Okonjima Bush Camp in the nature reserve of the same name is the ideal base for safaris in northern Namibia. The private game reserve is known for saving leopards and cheetahs. But you’ll also find scores of giraffes, jackals, kudus, warthogs, as well as solitary zebras and rhinos here.
The leopards are the main attraction in Okonjima. You will find my tips for a leopard safari in this separate review.
As a base for the leopard safaris, the Okonjima accommodations are perfect. From campgrounds to lodges you will find all options here. On our Namibia tour, Okonjima Bush Camp made a hit with Katja and me.
In Namibia’s Okonjima Bush Camp
Okonijima Bush Camp (link to their homepage) consists of the main building with a cozy furnished lounge, a bar with a dining area, and a small pool.
The rooms – actually bungalows – are arranged around the main building. They are covered with thatched roofs in traditional African style.
The windows are huge and some can be opened all the way to let you enjoy a magnificent view of the landscape.
The absolute highlight, however, is the separate, adjoining bungalow with a “sitting room” or private lounge.
The room is completely open to the front, so in the afternoon we skip the midday heat here and marvel in the shade at the view of nature. When we are not taking a siesta.
Now and then warthogs, kudus, and guinea fowl visit our private waterhole.
Conveniently, it has some food for the birds, so I never get bored ;-)
The surrounding Okonjima Nature Reserve
Okonjima is located halfway between Namibia’s capital Windhoek and the spectacular Etosha National Park (Here you can access our tips for an Etosha visit).
Okonjima was a cattle farm in the 70’s. However, the wild predators constantly decimated their herd, and the Hansens, the ranch owners, could never stem the loss of cattle.
Therefore, they became increasingly involved with the big cats’ behavior and way of life – and transformed Okonjima from a traditional cattle ranch into an 80 mi² nature reserve.
Okonjima The AfriCat Foundation
Today Okonjima is the base of the AfriCat Foundation (external link), a non-profit organization, dedicated to the protection and preservation of Namibia’s big cats, particularly the leopards and cheetahs.
The foundation was established in 1992. Since then, they have rescued more than 1,000 big cats.
Guide Opari will shepherd you through the AfriCat Carnivore Care & Information Centre, where you will get an insight into the work of the AfriCat Foundation.
Visiting the AfriCat visitor center
The next highlight awaits you at the AfriCat Visitor Center: right next door, two young cheetahs are being raised in a huge enclosure.
They go by Charlie and Chaplin…
Visibly proud, Opari leads us to the two big cats. Charlie and Chaplin are having a lazy Sunday afternoon and are hardly disturbed during their siesta.
Before we head off with Opari for the obligatory “sundowner”, we encounter more animals such as giraffes and jackals.
More pictures from Okonjima
Getting to Okonjima
Okonjima is located halfway between Windhoek and Etosha National Park. The drive from Windhoek airport takes about 4 hours.
You will take the main B1 highway to the nature reserve. It is well-paved from the airport as well as from Etosha National Park.
From the turn-off on the B1, it is about 18 km of gravel road to the lodge.
We booked the lodge as well as our whole round trip with Rhino Africa from South Africa. We highly recommend this travel agency, their service was awesome!
Here you’ll find more tips for doing a Namibia tour.
