Ndhovu Safari Lodge: Our full report
Ndhovu Safari Lodge stands in a beautiful location on the west bank of the Kavango River, between Divundu ...
... and the Botswana border at Mohembo. It's just 2km north of the Mahango National Park, making it one of the closest lodges to this small and seldom visited park on Namibia’s Caprivi Strip.Since Ralf Speh bought Ndhovu Safari Lodge back in 2018, he has been re-investing in the property, and facilities are being upgraded and refreshed. The report below is from our last visit, prior to the take over, but we hope to get a team member to Ndhovu soon to update our write-up, based on first hand experience.
Ndhovu’s open-sided thatched main area – with a dining room and well-stocked honesty bar – takes full advantage of the views across the river to the Bwabwata National Park beyond. A path leads down to a deck built out over the river, a great spot to relax on a sunlounger and see what passes by. During a visit we were told that it isn’t uncommon for elephants and other game to be spotted from here. In the middle of a well-maintained lawn, a swimming pool offers a welcome escape from the day's heat.
Accommodation options at Ndhovu are focused on Meru-style tents, each looking out over river, but there is also a floating tent, and a small houseboat.
Little has changed in the 11 Meru-style tents over the years, and it all feels rather dated. The bedrooms are simply furnished, with twin beds under a mosquito net, bedside tables and some storage areas. A partially open-sided passage leads into a fairly simple bathroom at the back of the tent, which is in a separate reed-and-thatch room. Here you’ll find a flush toilet, a basin and a shower with hot and cold running water. In front of each tent is a small seating area with two chairs and a table for those who wish to soak up the views away from the main area.
The floating tent, a little optimistically billed as the ‘honeymoon tent’, is set on a pontoon tethered to the river bank. It is furnished with a double bed, and its en-suite bathroom has a shower with hot and cold running water – but due to the location, there is a chemical toilet.
The houseboat, Hippo, can sleep up to four people, although two would be more comfortable as it’s not a big boat. Facilities are simple but for the adventurous it may suit for two or three nights. These are spent moored to one of the many islands in the river away from the lodge.
Activities at Ndhovu focus on boat trips, fishing excursions and game drives to Mahango National Park. There are also village tours available.
Our view
Ndhovu Safari Lodge is a no-frills lodge, somewhat reminiscent of an old-style African safari lodge. It used to be our lodge of choice in this area, with its good the location, but it went through a period where it needed a bit of a freshen up and as a result, we felt there were better options in the area. However, under new ownership since 2018, we are seeing a steady improvement in facilities and feel it's looking promising again.
Country manager: Namibia
Geographics
- Location
- Caprivi Strip, Namibia
- Ideal length of stay
- One nights
- Directions
- Ndhovu Safari Lodge is located off the C48, 16km north of the Mohembo border with Botswana.
- Accessible by
- Self-drive
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Half Board
- Food quality
- On our last visit in December 2016 we didn’t have the chance to eat here but on a previous visit the food was good, wholesome home-cooked fare. We tried to visit again in 2018, however due to river flooding we couldn't make it through to the lodge.
Breakfast is a continental buffet with the option to order some hot dishes as well.
Dinner is usually served at 7.30pm. On a previous visit, we had a three-course meal of vegetable soup followed by kudu lasagne, mashed potatoes, salad, cauliflower, butternut squash and peas. The dessert was a fruit cocktail jelly. - Dining style
- Group Meals
- Dining locations
- Indoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- None
- Drinks included
- Drinks are not included at Ndhovu Lodge – the lodge run on an honesty bar system.
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Children of all ages are welcome
- Property’s age restrictions
- No age restriction
- Special activities & services
- None
- Equipment
- None
- Generally recommended for children
- For children who enjoy game drives and fishing Ndhovu is a good option.
- Notes
- Adult supervision is essential as this is a big-game area and the lodge’s grounds run down to the river.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Ndhovu Safari Lodge
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Ndhovu Safari Lodge have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
50% success
50% success
50% success
50% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
Communications
- Power supply notes
- There is a back-up generator in case of a mains power failure.
- Communications
- The lodge often has cellphone reception and there is Wifi in the main area.
- TV & radio
- None
- Water supply
- Borehole
- Water supply notes
- The tents have hot and cold running water and flush toilets, with the exception of the floating tent, which has a chemical toilet.
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- The nearest doctor is in Divundu, 16km away.
- Dangerous animals
- Moderate Risk
- Security measures
- There are guards on duty and at night guests are escorted to their tents.
- Fire safety
- There are fire extinguishers in all of the tents and the main area.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Cultural excursion
Fishing
Extras
- Disabled access
- Laundry facilities
- A laundry service is available at an extra cost.
- Money
- It is not possible to do currency exchange at the lodge.
- Accepted payment on location
- South African rand, Namibian dollars, euros and US dollars cash are accepted along with Visa and Mastercard payments.
Other lodges in Caprivi Strip
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Hakusembe Lodge
Hakusembe River Lodge is a substantial lodge with a superb location on the Kavango River.
Chobe Princesses
The Chobe Princess houseboats offer a memorable way to explore the Chobe and Zambezi Rivers in Namibia's Caprivi. Perfect for a couple or for a group of family or friends.
Lianshulu Lodge
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Nkasa Lupala
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Nunda River Lodge
NNunda River Lodge overlooks a pretty part of the Kavango River near Popa Falls and the productive Mahango National Park.
Camp Kwando
Near to Mudumu National Park, Camp Kwando is a comfortable and unfussy option with opportunities for game drives, boat safaris and fishing.
Ichingo Chobe Lodge
Safari holiday in Namibia's Caprivi Strip, staying at Ichingo Chobe River Lodge on Impalila Island.
Nambwa Tented Lodge
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River Dance
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Zambezi Queen
The Zambezi Queen offers luxurious two- and three-night cruises along the game-rich Chobe River, including game viewing by small boat and 4WD as well as catch-and-release fishing.
Taranga Lodge
Situated on the banks of the Kavango, Taranga Safari Lodge works as a convenient stopover before going onto explore the Caprivi.
Divava Lodge & Spa
The substantial Divava Okavango Lodge & Spa offers plenty of pampering opportunities in an unspoilt riverside setting
Cascade Island Lodge
Cascade Island Lodge, near Kasane in the Caprivi Strip is a very luxurious, high end option for those seeking peace and privacy on the Zambezi River.
Shametu Lodge
Shametu River Lodge has the best views of the Popa Rapids of any private lodge in the Divundu area.
Jackalberry Camp
Jackalberry Camp is uniquely situated in the Nkasa Rupara National Park affording unrivalled access to this little-visited corner of Namibia.
Namushasha Lodge
One of the larger lodges in the Bwabwata National Park, Namushasha is an economic option with an attractive river-side location.
Kazile Island Lodge
On an island in the Kwando River within Bwabwata National Park, the remote Kazile lsland Lodge offers games drives, bush walks and boat cruises.
Serondela
Accessible only by river, Serondela combines the remoteness of Namibia’s Caprivi Strip with access to Botswana’s flagship Chobe National Park.
Chobe Savanna Lodge
Chobe Savanna Lodge stands opposite Chobe National Park, Botswana. Click here to learn more about the area and your options for a safari there.
Chobe Water Villas
Chobe Water Villas is a beautiful and thoughtfully designed lodge, in a great location on the Namibian banks of the Chobe River.
