Mushara Lodge

18°48’45.7"S 17°7’11.0"E

93% (103 reviews)

Full review Our view Geographics Food & drink Special interests Children Wildlife sightings Communications Sustainability Health & safety Activities Extras

Mushara Lodge: Our full report

The welcoming Mushara Lodge is designed for those seeking a comfortable base from which to visit Etosha National Park.

Just 8km from the eastern park gate, in its own private reserve, the lodge offers well-appointed rooms and attentive service. Although it perhaps appeals most to self-driving travellers, it also offers guided game-viewing excursions into the national park.

The lodge shares the same private reserve with the family-friendly Mushara Bush Camp, the exclusive Villa Mushara, and the luxurious Mushara Outpost.

Mushara Lodge has long been one of our favourite properties on the eastern side of Etosha and on our latest visit in April 2024 we were delighted to find the same great service and comfortable accommodation we've come to expect. A modern take on a traditional safari lodge, it features a substantial construction that helps to keep the rooms cool in the summer and warm in the winter, while clean lines, crisp linen and a tasteful collection of African artefacts and art give a fresh and modern feel.

This said, the lodge has been in its current form since around 2011 and while it has been well looked after, signs of wear are starting to show here and there. In our view this added an almost welcoming homely feel to the property, but we wouldn't be surprised if there is a refurbishment on the horizon.

With ten thatched chalets, three rooms and a family house, the lodge has a variety of accommodation.

The ten thatched chalets are arranged in a semicircle around the pool. All have high thatched ceilings, cool stone floors, white walls and smart, dark-wood furnishings. Twin or double beds are dressed with crisp white linen beneath a mosquito net, to give a cool and bright feel. Each air- conditioned chalet is also equipped with a minibar/fridge, a safe, tea/coffee-making facilities, a direct-dial telephone, and a wardrobe with bathrobes, luggage rack and a hairdryer. All are en suite with showers rather than bathtubs.
As well as the individual chalets, the lodge has a further three rooms, set in a block a short distance from the main area. Of these, two are quite spacious single rooms, each with an open-plan en-suite bathroom, and a patio with table and chairs. The third is a triple room with a double and single bedroom, a small lounge area and a shared bathroom with both a bath and a shower.
On the other side of the property is a two-bedroom family house with a kitchen and a big lounge-cum-dining room that continues the style and colour scheme of the rest of the lodge. Each of the bedrooms is en suite, while a separate with a bathtub is shared by both. A small climbing frame in the fenced garden is a bonus for children. This self-contained house has access to all the same communal areas as the rest of the property but feels quite separate – perfect for families or small groups looking for a little more privacy than afforded by the main lodge or Mushara Bush Camp.

A pretty fountain fronts the entrance to Mushara Lodge's large airy main area, which incorporates a curio shop, a library, a lounge and a bar under a high thatched roof. The fireplace in the lounge area, lanterns hanging from the ceiling and comfy sofas add a warm and cosy feel. Meals are served in the adjoining restaurant, or in fine weather on the terrace, with fine wines and candlelit dinners available on request. On the lawn outside, sunloungers encircle a twinkling blue swimming pool, encircled by a low picket fence.

Mushara Lodge offers guided game drives into Etosha National Park in the morning and afternoon. However, note that as the property is outside the park, and no activities take place on the Mushara Reserve, these game drives are subject to the same park rules as self-drivers. The park gates open at sunrise and close at sunset, with no off-road driving or walking permitted. While this is a more restrictive than staying somewhere that conducts activities on a private reserve, we have always felt that Mushara Lodge offers fantastic value for money.

Most guests staying here arrive in their own vehicle, so can easily drive themselves into the park. Indeed, Mushara is an exceptionally convenient location to do this. On the other hand, a guide will know something of animal behaviour so can often anticipate which animals are likely to appear at a certain waterhole, which can enhance your game viewing. Even if a drive is quiet, they will be able to point out birds and plants that you might otherwise overlook. Finally, the Mushara guides’ vehicles can communicate with each other by radio, sharing any good sightings they come across, and further increasing the chance of you seeing something exceptional. The combination of guided excursions and self-drive trips into the park can be a winning formula.

It's important to note that Mushara Lodge can sleep more guests than it has seats in its vehicles. If you know you would like to do an activity during your stay here, please tell us so we can pass the information onto the lodge. On rare occasions, travellers have missed out on activities that are not pre-booked.

Our view

Mushara Lodge is one of our favourite properties on the eastern side of Etosha. Comfortable and welcoming, it would appeal to families and those who like comfort without being too flashy. It's also a convenient base for those on a self-drive trip who wish to explore this side of the park under their own steam or on a guided game drive from the lodge.

Karen Sharpe

Namibia expert

Geographics

Location: Etosha National Park, Namibia
Ideal length of stay: 2 nights
Directions: Mushara Lodge is located on the Mushara Reserve, just 8km from Etosha's eastern Von Lindequist Gate. It is well-signposted from the gate.

The Mushara Reserve has its own airstrip, but it is also possible to fly to the airstrip at nearby Mokuti and be transferred to the lodge.
Accessible by: Self-drive or Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Half Board
Food quality: During our most recent visit, in April 2024, We were unable to stay at Mushara Lodge, so unfortunately didn’t enjoy a meal here. On our previous visit, in May 2022, the food was well presented and delicious – as described here.

The lodge can offers a separate child-friendly menu and with advanced notice can cater for most dietary requirements.

A buffet breakfast, served in the restaurant (6.00–9.00am), includes the usual bread, toast, fruit, yoghurt and juice, as well as tea and coffee and a cooked breakfast to order. We had a simple fruit salad with yoghurt and granola, tea and some toast.

A light lunch menu is available between 12.00 and 2.00pm and includes options such as as toasted sandwiches, burgers, pasta and salads.

Dinner, from 7.30pm, is an appetising three-course set menu, which in warmer weather is usually served on the patio. Our team enjoyed a starter of spinach gnocchi with tomato sauce and parmesan water. The main course was an excellent grilled impala kebab with fig sauce, parsley potatoes and vegetables, and the meal was finished off with a chocolate mousse with berry sauce.
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: No room service is available.
Drinks included: No drinks are included at Mushara Lodge. The tap water is deemed safe to drink but some travellers may prefer to stick to bottled water, which costs extra.

Special interests

Family holidays: Set on the private, fenced Mushara Reserve, just east of Etosha National Park, the two-bedroom family house at Mushara Lodge, complete with a climbing frame and kitchenette, makes an ideal stop on a family safari in Namibia.; See ideas for Family holidays in Namibia

Children

Attitude towards children: Children of all ages are welcomed at Mushara Lodge.
Property’s age restrictions: There are no age restrictions here.
Special activities & services: There is a climbing frame at the family house.
Equipment: Cots can be provided on request.
Generally recommended for children: Yes
Notes: Warthogs are usually seen munching on the grass at the lodge, and the area around the pool is not fenced so younger children need to be under supervision at all times.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Mushara Lodge

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Mushara 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.

Giraffe

94% success

Oryx

94% success

Wildebeest

94% success

Zebra

94% success

Elephant

88% success

Lion

71% success

Leopard

58% success

Black Rhino

57% success

Spotted Hyena

45% success

White Rhino

45% success

Eland

36% success

Cheetah

31% success

Sable antelope

11% success

Brown Hyena

9% success

Roan antelope

8% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes: The lodge has a back-up generator.
Communications: There is good cellphone reception in the chalets and rooms, as well as a telephone. Free WiFi is available in the main area and rooms although on our last visit this was somewhat intermittent.
TV & radio: None
Water supply: Mains
Water supply notes: All rooms have hot and cold running water and flush toilets.

Sustainability

Innovative water re-use at Mushara

Without access to municipal services, Mushara has devised its own water-management techniques, underpinning its commitment to sustainability.

Fresh water is delivered by borehole from a consistenty good underground supply that stays at a constant level of 12m, with staff regularly checking the pipes and taps for any leaks. All grey waste water from the kitchen, laundry and showers flows into underground drains, and once these are full, the water is pumped into the bush and natural filtration enables it to drain back into the soil. Sewerage meanwhile flows into a three-compartment septic tank, where it is naturally broken down by bacteria. By the time it reaches the third chamber it is treated as grey water and pumped into the bush, from where it, too, filters back into the soil.

See more great sustainability projects in Namibia

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: Yes
Medical care: The nearest doctor is in Tsumeb, around 100km from Mushara Lodge.
Dangerous animals: Moderate Risk
Security measures: The main entrance gate is locked from 8.00pm.
Fire safety: There is a fire extinguisher in every room.

Activities

4WD Safari
Birdwatching

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: A laundry service is available for an extra charge.
Money: There are safes in the chalets and rooms, for which keys are kept at reception.
Accepted payment on location: Cash payment may be made in Namibian dollars and South African rand. Visa and Mastercard payments are also accepted.