Etosha is Namibia’s premier wildlife park covering an area of around 22 270 km2, one of the largest parks in Africa. With vegetation
ranging from dense bush to open plains, it is the 5000km2 pan in the middle of the park that gives Etosha its unique character.
This extensive flat depression is dry during most of the year creating
a shimmering mirage, but during the rainy season the pan fills up
with water, never more than about a meter deep and creates an important breeding ground for migratory birds.
It is the southern edge of the pan, 120 km at its longest point, where there are a series of waterholes which is the focus of the game viewing in Etosha. During the day many of Etosha’s 114 mammal species come down to these waterholes to drink in this dry parched environment. While certain species such as lion and steenbok are found in specific areas, others such as springbok, zebra, wildebeest and elephant follow yearly migrational patterns.
Southern Africa / Namibia / Etosha National Park
Ongava Lodge
Stylish Ongava Lodge is situated along the southern boundary of Etosha National Park in the privately-owned Ongava Game Reserve. From its beautiful vantage point overlooking a waterhole and the plains beyond, one can enjoy a plethora of game that arrives to drink. Its proximity to the National Park makes it the ideal base for exploring Etosha's kaleidoscope of wildlife.
Ongava Lodge offers luxury accommodation in 14 en-suite chalets made of rock and thatch. There are impressive views from the main lounge, pub and dining areas, as they are situated close to the top of a hill, part of the foothills of the unpronounceable Ondundozonanandana Range. There is also an inviting pool to cool off in the heat of the day. Meals are either served in the main dining area under thatch with a view over the camp's waterhole, or on the dining deck under the stars. Ongava Lodge was listed on the Condé Naste Traveller's Gold Reserve List for 2005.
In central-northern Namibia the flat landscape is dotted with a number of large saltpans, slight depressions made by wind action. The most famous of these is Etosha Pan, which resides in the eponymous Etosha National Park, a vast area of over 20 000km2 that protects an incredible wealth of wildlife. Etosha means 'great white place' and indeed its immense salt pan stretches blinding white across 5 000 square kilometres (120km across and 55km from north to south). Today, a few rivers and occasional heavy summer rains can fill the pan (in good years attracting more than a million flamingos to its salty waters), but for the most part it is parched and dry. While the Pan itself is extremely salty and as a result does not support much vegetation, its edges give way to a surprising variety of vegetation types: from the tall tree canopies of the tamboti and terminalia woodland in the east, to the broad swathe of mopane that envelops the broader area and the open acacia-strewn plains, grasslands and dwarf shrub savannah in the west.
Here mopane woodland dominates, whilst a low row of dolomite hills, evocatively called the Ondundozonanandana Range, provide relief to the otherwise flat surroundings and harbour populations of the endemic Anchieta's dwarf python and the local subspecies of rock hyrax.
Most general game are present on the reserve as well as within Etosha, including springbok, gemsbok, wildebeest, Burchell's zebra, Hartmann's mountain zebra, waterbuck, red hartebeest, giraffe, eland and the endemic black-faced impala. Elephant and lion move between the Park and the reserve and both black and white rhino can be seen.
Birdlife in Ongava Reserve is prolific with over 340 species to be seen, amongst them 10 of Namibia's 14 endemic bird species. Specials like Bare-cheeked Babbler, Violet Wood-Hoopoe, Carp's Tit and Red-necked Falcon are sought after by birders, while other species such as the Sociable Weaver and its enormous communal nests, the miniature Pygmy Falcon and the brilliantly coloured Crimson-breasted Shrike - justifiably Namibia's national bird. Birding Etosha is also good with Ostrich, Kori Bustard and raptors like Greater Kestrel in abundance. Local specials include Short-toed Rock-Thrush, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Double-banded Courser, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Spike-heeled Lark and Acacia Pied Barbet.
Rooms: 14 rock and thatch chalets
In the Rooms: En-suite bathrooms with shower, double basin and outside shower (except for the family unit) with a view, air-conditioned, overhead fans, tea / coffee making facilities, private wooden viewing deck overlooking the reserve, hairdryers provided in rooms, 220v electricity in the rooms, soaps, shampoos and hand lotion are supplied in each room
Facilities: Split-level thatched roof covering the lounge, dining room and bar with view over the waterhole, swimming pool, curio shop, reception
Things to do:
• Game drives in Etosha and Ongava Game Reserve in 5 x Land Rovers
• Walks with armed guide (White Rhino can be tracked on foot.)
• Full day excursions into Etosha National Park (subject to availability of vehicles).
• Private vehicles can be booked at an extra cost, subject to availability.
• Photography and game viewing at the Hide nearby camp.
Children: Children over 8 yrs welcome
Restaurant:
Credit cards accepted: Visa and Mastercard
Additional Information: Local drinks and house-wines are included but premium imports are not for fully inclusive tariff.
Flying times from Windhoek are 1hr 30 minutes. Flying times from Swakopmund are 1hr 45 minutes.
Southern Africa / Namibia / Etosha National Park
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BEST TIME TO VISIT AND THINGS TO DO
1. Culture
Namibia is home to some of the worlds most ancient tribes including the Himba and Herero people. Both groups are easily recognisable through their very distinctive clothing styles. A good starting point for learning about these two tribes is Opuwo. Those interested in learning more about eh Herero people should travel further north to Epupa Falls (4 x 4 required)
2. Fishing
Thanks to the cold Benguela current which flows northwards from the Antarctic, Namibia offers some of the best surf angling in the world. The best time for surf angling is between November and March and the sport is permitted north of Walvis Bay and south of the Ugab River. Most fishing is done around Swakopmund and Henties bay area.
3. 4 x 4 ing
Huge undeveloped and sparsely populated land makes Namibia a paradise for 4 x 4 enthusiasts. The most popular areas are the sandy coastal areas between Luderitz and Swakopmund and through the rough, rocky expanse of the Koakeveld in the north west. Drivers should note that this is not for the inexperienced drivers.
4. Hiking
Namibia’s best known hiking trail is the Fish River Canyon, an 80 km trail that requires 4 to 5 days to complete. This lies in the south close to the South African border. Due to extreme heat conditions in summer, it is only open between 01 May and 15 September and bookings need to be done in advance.
5. Game Viewing
Namibia offers incredible game viewing experiences in landscape like no other in the world... Etosha National Park covers approximately 22 000 km2 and supports more than 100 mammal species and over 300 different bird species. The best time of the year to visit Etosha is during the height of the dry season where animals are forced to congregate around the water holes. The best time for seeing enormous flocks of migrating water birds including flamingoes is during the brief rainy season between November and March.
While not allowed in the National Parks, hunting is very popular in Namibia and is available on many private reserves and game farms.
6. Sossusvlei
The bright orange sand dunes at Sossusvlei are said to be the highest in the word, reaching some 300m off the desert floor. The changing colours on the dunes make for an amazing photo opportunity. Several companies offer hot air ballooning flights or small plane flights over the dunes which are usually done in the early mornings. You can reach within 4 km of the dunes in a normal car and then the last 4 km need to be done either by foot or in a 4 x 4 vehicle.
CAPITAL: Windhoek
CLIMATE:
Dry and arid, Namibia has two season
Summer: November through to April and is hot and sunny. Daytime temperatures reach 40 C and night time drops to around 18 C
Winter: May to October and is sunny and mild. Daytime temperatures average around 23 C while night time temperatures can be very cold at around 0 C.
In the north the rains come in February and March making many of the 4 x 4 trails on the Angolan border impassable.
COMMUNICATIONS:
The international country code for Namibia is + 264
Cell phone reception beyond major towns is very limited.
Windhoek, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay have internet cafes
ELECTRICITY:
250 V. The plug type is the rectangular 3 pin (as found in the UK)
LANGUAGE:
The official language is English, but outside major tourist areas it is not widely spoken. Afrikaans and German are the most commonly spoken languages.
TIME:
Namibia observes daylight saving time.
First Sunday in September to first Sunday in April - GMT + 2 hrs
From April to September - GMT + 1 hr
ENTERING AND GETTING AROUND:
AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX: None
ARRIVAL BY AIR: Namibia’s main airport is Hosea Kutako International Airport 49 km outside of Windhoek. There is also an international airport in Walvis Bay which services Swakopmund area.
DRIVING: Foreign drivers require an international drivers license. Driving is on the left hand side of the road. Four wheel drive vehicles are essential for exploring the Kaokoveld, Damaraland and Bushmanland regions
CUSTOMS:
Duty free allowance of 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, 2 litres of wine and 1 litre of spirits, 50 ml of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette. Currency must be declared on arrival.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
A valid passport is required to enter Mozambique and the validity date needs to be atleast 6 months after the visitor intends to leave the country. Visitors may also be asked to produce outgoing travel documents and proof of sufficient funds to finance their stay. Nationals of some countries require visas – please check individual requirements. Visas need to be obtained prior to departure and will not be issued at border posts on arrival.
HEALTH
Please check with your local doctor on which immunizations are deemed necessary and whether malaria prophylactics should be taken. The northern areas of Namibia are considered a malaria risk area especially during the rainy season. Windhoek. Walvis Bay and Swakopmund have good medical facilities on par with European standards, but in the rural areas they are below standard.
It is strongly recommended that you ensure that you have adequate medical insurance when visiting Namibia.
MONEY
ATM’S:
Available in most cities and towns
BANKS:
There are 4 commercial banks with branches I mot towns and cities: Standard bank of Namibia, First National Bank, Nedbank and Bank Windhoek. Operating hours vary, but most banks are open between 09h00 and 15h30 weekdays and 09h00 to 11h00 on Saturdays.
CREDIT CARDS:
Credit cards are readily accepted in most cities and towns but in the rural areas only cash is accepted. Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted, but some places also accept American Express and Diners. Petrol stations do not accept credit cards.
CURRENCY:
The unit of currency is the Namibian Dollar which is divided into 100 cents. Notes are issued in ND200, ND100, ND50, ND20, ND10. The Namibian dollar is pegged to the South African Rand and South African Rands are accepted as currency throughout Namibia. Please note that Namibian Dollars are not accepted in South Africa.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE:
Foreign currency and travellers cheques can be changed at banks and Bureaux de change. There are Bureaux de change at airports and some of the larger hotels.
TRAVELLERS CHEQUES:
These can be exchanged at banks and Bureaux de Change. Some vendors accept travellers cheques, but do not rely on this as a payment method.
Etosha is Namibia’s premier wildlife park covering an area of around 22 270 km2, one of the largest parks in Africa. With vegetation 
