As if the mission of rescuing wild cats and big cat safaris of AfriCat weren’t enough, Okonjima Lodge itself is worth visiting AfriCat. Luxurious touches are found throughout the lodge and campgrounds that are meant to spoil guests as much as the one-of-a-kind leopard and cheetah tracking safaris. It’s definitely not a place to rush in and out of on the Namibia circuit, but a place to relax and retreat to for several nights.
A range of accommodations for nearly every budget
Just because I use the term “luxury lodge and campground” doesn’t mean the budget-conscious should skip Okonjima and AfriCat. Far from it. The AfriCat Foundation has created a destination with accommodations for nearly every budget. On the high end are the Villas and Bush Suites which start at 7,200 NAD (454 USD) per person per night and are all-inclusive. The Villas are large suites with two bedrooms and a living space meant to host larger groups. The Bush Suites are smaller suites meant for individual stays. Both come with a personal host and chef, private pool, and indoor and outdoor showers.
In between is the Plains Camp. While rates start at only 1,760 NAD (111 USD) per person per night (including half-board), they are spacious and offer excellent views of the plains right from your bed. We woke to giraffes meandering across the field while warthogs played right outside our window. The Plains Camp is closest to the main lodge for easy access to the restaurant and shop. There are two pools for Plains Camp guests to use. Finally, there’s the Omboroko Campsite for those truly looking to experience the great outdoors through outdoor camping. Rates start at 275 NAD (17 USD) per person, per night.
Everything you could possibly need is on site
As you can already tell from the above description of the tiered rates, everything you need is available onsite at Okonjima Lodge. This is a good thing because AfriCat is quite off the beaten path. The drive alone from the main road to the main lodge is a bumpy, half-hour long ride on a dirt road. You don’t want to leave once you’re there (nor will you want to).
Every style of accommodation has a swimming pool from private to shared, depending on the room you select. All tiers also have their own gathering spot to relax for those not wanting to retreat to their room after a day of safari. Those spaces double as restaurants and bars for dinner and sundowners. All are open aired for the true African experience. Be sure to visit the gift shop in the main lodge as all proceeds go towards funding AfriCat’s mission of rescuing wild cats. We bought a pair of giraffes that are the talk of dinner parties at our house!
And then there’s the cats…
Don’t get too spoiled with Okonjima’s posh accommodations – you’re there to get up close and personal with cheetahs and leopards, not spend your days wasting away by the pool (don’t worry though; there’s plenty of time for that). Available activities range from on foot Cheetah tracking to night safaris to a bushman’s walk. Depending on the type of stay you booked, some activities may be included. For others, it may be a la carte.
While there are some trails that you can walk on your own, you won’t see much. The portions of the game reserve that house wild cats are off-limits unless you’re with a guide.
A great way to see cheetahs and leopards
I know what you’re thinking. “Isn’t visiting AfriCat cheating? You’re not actually tracking animals in the traditional sense of a safari, are you?” I thought the same thing and thus hesitated before booking a few nights at AfriCat. The truth is you’re seeing cheetahs and leopards in a very close replica to a real safari. As the cats are rehabilitated, they are released to larger and larger portions of the game reserve. You’re in a vehicle (or on foot) tracking the wild animals like you would in any other African safari. The benefit is, with such a dense concentration of cats, you might actually get to see one of these harder animals to spot on a safari.
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