Okonjima And The Africat Foundation In Namibia

Okonjima lies nestled in the unspoiled beauty of the Omboroko Mountains

, part of the Waterberg Plateau and is home of The Africat foundation in Namibia.

Africat is an non-profit organisation that seeks to find solutions to the conflicts between predators and farmers in Namibia. AfriCat achieves this through farmer assistance, youth education, and animal welfare.

Gradually over the years Okonjima has become involved in tourism because of its convenient location between Windhoek and Etosha and the abundant bird life in the area. At the same time Okonjima also became known as a centre for big cat welfare because of its successful rearing of a young cheetah cub, Chinga. Farmers continually sought assistance with predator problems on their farms and the numbers of cats in need of rehabilitation after being caught in traps or hunted also increased, eventually Africat was formed. Today, although the AfriCat Foundation and Okonjima Lodge share Okonjima farm, the two are separate with a mutually beneficial relationship.

A stay at Okonjima fits in very well either at the start or finish of your Namibian safari. There are two different types of accommodations to choose from at Okonjima, the Main camp that used to be the family home of the Hanssen's who originally formed the Africat Foundation which consists of thirteen ensuite luxury rooms overlooking a lush well tended gardens. Alternatively there is the Luxury Bush camp which offers eight unique thatched Africa style chalets 3km from the Main camp.

Each exclusive chalet enjoys complete privacy sitting 80m from the next. The chalets are constructed with earthy ochre walls and khaki-green canvas, under a thatched roof. For those who wish to feel the closeness of nature, the front 180 of canvas panelling may be rolled up, inviting you to enjoy your own 'bushveld' vista. In front of each chalet, a birdbath is visited by a variety of birds and small mammals.

A stay at Okonjima offers guests a wonderful selection of activities and a chance to get close to and learn more amount some of Namibia's big cats. From both the lodge and the camp you can spend an hour or two in the hide enabling you to view animals which are unaware of your presence. Or you might like to head out with your guide and radio-track some of the collared cats in the 4,000 hectare rehabilitation area. There is also the Cheetahproject that offers guests a valuable insight into the welfare work carried out by the foundation and the Bushman's trail which offers a day in the life of a Bushman where you can learn to make traditional tools and learn how the San people adapt the unforgiving environment. There is also the option of visiting a hide after dinner for some nocturnal animal viewing.

Although there is the great attraction at the Africat Foundation with the opportunity to get close to big cats the foundation's objective is to release these magnificent creatures once they have proved that they can hunt for themselves and have recovered satisfactorily.

by: Nicola Russell

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