Fodor's Expert Review Ongava Lodge

Located in the Onguma Game Reserve on the southern boundary of Etosha close to the Anderson Gate, each thatched unit at this lodge features its own plunge pool, sala (a covered open-air pavilion), outdoor shower and bath with magnificent views, and wooden decks that cling to the side of a steep, rocky outcrop. Some units overlook a couple of busy waterholes. The stunning main area has stone floors and sweeping thatch roofs, as well as myriad spots from which to gaze at the never-ending plains beyond. Take a guided walk and sneak up on some zebras and wildebeests, go rhino tracking, or sit in a hide at the waterhole just before sunset and listen to the soft twittering calls of hundreds of sand grouse as they come to drink. Lions often stray in from Etosha and join the evening party.