Activities

THE AFRICAT FOUNDATION: AfriCat is a non-profit organisation set up to conserve and protect threatened cheetah, leopard, and other wild carnivores of Namibia. Visitors will be able to observe some of this programme at work and learn more about these amazing and beautiful animals.

LEOPARD VIEWING: Leopards are frequently seen, giving visitors an opportunity to observe these magnificent predators that are ‘radio-tracked’ from our game-viewing vehicles. The leopards roam freely and catch their own prey within the 20 000ha / 200km² rehabilitation nature reserves. These cats however, are notoriously people-shy and sightings are not guaranteed.

THE CHEETAH PROJECT: Offers visitors a valuable insight into the ‘welfare work’ of The AfriCat Foundation. [DAY-VISITORS will now be able to observe some of this programme's work and learn more about these endangered, amazing & beautiful animals!]

LARGE CARNIVORE TRACKING ON FOOT: Okonjima guests are invited to participate on foot in the radio-tracking of the rehabilitated Cheetahs, Wild Dogs or the Spotted Hyaenas on the Tracking Trail within the 20 000ha / 200km² rehabilitation nature reserves.

PLEASE NOTE: Tracking of the rehabilitated carnivores in the 200km² OKONJIMA RESERVE is reserved for guests staying at one of Okonjima's lodges.

BUSHMAN TRAIL: Experience a day in the life of a Bushman. It constitutes an easy walking trail and is highly informative. Guests get to learn about the art of making traditional artefacts and how the San adapt and survive in an unforgiving wilderness environment. Participation is welcomed!

GAME DRIVE: After dinner, guests are invited to join a guided, night-drive in the 20 000ha / 200km² private, nature reserves.

NATURE TRAIL: Self-guided walking trails of up to 8 km, for those guests who want to spend some time alone in the solitude of the Okonjima wilderness.

BIRD WATCHING: Identify some of the more than 250+ species in the area, including some of the Namibian endemics – Carp’s Black Tit, Hartlaub’s Francolin and the (Damara) Rock Runner.

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS: MAIN CAMP & BUSH CAMP GUESTS ONLY! At the nocturnal hide visitors may view after-dinner 'Nightlife' such as porcupine, honey-badgers and caracal, amongst others. The Villa and Bush Suite guests do not visit the nocturnal hide. If Bush Suite guests wish to join the Bush Camp guests during their after-dinner activity – prior notice must be given! The Villa & Bush Suite guests will have the possibility to view night life from their private ‘flood-lit’ water holes.

SWIMMING: Guests are welcome to make use of the pool at any time of the day or night. All camps have their own swimming pool.

PHOTOGRAPHY: With the abundance of animals and bird life and spectacular scenery, Okonjima is a photographer’s paradise. Be sure to advise your clients to bring plenty of film (for the old cameras) and many memory cards for the new!!

Photographers take note: Due to the specific nature of our rehabilitation project – all free roaming cats on OKONJIMA are radio-collared. ALL cats that are part of AfriCat’s Welfare Project are NOT radio-collared.

OKONJIMA WILDLIFE:

Leopard, Cheetah, Caracal, African Wild Cat, Brown & Spotted Hyaena, Black Backed Jackal, Aardwolf, Bat-eared Fox, Aardvark, Pangolin, Honey-badger, Porcupine, Large & Small Spotted Genet, Striped Polecat, Kudu, Oryx, Red Hartebeest, Gnu or Blue Wildebeest, Eland, Impala, Giraffe, Hartmann’s (Mountain) Zebra, Burchell’s Zebra, Steenbok, Common Duiker, Damara Dik-Dik, Warthog, Chacma Baboon, Rock Hyrax, Jameson’s Red Rock Rabbit, Springhare, Scrub Hare, Ground Squirrel, Dwarf, Slender, Yellow & Banded Mongoose to name the most common species. {The Lion and Wild Dog are part of The AfriCat Welfare programme for now.}
Over 250 bird species have been identified on OKONJIMA, including some Namibian endemics such as the Carp’s Black Tit, Hartlaub’s Francolin and the Damara Rock Runner.
[The Africat Welfare Project is also home to Lion, Caracal and Wild Dog] The WILD DOG will hopefully be rehabilitated into the 16 000ha reserve by mid to end 2010.

OKONJIMA ANIMAL WARNING!

Under NO circumstances should animals be fed! (except birds from the room; birdseed is provided at The Villa, Bush Suite & Bush Camp)
Open food in the room, citrus and sweets can cause problems with baboons, badgers, mice etc
If baboons are fed or food is readily available, they often have to be put down!
OKONJIMA can honestly say that we have had NO problems with baboons or other wild animals, scavenging for food around our lodges. All kitchen ‘left-overs’ are offered to nocturnal animals such as porcupine and honey-badgers at our night hides. These animals are NOT dependent on this food, but see this as an ‘easy meal’. Travellers in Namibia do not often have the opportunity to see nocturnal animals, but guests are under no obligation to join this activity.

OKONJIMA PHOSPHATE DEFICIENCY!

During our cattle-farming days, we realised that the OKONJIMA soil had a phosphate deficiency, resulting in sour grazing. On changing from cattle to game and wildlife conservation, we were sadly forced to fence-in our property, as OKONJIMA is surrounded by cattle and hunting farms, where predators are seldom tolerated.
Fences prevent natural game migrations to better grazing areas, thus supplements are the only way to sustain a healthy population of plains game (Oryx, Impala, Eland Wildebeest, Zebra etc).

This is why you will pass troughs of ‘lick’ and ‘rock-salt’ on the game-drives around our property or in front of the Lodges.

The management of an ‘enclosed’ wildlife area involves taking care of every aspect within this wilderness, including responsibility for the well-being of ALL species!

Click here for AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOUR PROGRAMME WILL LOOK LIKE
Click here for HIGH RES IMAGES OF CHEETAHS AND LEOPARDS
Click here for MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BIRDING ON OKONJIMA
Click here for MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHERS
Click here for MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AFRICAT FOUNDATION