Anouk Namibia Trip - January 2021

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.

​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.

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, benches from which to view the surroundings and lots of windows and vantage points for creative camera angles.

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.

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.

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.

Explore this ancient and arid landscape with your guide on the Nature Drive. Departing early in the morning, the guide will show you that this harsh, dry environment is alive with desert-adapted flora and fauna, and perhaps, if lucky, discover the desert-adapted elephant.

Usually departs at 06h30 and will go out for +/- 4 – 6 hours.
Drinks & snacks are included.

Departing mid-afternoon your guide will take you to explore this diverse landscape of ancient Damaraland, filled with geological wonders and other surprises.

Learn about the fascinating geological formations of Burnt Mountain and the Organ Pipes, and discover Namibia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Twyfelfontein - known for being one of the largest and oldest collections of San rock art engravings in the world!

Usually departs at 15h00 and will last for +/-2 hours. along with seeing Burnt Mountain and the Organ Pipes.

Explore the local area around Mowani Mountain Camp by taking one of the short walking trails around the lodge. There are information points with short paragraphs explaining the nature along these trails, including flora and geological formations.

Should guests want to explore further afield on a longer walk, they are welcome to ask the guides or management - this is dependent on availability.

Sit atop a large rock.

Make yourself comfortable.

Order your drink of choice, or choose from one of the best cocktails or mocktails in Namibia.

Enjoy tasty snacks.

Relax and watch one of the most spectacular and memorable sunsets ever!

Explore the rugged area on a morning or afternoon game drive learning about its remarkable flora and fauna including the giraffe research that is conducted in this area.

With your guide you can track the elusive desert-adapted black rhino on foot. Available to children aged 12 and over.

Spend time with the local Himba and Herero communities, understanding their unique cultures. In the case of the Himbas, they represent one of the last true nomadic tribes of Africa

Enjoy a walk with one of our experet guides as you discover the surrounding area on foot.

The dangerous beauty of Skeleton Coast
.

Either on your way to the lodge from Möwe Bay or returning from the lodge, you will see what is left of the victims of this treacherous coastline: Decaying ships, the remains of a Ventura Bomber and the abandoned Westies Diamond Mine bear witness to the unforgiving nature of this arid landscape. You will also visit the seal colony.

The music of the Namib.


Embark on a sundowner drive to the Roaring Dunes where the desert’s voice can be heard.


Or watch the sun disappear into the Atlantic Ocean.

All along the river… Spend your morning exploring the Hoarusib River. Visit the Clay Castles, a striking geological formation. You might even spot the elusive desert-adapted elephants, brown hyenas and lions.

Seaside lunch
...

Weather permitting, enjoy a scrumptious lunch on the vast empty beach.
Feel the crisp sea-breeze tousle your hair and ponder the meaning of life
 as the ocean washes onto the pristine sand in its unending ebb and flow.

Join one of our guides on a scenic drive over the Roaring Dunes . This excursion will only be conducted in an area specifically allocated for the purpose by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to minimise the effects on the environment.
The tour takes approximately 1.5 hours and is for one guest per quad. As a safety precaution the minimum age is 16 years.

For the more adventurous at heart, join us for dune boarding.

This is done by lying down on a polished board while you slide down the dune headfirst. Speeds of up to 80km/h can be reached.

Activities to be advised at the Hotel. We gladly assist you with bookings for activities or dinner.

Our experienced guides will take guests with our well-equipped open game drive vehicles around the pristine 9,000-hectare reserve, showcasing some of the most incredible wildlife in Africa. Early drives at sunrise are ideal to observe the Namibian plains waking up, while evening drives reveal the elusive beauty of the nocturnal savannah.

All our safaris are conducted in state-of-the-art Land Cruisers, each accommodating a maximum of six guests. During the game driving guests are likely to see a great variety of wildlife including rhinos, elephants, giraffes, cheetahs, leopards, ostriches, black-backed jackals, warthogs, various antelopes (kudu, red hartebeest, steenbok, reedbuck, waterbuck, oryx, springbok) and many types of birds.

Drinks and snacks are provided.

Lead by the Head Guide of the reserve, guests can enjoy the luxury of a very personal experience and get close to Africa’s most incredible animals. The guide's exceptional skills and knowledge will make this tour a unique experience. Drinks and snacks to guest's individual taste will further enhance the experience on a culinary level.

Guests get to spend an afternoon with a ranger and tracker in search of rhinos. Rhino tracking offers a great opportunity to learn about the habits and characteristics of this threatened species, the issue of rhino poaching, and on-going conservation efforts.

From 2-6 people, mostly on game viewer, duration 2,5 hrs, drinks and snacks provided

Guests can go on an amazing elephant safari. An encounter with these iconic African animals will teach guests about how intelligent and compassionate they actually are. Besides being a magnificent opportunity to explore nature, guests will also learn much about the issues surrounding elephants’ conservation.

From 2-6 people, mostly on game viewer, duration 2,5 hours, drinks and snacks provided.

Whether they are hidden in the bush waiting for a prey or comfortably basking in the sun, leopards are extraordinary wild animals. Guests will have the opportunity to track these majestic felines on the Zannier Reserve by N/a’an ku sê, appreciate their wonder and gain true knowledge of their characteristics. With a bit of luck, you might spot some of our lions, leopards, cheetahs or

African wild dogs.

From 2-6 people above 16 years old, mostly on game viewer, duration 2,5 hours, drinks and snacks provided

This 5-hour excursion aims to show you the backstage of the Zannier Reserve by N/a’an ku sê. This Behind The Scenes excursion includes a tour of the Shiloh Wildlife Sanctuary, where you will discover the incredible work of passionate vets who are rescuing and taking care of endangered animals. A visit of the Research Center will get you the priviledge of walking with cheetahs and with baboons. Your discovery of the actions undertaken by N/a’an ku sê will continue with the visit of the Clever Cubs School. The tour also features a visit to the anti-poaching unit, where you will get to meet special forces trained to protect the reserve and its natural resources.

Non private tours up to 12 people and exclusive tours from 1 to 6 people, on vehicle & on foot, drinks and snacks are provided.