Okonjima AfriCat Extension

© 

Itinerary

Itinerary Map
Day 1: Ongava / Okonjima Nature Reserve
This morning, make a private transfer by road from Ongava to Okonjima Nature Reserve, a 55,000-acre conservancy lying within the Omboroko Mountains, interspersed with sprawling plains marked with ancient sandstone ridges. The private reserve is home to the AfriCat Foundation, dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned and injured feline carnivores. Taking care of cats that are too fragile or ill-prepared to be set free, AfriCat's ultimate mission is to return as many of them to the wild as possible. Its success rate is significant: to date, 87% of its animals under care (more than 1,000 individuals) have been fully released. On your visit to Okonjima, witness elements of this program at work as you track rehabilitated animals and observe large cats and other wildlife in their native habitat. 

Check in to Okonjima Bush Camp, our base for exploring Okonjima Nature Reserve. Accommodations are in luxury chalets on the edge of the surrounding wilderness area. Each chalet, with a 180-degree view of the bushveld, is located well away from the others, offering a sense of seclusion in nature.

Day 2: Exploring Okonjima & Observing AfriCat Field Work
The main focus of our activities is Okonjima's carnivores and the work of the resident AfriCat Foundation. A family-run enterprise, AfriCat was founded in 1993 by the Hanssens, who converted their parents' cattle ranch into a conservation project. Namibia is home to the world’s largest cheetah population, though most of Namibia’s cheetahs and leopards face threats from commercial farmers who often kill or trap them when they occasionally prey upon livestock. AfriCat’s strategy to ensure long-term survival of large carnivores includes research and education as well as strategies for economic improvement of affected farming communities. 

Although hunting is instinctive in carnivores, many of the cheetahs under AfriCat's care lack experience, having been orphaned or removed from the wild at an early age. This inexperience, as well as their conditioning to captivity, makes them unsuitable for immediate release. That's where Okonjima comes in. The reserve provides captive cheetahs and other carnivores the opportunity to hone their hunting skills and become self-sustaining, thereby giving them a chance to return to the wild. Captive animals are fitted with radio-collars prior to their release into the reserve, so their welfare can be closely monitored. During your time at Okonjima, you'll accompany staff on tracking missions on foot to monitor the progress of rehabilitated cheetahs and hyenas.

Other wildlife commonly observed include giraffe and both Burchell’s and Hartmann’s mountain zebra, many different antelope, smaller cat species, and a variety of bats. Night drives may reveal nocturnal wildlife such as aardwolf, porcupine, caracal and honey badgers. We may also spot these from the nocturnal hide, where hidden observers watch approaching animals. Guests also have the rare opportunity to do self-guided walks on nature trails to experience this vast wild reserve safely in solitude. The sanctuary is a fabulous location for photography, with plenty of opportunities to capture close-ups of magnificent animals against a stunning desert backdrop. You'll also learn about the San Bushmen, the indigenous inhabitants of this area, and their traditional ways of subsisting within such a seemingly unforgiving landscape. Birding is a highlight, too, with more than 250 species in the reserve, including Namibian endemics like Carp’s black tit, Hartlaub’s francolin and the Damara rockrunner

Day 3: Windhoek / Depart
After breakfast, transfer by road to the international airport in Windhoek for your departing flight.

Physical Rating: Easy

Repeater Layout : vertical
Questions?
We've Got Answers!
Talk with an Adventure Specialist
Call Our Boulder Office at 800-543-8917 or contact your travel advisor.
We're Proud of the Reputation We’ve Earned
Outside
Voted "World's Best Travel
Company"
by Outside Magazine
Outside
Natural Habitat Adventures Ranked
“Best Outfitter”
NatGeo
Voted Best Winter Trip: Natural Habitat Adventures' Monarch Butterfly Migration, Mexico
VIEW MORE AWARDS
Physical Requirements
WWF Logo

Learn More

Customize Your African Safari

Let our in-house safari experts create your perfect African adventure. Whether you'd like to travel as a private group on this safari or you'd like to create an itinerary all your own, simply fill out the form to the right or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Learn More
Thank you for your interest!
We'll be in touch soon to help with your custom African safari!

Learn More

Customize Your Trip

Let our in-house trip experts create your perfect adventure. Whether you'd like to travel as a private group on our ${tripName} or you'd like to create an itinerary all your own, simply fill out the form to the right or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Okonjima AfriCat Extension
Learn More
Thank you for your interest!
We'll be in touch soon to help with your private trip!

Download Trip Details

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Get our downloadable trip details in PDF format, a handy resource for your travel planning. Inside, you'll find all the info from our website—highlights of the trip, itinerary, accommodations, and full details on dates, prices and logistics—plus a few extras!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Download Trip Details
Your download awaits…

Thank you for your request! Click here to see your trip details PDF now. You’ll also receive it by email momentarily.

Ask a Question

Ask a Question

Fill out our form to receive additional information about our ${tripName}, or give us a call at 800-543-8917.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Okonjima AfriCat Extension
Ask a Question
Thank you for your note!

We’ll be in touch soon with more details.

Request Your 2023 Catalog

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Nathab 2024 Catalog

Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly a hundred nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Request Your 2024/2025 Catalog
Continued - Page 2 of 2
To help us customize your catalog request, please tell us more about your travel needs:
Thank you for requesting a catalog
We’ve received your request. If you have any questions about our trips, please feel free to contact an Adventure Specialist today by calling 800-543-8917.

Get Weekly Updatess

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list!

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Send Us a Message

Send Us a Message

Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Us a Message
Thank you for your message

We’ll be in touch soon with a response.

Refer a Friend

Refer a Friend,
Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Refer a Friend

Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.

Thank you for the referral!

We've received your friend's information.

View Our 2023 Digital Catalog

View Our 2024/2025

Digital Catalog

Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
View Digital Catalog
Happy browsing!

Thanks for requesting access to our digital catalog. Click here to view it now. You’ll also receive it by email momentarily.

Our Trips

Polar Bear Tours

Polar Bear Tours

African Safaris

African Safaris

Galapagos Tours

Galapagos Tours

Alaska Adventures

Alaska Adventures

U.S. National Parks Tours

U.S. National Parks Tours

Canada & the North

Canada & the North

Europe Adventures

Europe Adventures

Mexico & Central America Tours

Mexico & Central America Tours

South America Adventures

South America Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Adventure Cruises

Adventure Cruises

Photography Expeditions

Photography Expeditions

Women's Adventures

Women's Adventures

Family Adventures

Family Adventures

New Adventures

New Adventures

Questions? Call 800-543-8917

Contact Us

Have a question or comment?
Click any of the buttons below to get in touch with us.

Hours
Mountain Time

  • 8 am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday
  • 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday
  • Closed on Sunday
Call 800-543-8917
Questions? Click to Chat
Questions? Click to Chat
/extensions/okonjima-extension/itinerary/