Onguma Tented Camp

Etosha National Park is one of Southern Africa's finest and most important Game Reserves. Etosha Game park was declared a National Park in 1907 and covering an area of 22 270 square km, it is home to 114 mammal species, 340 bird species, 110 reptile species, 16 amphibian species and, surprisingly, one species of fish.

Etosha, meaning "Great White Place", is dominated by a massive mineral pan. The pan is part of the Kalahari Basin, the floor of which was formed around 1000 million years ago. The Etosha Pan covers around 25% of the National Park. The pan was originally a lake fed by the Kunene River. However the course of the river changed thousands of years ago and the lake dried up. The pan now is a large dusty depression of salt and dusty clay which fills only if the rains are heavy and even then only holds water for a short time. This temporary water in the Etosha Pan attracts thousands of wading birds including impressive flocks of flamingos. The perennial springs along the edges of the Etosha Pan draw large concentrations of wildlife and birds.

A San legend about the formation of the Etosha Pan tells of how a village was raided and everyone but the women slaughtered. One woman was so upset about the death of her family she cried until her tears formed a massive lake. When the lake dried up nothing was left apart from a huge white pan.

The game viewing in Etosha National Park is excellent. Visitors to Etosha Game Reserve can expect to see many buck species, elephant, giraffe, rhino and lions. More fortunate visitors will see leopard and cheetah. There is a network of roads linking the three campsites and subsidiary roads lead to various waterholes.

Onguma Tented Camp is a beguiling mixture of sophistication and relaxation, of elegance and the earth. It is this intriguing combination and attention to detail that makes Onguma Tented Camp, the latest in Visions of Africa's up-market portfolio of camps, the ultimate in safari chic.

In the local Herero language, Onguma means, "the place you don't want to leave." With a stunning main building and seven tents providing private, exclusive accommodation, Onguma Tented Camp, certainly lives up to its name. An atmosphere of elegant dining prevails, complimented by the daily activities taking place around the watering hole, approximately 60 metres away. The surrounding nature lends itself to long lazy afternoons, spent relaxing on the sofas in the lounge, watching the animals go by, and when things heat up, all that is required is a gentle stroll to the rim flow pool. Sit and relax in the flowing waters while enjoying an ice cold cooler. Alternatively if more strenuous activity is required, then relaxing on your patio and reading a good book should provide you with all the exercise you may need.

Onguma also became part of an innovative custodianship project relating to the black rhino. Six black rhino were darted in Etosha National park and shipped to the reserve. Here they are protected and monitored. More than 300 bird species can be viewed at Onguma. The reserve boasts the biggest breeding colony of white-backed vultures in Namibia. During the summer months Onguma becomes a bird-watchers paradise with thousands of species migrating to wetlands created by the seasonal rains and ephemeral river systems. This part of Namibia has been identified as one of the key bird watching sites in Southern Africa.