- Location: Eastern boundary of Etosha National Park; reserve entrance 500 m from Von Lindequist Gate, camps 10–20 minutes inside
- Reserve size: 35,970 ha private reserve with six lodges and two campsites
- From: NAD 2,810 per person sharing, dinner-bed-&-breakfast (Onguma Bush Camp Rondavel)
- Mandatory levy: Rhino Conservation Levy NAD 275 per person per night at lodges (NAD 65 at campsites), billed separately
- Best for: basing an eastern-Etosha safari on one reserve, from camping to full luxury
Onguma Nature Reserve is a 35,970-hectare private reserve on the eastern boundary of Etosha National Park. Its entrance sits 500 m from Von Lindequist Gate, so you can be inside the park minutes after breakfast, then return to a private reserve where lion, leopard, rhino and elephant roam free of the day-visitor crowds.
The reserve runs six lodges and two campsites, and that spread is its real strength. A family on a mid-range budget, a couple celebrating a honeymoon and a photographer chasing hide time can all stay on the same land, at prices from NAD 500 per adult camping to NAD 29,790 all-inclusive.
Why base yourself on Onguma
- The closest private reserve to Etosha’s eastern gate. Namutoni and Fischer’s Pan are just inside the park, and your morning game drive starts before most self-drivers have cleared the gate queue.
- Night drives, walks and hides that Etosha itself cannot offer. Park rules end at the fence; on Onguma you can do sunrise and sundowner drives, guided walks and sessions in the Onkolo photographic hide.
- One rate sheet, no seasons. Onguma publishes a single rack rate valid 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026, which makes budgeting straightforward.
- Every budget covered. Two fenced campsites, two mid-range lodges, a fort, a tented camp, a walking camp and a flagship villa-style camp.
The Onguma camps at a glance
Onguma Bush Camp
Eighteen rooms around a busy waterhole, and the only Onguma lodge that is mostly fenced, which makes it the reserve’s natural family base. From NAD 2,810 per person sharing, dinner-bed-&-breakfast.
Onguma Forest Camp
Eleven bungalows along the dry Omuramba Owambo riverbed, with a viewing deck over its own waterhole. A quieter, smaller alternative to Bush Camp, from NAD 3,040 per person sharing, dinner-bed-&-breakfast.
Onguma The Fort
Thirteen suites in a Moroccan-styled fort overlooking Fischer’s Pan, with sunsets that justify the name of the tower bar. From NAD 10,560 per person sharing DBB, or NAD 15,070 all-inclusive. No children under 7.
Onguma Tented Camp
Seven luxury safari tents set around a waterhole, each with a bath, indoor and outdoor showers and a wood-fired hot tub. All-inclusive from NAD 14,810 per person sharing; no children under 12. Ask us for availability.
Onguma Camp Kala
The reserve’s four-suite flagship: butler service, private plunge pools and hot tubs, and an air-conditioned photographic hide below the main deck. All-inclusive from NAD 29,790 per person sharing; no children under 12.
Onguma Trails Camp
Four bell tents and a walking-safari programme, open April to September with a two-night minimum. All-inclusive from NAD 13,000 per person sharing. Ask us to check dates.
Tamboti and Leadwood campsites
Thirty-one fenced sites in total (Tamboti 25, Leadwood 6), each with private shower, toilet and power point, serviced daily. NAD 500 nett per adult and NAD 250 per child aged 3–11; the campsite conservation levy is NAD 65 per person per night. Leadwood campers may use Bush Camp’s facilities.
Activities across the reserve
All camps share one activity menu, bookable on any campsite or DBB stay. Guided Etosha game drives cost NAD 1,750 per person for four hours. On the reserve itself, sunrise and sundowner drives are NAD 890 per person, the mid-morning Onkolo Hide session is NAD 650 per person (minimum age 7, minimum two guests), and guided nature walks are NAD 890 per person for guests 16 and older. All-inclusive camps build two scheduled activities per day into the rate.
Rates and the rhino levy
All lodge rates are quoted in Namibian dollars, per person sharing, and are valid 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026. The mandatory Rhino Conservation Levy of NAD 275 per person per night (NAD 65 at the campsites) funds rhino protection on the reserve and is always billed separately, for adults and children alike. Children under 3 stay free where camps accept them; children 3–11 pay child rates at Bush Camp and Forest Camp.
Published 2026 rack rates from the lodge’s official rate sheet. We confirm live availability and any specials when you enquire.
Getting to Onguma
Drive north from Windhoek on tar via Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb, then follow the signs for Etosha’s eastern entrance. The reserve gate is 500 m from Von Lindequist Gate, and each camp lies 10 to 20 minutes further along good reserve roads. Fly-in guests use the Onguma or Mokuti airstrips, with lodge transfers included.
Check availability on Onguma
We are an independent Namibian booking agent and arrange stays at every Onguma camp, alone or combined with the Etosha National Park camps. Send the form below and we reply within 24 hours (Mon–Fri 8:00–17:00 CAT) with live availability and one clear recommendation for your dates.