Onguma The Fort

The Fort serves delicious African-inspired meals at either the indoor or outdoor dining areas. Choose to dine by the lantern-lit pool, in the courtyard or alongside the water feature. Refreshing drinks are served at the Tower Bar. As the Daily Telegraph says, “Eating dinner al fresco under clear southern African skies as lions roar in earshot is, quite honestly, both dreamy and surreal.”

Etosha is a 22 750km² wildlife sanctuary in Namibia – one of Africa’s most stable and accessible countries. Etosha, meaning ‘place of dry water’, and refers to a flat calcrete depression (or pan) of about 5 000km². The ‘Pan’ (overlooked by the Onguma Reserve) provides a great, parched, silver-white backdrop of shimmering mirages to an area of semi-arid savannah grassland and thorn scrub. The pan itself contains water only after very good rains and sometimes for only a few days each year but is enough to stimulate the growth of a blue-green algae which lures thousands of flamingos.

The Reserve incorporates ecological substrata such as savannah, bushveld, omuramba and dry pan. Age-old and well-worn migration routes, once used by elephant and buffalo wander through Onguma’s three dry riverbeds.

Onguma’s fabulous new water-level hide affords guests a great opportunity to calmly sit and enjoy nature unobserved. Amateur and professional photographers alike love the angles and light from this equipped hide. There is a small ablution facility nearby Onkolo Hide, benches from which to view the surroundings and lots of windows and vantage points for creative camera angles.

Africa takes on a new perspective when you experience it on foot as the first explorers did. A bush walk is a unique physical, mental and spiritual adventure through nature. Experience the sights, smells and sounds of the Namibian bush by conducting an early morning leisurely walk accompanied by one of our experienced armed rangers.

Onguma Nature Reserve consists of 34 000 hectares of Namibian wilderness & is home to numerous plains game, more than 300 bird species ​and even 4 of the Big 5. ​The Reserve boasts over thirty different animal species. Plains game roam freely on the Reserve and predators although not always easy to spot, are nevertheless common residents of the area. Lions and Cheetahs are frequently seen and often heard. There is a healthy black rhino and leopard population, and hyenas are also often seen and heard.

​Johan, our resident therapist, is a professional massage therapist with over 15 years' experience, having lived and worked at renowned Wellness Centres in Asia and Africa. His passion for and dedication to massage therapy originated in the East, where he was trained and educated from the best teachers in their respective fields. Having the opportunity to spend considerable time with monks in Thailand, has also led him to incorporate focused awareness into his massage therapies.

The Dream Cruiser is Onguma's newest and most unique under the stars sleep-out experience. Arriving in time to enjoy sundowners and take a tour of your overnight accommodation, this sleep out in the wilderness of the reserve is on our custom-built Land Cruiser, featuring a full bathroom on the lower deck and a bedroom with lounge area on the upper deck. A night on the Dream Cruiser calls for al fresco picnic-style dining is delivered by our chef for you to enjoy as the evening turns to night and the stars dance in all their glory. A ranger is on call via a two-way radio, so make the most of this time and relax in the safety and complete comfort of this unique space. After a good night's rest, you can enjoy morning tea/coffee with homemade rusks before being collected for breakfast at the lodge.

Namibia can offer a truly memorable and interactive experience in the wilderness for families traveling with children by offering children’s accommodation, specially designed game drives for children, activities, and meals. Onguma Nature Reserve welcomes children to explore and experience the uniqueness of the untamed African bush with its many wild animals both the big and small!