sniktawk

Has anybody got any news on the refurbishment of the camps inside the park. It appears that "cheap tourists" may no longer be required?

safarilover

I, too, have been trying to keep up to date with the renovations at Etosha, and from what I learned, in 2008 the prices are going to rise astronomically. The new rates are posted on their website, and the large waterhole units at Okaukuejo will be R3000 per night.

Occasionally I call the Namibia Wildlife Resorts Cape Town office, and they are always willing to chat about the progress of the renovations. However, I'm usually not happy with what I am hearing. For instance, there will be no more self-catering at the Okaukuejo waterhole units. It is debatable if they will even have bar fridges. To me it is unthinkable to charge such high prices for the "luxury" units and not to even give the guests the convenience of being able to keep some cold drinks on hand.

In my opinion, they are trying to make Okaukuejo into an Ongava and have lost sight of the fact that it is a national park. Not everyone wants to stay at an Ongava nor has the means to do so.

safarilover

Oops! I meant to say that the 2008 rate is N$3000 per night.

kurt_a

Hi All

I'll be in Etosha in less than 2 weeks and will try to get some direct information and photos and will advise on my return. If I have the chance in Windhoek, I'll pop in to the NWA office and ask there too. I couldn't get into any of the NWA camps at Etosha due to the refurb, but will be staying at Onguma and Etosha Safari Camp, which are much less pricey than Ongava! Trip report to come at the end of June -- the soonest I can offer.

Kurt

PS - safarilover, you probably know this, but R3000 = N$3000

--
afrikatourism.blogspot.com

safarilover

Yes, I do know that currencies are equal, but didn't know if other people did.

I will be looking forward to your report and photos, as I will be there the first week in September. As someone who loves Etosha and has been there virtually every year since 1991, I am concerned about the changes because I feel they have not been concerned about their loyal clients but are just looking for the big bucks.

Fabio

safarilover will maybe remember that I was in Okaukuejo and Namutoni last year with my wife and two kids.
In Okaukuejo we had unit no. 8, called luxury just for the location close to the waterhole, but a bit old inside !!
This year a friend of mine is trying to go there with his family and to get a booking confirmation since several months without success.

A local article here reports that it is not only a matter of refurbishing but, sad to say, of CUTTING !! the number of units !!

Okaukuejo: from actual about 200 units to about 113 !

Halali: from actual 100 to about 60 !

Namutoni: from actual 200 to only 44 !!

Worst is that actual number of units include double/triple/quads units while after the renovation, most of them will be double only !!

This means, in a few words, even harder to go there and, like in any market in the world:

less offered capacity = higher rates !!!

Yes, I agree that it is a shame that public establishments tend to switch as if they were private. As soon as new rates will be available I will complaint by written form to NWR !

kimburu

I had a peep at the new waterhole-view units last month and while the new rooms are certainly in a whole other class to the old ones, they are not worth N$3000... or is that for four beds (I only got a peek - there were people resident)? They don't have any real character compared to other places in the price range you are talking about. I also read/heard (sorry, I cannot remember which) that the no-braai concept at the waterhole units is to reduce noise near to the waterhole... Having only been there the once I have no idea if that is a valid reason or not....

If there are only two beds in these places wouldn't it make them the most expensive accommodation in Namibia - assuming they are not a fully inclusive fly-in rate?

The spiffy new Web site is
http://www.nwr.com.na
(If you look at the pictures they have of all three Etosha camps you'll get a rough idea of what the new ones look like).

Gritty

Does anyone know if they are refurbishing any of the common, shared restrooms (like the ones that the campers use)? They could sure use it. One of the showers in Halali had no shower head on the pipe. A minor repair, I know, but wow, the water pressure was a little much!

I guess my question assumes that they'll still allow camping after the refurbishment. I hope they do, because there's no way I'm paying N$3000 for a room--it's just not worth it to me. Safarilover was right--not everyone has the means to pay Ongava-like prices.

It seems that in general, you have to either go luxury or go backpacker when you go to Africa--not a lot of mid-range pricing.

thit_cho

Thanks for posting the link to the new accomodations, which to me, look very nice, and I certainly applaud the effort. If they have a valid reason for eliminating outside cooking near the waterhole, namely to reduce noise and disturbances, I support that, too -- the animals live there, we are visitors. Also, I have no objection to the reduction in the number of available rooms -- Etosha not only has a carrying capacity for wildlife, but also for visitors and vehicles, and perhaps the reduction in vehicles will improve the park. While national parks certainly need to be accessible, their primary purpose, in my view, is to maintain the environment and provide a healthy and safe habitat for the wildlife, and if some are priced out, it may be unfortunate, but not unfair. Etosha is one of my favorite parks in Africa, and I am looking forward to returning, especially with the improved in-park lodging.

safarilover

Gritty

I don't know if they are refurbishing the camping common areas or not, but it is my understanding the camping area in Okaukuejo is being moved from the area where it is presently. I think but am not certain that the current camping area will be a general parking lot for some of the accommodation, i. e., vehicles will no longer park adjacent to the units.

Regarding noise at the waterhole, I think it is unfair to say that those who do self-catering are responsible and should be denied that amenity. Most everyone is responsible for some noise, people running back and forth from the other areas,

safarilover

Sorry, I inadvertently hit the wrong key and the post was sent.

To continue, everyone is responsible for some of the noise, not just those doing self-catering, and I think it is unfair to blame noise solely on them. On my last visit I was annoyed by people running back and forth from other areas, unsupervised children, loudmouths, and yes, people on their cell phones. In general, noise comes from ill-mannered, inconsiderate people, not just from self-caterers.

As for a relationship between a reduced number of units resulting in reduced traffic in the park, I believe that the camps and lodges outside the park will just get more business and people will come into the park on a daily basis.

Thanks for letting me have my say.

Below is a link to the November 2007 and 2008 rates.


http://www.natron.net/met2000e/rates-2008.html

Gardyloo

Some friends just got back from a several-months long repatriation stay in SA and did a big Botswana-Namibia-SA road trip that included a couple of nights at Etosha.

While they camped (and said the campground at Okaukuejo was fine, they said the SC units were operable but rather (actually, extremely) dirty when some others in their group checked in. After cleaning the units themselves, they had a quite good time, and declared the game viewing at the waterhole superb.

They said the other camp (can't remember the name - the old German fort) was picturesque from a distance and "a dump" up close.

safarilover

Agreed that the bungalows in Etosha were sorely in need of refurnishment as it seemed that little or no maintenance was done during the last 15 years that I have been going there. In fact, the poor condition of the units was virtually my only complaint.


While I agree that upgrading was necessary and long overdue, my concern is that the the camps are going in the direction of exclusivity and pricing the loyal annual visitors, especially the Namibians and South Africans, who so love this park out of the market with the astronimical increases in rates. I, for one, feel that 2007 will out of necessity be my last trip to Etosha.

tuckeg

I also am sorry they are going in this direction. Namibia was very affordable for the most part. Self-drive can easily reach most areas and prices were reasonable.

Fabio

Hope they will not do the same with Kruger Park in SA.
I am going there in 10 days for the first time and really hope just the first of many, if at current rates !!

kimburu

Ongava's rates are 1200-1800 on the same basis - at the tented camp... so my initial impression was wrong. I didn't see any balconies - maybe those units were those not yet completed ... in which case there are only 2-3 and it may be misleading to focus on that price of N$3000. The other rooms are priced at more or less "market" for well-established lodges in Namibia... although those are much smaller and offer personal service and all that comes with that - wonder how NWR are going to handle managing a big, now-upmarket lodge with essentially no previous experience?

Tourists from other continents can probably adjust - even self-driving on a budget if you look at Etosha as the expensive part of the trip it should be possible to still "see it all" for not too much more overall - unless all the guest farms follow suit!

It's a very good point that the park itself - regardless of people's needs - comes first, but I have a lot of sympathy for those living in that part of the world who will feel they can't afford it now. I hope they at least offer reduced rates for Namibians. If their goal was really to reduce visitor numbers increased park fees would surely be more effective. They are charging the same rates for accommodation at Waterburg and Terrace Bay on the Skeleton coast... so it's probably part of a wider government-led strategy? Wonder what that is...

Sorry, this post is all over the place - don't know enough to reach any conclusions.

Fabio

luxury lodges among nature and wildlife is something out of my concepts, therefore wasted money. Just a step behind the luxury would be already more than enough !
What I really appreciate for money value is the location in respect of wildlive viewing, then the professionality of guides/rangers/trackers, but not the rooms or drinks or food itself ! Said that, a state owned property like Etosha Park should not cut away almost completely part of local markets coming not only from locals and SA residents but also from budget travellers from other countries like me and many others. The wildlife on this planet should be accessible to most of everyone and not only to a few selected high budget travellers !

sniktawk

I must admit I did not expect such a large response, I am also pleased that many of you are also angry with these developments. The last time I was at Etosha 4 of us stayed in a waterhole rondavel, for N$490 per night add costs of vehicle and passengers and it was less than Sterling 50 per night. We could eat what we liked cooked on the brai or the antiquated stove, get up early make tea go to the waterhole, have cold drinks. We could also go out at sunrise return at sunset and stop wherever we wanted to view the plentiful wildlife. This is the whole point of places like Etosha, it is meant to be for normal people particularly those with limited funds.If you want luxury and game drives stay in the many lodges around the park. I personally hope that this scheme is an abject failure and the park returns to its former shabby self as soon as possible.

Fabio

Hope you are right ! but I am afraid you aren't !!
We are a family of 4 and would never afford such new rates at Etosha.
We were there last year (Oakukuejo and Namutoni) and had a wonderful time at the same reasonable rate of around N$ 500 for the rondavel.
yes I am a bit upset because we are talking about state parks. Of course privates could do whatever they want with their properites.....

I also noticed that old rondavels needed a substantial refurbishment, but seeing now what is happening, I now miss those old bungalows so much !!!

sniktawk

OK I have found a friend who starts his visit tomorrow. I have asked for a full report and will post it as soon as possible!