Okonjima Nature Reserve

Okonjima Nature Reserve is a 22,000-hectare (220 square kilometer) private wildlife conservation area situated in central Namibia, approximately 50 kilometers south of Otjiwarongo and 220 kilometers north of Windhoek. Nestled at the base of the Omboroko Mountains, the reserve features a landscape dominated by acacia thornveld, savanna plains, riverine thickets, and rocky mountain outcrops. It is accessible by road via the B1 highway or by air using a private airstrip located on the property.Originally operated as a commercial cattle farm by the Hanssen family, the property began transitioning toward wildlife conservation in the mid-1980s to address livestock losses and human-predator conflict. In 1991, the family established the AfriCat Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research, environmental education, and predator conservation. The perimeter of the 220-square-kilometer reserve was fully enclosed by a 96-kilometer fence in 2010 to create a protected ecosystem for native fauna.Okonjima is key to carnivore research in Namibia, hosting long-term monitoring projects focused on leopards, brown hyenas, white rhinoceroses, and Temminck's ground pangolins. Guided activities for overnight guests include leopard tracking, brown hyena tracking, rhino tracking, night drives, and educational sessions explaining the reserve's scientific research. Accommodation on the reserve ranges from five private self-catering campsites to full-service lodges including Plains Camp, Luxury Bush Camp, the Private Bush Suite, and the Okonjima African Villa.