After a dusty drive in the heat of the day, you will arrive at the Ondudu Safari Lodge. Set in a secluded valley encircled by the stunning Erongo Mountains, this piece of wilderness is a magical place where the desert, mountain, and bushveld ecosystems combine. 

Resting atop the granite boulders, the lodge is built from the natural stone of the area with a sprawling thatch roof. Raised wooden walkways and stone steps, hewn from the granite of the ancient volcano, connect the main lodge to the luxurious tented chalets, which are perched on stilts between giant boulders.

You will be welcomed into the cool haven of the lodge with refreshing drinks and warm cloths to ease the travels away. Choose to unpack and rest immediately in your chalet, or have a drink at the bar, an old mokoro (dugout canoe) that you can still find used today on our rivers. You can relax on the welcoming sofas in the lounge, with a book from our shelf, or sit on one of the two decks to absorb the view of this arid paradise as the light plays across the boulders. There is a small sparkling pool to take a dip in during the heat of the day, while you watch the abundant birdlife.

In winter, when our temperatures plummet, you can choose to sit by a roaring fire inside the central fireplace, or by a firepit outside to warm you while watching for game at the waterhole.
A delicious menu is served in our restaurant three times a day, and we ask that you kindly inform us of any dietary requirements in order for us to prepare dishes to your satisfaction. Set overlooking the waterhole, you can enjoy the game and birdlife that come to drink while you eat or have a drink.

The Area

The Erongo region encompasses 63,586 square kilometres of raw bushveld, intermittently dotted with small towns.

The mountains that gave the area its name dominate the flat expanse of land around them, where topping a rise, you feel you can see to the edges of the earth. Holding particular importance in this area, the mountain is home to a vast array of plant, reptile, mammal and bird species that are endemic or near endemic in Namibia.

The closest town is the small municipality of Omaruru, meaning “bitter milk” in the native Herero, which originated from days long gone when the Herero grazed their cattle on the open plains and complained that the milk was bitter after the cattle ate a certain bush.

A small and friendly community, you will find a variety of attractions here, such as curio shops, cafes, crafters, chocolatiers, and wineries. This is the perfect stop to purchase gifts for those at home or mementos for yourself.
The Omaruru River, which remains dry until excessive rainfall in the catchment areas flood down its wide banks, cuts through the area. This is truly an experience to behold if you are lucky enough, as the flood waters pass through this dry landscape on their way to the Atlantic Ocean – sometimes a trickle, but sometimes with massive force.
    
The ancient bushmen paintings in the area are a wonder to see, however, we can only begin to guess at their age. Little research and analysis has been invested in them, and only recently has effort been exercised in their protection. Estimations suggest they could be as old as 6,000 years, but this is not verified.

Now mostly farmlands for cattle and goat take up a large portion of the Erongo region, and they share their pastures with free-roaming game as well as those that are enclosed and protected within the reserves. On a drive across these vast expanses, you will often see the more common game such as warthogs, baboons, kudu, gemsbok, the cheeky meerkats, and small dik-diks.

So relax, slow down, and take the foot off the accelerator as you traverse this land, and let it show you its heart.

Staying with us:

Ondudu Safari Lodge is a truly unique experience, particularly so for those that enjoy hiking and birdlife. Many rare and endemic species of animals have made this area home and are protected in our constitution as well as by NGO’s such as the private landowners that this breath-taking piece of land belongs to.

While enjoying the main lodge as the shared area, you can retreat to your chalet and enjoy the expanses peeking out between the mighty boulders. Each chalet boasts its own deck for you to enjoy the surroundings from, as well as luxury furnishings inside and open-air bathrooms.

Due to the abundance of water in an otherwise dry area, birdlife has congregated here at the lodge. With over 260 species in the area, you can always expect an uncommon sighting. We have begun a list of those seen here at the lodge, and would appreciate additions to this should you see any not mentioned.

From one of our two viewing decks, you can also spot the small rock dassies (hyrax) or the endemic dassie rats vying for drinking space at the waterhole.

To fully experience the magnificence of the lodge and its surroundings, we have designed a number of hikes and tours for you to take part in during your stay. If you are an avid photographer, here nature provides you with more than enough material to fill your SD card. 

Accommodation

• Lounge area,
• Restaurant,
• Bar,
• Tented luxury accommodations,
• Supplied toiletries and towels,
• Tea and coffee station.
• Small swimming pool with loungers,
• Viewing decks,
• Fireplace and fire pit,
• An exchange library to trade your holiday reads,
• WiFi internet available in the reception area, (please note that connectivity cannot be guaranteed due to the remote location.)
• Tours and hikes.