Vanessa on Safari in Namibia – Trip Report

2 min Read May 14, 2020

Vanessa on Safari in Namibia – Trip Report

Namibia has always been a special place for me and while it is not the usual wildlife destination like Kenya or Botswana,  it does offer some unique experiences with plenty of opportunities to see the Big Five.

We started our first night at the lovely Hotel Heinitzburg a great spot overlooking Windhoek. The Hotel offers 16 rooms each individually decorated,  a beautiful garden terrace and a restaurant overlooking the skyline.

From here we took a flight to Wolwedans located in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, privately owned and situated South of Sossusvlei.  Wolwedans offers a solitude experience with spectacular landscapes and a number of camps with different styles of accommodation.

Our time was spent at Dunes Lodge. With only 9 spacious tents with ensuite bathrooms and a private verandah, this camp is the picture of solitude. The main area consists of 2 lounges, sundowner decks, a fireplace, library and two dining rooms. With superb views and a variety of activities such as scenic drives, walking safaris, ballooning, horseback riding and E bikes, Dunes Lodge is an excellent choice for your stay.

Horseback riding is one of my favorite activities as I grew up riding, so I loved my experience of riding through the dunes, but the highlight for me was the Balloon Safari. I have been fortunate to experience this in Kenya and now Namibia. While it was a grueling start to the day (4:00am) and a long drive to the balloon launching site (it changes depending on the weather) it was worth it for the spectacular views!

From here we took a scenic flight along the coastline to Onguma Private reserve situated on the eastern border of Etosha National Park. Onguma offers several different styles for accommodations and 34,000 hectares of private wilderness to explore.

Our time in Onguma was spent at a camp called The Fort – with 13 Suites, all completely private, about 50 meters apart.  Each suite has a spacious bathroom, both an inside and outside shower, a bar fridge, air conditioning, and a verandah. Situated in the perfect spot, offering some of the best sunset views I have ever experienced, overlooking the Etosha pans. The Fort also offers wonderful activities, including; Etosha Game Drives, Onguma Sunset Drives, Bush walks and a hide for amazing game viewing.  This is the perfect lodge to end your safari on a HIGH and one of my favorite experiences in Namibia.

I am fortunate to go on many safaris and experience many boma dinners, however the boma dinner at The Fort was by far the best experience and dinner I have had in all of my safaris!!

In addition to The Fort another wonderful option is the Onguma Tented Camp.  This camp offers 7 Tents located around a large waterhole that offers exceptional wildlife viewing.

For a more rustic option, Onguma Treetop, offers 4 thatched rooms elevated off the ground overlooking a waterhole for wildlife viewing.   The interactive kitchen is an amazing experience as the chefs prepare your meal right in camp.

I love the Conservation and Sustainability that Onguma has created with the anti poaching unit as well as the Oshivelo farm which has created jobs on a large scale. The farm produces vegetables year round with four hundred tons currently sold monthly in the Namibian market.

Namibia is truly one of the most unique and special places in all of Africa.  With a wide array of camps, activities and wildlife, there is something for everyone.

Vanessa

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