- Location: Ongava Game Reserve, southern Etosha boundary — about 9 km (15 minutes) from Andersson’s Gate
- Property size: 8 stone-and-glass suites beside the Ongava Research Centre
- From: NAD 23,400 per person sharing, fully inclusive
- Mandatory levy: Ongava conservation fee NAD 1,200 per person per day (children NAD 600), billed separately
- Best for: Photographers and guests who want the science behind the safari
Anderssons at Ongava is the newest of the four camps on Ongava Game Reserve, the 30,000-hectare private reserve on Etosha’s southern boundary. Eight contemporary suites of natural stone and glass face a busy waterhole, with Andersson’s Gate into the national park about 15 minutes away.
Two things set it apart. The camp shares its site with the independently funded Ongava Research Centre, so conversations at dinner often include working scientists. And its underground photographic hide puts guests at water level, metres from drinking game.
Why stay at Anderssons at Ongava
- The underground hide. Sunk at the edge of the camp waterhole, it offers water-level photography that a vehicle or deck can never match. Rhino visit the reserve’s waterholes regularly.
- The Ongava Research Centre. A dedicated scientific hub studying the reserve’s fauna and flora, with an adjacent visitor centre documenting the wildlife history and the ecotourism model that funds it.
- Genuinely small. With eight suites, the camp rarely holds more than sixteen guests, and activities run in small groups with experienced guides.
- One simple rate. The fully inclusive rate covers meals, two daily activities, Etosha park fees, local drinks, laundry and VAT, so there is little to add beyond the conservation fee.
Accommodation at Anderssons at Ongava
The suites are built of natural stone with full-height glass frontage, curved roof beams and blond wood furnishing, in a contemporary style the lodge describes as Afro-Mediterranean. Each has a natural stone bathroom and a viewing deck with a 180-degree outlook over the plain.
A detail photographers appreciate: every suite carries a live feed from the camp waterhole, so you can watch from bed and only walk to the hide when something worthwhile arrives. The main area holds a bar and lounge above the waterhole, an infinity-edge pool and a small boutique.
The underground photographic hide and research centre
The hide is the camp’s signature. Reached from within camp, it sits below ground at the waterhole’s edge, so lenses point slightly up at drinking animals against the sky, the perspective that defines professional waterhole photography. Sessions can be arranged at the times of day that suit the light.
The Ongava Research Centre gives the camp its second identity. Guests can visit the centre and its visitor exhibition, and the research programme means guiding here leans more scientific than at most Namibian lodges. If you want to understand why the reserve holds the wildlife it does, this is the camp to ask from.
Activities from Anderssons at Ongava
The fully inclusive rate covers two guided activities per day. Choices include:
- Etosha excursions — day trips through Andersson’s Gate into the national park, with park fees already included in your rate.
- Game drives on Ongava — early morning and late afternoon drives on the private reserve, plus night drives, which Etosha itself does not allow.
- Walking safaris — qualified walking guides lead approaches to game on foot within the reserve.
- Hide sessions and birding — time in the underground hide, and productive birding around the waterhole and dolomite hills.
- Research centre visits — the visitor centre and, when programmes allow, contact with the scientists working on the reserve.
Anderssons at Ongava rates (2026)
| Room type | Season | Rate (per person sharing, per night) |
|---|---|---|
| Suite — fully inclusive | 11 Jan 2026 – 10 Jan 2027 | NAD 23,400 |
The rate is per person sharing per night and is fully inclusive: all meals, two guided activities per day, Etosha park fees, local drinks, laundry and VAT. A mandatory conservation fee of NAD 1,200 per person per day (children NAD 600) is billed separately on every stay.
Published 2026 rack rates from the lodge’s official rate sheet. We confirm live availability and any specials when you enquire.
Who Anderssons at Ongava suits
Photographers first: between the underground hide, the in-room waterhole feed and small-group drives, the camp is arranged around getting the shot. It also suits second-visit safari travellers who have done the classic lodge circuit and want depth, whether that is walking, night drives or an evening with a researcher.
It is a quiet, adult-paced camp rather than a family resort. Children pay a reduced conservation fee of NAD 600 per day, but age policies for suites, the hide and walking activities are set by the lodge, so give us your children’s ages when enquiring and we will confirm what applies. Couples wanting the reserve at a lower rate should compare Ongava Lodge, from NAD 11,800 full board.
Getting to Anderssons at Ongava
From Windhoek, follow the B1 north through Okahandja and Otjiwarongo, then the C38 through Outjo towards Etosha. The Ongava reserve entrance is signposted off the C38 shortly before Andersson’s Gate. The drive takes four and a half to five hours on tar, with a final stretch on reserve roads to camp.
From inside the park, exit at Andersson’s Gate and the reserve entrance is minutes away. Check gate hours in our park gates guide when planning Etosha days, since evening returns must beat gate closing.
Frequently asked questions about Anderssons at Ongava
What is included in the fully inclusive rate?
All meals, two guided activities per day, Etosha park fees, local drinks, laundry and VAT. The NAD 1,200 per person per day conservation fee is the only routine extra, billed separately.
How does the photographic hide work?
The hide sits below ground level at the camp waterhole, giving water-level angles a few metres from the game. It is reached from within camp, and staff help time sessions for the best light. The in-suite waterhole feed tells you when it is worth heading down.
How far is the camp from Etosha’s gates?
Andersson’s Gate is about 9 km from the reserve entrance, roughly 15 minutes’ driving. Okaukuejo, with its famous waterhole, is the nearest of the Etosha National Park camps beyond the gate.
Can I combine Anderssons with nights inside the park?
Yes, and it is a strong combination: two or three nights in the Etosha National Park camps for pan-edge waterholes, then Anderssons for walks, night drives and the hide. We arrange both legs in one enquiry.
Who was Anderssons named after?
Charles Andersson, the explorer who reached the Etosha Pan in the 1850s and after whom the nearby park gate is also named.
Check availability at Anderssons at Ongava
We are an independent Namibian booking agent and confirm Anderssons availability directly with the reserve, along with any park camps or other lodges on your route. Send your dates below and we will reply within 24 hours (Mon–Fri 8:00–17:00 CAT) with availability and one clear recommendation.