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Villa Mushara
Villa Mushara
Villa Mushara
Villa Mushara
Villa Mushara

Villa Mushara: Our full report

The most luxurious property on the Mushara Reserve, Villa Mushara also features the greatest level of privacy.

Just 8km east of Etosha National Park, it shares a main area with the smart Mushara Lodge, just a short walk away. For trips into Etosha National Park, either under your own steam or on a guided excursion, it’s both comfortable and very convenient.

Accessed down a small path to one side of Mushara Lodge, Villa Mushara features two luxury villas, each with a huge 140m2 of air-conditioned space, and big picture windows to bring the views inside.

In the beautifully designed lounge area of each villa you’ll find comfy sofas, a fireplace and a writing desk, with tea and coffee on hand alongside sherry and port. Pride of place in the bedroom goes to a huge four-poster king-size bed copiously draped in mosquito netting, while the big en-suite bathroom has a free-standing bath, enormous indoor shower/wet room, separate toilet and a secluded and refreshing outdoor shower.

The décor throughout follows the same stylish lines at the main lodge. Crisp white linen and white-washed walls are given life by a carefully selected collection of African artefacts and artwork. Candelabras and chandeliers add even more style.

Outside, a short path leads to an open-air daybed, which overlooks a small waterhole and a private plunge pool. While we haven’t had the chance to stay in one of the villas, we are told the waterholes serve as a watering point for many of the Mushara Reserve’s wild residents, including warthog, bushbuck, duiker and more, and we can imagine that sitting on the veranda watching the comings and goings would be an exceedingly pleasant way to while away an hour or two.

The Villa’s main area is shared with Mushara Lodge, just a few metres away. This attractive set up incorporates a curio shop, lounge, bar, restaurant, and a larger swimming pool – ideal for those who’d like to fit in a few lengths. Yet as wonderful as the main lodge is, with so much space at the villa and the option of private dining on their own veranda, guests would certainly be forgiven for staying in the villa throughout their stay. Special preparations are often made for honeymooners and those celebrating other occasions.

As at the other Mushara properties, morning and afternoon guided game drives in Etosha National Park are offered from Villa Mushara. In most cases, we’d recommend staying here on a full board and activities basis so these activities would be included. However, as the property is outside the park, and no activities take place on the Mushara Reserve, guided game drives from the reserve are subject to the same park rules as self-drivers: the park is closed from sunset to sunrise, and no offroad driving or walking is allowed. This is a little more restrictive than staying somewhere that conducts activities on a private reserve, but perhaps in acknowledgment of that, we have always felt that Villa Mushara offers fantastic value for money considering the quality of the accommodation.

Although most guests here arrive in their own vehicle, so can easily drive themselves into the park – and Mushara is an exceptionally convenient location to do this – a local guide can often enhance the game-viewing experience and as activities are usually included, we consider that this is a better option.


Our view

Villa Mushara is a great choice for those looking for luxury, indulgence and lots of their own space. It's a very convenient base for game drives into Etosha National Park – although it would be easy to be distracted from long game drives by the idea of time spent relaxing at the villa. Keen safari enthusiasts, however, may feel that they just don't need this level of space when they're going to spend much of the day in the park!

Tom Morris

Tom Morris

Country manager: Namibia

Geographics

Location
Etosha National Park, Namibia
Ideal length of stay
2 nights
Directions
Villa Mushara is located adjacent to Mushara Lodge on the Mushara Reserve, just a few kilometres from the eastern gate of Etosha. It is well signposted from the gate.

The Mushara Reserve has its own airstrip, but it is also possible to fly to the airstrip at nearby Mokuti and be transferred to the lodge.
Accessible by
Self-drive or Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis
Half Board
Food quality
While we have not stayed at Villa Mushara, it shares a kitchen and has the same menu as Mushara Lodge, where we stayed in May 2022. During our stay the meals were well presented and delicious, although occasionally we felt there was one flavour or element too much. This certainly didn’t spoil our enjoyment of the meal but just occasionally caught our tastebuds unaware.

In line with the timings below, meals at Villa Mushara can be served in your villa or on your private veranda.

A buffet breakfast, served in the restaurant (6.00–9.00am), includes the usual bread, toast, fruit, yoghurt and juice, as well as tea and coffee and a cooked breakfast to order. On our recent stay in May 2022, we had a simple breakfast of fruit salad with yoghurt and granola, tea and some toast.

A light lunch menu is available between midday and 2.00pm and includes options such as toasted sandwiches, burgers, pasta and salads.

Dinner, from 7.30pm, is an appetising three-course set menu, which in warmer weather is usually served on the patio. We started with spinach gnocchi with tomato sauce and parmesan water. Our main course was an excellent grilled impala kebab with fig sauce, parsley potatoes and vegetables. The meal was finished off with a chocolate mousse with berry sauce.

Additionally, snacks such as crisps and nuts are available from the minibar.

With advanced notice Villa Mushara can cater for most dietary requirements.
Dining style
Individual Tables
Dining locations
Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service
Guests staying at Villa Mushara can choose to have meals at Mushara Lodge, or in their villa. Special arrangements can be made for those celebrating special occasions.
Drinks included
House wines, local beers and soft drinks are included. The tap water is deemed safe to drink but travellers may prefer to stick to bottled water.

Special interests

Honeymoons
The peace, quiet and isolation of the two villas at Villa Mushara allow honeymooners to take some time to themselves. Tailored touches, such as flowers, champagne or private candlelit dinners will make for a special stay on your Namibian honeymoon.
See ideas for Honeymoons
Private villas & houses
The private villas at Villa Mushara promise luxury and opulence very close to Etosha. The lounge, bathroom and your private terrace are all spacious and stylish. Enjoy your own pool and private meals on request.
See ideas for Private villas & houses
Luxury
Villa Mushara consists of two large villas whose opulent rooms are decorated with candelabras and chandeliers. Each villa has an open-air daybed/sala with views of a private waterhole: a great place to relax during a luxurious safari in Namibia
See ideas for Luxury

Children

Attitude towards children
Children aged 12 and over are welcome at Villa Mushara.
Property’s age restrictions
No children under 12
Special activities & services
None
Equipment
None
Generally recommended for children
Villa Mushara has a luxurious feel and would not be well-suited for children of any age; there is little to keep them entertained here and the plunge pools are unfenced. There are several better options for familes in the Mushara collection, including the Mushara Lodge family house and Mushara Bush Camp.
Notes
Children should be under parental supervision at all times.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Villa Mushara

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Villa Mushara have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.

Black Rhino

100% success

Eland

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Oryx

100% success

Wildebeest

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Cheetah

50% success

Aardvark

0% success

Brown Hyena

0% success

Leopard

0% success

Lion

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Roan antelope

0% success

Sable antelope

0% success

Spotted Hyena

0% success

White Rhino

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes
There is a back-up generator.
Communications
There is good cellphone reception in the rooms, as well as a telephone.
There is WiFi in the villas and Mushara Lodge’s main area.

TV & radio
None
Water supply
Borehole
Water supply notes
All rooms have hot and cold running water and flush toilets.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended
Yes
Medical care
The nearest doctor is in Tsumeb, about an hour's drive away.
Dangerous animals
Moderate Risk
Security measures
The gate is locked from 8.00pm.
Fire safety
There is a fire extinguisher in all rooms.

Activities

  • 4WD Safari

    4WD Safari

  • Birdwatching

    Birdwatching

Extras

Disabled access
On Request
Laundry facilities
Full Laundry Service - Extra Charge
Money
There are safes in the villas, for which keys are kept at reception.
Accepted payment on location
Cash payments may be made in Namibian dollars and South African rand. Visa and Mastercard are accepted for card payments.

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