Okonjima Fast Facts

INTRODUCTION:

West of the Waterberg Plateau Park, vast plains are occasionally broken by remnants of ancient Sandstone outcrops, which once covered large areas of northern Namibia.

Nestled among the "Omboroko Mountains" lies OKONJIMA – a Herero name meaning “Place of the baboons”. This is much more than just a lodge. OKONJIMA is also home to THE AFRICAT FOUNDATION.

AFRICAT became internationally renowned after featuring in an award-winning documentary filmed for the Discovery Channel in 1995 & 1996.

The AfriCat Foundation started out in 1992/93, as a small welfare organization when 'Chinga' the Cheetah was bought by the Hanssens at a cattle auction and given a home on Okonjima.

Ever since, AfriCat and Okonjima have dedicated their efforts to rescuing carnivores from inhumane conditions, taken care of those too injured to be set free, rehabilitated and released more than 1000 large carnivores back into the wild. Today, AfriCat's emphasis lies with ensuring the long term survival of Namibia's large carnivore species through Environmental Education, Research & Mitigating Human-Wildlife Conflict, thereby contributing to habitat & wildlife conservation as well as uplifting affected farming communities.

Namibia is home to the world’s largest wild/free-ranging cheetah population; the majority of this country’s cheetahs and leopards can be found on approximately 7000 commercial farms. These large carnivores occasionally prey upon the livestock that roam unprotected in the bush. As a result, carnivores are often regarded as vermin by the livestock and game-farming community and are deliberately trapped and/or killed.

AFRICAT has had to take on a large number of captive cats / carnivores no longer wanted by other establishments. Among the carnivores being rescued, researched and rehabilitated by AFRICAT are cheetah, leopard, lion, caracal, wild dog and hyena.
OKONJIMA is a family-run business. Wayne, Donna and Rosalea Hanssen who co-own and live on the property, bought OKONJIMA from their parents, Val and Rose, in 1993, turning the then cattle farm into a conservation project.

The pressure on our wildlife grows daily. Where today can one find a truly wild place? Where can the elephant roam, the lion roar, the cheetah hunt? Through Education and Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation, The AfriCat Foundation believes that little by little the battle can be won.

AFRICAT has saved more than 1080 carnivores since 1993. 86% have been released back into the wild!

OKONJIMA is in a Malaria-Free area.

ACCOMMODATION on OKONJIMA:

• The Grand African Villa: 2 luxury rooms and 2 Suites.  (8 – 12 pax : 1 group only)
• The Select, Private Bush Suite: 2 luxury rooms.  (4 pax : 1 group only)
• The Luxury Bush Camp: 8 unique, thatched, African-style chalets & 1 junior suite. (18 pax)
  
  
  • The Bush Camp: 3 luxury, en-suite Twin Tents. These tents are only for guides & pilots. (6 pax)
• The Main Camp: 6 double budget, garden rooms & 12, spacious, view rooms. (36 pax).
• Aug 2013: The Main Camp: 6 double, standard, budget,  garden rooms & 14, spacious, view rooms. (40 pax)
• 2014: Plains Camp: 14  new standard rooms and 14 new, spacious, view rooms. (56 pax)
• PAWS: "People And Wildlife Solutions". The AfriCat Environmental Education Campsite.
• The Omboroko Campsite: 4 private campsites, all sharing one secluded swimming pool.

LODGE FACILITIES:

• Main Camp, Bush Camp and the Day Centre - each has a curio shop, with select African artefacts and  jewellery. Guests at The Villa, Bush Suite and the Omboroko Campsite are welcome to visit either Camp, if they so wish.
• All 4 Camps have a swimming pool, outside & inside fire-place, an independent kitchen/restaurant & bar facilities.
• All 4 Camps have under-roof parking and a waterhole where wildlife may be viewed.
• The Omboroko Campsite also has a private pool for Campers & PAWS students/scholars only.
• AfriCat now has a Day Centre - See Day Visits with us.

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 these programmes 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 200sq km (50 000 acre) (20 000ha) rehabilitation, private, nature reserves. These cats however, are notoriously people-shy and sightings are not guaranteed.
• THE AFRICAT CARNIVORE & CARE CENTRE: Offers visitors a valuable insight into the work of The AfriCat Foundation.
• LARGE CARNIVORE TRACKING ON FOOT:  Visitors are invited to participate on foot in the radio-tracking of the rehabilitated Cheetahs, Wild Dog or the Spotted Hyaenas on the Tracking Trail within the 200sq km Okonjima nature reserves.  
• 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. Participation is welcomed!
• NATURE TRAIL:  Self-guided walking trails for those guests who want to spend some time alone in the solitude of the Okonjima wilderness.
• BIRD WATCHING: Identify some of the 250+ species in the area, including some of the Namibian endemics – Carp’s Tit, Hartlaub’s Francolin, the endemic (Damara) Rockrunner and more. (PLEASE PRE-BOOK FOR SPECIALIZED BIRDING)
• 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. None of the cats at AfriCat’s Welfare Project are radio-collared.

• Activities offered on Okonjima:
  • Tracking Leopards from a game-view vehicle
  • Track rehabilitated Cheetah on foot
  • Track rehabilitated Spotted Hyaena on foot
  • Track rehabilitated Wild Dog on foot
  • Guided walking / Bushman trail
  • Visit AfriCat’s Carnivore Care and Information Centre

• AND some more . . . .
  • Birding – (special request only)
  • Night drives and a visit to the ‘night-hides’ are offered after Dinner.
  • Visit AfriCat's Day Centre

AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOUR PROGRAMME WILL LOOK LIKE:

See heading- Activities - submenu - your program.

 

THE PARK and EE FEE

The Okonjima Nature Reserve is a privately-managed protected area of 22 000 hectares / 200 km²

This conservation area is located in the heart of Namibia's commercial farmlands and requires sensitive land-management practices. The expanded nature reserve carries a considerable amount of daily maintenance beyond the usual lodge management activities.

The Environmental Education Fund has been introduced now because Okonjima and AfriCat are committed to their ideal of contributing to long-term conservation through education.

The small daily park fee of N$230.00 per person is designed to help cover some of the associated costs for the reserve.

2014: THE PARK and EE FEE

All rates will be inclusive of an allocation towards the above-mentioned programmes. We trust that our visitors will continue to enjoy our renowned Okonjima hospitality, and at the same time this visitation is playing a key role in the advancement of these long-established programmes.

THE VILLA

OKONJIMA’S GRAND AFRICAN HOUSE
COMPLETED DEC 2005

A Unique Experience in a Home away from Home.

THE VILLA, overlooking a natural waterhole, is the only lodge on Okonjima that is situated in a secluded, 200 km² wilderness area approximately 10 km from our Main Camp.

• THE VILLA has 2 separate, private Suites, together with 2 select, en-suite bedrooms in the ‘Main House’, which together  can accommodate groups of up to 8 adults and 4 children (12 yrs and older).
• The graceful ‘Main House’ consists of:
  • An Up-to-date, chef-designed kitchen with wine and soft drink coolers, both gas and electrical cooking facilities and an endless supply of ice from a double-door refrigerator.
  • The living spaces are punctuated by a spacious lounge and dining area with an open, wood-burning fireplace.
  • There are 2 en-suite, luxury bedrooms. The bathrooms have both an inside shower and a spectacular, outside bush-shower, together with a beautiful bath-with-a-view.
  • A Magnificent infinity pool, surrounded on three sides by African, red teak decking and a walkway to an open, shaded ‘Sala’ - for some serious birding and afternoon napping - incorporating a roof fan to stir the gentle breeze that crosses the adjoining waterhole.
• 2 separate, exquisite, thatched Suites situated approximately 35m – 50m on either side of ‘The Main House’ are complemented by:
  • A well-stocked mini bar in each Suite.
  • The choice of either an inside or a unique, outside bush-shower.
  • Toilets and bidets accompany the baths, all with a bush-view.
• All the bedrooms
  • Have air-conditioning, high airy roofs with fans and when needed, heating facilities.  
  • An array of three, glass-panelled doors easily fold away to give magnificent, panoramic views of the surrounding vistas. These open doorways may be substituted with an elegant but practical, ‘roll-down’ canvas partitioning that contains heavy-duty gauze screens. This zip-fastened, secure, tent-style canvassing not only provides sufficient light, but also contributes to the impression of living in the wild by delivering the audible ambience of your surroundings, while still maintaining a degree of comfort and safety.
  • Have Wi-Fi  internet connection with ample work space.
• A personal host or hostess and chef attend to all your needs whilst you enjoy your exclusive guide and game-drive vehicle, thus setting the leisurely pace that best suits you, your family or small group of friends, during your stay at OKONJIMA’S Grand African House.
  • A fully inclusive rate ONLY.
  • Mobile phone reception. DSTV on request.
  • No children under the age of 12 years.
  • {During certain periods of the year The Villa is opened as a second ‘Bush Camp’ and sold as 3 or 4 separate rooms – depending on the group or individual bookings. (Bush Camp FB rates apply)}

BUSH SUITE

OKONJIMA’S Select, Private Suite
COMPLETED JUNE 2006

A Unique Bush-Cottage in Africa.

The Bush Suite, overlooking a waterhole, nestled in the open Acacia thorn-veldt with the sandstone Omboroko Mountains in the background, is situated in a secluded 2000 ha reserve, approximately 3,5km from Main Camp and 500m from Bush Camp.

• Bush Suite:
  • Has 2 separate, private, en-suite bedrooms under a magnificent thatched roof, which together, can accommodate a family or small group of 4.
  • Consists of a modern, chef-designed kitchenette, with wine and soft drink coolers, both gas and electrical cooking facilities and an endless supply of ice from a double door refrigerator.
  • The living space boasts a spacious lounge, a dining area under-roof or outside under natural shade and an open, wood-burning fireplace.
  • A uniquely designed pool (13 metres in length).
• The Bedrooms
  • Have high roofs with fans, air-conditioning and when needed, heating facilities.
  • The doorways have an elegant but practical, ‘roll-down’ canvas partitioning that contains heavy-duty gauze screens; on either side, 2 large glass-panelled windows enhance your 180 degree vista. The zip-fastened, secure, tent-style canvassing not only provides sufficient light, but also contributes to the impression of living in the wild by delivering the audible ambience of your surroundings, while still maintaining a degree of comfort and safety.
  • Each bathroom has both an inside shower and a spectacular, outside bush-shower, together with a beautiful, colonial, bath-with-a-view. 
  • Toilets and bidets accompany the baths, all with a bush-view.
  • Each bedroom has a Wi-Fi internet connection with ample work space
• A personal host or hostess and chef attend to your needs whilst you enjoy your exclusive guide and game-drive vehicle, thus setting the leisurely pace that bests suits you, your family or small group of friends, during your stay at OKONJIMA’S unique Bush Suite.
• Children are welcome, BUT no ‘child-care service’ available. Due to the nature of our activities, child participation is restricted!
• A Fully Inclusive rate ONLY.

 

BUSH CAMP

OKONJIMA’S LUXURY, AFRICAN CHALETS
COMPLETED AUG 2001

The Luxury Bush Camp is situated at the Edge of a Wilderness Area, 3km from Main Camp.

Bush Camp comprises:

•    8 thatched, African-style chalets,
• 1 luxury, Junior Suite, with fire-place, bath and out-side ‘Bush-shower’. (Wheel-chair Friendly) (completed August 2008)
• 3 luxury, en-suite tents for guides and pilots.
• A Lapa in the form of the indigenous ‘camelthorn’ pod and a secluded swimming poo l.
• Each exclusive chalet enjoys complete privacy, and is a unique combination of earthy ochre walls and khaki-green canvas, under a thatched roof.
• Each chalet is equipped with queen and a ¾ bed, a mini-bar, a private safe for valuables, a kettle for that early morning cup of tea or coffee and a telephone.
• The Junior Suite boasts 2 double beds, a bathtub, an out-side shower and a fireplace.
• All chalets are between 80m – 100m apart from each other.  For those who wish to feel the closeness of nature, the front 120º of canvas panelling may be rolled up, inviting visitors to enjoy their own ‘bushveld’ vista.
• In front of each chalet, a birdbath is visited by a variety of birds and small mammals. 
• The extensive ‘camelthorn’ shaped Lapa, encompasses the reception area and curio-shop, a cosy lounge with a rustic inside fire-place, an outside fire-place, a kitchen and dining area – all overlooking a waterhole.
• No children under the age of 12 years.
• Rate: Half Board (HB) and Fully Inclusive Rate (FI) on request.

MAIN CAMP

OKONJIMA’S HOMESTEAD
THE FAMILY FARM HOUSE, TURNED LODGE IN 1993

RENOVATIONS:
Main Lapa and Reception re-thatched in December 2008/10 - View-rooms were completed August 2008.
2 additional View-rooms added in 2013 and main area upgraded. By Aug 2013 – there will be 14 View-rooms available.

Main Camp was the original Hanssen-family farmhouse, reconstructed as a lodge in 1993.

• 6 budget, double rooms are situated around a lush garden and overlook the open-fire entertainment area.
• 12 spacious, en-suite 'view' rooms all have a savanna, grass-plains view; 3 of them overlooking a waterhole. Each room has a verandah and wheel-chair friendly ramp and the rooms are set 15m -20m apart, all some distance from the Boma and Lapa area. Each room has 2 double beds, a mini-fridge to store own drinks, a coffee/tea station, a roof-fan, twin basins and a larger shower. A safe, alarm-system and a telephone. (completed August 2008)
• By Aug 2013: There will be 14 spacious, en-suite 'view' rooms.
• A secluded swimming pool.
• No children under the age of 7 years. (2014: All ages welcome!)
• Due to the nature of our activities, child participation is restricted!
• Rate: Half Board (HB) and a Full Board (FB) on request.
• 2014: Half Board rate only.
• All New - 2014 Plains Camp
  
  
  • January 2014 – The new OKONJIMA PLAINS CAMP will open. A new Lapa, pool & entertainment area will host the 2-tier accommodation facility.
  • By January 2014 we will have withdrawn the 6 old Garden Rooms from circulation, and our previous View Rooms, now known as Standard Rooms, will be priced at Garden Room rates. This is a value uplift for guests, and the popular View Rooms of 2013 are now our entry-level accommodation for 2014.
  • 14 Standard Rooms. This means the long established garden rooms will be replaced by elegant, standard rooms overlooking a water-hole and open savanna grass-plain, therefore providing, a unique bush experience for all our Plains Camp guests.
  • 6 new, luxurious View Rooms, with a bush view over a grass plain, will replace the old view-room-rate and by
  • 1 August 2014 – Plains Camp will boast 14 new, luxury View Rooms.
• 2014 Rate: We have eliminated the Full Board rate at Plains Camp, based on guest preferences, allowing greater flexibility with regards to adding activities as desired and not losing out on a pre-paid trail due to late arrivals etc.

THE OMBOROKO CAMPSITE

OKONJIMA’S EXCLUSIVE CAMPSITE

Nestled amongst the Omboroko mountains.
This campsite is a self-catering facility; the Lodge does not cater for campers!

There are 4 private camp sites, who all share 1 private swimming pool.

Camp Chilala: COMPLETED JUNE 2006.
Camp Chimelo: COMPLETED JULY 2007, renovated Aug 2011.
Camp Koshi: COMPLETED JULY 2010
Camp Kendi: COMPLETED SEPT 2010
The Omboroko Swimming Pool: COMPLETED DEC 2007

Each Private Campsite offers:

• Private shower/s (incl. hot water),
• Private, flush toilet/s,
• A washing-up area under a roof with a power point to charge batteries and a light.
• A viewpoint for sundowners.
• Okonjima will provide 2 complimentary bundles of fire-wood.
• 1 fixed light per campsite for cooking & 1 plug point will be available for charging of fridges, cameras, cell phones etc.
• No tents, drinks or meals are provided by Okonjima!
• None of the Lodge facilities are open or available to campers, except the curio-shop.
• Children are welcome. Due to the nature of our activities, child participation is restricted, depending on age!
• Rate includes camp site and a guided activity.

 

AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOUR PROGRAMME WILL LOOK LIKE:

See heading- Activities - submenu - your program.

Campers ONLY participate in a visit to AfriCat's Information & Carnivore Care Centre. If Campers stay 2 nights, The Bushman Trail and Self-guided Walking trails in the Omboroko Mountains are also on offer.

CAMPERS PLEASE NOTE: If there are game-vehicles available and the 200km² Okonjima Reserve is not being used for Lodge guests, tracking carnivores on foot or by vehicle and booking dinner at the Lodge or Lunch at our Day Centre will be offered, at an additional cost with prior notice.

• ADDITIONAL LODGE ACTIVITY: N$460 per adult per trail and N$250 per child per trail (prior notice)
  
• INSTEAD OF A CAMPING ACTIVITY: N$210 per adult per trail and N$100 per child per trail (prior notice)
  
• DAY CENTRE LUNCH: N$75 per person (prior notice)
  
• LODGE DINNER: N$200 per adult - N$120 per child (prior notice)
  
• 2014 RATES: OUR CAMP SITE RATES HAVE BEEN SPLIT BETWEEN AN ACCOMMODATION AND AN ACTIVITY RATE. ALL TRAILS WILL BE EXCLUDED AND BOOKED SEPARATELY AT AN ADDITIONAL COST.

PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT:

• Water is a rare commodity in Namibia! Please use water sparingly!
• OKONJIMA is known for its excellent water quality and The Villa has been fitted with a water softener.
• The tap water in your room is safe to drink, however for people with a delicate constitution, we would recommend bottled water from the bar!
• Please note to use litter bins for your litter and cigarette stubs.
• Please remember to switch off lights, fans & air/heating facilities when leaving the room.

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU:

• You should ALWAYS bring a flash light / torch with you when visiting Africa! A ‘headlamp’ is always more convenient.
• Hat & sunglasses (polarized for those long, bright road trips)
• Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
• Re-hydrate and do not forget to drink as much water as possible. (Recommendation: at least 2 litres a day)
• During the winter months (mid May – mid Sept) do not forget to bring along warm clothing! Namibia can get very cold.
  
• A basic first aid kit; including medication against diarrhoea, nausea, headaches, heat stroke, stomach cramps, broad-spectrum antibiotics, mosquito repellent, Nasal Vaseline thus preventing nosebleeds as well as sufficient prescription medication.
• Binoculars, a camera, a map of Namibia and the directions to each destination are always a good idea.
• We also recommend hiring a satellite phone when driving through Namibia, for many areas do not have cell phone coverage.
• Never travel anywhere in Namibia without at least, 20 litres of water and 2 spare tyres in your vehicle for emergencies.
• It is always advisable to have all your local emergency telephone numbers and your accommodation of choice’s contact details, saved in your private phone
• Please consult your physician or health department for the latest health and anti-malarial precautions. Some countries require advance inoculations (and certificates thereof), so please ensure that you take the necessary precautions. Okonjima is a malaria free area.
• You will require comfortable, casual and semi-casual clothes. Please note that bright colours are not suitable for game viewing safaris in Africa, and that game drives are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon, which can be cold, during our winter months.
• Visas are required for most countries. It is therefore advisable to contact your local embassy to find out the exact requirements. It is advisable to travel with all relevant documentation.

OKONJIMA CONSERVATION VISION:

Our dream is to turn our 55 000 acre Nature Reserve that was once denuded farmland, back to its natural state, last seen 200 years ago. This dream must be sustainable and a benefit to local communities for it to survive the tide of change in Africa.

This ongoing project, headed by the Hanssen Family, has nearly removed the majority of internal fences; manages water resources and hides, has opened new bush roads and the removal of undesirable bush, is ongoing.

Both Okonjima & AfriCat are dedicated to creating conservation awareness through education; preserving habitat; promoting environmental education, research and the rehabilitation of captive carnivores.

Tourism and Wildlife Conservation is one of the most compatible relationships in Africa.

Okonjima’s lodges and The AfriCat Foundation have embraced tourism as both a conservation strategy and sustainable business model. This close relationship has resulted in the creation of a 50 000 acre (220km²) reserve, providing refuge for some of Namibia’s most vulnerable carnivores as well as a platform for environmental education and funding for relevant conservation activities.

REMEMBER! In the Africa of 2050, most cat species will survive ONLY where people CHOOSE to tolerate them!

Until we meet,   

BEST REGARDS FROM THE HANSSEN FAMILY & OKONJIMA TEAM 

 

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