There’s only one place in the world where stone deserts meet ancient sand dunes, which meet the Atlantic Ocean, providing a vast, wild home to a diversity of specialised wildlife, including the critically endangered black rhino. Namibia and its famous Etosha National Park offer some of the most unique safari experiences in Africa, and Ongava Private Game Reserve is an exclusive, wild sanctuary, born from a dedication to conservation.
Sharing a common border with Etosha, Ongava is a 30 000-hectare stretch of land made up of adjacent farms, which were bought and reinvented as a vast safe haven for Namibia’s precious wildlife. It is now one of the country’s luxury destinations for sublime safari offerings. From the most endangered large mammals, like black and white rhino, to the equally as cherished cheetah, Ongava has worked actively to protect and conserve some of Africa’s most threatened species. Here, 4 safari lodges are an inviting presence to travellers from all over the world looking to explore this unique desert habitat: Ongava Lodge, Ongava Tented Camp, Little Ongava, and Andersson’s Camp.
With private access to Etosha National Park itself, the opportunities to experience incredible wildlife is endless. Private game drives in Ongava offer unbeatable quality, while day trips into Etosha open one of Southern Africa’s most famous parks up for exploration. Either way, a safari experience at Ongava is second to none.
Little Ongava is an intimate, private, luxury getaway in the heart of it all. This private game reserve on the border of Etosha is a protected Eden of species diversity where hours spent watching the waterholes might look a little something like this…
That morning chill catching one’s breath out in the fresh African air, the air permeated by the bellowing call of a king patrolling his kingdom. A fairytale start to the day at Ongava Private Game Reserve on the border of Etosha National Park – Namibia’s celebrated wilderness. This exclusive reserve is far from falling into the shadow of its famous neighbour, as its sublime population of wildlife flock to the waterholes and put on one alluring display for guests.
Springbok, ostrich, and oryx gathered at a waterhole, painting one of Namibia’s most iconic wildlife pictures. These beautiful, desert-adapted animals are common features of an Etosha safari, creating a vision which is so unique to Namibia. We are celebrating the desolate beauty of Etosha this week, and as this image by Olwen Evans for Ongava Lodge shows just how full of life this desert really is…
A stunning portrait of Namaqua sandgrouse and their reflections, as they fill their breast feathers with water at the edge of a pan in Ongava Game Reserve. This private wildlife paradise borders Etosha National Park and it is certainly one of Namibia’s most exclusive and sought after safari retreats. These birds are known to thrive in dry regions, and they are among the most fascinating to watch from the deck at Andersson’s Camp.
