The Ongava Tented Camp Experience

Ongava Game Reserve is bliss. Deep in the savannah at the border the Etosha National Park some 90 kilometres from Outjo, the two-day stay is magical and everything about it is natural.

Although the first night at Ongava Game Lodge involved a lot of wining and dining, it’s the camping, or better yet the ‘glamping’ experience that really took the cake.

We arrived at the camp site, better known as Ongava Tented Camp (OTC), just before 15h00 when the sizzling sun was beginning to mellow.

The reserve itself is nestled within the valley of the 33 000 hectare private game reserve taking a 30-minute or so drive from the main gate to reach.

With four journalists in tow, Ongava’s brand manager Meke Imbili, lead the pack to the reception where the team was greeted by bubbly staff who welcomed us in style, with drinks, towels to cool off with and a rather daunting talk about the rules of the campsite.

They were pretty basic, really: Don’t walk to your death by disturbing the animals who hang out at the manmade waterhole near the lapa, don’t walk around at night unless accompanied by a guide (who’s rifle is just as intimidating as the animals on site), and most importantly, have fun.

When you think camping, you might think of the struggle tents that people set up, searching high and low for firewood and huddling bodies together for warmth as the icy cold hits your face. But the Ongava tented experience is nothing like that.

The shower offers steaming hot water that trickles through the wooden floors to the unknown, your double-sized bed provides nothing but comfort after a long day on the gravel roads (with a surprise hot water bottle tucked in the blankets after the cold has set in) and a view to absolutely die for.

But because of the nature of the camp, a resounding horn is at your disposal in case of an emergency to alert the staff – an emergency being anything from a medical concern to being accosted by a wild animal or two rummaging through your belongings.

The only thing separating you from a lion’s lunch is well… the tent. And that’s the beauty of being in the wild, there could be a kudu sleeping next to your room for all you know. There’s no telling what you might see and when you’ll see it. But you have a 100% chance of seeing rock dassies scatter about and it’s interesting to see the harmless critters happily camouflaged within the rocks.

One of the agendas of the trip was a game drive through the western area of the Ongava Game Reserve with tour guide Salomon Kamerica, a happy chap with a love for the wild.

For those who didn’t know, the reserve houses both black and white rhinos (hence its name Ongava which translates to ‘rhino’ in Otjiherero), lions, giraffes, kudus, waterbucks, elephants, guinea fowls, oryx, various bird species, etc.

Protecting the animals is a necessary task, says Ongava’s operations manager Stuart Crawford. “It’s an exclusive game reserve and we use the money to fund conservation.” And sadly drought has been one of the major challenges, however the population of the animals are doing quite well, he said.

“Waterbucks were first introduced to the game reserve in 1994,” Kamerica shares as a bunch feast on grass. “You will most likely find them in the Okavango Delta, but some were brought here. They adapt together.”

And this is evident by the circular white fluff around their bottoms, which acts as a reflector which blinds would be predators lurking behind them and helps to regulate their temperature from the glare of the merciless African sun.

Another cool spotting includes the wild sesame, bushes which branch out with wild green seeds that when rubbed just enough and water is added, foam is created on the hands which can work as some kind of makeshift soap.

Zebras are also common in the area and a few were grazing away at the savannah during the drive. “Their defense mechanism is kicking,” Kamerica said. “Zebras have stripes to identify themselves and their patterns are somewhat a defense mechanism from predators,” said the guide who explained that the mix of colours and the glare created by the sun cause this sense a confusion in would be predators which ultimately protects the beautiful wild horse.

A couple of turns and kilometres of dusty roads later, Kamerica secures a place somewhere on the grazing grounds to enjoy the sunset. All this while the animals are lazing about and cooling off. Guests are offered the chance to experience the wild by standing outside and enjoying drinks with snacks on the boot of the car, while conversing about life and love or fauna and flora.

There’s nothing like it, although you might want to keep an eye out for rhinos coming your way – it’s a pretty sight, but not when the aggressive ones are around, as demonstrated by the scary dent in one of the vehicles.

After a quiet end to the day, it was back to the tented camp where a hot three-course meals awaited us – from mashed potato soup and delicious steaks and veggies to chocolate ice-cream – and drinks to your heart’s desire.

And if you’re cold, feel free to grab a couple of blankets from the designated fireplace near the waterhole. After you’re done, it’s back to the beautifully decorated sleeping quarters where you can read the designated National Geographic magazines on your bedside table or slip into sleep as the sounds of crickets lull you into dreamland.

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