drives into Etosha but we wanted to self-drive. It would have been a nice touch (once the lodge established that we weren’t purchasing their activity) to provide some information and tips on self-driving in Etosha e.g. how entry works, the sightings book & where to purchase a map etc.
We did the Sundowner drive – the only activity offered in the Onguma reserve. It was a very pleasant experience although the game is not at the same level as Etosha. It was irritating to be told that there were lions at one of the other Onguma lodge waterholes but that we weren’t allowed to go and see them!
We had 6 people on the Sundowner drive, and the front seat had been ‘reserved’ by one couple. The vehicle holds 9 (in 3 rows of 3 seats) and the activity sheet highlights that they might fill the vehicle to maximum capacity on all drives. Note also that the lodge says that all activities must be booked in advance. This was not the case at any other lodge we stayed at.
A note for the lodge staff on how to handle issues. I had a blocked sink in my room which I reported on the first evening when I went to dinner. When I went to bed I was told it had been fixed – it hadn’t. I reported it the next morning and when I returned from the game drive 7 hours later it had still not been fixed. I only found this out when I got back to my tent and found the bathroom a bomb site with the handy man in the process of repairing. I went back to reception to ask what the situation was as relaxing in my room was not possible. Reception did not know that a repair was taking place and went to find out the situation. When they came back they completely ignored me and I had to go back to reception again and ask what was going on. I was told that they didn’t know how long it would take. There was no apology, no offer to organise refreshments and no progress updates in the 1.5 hours I had to wait in the common area. Eventually they came & told me everything was completed. The sink was fixed and the tent had been fully cleaned and set back in order.
I was pretty annoyed at the poor service and asked to speak to the manager who wasn’t available. However, they managed to save the day as when we went to dinner the manager in charge had obviously been informed and was very, very apologetic and set us up a special table for dinner and a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine.
There can always be maintenance issues with rooms but it is how they handle them that is most important. Reception should have been aware of the issue and intercepted me before I got to my room and APOLOGISED and explained the situation. They should have offered me refreshments and given me frequent updates on progress." See all these reviews: 23n in Namibia
Cheetah
1 sighting
Elephant
10 sightings
Giraffe
6 sightings
Oryx
1 sighting
Wildebeest
7 sightings
Zebra
7 sightings
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
Gosh I could rave about this place for ever!
Thank you!" See all these reviews: 20n in Namibia
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
The tents were very comfortable. The reception and dining areas were great.
The general staff were lovely but we had some issues with the managers who told us that all the activities were booked up for two days (although advance booking is not needed) . We had to complain strongly in order to get on the drives etc. In the end we could do everything we wanted to due to cancellations however, it left us with a negative feeling as the communication at the start was not great.
Our guide, David was energetic and knowledgable and we enjoyed the drives that he took us on - we saw an amazing amount of wildlife including a leopard eating its kill up a tree, rhinos, lions etc all on one drive." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia
Black Rhino
Multiple sightings
Brown Hyena
Multiple sightings
Elephant
Multiple sightings
Giraffe
Multiple sightings
Leopard
Multiple sightings
Lion
Multiple sightings
Oryx
Multiple sightings
Roan antelope
Multiple sightings
White Rhino
Multiple sightings
Wildebeest
Multiple sightings
Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Onguma Tented Camp "
The staff are very friendly and accommodating. Dinner and breakfast were excellent. Very good option for a stopover before heading south.
We opted not to spend two nights as I had read there are fewer animals on that side of Etosha. We did see impala and wildebeest at the waterhole, along with some very friendly red billed hornbills that were happy to pose for pictures." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia
Giraffe
Multiple sightings
Wildebeest
1 sighting
"Onguma Tented Camp review"
We booked on the sundowner 2.5 hour trip but this turned out to be quite disappointing as it was mainly about birds and there was no attempt to look for other animals....we knew we were in trouble when the guide stopped the vehicle for the other 4 people on board twice in the first 10 minutes to show them a bird, and then waited for about 15 minutes to watch another bird fly off from a branch! In hindsight we should have been clearer with the guide that we weren't that interested in birds but we felt too embarrassed to as the majority of those on the trip clearly were twitchers and we didn't want to offend them.
We did give this feedback to the management on departure though. The tents have excellent mosquito nets around the bed plus an air con unit that works just inside that net - very effective, neat and clever. The open sides of the tent - made of strong mesh - were a surprise to us as we thought canvas covers would be pulled over them when we went to bed.....but that's just us being nervous nellies!
Lions came to the waterhole in front of us during the night and their roars, which sounded like they were right next to our tent (they weren't!!) will stay with us for a long long time!" See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia
Giraffe
1 sighting
Lion
1 sighting
Holiday styles & special interests in Namibia
From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Namibia.
Other lodges in Etosha National Park
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Okaukuejo Camp
Set within Etosha National Park, Okaukuejo Resort is a large camp with a productive, floodlit waterhole.
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.
Mushara Bush Camp
The family-friendly Mushara Bush Camp offers great value and is an excellent base from which to explore Etosha National Park.
Ongava Lodge
With fantastic views over a private reserve bordering Etosha, the smart Ongava Lodge offers driving and walking safaris on the reserve, and guided drives in Etosha.
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.
Mushara Lodge
Close to the eastern entrance to Etosha, the comfortable Mushara Lodge is well-placed for exploring the park in your own vehicle or on a guided drive.
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.
Onguma Bush Camp
For great wildlife viewing without breaking the bank, the affordable and understated luxury of Onguma Bush Camp could be perfect.
Namutoni Camp
Centred on an old fort, the government run Namutoni Camp is located just inside Etosha National Park, close to Fisher's Pan.
Hobatere Lodge
To the west of Etosha National Park, on the edge of Damaraland, Hobatere Lodge offers good game-viewing on its own reserve.
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.
Safarihoek Lodge
At the heart of the private Etosha Heights Reserve, Safarihoek Lodge offers comfortable accommodation and excellent game-viewing.
Onguma The Fort
The Fort is the jewel in the crown of the Onguma lodges, and arguably the whole of eastern Etosha.
Onguma Camp Kala
For a bird’s eye view across African bush, the stilted rooms at Onguma Camp Kala are truly special.
Onguma Forest Camp
From its woodland setting on the Onguma Reserve, Forest Camp is within easy striking distance of Namibia’s flagship national park.
Etosha Safari Lodge
A short drive from Etosha National Park's southern entrance, Etosha Safari Lodge is a convenient base from which to explore the park.
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.
Taleni Etosha Village
Only 4km from Etosha's southern entrance, Taleni Etosha Village is an affordable base from which to explore the park.
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.
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.
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.
Mokuti Etosha Lodge
With 106 rooms, child-friendly Mokuti Etosha Lodge is more like a hotel than a lodge. Facilities to include a gym, spa, tennis courts and even a snake park.
Etosha Oberland Lodge
A short drive from Etosha National Park's southern entrance, Etosha Oberland Lodge is a very comfortable base from which to explore the park, with excellent food.
Vreugde Guest Farm
Vreugde Guest Farm is a delightful owner-run and working sheep farm where you can expect a warm welcome and charming hospitality.
Villa Mushara
Offering luxury on a peaceful private reserve close to Etosha, Villa Mushara is a great choice for honeymooners & those wishing to indulge themselves.
Etosha King Nehale
A short drive from the national park's northern entrance, Etosha King Nehale Lodge is an interesting and comfortable base from which to explore the park.
Safari House
The private Safari House on the Etosha Heights reserve is a great option families or friends travelling together.
Toshari Lodge
Smart and professionally run, the hotel-style Toshari Lodge is well-placed for self-driving in Etosha National Park.
Onkoshi Camp
Onkoshi Camp is owned and run by Namibia Wildlife Resorts. Built on elevated wooden platforms it overlooks Etosha Pan.
