Ginny, from our UK office, and I recently visited a number of the camps in and adjacent to the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia and I recommend that this game reserve should be included in any Zambian safari.

The Lower Zambezi National Park, as the name would suggest, lies on the northern banks of the magnificent Zambezi river, a few hundred kilometers from Victoria Falls. The remote Lower Zambezi National Park is an exceptional beautiful park with the river on one side and a mountainous escarpment on the other. It is a rich and beautiful water sanctuary for wildlife - great herds of elephant, buffalo and impala, and small groups of warthog, zebra and baboon are drawn to the river and this in turn attracts lion and hyena. Behind the river’s floodplain grasslands rises the picturesque wooded escarpment. This effectively acts as a barrier for animal movements and ensures good game viewing in the valley.

One of the particularly appealing aspects of the Lower Zambezi National Park is the variety of ways that guests enjoy game-viewing: on foot, in open vehicles and, most characteristically, by canoe, enabling you to glide silently among animals quenching their thirst.

Due to the heavy summer rains which make the game reserve impassable for even 4×4 safari vehicles, most of the camps open between April and May and close at the end of October to mid November. Some camps stay open longer, and this trend will continue now that Jeki airstrip has an all-weather surface, but you should be aware that activities would be restricted to the river with boat cruises, tiger fishing and canoeing on offer.

An ideal time to visit would be between late July and early September. As you continue into late September and October the temperatures rise. As the water levels in the side channels drop, the hippos become slightly more stressed and therefore canoeing is not recommended for those of nervous disposition.

There are only a few camps in this park which means that you should book early. Each has their special charms.
Sausage Tree
Sausage Tree Camp lies on the banks of the Zambezi River within the National Park and is probably one of the most romantic camps. The main lodge is under canvas with a seating area overlooking the river. To the side is a pleasant swimming pool and sun loungers for relaxing during the day. The camp has no boundaries and the animals are free to wander straight through and around the camp making the comfort of your tent the ideal game-viewing spot. Accommodation is in six spacious Bedouin-style tents dotted along the riverbank. The tents are well-spaced ensuring privacy. (You need to allow 5 minutes to walk from the furthest tent to the ‘mess tent’.) They’re decorated in a minimalist style with solid Zambian teak furniture and four-poster beds, each serviced by its own Muchinda (private butler). Each tent has a charming open-air en suite bathroom with shower. The honeymoon tent has a double four poster bed and an outdoor bath as well as shower.

One of the key selling points about Sausage Tree and Chiawa (see later) is that activities are extremely flexible. With a range of guides, vehicles and boats available, you can choose between game drives, day or night game drives, walks, boat cruises, canoeing and fishing for the infamous tiger fish on a catch and release basis. You can even combine activities - for example, enjoying a sundowner boat cruise in the late afternoon followed by an early evening game drive. Good food is also an important part of your stay at Sausage Tree, with delicious lunches in a variety of settings, courtesy of Honore, their Congolese French-trained chef. Highly recommended (but pricey).

Chiawa
Chiawa Camp also lies on the river banks within the Lower Zambezi National Park under the shade of ancient mahogany trees. Eight spacious, shaded safari tents are elevated on timber decks, each with twin beds with en suite facilities, insect screens, mosquito nets and solar-powered lighting. The superior tents are more romantic and stylish : particularly spacious with a king sized bed, pure cotton linen, Molton Brown products, indoor and outdoor shower, double basins and ball and claw baths with glorious views.  The thatched lounge & bar area, with observation deck, and dining room overlooks the river. Chiawa Camp also has a viewing hide, overlooking the confluence of the Zambezi & Chowe Rivers, affording excellent, peaceful viewing of birds and the large mammals as they come down to the river to drink.

As at Sausage Tree, they can be extremely flexible with activities given their range of vehicles, guides and boats available. Activities at this owner-run camp include day and night drives in open 4×4 vehicles, game-viewing by pontoon boat, nature walks with professional armed rangers, tiger fishing, sunset boat cruises and, the highlight, canoeing to view game at close quarters, particularly elephant.

Note: Currently there is also a honeymoon tent but that is being converted into another Superior Tent in time for the 2007 season.

Old Mondoro
Old Mondoro Bush Camp lies on the banks of the Zambezi some 25 to 30km downstream of Chiawa Camp and Sausage Tree Camp (its joint owners). Although boating and canoeing are also available, Old Mondoro concentrates on the exceptional walking opportunities in this pretty part of the National Park. This is ideal walking country with vast open flood plains and groves of Mahogany trees, and bird-rich lagoons and laced with an extensive lagoon system. This area is excellent for leopard, wild dog and serval, as well as for zebra and kudu. It doesn’t have as many elephant or buffalo as further upstream but the other species makes up for it. Of course lion & hyena are also seen regularly, with occasional roan and eland sightings! Old Mondoro Bush Camp reflects the wild spirit of this unique part of Africa and is an unashamedly rustic camp. You’ll enjoy the very different ‘back to the bush’ atmosphere of Old Mondoro compared to the more sophisticated Sausage Tree or Chiawa.

Accommodation is in four reed chalets with canvas roofs and partially open sides. These are  left open during the day and blinds are lowered for privacy and security at night. Each chalet is built around an ancient winterthorn tree and lit by paraffin lanterns (no electricity). En suite bathrooms have flush loos, wash basins and showers with running cold water only. Hot water is delivered on request to old-fashioned canvas buckets.

Chongwe River Camp
Chongwe River Camp is situated on the confluence of the Chongwe and Zambezi Rivers, on the edge of the Lower Zambezi National Park. (The Chongwe River is the boundary of the Lower Zambezi National Park) so there is a short river crossing to get to the National Park This friendly unassuming camp is attractively situated on the banks of the two rivers with views to the escarpment in the north.  It lies under a canopy of Albida thorn trees. Eight tented chalets under thatch are large and comfortably appointed with spacious en suite open air bathrooms. All the bathroom fittings are made from natural materials found near the lodge. There’s a small bar and simple lounge with reading books and tea/coffee facilities available. All meals take place on the terrace overlooking the river. Activities at the camp include game drives, bush walks, sundowner boat cruises and fishing.

Chongwe House
I’ve written elsewhere about the Safari Houses of Zambia, of which Chongwe House is a prime example so I won’t go into huge detail here. But the essential point is that the luxurious Chongwe House, with four en suite bedrooms, would be the perfect base for a large family party, two families traveling together or a group of friends. This is as luxurious as it gets in Zambia and Chongwe House is full of funky design and relaxed luxury.

It is completely self contained with its own private staff (hostess, guide, chef and batman), allowing you complete exclusivity and flexibility. Guests are free to, not only design their own meal menus, but also their game-viewing rhythm. You walk into a double volume sitting and dining area which opens out onto a large deck with a curvy swimming pool for relaxation.  Two bedrooms are on the ground floor and two are upstairs. Every bedroom is individually decorated with its own en suite open flowing bathroom, semi-outdoor bath and four poster beds. Game viewing takes place on foot, by boat, by canoe or on night drives. As there is a guide and a boatmen, the house party can sometimes split to enjoy different activities with some people heading off on a game drive whilst others enjoy some relaxing tiger fishing.

Kasaka River Lodge
Further upstream lies Kasaka River Lodge, one of the most reasonably priced lodges in the Lower Zambezi. It is divided into two parts. The wilder side has several very comfortable tented rooms, including a delightful honeymoon tent complete with four poster bed and outdoor bath. The other side has a swimming pool and lawn and here are some more tented rooms and some spacious two bedroom family chalets which can sleep up to six.

In the family chalets, each bedroom has a spacious en suite bathroom and there;s a small sitting area with two extra beds. Outside there’s a large teak deck for relaxing during the day. Each family chalet has its own guide and vehicle so that it is ideal for family safaris.

Kasaka River Lodge  is about 20 to 30 mins by vehicle to the National Park for game drives, but its river setting means that it has equal access to the river for boat cruises and tiger fishing. Given its location, its focus is more on the river than on game-viewing by vehicle.

For more information on Zambia visit our main website at: http://cedarberg-travel.com/

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Overlooking a natural fynbos garden which cascades down towards a long stretch of protected sandy beach, Grootbos Private Nature Reserve offers a breath of fresh air. This exclusive 5 star  eco-lodge is situated in the Overberg, less than 2 hours from Cape Town, close to the small fishing villages of Gansbaai and Hermanus.

We arrived late at night and felt completely secluded as we drove up through the enchanting fynbos forest to the beautiful Garden Lodge of Grootbos. We were met by the friendly and well-trained staff with a welcome drink. I couldn’t wait for the following afternoon as we were booked on a whale boat trip and I knew, with the whales in season, our sightings were going to be great! After a wonderful breakfast we were taken on a tour of the garden and were introduced to one of the many projects that make this a very special place to visit.
Michael Lutzeyer, Managing director of Grootbos, introduced us to Green Futures, a horticultural school for the local community - “This unique project provides annual, practical-based training programmes for unemployed people in the fields of fynbos landscaping, horticulture and ecotourism. The project is designed to develop nature-based sustainable-livelihoods for people from local communities around Grootbos”. Many wonderful stories were exchanged and we were also taken to the local township and visited the pre-school funded by Grootbos. Anybody that ever has the privilege to spend a few moments with Michael, or his father Heiner, will realize that without their absolute passion for conservation and their dedication to the local community, projects like the Grootbos Foundation can never work.

That afternoon we had a roller coaster whale boat ride and I have never seen so many whales in close proximity, as well as a large seal colony and a few penguins seemingly trying desperately to get away from us. As the Great White Shark’s main food source are the seals of the area it might have been that the penguins were aware of the sharks lurking deep in the dark blue water.

The following afternoon we were also treated to an exhilarating coastal flight over the area with an aerial view of the whales and the wonderful surrounding mountainous landscape.

I have stayed at many game lodges but was pleasantly surprised of how uniquely different and busy one can be on a nature safari. Of course children will love all the animals in the reserve, the horse-riding, the beautiful long beaches, or even playing soccer with the local children on the new soccer field that Grootbos are building nearby. Yet Grootbos appeals to children and adults alike. 

Indeed perhaps its because you feel like a child again when you stay at Grootbos as I read in their guest book. After 3 days I have fallen in love with nature again!

Voted 2nd place in the Conde Naste Best Eco Lodge &
Best Family Hotel in the World 2005/2006 by Tatler Travel Guide.

For more Information & Travel ideas visit our main website at http://cedarberg-travel.com/

Last Thursday I was in Johannesburg and decided to check out the newly revamped Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng exhibition which are both part of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site. The Cradle of Humankind lies only an hour’s drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria in the beautiful and peaceful hills of Magaliesberg. is actually several different fossil sites, (13 major and several minor sites), which collectively add up to possibly the greatest wealth of prehistorical finds in the world. Within the dolomite hills are a series of underground caverns which have acted as geological time capsules preserving thousands of fossils of extinct animals as well as some of our earliest human ancestors (or hominid species). This includes ‘Mrs Ples’ who was discovered in 1948 and dates from 2.3 million years ago and ‘Little Foot’ one of the most complete early hominid skeletons discovered in 1997.

I first visited Sterkfontein Caves home to some of the most important archaeological finds in the world. The sheer number of fossils found is staggering and they are still excavating the skeleton of Little Foot at the caves. Conducted tours leave every 30 minutes and last approx 45 minutes to one hour. You have to take 120 steps down to the caves and 120 steps up again and in some area you have to crouch very low or sit on your backside to get through from one chamber to another so wear comfortable shoes and clothes. There’s an attractive new exhibition at the top which is worth some time.

Afterwards I headed to the Maropeng inter-active visitor exhibition for the Cradle of Humankind which is only 10 minutes drive from Sterfontein. Maropeng tells the story of mankind’s origins and its continuing journey into the future as well as offering exhibitions about the formation of the earth and its living creatures. This is a great exhibition for families, and it’s good to combine with Sterkfontein. Purists might find it a little too glitzy for their tastes but it certainly works at bringing the fascinating subject of our origins alive. You’ll need about one hour for the exhibition.

If you have the full day to explore the area, you could also add the pretty Wonder Caves to the sights you visit. Though less important in terms of prehistory than Sterkfontein, Wonder Cave is actually one of the loveliest caves in South Africa, a vast cathedral-like cavern full of dramatic rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites.

For more Information & Travel ideas visit our main website at http://cedarberg-travel.com/

This is the second part of my trip report on Namibia:

Huab Lodge, edge of Damaraland

We really liked Huab Lodge (as do all our clients). There is something special about it – the spectacular setting; Jan’s relaxed expert guiding; the magical possibility of seeing desert elephant as well as zebra, kudu, gemsbok and the delightful hot springs. I can easily see why people would want to spend 3 nights or more there if they needed to relax.

The rooms at Huab are comfortable and well-equipped. Two double beds with overhead fan, fresh cold water, tea/coffee, electricity and a good bathroom with double vanity and large shower. There’s a large deck looking over the valley. The main lodge is large and relaxed in feel, open on all sides.

Jan takes you on an afternoon game drive which is extremely scenic, up and down hillsides and through dry river beds. En route you learn about the flora, the birds and the wildlife. The game is all free-roaming which means that you never know what you might see – gemsbok, kudu, mountain zebra and, of course, even desert elephant. The element of uncertainty is part of the charm but Jan’s unhurried and calm exposition about life on the reserve is always enjoyable. In the morning you enjoy an early morning walk from 6am to 7.45am and then there is the option of another drive after breakfast. Dinner was a wonderful experience. Jan welcomes everyone and introduces the complimentary wines. The food was good and again the emphasis was on relaxation and interesting conversation around the table.

Finally I should say something about the hot springs which were a personal favourite! A short walk from the pool deck brings you to the hot spring stone pool which is set under a thatched canopy with a couple of sun loungers and chairs, a hammock and a cold pool next to it for cooling off. It’s wonderful in winter of course either during the day or after the game drive when you’ll be looking at the stars. 

Huab Lodge is highly recommended for ALL Damaraland itineraries for a minimum of two nights, preferably three.

Rustig Toko, southern edge of western Etosha

Ideally you would stay here if you wish to take a full day to visit the nomadic Himba people or even an escorted tour to Epupa Falls (three day trip). It is a good quality German-style guest farm. There’s an attractive pool deck with shade and loungers.

We visited the Himba people which was very worthwhile. I had feared that it would be touristy but it was not. You are shown a little bit about how they make their ochre which they rub onto their bodies, you learn about their nomadic farming lifestyle and how they prepare their food. The chief was a very pleasant man who seemed keen to chat and told us quite a bit about his life. All in all an interesting experience especially in the next couple of years before it inevitably becomes too commercialised.

Kavita Lion Lodge, southern edge of western Etosha

Kavita Lion Lodge lies in the same area slightly further north of Toko. Tammy is an English/Afrikaans-speaking Namibian and very warm and friendly. There are three styles of rooms: two slightly cheaper family cottages which are plain and old-fashioned. One has three bedrooms and the other has two bedrooms and I didn’t like either of them. But there are also 8 chalets, 5 in one style and 3 in another. Five chalets have an upstairs sitting area and are rather cute but the stairway makes them seem smaller than the other 3 chalets which are on one level and seem more spacious.

The main focus of activities at Kavita Lion Lodge is the Kavita Lion Conservation project which is introduced in a 3 hour activity usually on the first evening of arrival; and secondly various one or multi-day tours from Kavita up into the Kaokaland to visit the Himba people, see Epupa Falls etc. A typical two night stay would be afternoon visit to the Afri-Lion project. The following morning you can take an informative guided Ethno-botanical walk for approx 2 hours with a local Herero guide, or you can also do a couple of self-guided trails. The following evening you can take a game drive in their reserve (plains species only). If you wanted to visit the Himba people, this is a full day tour and could be done on a 2 or 3 night stay.Palmwag Lodge, Damaraland We liked Palmwag Lodge as well! It is a  relaxed camp with a range of accommodation on offer from camping through to luxury tents. Its big pluse points are:
1) Stunning setting – oasis in the desert – with swaying palm trees and a little bit of green lawn to break up the beautiful but extremely arid Damaraland.

2) Great flexibility with various half day and full day tours which are optional extras allowing you to choose what suits you: full morning game drives in the concession, afternoon game drives (leaving at 3.30pm), full day visit to the Himba people (which also yields some game-viewing en route even desert elephant, exploration of the Hoanib valley in search of elusive elephant, Save the Rhino patrol tracking (combination of rhino tracking on foot and general game drive.

3) Palmwag Lodge is more affordable than Damaraland Mountain Camp or Rhino Camp especially in high season.

4) Possibility of seeing desert elephant close to camp as there are 3 elephant who have made Palmwag Lodge their base and come and go throughout the year.

There are two types of accommodation – standard chalets and luxury tents. The tents are more expensive and definitely recommended as they have more of a bush feel. The guiding was good. The food is OK, probably the plainest on our trip, but good quality. They are about to embark on some further upgrades – a new restaurant (double-decker with a sundowner bar on the top deck) and a new pool.

Mountain Mowani Camp, Twyffelfontein, Damaraland
Another stunning lodge – counts alongside Little Ongava as one of the most attractive and relaxing lodges on our trip. It is a beautifully designed lodge in a magnificent setting, nestled into granite boulders and they have really made the most of this with the rock swimming pool tucked into boulders (giving it some natural shade in summer). There are 12 tents which are well decorated with teak furniture and interesting use of African fabrics to liven up the décor. The deck looks out onto a awe-inspiring view which really elevates the whole experience.  Tent No 5 (honeymoon tent) is particularly special – the tent is the same except with a double bed rather than two twins pushed together. It has an open air rock bathroom with a bath and shower built into the rocks. Finally they have the Private Suite which is stunning but highly priced. It is set away from the rest of the camp.

Definitely stay here even if its just for one night. Two nights would give you time to relax and enjoy the lodge, or take a tour to Twyffelfontein rock engravings or a scenic flight.

Sam’s Giardino, Swakopmund (overnight stay)

At first we weren’t sure about this as it is owned by a slightly eccentric Swiss gentleman and is also a little bit out of the centre of town. The rooms are nothing special but well equipped with hair-dryers and magazines. However what I particularly liked is that Sam gives you lots of advice as to what to do in Swakopmund and has taken many of the tours himself so that you can trust his opinion. This personal, but not intrusive attention, became increasingly evident. The sitting room is filled with interesting books on Namibia; Sam shows a wildlife video in the sitting room at 6.30pm every evening. Wine-tasting is offered every evening and is highly recommended. Sam is very knowledgeable about his wines both from France and from the New World and particularly South Africa. The meal was simple but good and the menu changes daily.

Swakopmund is a lovely town and definitely worth a 3 night stay with many activities on offer such as quad biking, sand boarding, paragliding, etc.  Day excursions from Swakopmund are also offered - visiting the Cape Cross Seal Colony and the highly recommended Living Desert Tour.

Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp, near Sossusvlei, Namib Desert 

It felt as if we would never reach the turn off to Kulala, but finally the signboard appeared.  We had a refreshing welcome with some ice-cold cloths and welcome drinks.  We joined the rest of the guests on the afternoon walk. Later we all enjoyed sundowners on the deck and a communal table was set for dinner.  The staff sang folk songs during dessert that we all enjoyed.  There was a fantastic atmosphere at the dinner table. We had our wake up call at 0430 for the morning drive to Sossusvlei.  We saw the most beautiful sunrise just before we entered the Sossusvlei.  Wilderness Safaris is the ONLY property to have PRIVATE access to Sossusvlei (i.e. not entering at the National Park gate at Sesriem).  Our guide was brilliant and had excellent knowledge of all aspects of the desert as well as fantastic driving skills.   On arrival at Sossusvlei we took off our shoes and went for the 1 km walk to the Dead Vlei.  The lodge is attractive and ecologically friendly, run on solar power so therefore there are only ceiling fans in all the rooms (no air-conditioning).  The bathrooms are built from stone available on the reserve.  The rooms are canvas with double doors overlooking the valley panorama. Recommended.

For more Information & Travel ideas visit our main website at http://cedarberg-travel.com/

Eningu Clayhouse Lodge, Kalahari Desert
The road to Eningu is good and easy. It takes 1 hour from the airport and 1½ hours from Windhoek. The lodge is attractive in a simple unassuming way, made of clay with thatched roof and interesting Kalahari artefacts decorating the public areas. There’s a small sitting   room with books, curio shop, indoor dining area and a covered deck for alfresco breakfasts and lunches and a covered boma. There are 9 chalets: each is simply decorated using Kalahari decoration (wood, beads etc.) with en suite shower room. The pool area is attractive with lots of shade available and wooden loungers. There’s also a covered Jacuzzi right by the pool.
Stephanie takes a guided afternoon walk at 5pm (earlier in winter) into the farm. She’s extremely informative and she introduces guests to life in Namibia and explains Namibian attitudes to farming/conservation, as well as covering some of Namibia’s history and of course the animal life of the Kalahari and its plants. This is particularly good if Eningu was at the beginning of your stay.

Okonjima, Central Highlands
Allow 2½ hours from Windhoek, 4 hours from Eningu.
Bush Lodge - has a very nice ambience and we highly recommend it. As you come in to the lodge, you are elevated so that you immediately see the whole lodge and the grasslands beyond. To the left is the dining area, to the right is the sitting area with lots of small groups of chairs. It is a large space and well-designed so that you retain a sense of seclusion and peace. About 200 metres away is the swimming pool with lots of shade cover.Š

The rooms are well spaced so that you walking through the grasslands for a few minutes to get to the lodge. I liked this as on a Namibian holiday you are often in your car and don’t get a chance to walk. The rooms are circular and spacious with a seating area with day bed and mini-bar, bedroom with views over the grasslands and behind the bedroom area is the dressing area and bathroom with shower and enclosed loo. Very attractively decorated. We definitely recommend a two night stay if at all possible – because of all the activities on offer. If you stay for one night, you will experience leopard tracking on the first afternoon and visit the Africat clinic and the cheetah compounds on the following morning. If you are staying two nights, you also experience some cheetah tracking on foot and can take the highly informative Bushman trail. Main Lodge is the less expensive option and more old-fashioned with smaller rooms and much much closer together around a lawn. However there’s a swimming pool and a large tea garden so that you’d be able to spread out and enjoy some privacy.   

 Etosha Aoba, Etosha National Park
We preferred this to the slightly more expensive Mushara Lodge. It is smaller, more intimate with friendly hosts. The lodge is open air with a bar and sitting chairs leading out to a stone deck and a swimming pool with wooden loungers. The rooms are quite small but simply furnished. Stone floors with coir rugs, wooden furniture with a large square mosquito net, electricity and adaptors, tea/coffee facilities, ceiling fan, a ‘bush’ minibar (a small cool box brought to your room with a selection of drinks) and a small patio with two comfortable chairs.
The two things I particularly liked about Etosha Aoba were: - The sundowner drive – this is highly recommended and inexpensive. It lasts about 2-2½ hours and George, the owner of the farm, is extremely informative about termite mounds, aardvark activities, trees, birds and we also saw lots of game – giraffe, zebra, impala, wildebeest. The drive stops at Fischer Pan which is part of the Etosha Pan which is on their farm for sundowner drinks looking over the pan. Magical!- The evening meal was set outside with white linen and crystal glasses and lit with lanterns. Very atmospheric.    But… Etosha Aoba is further away from the Etosha gates than Mushara and on a gravel road. What guests can do is go game-viewing in the morning, leave the park for lunch and a swim/relax around the pool at Mushara (its sister lodge), and then return to the park in the afternoon.

 Mushara Lodge, Etosha National Park

It is the sister lodge of Etosha Aoba and slightly more expensive. We preferred the style of Aoba as Mushara’s main lodge is overly large and heavy in feel. However the rooms were larger and they were also air-conditioned and had mini-bars which is important for summer.
Plus points for Mushara over Etosha Aoba

1)      Air-conditioning in high summer (Dec to March)

2)      Closer to park

3)      Have their own open game drives into the park (which Etosha Aoba guests are welcome to join as well)   

Two ultra-luxurious villas have been created at Mushara. These are exquisitely furnished with separate sitting room, bedroom, huge bathroom, private plunge pool and a path leading to a private sala in the bush. They are clearly aimed at those are looking for the ultimate in luxury and are sold at a fully inclusive rate (all meals, two game drives into Etosha, drinks)

Ongava Game Reserve, Etosha National Park

Little Ongava - What can I say…. The most stylish and luxurious accommodation in Namibia at this moment. Three suites are perched on the rock overlooking the African plains. Though it lies to the side and above Ongava Main Lodge, you cannot see Main Lodge at all but you do have a birds eye view of the waterhole where we saw three black rhino in the evening. The suites are mini-houses all set well away from each other and away from the lodge so you do a fair bit of walking! Each suite has a huge sitting room, a large bedroom, a dressing room, glass-walled full bathroom (no-one can possibly see you) and outside there a wooden deck with a rim flow (infinity) pool, shaded area with wooden loungers. From the bathroom, you head out to a lovely outdoor shower with a view and a sala area with mattress for daytime siestas. The whole suite is beautifully decorated in a gentle contemporary style. Date I say that it’s almost over-designed with various different lights each with five mood settings! The main sitting/dining area is stylish and intimate. It opens up to a wooden deck with telescopes trained on the waterhole below. Ongava Tented Camp - We liked this camp as it was right in the bush overlooking an active waterhole (lions had been at the waterhole on the previous evening) and had a warm authentic feel to it. There are ten tents including a family tent with two rooms and two bathrooms. The twin bedded tents were classic safari tents with an attractive simple bathroom. There’s a honeymoon tent which is exactly the same in size but with a double bed and wooden rather than rattan furniture (slightly smarter). The only disadvantage was that the pool deck and sitting area were small so when the camp is full, there would not be enough space at the pool. Also it’s 20km from the gate and it would take approx 45mins to get there for self-drive clients (as opposed to 20 mins for Main Lodge or Little Ongava). I’d stayed here rather Main Lodge in winter months when the size of the pool area is not an issueCompared to Little Ongava, Ongava Main Lodge now looks a little old-fashioned however I would recommend it over Tented Camp in summer as it is a) air-conditioned b) has a larger pool area (though I still think it could be expanded) and c) it’s on a hill to catch more breeze. The rooms are fine and will probably be upgraded in the next couple of years. The bathrooms have bath and shower which is unusual in Namibia. The main lodge is very spacious. They have just built two new rooms (no. 11 and 12) which we recommend as these are more up to date with stylish bathrooms. Much superior to the other rooms but same price.

 However these are lower down the mountainside and so it’s quite a steep climb up to the main lodge Epacha Game Reserve and Spa.

About 1 to 1¼ hours from Etosha. We suggest this as an alternative to Ongava if you’re looking to chill out but book it on a DBB basis. It is rather ornate in appearance – almost too grand for its Namibian setting, but the lodge is attractive and the rooms are spacious and well-decorated. The big drawcard is the Spa which is fully equipped with several treatment rooms both indoors and outdoors and sauna, steam room, splash pool and small gym area. There are a variety of activities on offer: 2 hour game drives on the reserve (plains species and rhino), full day tours into Etosha, quad biking with a guide around the reserve, horse-riding and clay pigeon shooting. The restaurant is perhaps too formal and expensive for our liking. Perhaps combine your stay with Mushara for the Etosha game-viewing?

For more Information & Travel ideas visit our main website at http://cedarberg-travel.com/