Okonjima Nature Reserve Holidays

Take dawn and dusk safaris in an open-sided 4×4 with experienced and knowledgeable guides who will tailor their search for the animals you’re excited to find. Okonjima is one of the best places in the world to see not only leopards and cheetahs but elusive pangolins and rare brown hyenas. It’s also home to jackals, honey badgers, mongooses, baboons, giraffes, rhinos, and zebras plus many other mammals, reptiles, and up to 250 bird species.

Between safaris, relax by your lodge pool or sit around an open fire and enjoy a meal prepared by a dedicated chef. Walk with San bushmen to learn the secrets of their ancient nomadic culture, watch creatures gather by the waterholes close to your accommodation, or head out to a quiet spot and soak in the view with a sunset drink.

Home to the pioneering AfriCat Foundation, dedicated to conserving Namibia's big cats, Okonjima Nature Reserve is one of the best places in Africa to spot leopards and cheetahs. Since 1991, AfriCat has sought to create a space where these magnificent animals can be protected but still live as they have for millennia in the wild.

As a result, many of Okonjima’s feline predators are electronically tagged, easier to track, and comfortable around humans. Your chance to see a leopard or cheetah in Okonjima, while never guaranteed, is much higher than in other parks. Discover how this ethical ecotourism project, championed by the BBC’s famous naturalist Chris Packham, is improving the quality of life and survival chances of Namibia’s most incredible big cats.

Stay inside the 20,000-hectare perimeter of Okonjima Nature Reserve when you choose the Okonjima African Villa. Enjoy an exclusive atmosphere in a chic boutique with just two en suite rooms in the main lodge plus two private suites and an outdoor infinity pool overlooking a waterhole.

Just outside the park, take your pick from the secluded group accommodation of Okonjima Private Bush Suite, the earth-toned chalets of Okonjima Luxury Bush Camp, or the rustic rooms of Okonjima Plains Camp. Alternatively, stay in Windhoek or Etosha National Park and travel to Okonjima in under three hours.

With the right packing, you can enjoy Okonjima Nature Reserve at any time of year. Game viewing is best during the dry season between May and October when animals are drawn to waterholes in search of refreshment.

Visitors between November and April are more likely to experience rain and wildlife may drift further into the park but these wetter months bring a renewed freshness to the region as flora bursts into bloom. Average daytime temperatures range between 24°C and 30°C all year but nights can fall as low as 5°C between June and August.