Little Ongava only accommodates 6 guests, but the main area is big enough for 20. There are several different sitting areas with sumptuous couches, including on the outdoor viewing deck (complete with spotting scope). There’s a lovely, large fireplace inside – perfect for the chilly winter nights. Typically, just one communal dining table is set, but private dining is available too. No detail has been overlooked with the decor and design. There’s even a small chapel. The lodge is perched on top of a rocky hill, with expansive views of the mopani bushveld stretching to the horizon.

Unique Selling Points

• Most luxurious and exclusive Lodge in Namibia
• High densities of big game including lion, black and white rhino and plains game
• 30 000 hectare private reserve with convenient access into Etosha National Park

Guided walks on Ongava provide a chance of tracking white rhino on foot. Game drives (both day and night) on the reserve are also productive, since there’s a healthy population of lions and a variety of other animals, including cheetah and giraffe. One notable absentee is elephants, but there are plenty of them in Etosha National Park and thus a day trip here (at least on one of your days) is essential. The sight of Etosha Pan (5000km2 of white salt) is seriously impressive too. You can opt to simply sit and relax in camp, watching the action come down to the waterhole or indulging in a bit of massage therapy.

Game drives, in open safari vehicles, head out at sunrise and again in the late afternoon. The reserve’s natural animal populations include all of the Big Five, and it is renowned for the quality of its leopard sightingss – the most elusive of predator.

For those who wish to experience the bush, not just observe it, there is no better guided excursion. This is also a wonderful opportunity to encounter the smaller creatures, often missed on safari vehicles, and to discover more about the reserve’s plants – many with fascinating medicinal properties and traditional uses.