Okonjima Nature Reserve – The Jurassic Park experience

Okonjima Nature Reserve
Main building
Namibia 2026

After wonderful days at Ai Aiba Lodge in the Erongo Mountains, our final destination before returning to Windhoek is the Okonjima Nature Reserve, where we will spend our last two nights at the beautiful Okonjima Plains Camp.

Internationally recognised for its conservation work, Okonjima is particularly well known for its long association with the AfriCat Foundation and its research into Namibia’s large carnivores, especially leopards and brown hyenas. The focus here is very much on conservation, research and understanding these elusive predators in their natural environment.

We have visited Okonjima once before, and our memories from that stay are still very vivid. If you would like to read about our previous visit, you can find it here (link).

Jurassic Park – with a touch of Alien

Our leopard
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Namibia 2026

Last time we were here, we felt a little like we had entered Jurassic Park. We were surrounded by fences designed to keep the large predators inside — and, as we all remember, fences in Jurassic Park did not exactly prove foolproof! ;-)

During that visit, we went out to track leopards. Our guide sat at the front of the safari vehicle with an antenna, tracking a collared leopard somewhere out in the bush.

Beep … beep … beep.

The signal became stronger and stronger as we got closer to the leopard.

For some reason, that sound immediately reminded me of Sigourney Weaver and Alien from 1979. Surely I cannot be the only one old enough to remember that movie?

This time, we are once again looking forward to joining one of Okonjima’s guided leopard-tracking excursions. After several weeks of travelling through deserts, mountains, canyons and along the Atlantic coast, Okonjima feels like the perfect place to slow the pace one final time.

It is also a great opportunity for my brother and sister-in-law, who have joined us on this journey, to see some of Namibia’s wildlife that we have not encountered elsewhere on this trip.

A very comfortable final stop

We check in at the large reception at Plains Camp after the long drive through the reserve, passing no fewer than three gates, two of them manned.

We are allocated Classic Rooms C9 and C10, surrounded by peaceful bushveld, abundant wildlife and the warm colours of the African afternoon.

I remember the Classic Rooms very well from our previous visit. They were enormous, tastefully decorated and in immaculate condition. Somehow, the owners have managed to make them even more inviting this time.

Our room
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Namibia 2026

The rooms are absolutely spotless, with attractive African art and decorative details carefully placed throughout. And, for those who appreciate being connected to the outside world, there is now Wi-Fi in the rooms as well.

Even the drinks we ordered at check-in are waiting for us in the fridge when we arrive.

On our first afternoon, we decide not to rush off on an excursion. Instead, we simply relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings and the peaceful atmosphere of the camp.

Our leopard-tracking excursion is already booked for the following afternoon.

We are looking forward to it.

Our private terrasse
Okonjima Nature Reserve
Namibia 2026

The leopard hunt

The next afternoon, we head out for our leopard-tracking experience.

We drive through the large gate into the reserve, surrounded by what appears to be a substantial electrified fence designed to keep the reserve’s large predators from wandering onto the surrounding farmland.

We are seated in rows of high seats on the back of a large open Toyota Land Cruiser — almost like a rolling outdoor buffet

Our vehicle has been assigned a particular leopard to track: an approximately six-year-old female, born in Okonjima.'

Guide Zwane tracking leopards
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

At first, there is no signal.

Then our guide Zwane suddenly picks something up.

Beep.

We drive on.

Beep … beep.

The signal gradually becomes stronger as we approach a waterhole.

But then things become confusing. The signal seems to be coming from somewhere nearby, yet we cannot see the leopard. We drive around the area, scanning the bush, before turning into a dry riverbed and eventually climbing back onto the earth bank beside the waterhole.

We stop.

The signal is now very strong.

The leopard must be close.

Very close.

I stand up on the highest rear seat to get a better view over the vegetation.

And suddenly I see her.

She is lying perhaps five metres below us, deep in the shade beneath the bank.

And she is looking directly at me.

For a moment, we simply stare at each other.

It is not exactly an ideal position for the vehicle, so our guide carefully drives around and down along the slope. We continue through the dense bush towards the leopard, ducking as thorn branches sweep across the vehicle.

Eventually, we reach her.

And she could not care less.

Which, from our perspective, is rather perfect.

Leopard looking directly at me
Okonjima 2026

She lies there completely relaxed, occasionally yawning. 

Heading for the waterhole

After a while, she gets up, walks up the bank and heads down towards the waterhole.

She stops to drink
Okonjima 2026

She stops to drink.

We follow slowly and take photograph after photograph.

Watching a leopard from only a few metres away is an extraordinary experience. She is completely at ease, apparently regarding us as little more than an occasional curiosity in her afternoon.

 

Sister-in-law and leopard
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

A stalk in the bush

From the waterhole, the leopard continues along the bottom of a small, dry riverbed.

Then she spots something.

A steenbok.

Steenbok not aware of danger
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

Instantly, her behaviour changes.

She lowers herself and begins to stalk.

We are only a few metres away, watching this beautiful predator move almost silently through the dry vegetation.

For a few moments, it feels as though we are watching a scene from a wildlife documentary — except that we are sitting right there in the middle of it.

The steenbok eventually manages to escape.

And so do we!

We were probably never in any real danger, but being so close to a leopard in the wild is nevertheless a very special experience.

There is something quite different about seeing a leopard from a distance through binoculars and having one lying just a few metres away, looking directly at you.

Close encounter
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

Sundowners above the reserve

By now, it is time to head towards our sundowner location.

We climb to the top of a hill overlooking the reserve, where we have a magnificent panoramic view across the surrounding landscape.

Sister-in-law, brother and wife enjoying sunset
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

The sun begins to sink towards the horizon, bathing the bushveld in warm golden light.

We enjoy the sunset in the company of a German family who are also staying at Okonjima.

Another beautiful African evening.

Kudu´s at sunset
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

As darkness gradually settles over the reserve, we make our way back towards camp. There are several more wildlife sightings along the way, including some magnificent kudu standing quietly in the fading light.

It is a wonderful end to our final full day at Okonjima.

A perfect finale

Okonjima has turned out to be everything we could have hoped for as the final stop on this part of our journey.

A beautifully situated and exceptionally comfortable Classic Room, a lovely restaurant, attentive and friendly staff — and, above all, a memorable encounter with one of Africa’s most beautiful and elusive predators.

Okonjima main building
Namibia 2026

Classic Room with a view
Okonjima, Namibia 2026

The leopard experience alone would have made the stay worthwhile.

The following morning, it is time to leave.

As we drive out of the reserve, my wife suddenly spots something out of the corner of her eye on the right-hand side.

A brown hyena!

How lucky can we be?

We slow down and watch as the hyena quietly disappears into the bush.

One last wildlife surprise before leaving Okonjima.

And then we are on our way to Windhoek.

Back to Olive Grove

Stellenbosch Wine Bar for last dinner
Windhoek, Namibia 2026

Arriving back in Windhoek feels almost like coming home.

We are delighted to return to Olive Grove Guesthouse, which has proved to be the perfect base in the city. It is peacefully and securely situated in beautiful green surroundings, with a courtyard, plunge pool, a cosy little restaurant and secure parking.

But above all, it is the warm and attentive staff who make the place special.

We have enjoyed our stay here so much that we already know this will become our regular base for future trips to Namibia.

That evening, we celebrate our final night together at the lovely Stellenbosch Wine Bar, enjoying dinner in their atmospheric courtyard.

Sitting there, we reflect on what an extraordinary journey we have had with my brother and sister-in-law.

It was rather brave of them simply to join us on a trip that we had planned ourselves — a journey involving long drives, remote places, deserts, mountains, 4WD tracks, early mornings, wildlife adventures and more than a few unexpected experiences.

But they embraced it all.

And we have all enjoyed the adventure enormously.

The following day, my brother and sister-in-law head home, while my wife and I continue our journey.

We have another three weeks of adventure planned in southeastern Namibia and northwestern South Africa.

And that is where the next chapters of our African journey begin.

You can read about those adventures in the following blog posts.

Stellenbosch Wine Bar Garden
Namibia 2026