What a wonderful and priveleged way to visit a very popular National Park (Etosha) in Namibia. Ongava is a private concession which borders the southern borders of Etosha. It is managed by the highly respected Wilderness Safaris and harbors three very different accommodation choices. I stayed at the main Ongava Game Lodge (but I visited all three). The lodge was beautifully sited on a hill overlooking the vast wilderness and providing spectacular views! Due to being built on a small mountain, this is not a good choice for anyone not able to manage steps easily (you could choose the other two properties here). The main lodge overlooks an active waterhole that is lit at night. Meals were wonderful and the staff was friendly and attentive. Rooms were stone cottages, well spaced and provided spacious and thoughtful accommodation. I wished for more time just to luxuriate in my own private space. Game drives and walks take place in the private Ongava concession as well as excursions to the park. Loved having both the private access and the park at hand.

Views are amazing, wildlife was wonderful to watch and the guides make the trip very memorable in a positive way. However, the food is in great need of improvement to include choices and time constraints. The rooms are in need of improvements and many areas could be far cleaner with a little attention to detail. Don't get me wrong, it is nice but for the expense, the food should be far better and the place should be spotless.

The location of this lodge is stunning and the wildlife watching is superb (greatly enhanced by the extremely helpful and knowledgeable guides). Those are the high points - and they are not to be underestimated. But this lodge could be more. The rooms are huge, but decorated much less lovingly than those of other lodges - there is no attention to detail, the furniture seems to kind of just have been thrown into the room. The rooms are certainly fine, they could just be better, given their great view and size. What is truly regrettable is the disgusting food. The dinner buffet was akin to what one would expect to see in a hostel cafeteria. Bland to appaling, depending on the dish. I decided to just stick with the soup. The place would also benefit from more attentive management. Common areas could be cleaner, etc.

My brother and I stayed here for four nights and had an absolutely wonderful time! The service is first-rate and the staff -- from our guide to the waiters, chefs, and manager -- were uniformly all so wonderful and welcoming. The food was absolutely delicious. They bake fresh bread every day and the veggies, meats, and soups were all simply mouth-watering! Our guide was lovely and made sure we saw all of the animals (we even spotted a cheetah!). The rooms are large and safari-chic and I loved the outdoor/indoor showers. I don't understand some of the negative reviews about this property -- we loved it!