Encounter by Ongava

Encounter by Ongava is an eight-tent safari camp on the 30,000-hectare Ongava Game Reserve, which borders Etosha National Park in northern Namibia. Formerly known as Ongava Tented Camp, it sits in a hidden valley at the foot of a dolomite hill, surrounded by mopane woodland.

Where is Encounter by Ongava?

The camp is on the Ongava Game Reserve, on the southern boundary of Etosha National Park. That position gives you the best of both worlds: a private reserve with its own wildlife, night drives and walking safaris, and easy access into Etosha itself for the salt pan and its predators.

The tents at Encounter by Ongava

Encounter has nine tents: seven standard tents for couples or solo travellers, and one paired set of two tents connected by a curved walkway that sleeps up to four. Each tent has its own entrance and en-suite bathroom, so families and small groups get the shared experience without giving up privacy.

All nine are classic safari tents built on raised wooden decks, with double doors opening onto a private covered deck looking out over the mopane woodland. Inside there is air conditioning above the bed, mosquito nets, an in-room safe, and both indoor and outdoor seating. It is a comfortable camp rather than a showy one, and that is the point.

The main area is built of stone, canvas and thatch, with a lounge, a bar and a dining room. The swimming pool offers welcome relief on hot days, and the fire pit is where the evening tends to end. The whole main area faces the waterhole, so you never really stop watching.

Wildlife and activities at Encounter by Ongava

The waterhole in front of camp is the centre of gravity here. It is floodlit at night, and a camera trap records whatever passes through, so you can check in the morning what visited while you slept. Eland, waterbuck, rhino and elephant all move through, and lion are seen regularly.

Ongava holds one of the largest rhino custodianships in Namibia and is one of the few private reserves in southern Africa where you can see both black and white rhino. The highlight for many guests is tracking white rhino on foot with Ongava’s guides. Guided walks also slow things down and focus on tracks, plants and insects, the details you miss from a vehicle. Night drives are possible on the reserve, which they are not inside Etosha.

Game drives take place both on Ongava and in Etosha National Park, where you can see the white salt pan and a healthy population of predators including lion, cheetah and leopard, alongside kudu, giraffe, eland, oryx and zebra.

Encounter by Ongava or Ongava Lodge?

Both sit on the same reserve and share the same wildlife, so the difference is style rather than substance. Encounter is the tented, closer-to-the-wild option, with nine tents and a waterhole right in front of camp. Ongava Lodge has 14 rock and thatch chalets, a swimming pool and sunset waterhole views, and suits travellers who prefer more conventional lodge comfort. Horizon is the smallest and most private of the three, with just three villas.