Gondwana Etosha Safari Lodge

We stayed at Etosha Safari Lodge for two nights at the end of March 2022 - due to it being off season, it was somewhat busier compared to other places we'd been (probably due to Etosha being very popular) but still relatively quiet. PROS We had a gorgeous room with fabulous interior design, powerful air con and power shower. Our view was pleasant (shrubbery, almost looked like a vineyard) but couldn't see any mountains. Each room was detached and had a parking space outside. If you wanted to walk up to the main hotel area there was a (lit) path, otherwise you could drive and park outside the front. The first day, we spent time at the pool overlooking the mountains which was absolutely stunning. The first evening, we spent time on the balcony, again, overlooking the mountains, to watch the sunset. They have a bar with a variety of gins (for example) and they also bring you some complimentary snacks. The view was very peaceful - no bar area music, which we loved. There is a watering hole right in front of this view but, due to it being wet season, there were no animals there. We could see some giraffes in the distance though! The second day, we did an all-day safari tour (organised by the hotel) which was great - our tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable and we saw lots of animals considering it was wet season! There is a lot of shrubbery and no gathering of animals at watering holes. The packed lunch was also great - lovely food and lots in there! Etosha National Park is about a 15 minute drive away from the hotel so a great location. You can also do self-driving tours but we found it more comfortable being on a tour and also you get the knowledge of the tour guide, plus probably better pictures being in an open vehicle. We were lucky, due to it being off season, that there was only 4 of us in the vehicle. The food at the lodge was great - buffet style breakfast and dinner, menu-based lunch. All lovely food and lots of choice. Finally, all staff were super friendly, hospitable and welcoming. CONS The only con is the internet is only available in the main area - HOWEVER, being in the middle of the desert this is to be expected and we actually loved being offline!

Installations are really beautiful. It has a a great deck from which you can watch a beautiful sunset. Lodges are very nice decorated as well as functional. Staff was helpful. We were really disappointed with the food. Probably the worst we’ve had in Namibia: flavorless , meat full of fat, bread dated of few days, frozen fruit salad… especially when you are paying extra 500pp you expect a lot more quality for the diner. Other disappointment was the WiFi. Only available at the lobby, the quality was extremely low.

It is hard to describe that place - you have to stay there an see for yourself. We stayed in an absolutely awesome house with large opening glass doors looking out from the bedroom on the endless landscape. Dinner and breakfast were among the best we ever had. Don´t miss the sunset from the patio of the main lodge where you can also watch for wildlife at the waterholes. We hope to come back again!

The staff of Etosha Safari Lodge is its greatest asset. From the front door to the waiter and receptionist, every member of their staff is incredibly helpful, polite, and friendly. Any lodge can be stunning and offer an incredible experience, but it's the people you work with—your staff is exceptional—that really make a guest's stay unforgettable. The cuisine is excellent, and the chefs never let you down. Everything about the lodge accommodations, including the view and ambiance, was exquisite and lovely. Well done, Gondwana team.

Our experience of the lodge would have been so much better if the staff at reception would have been friendlier. They made a mistake in our booking and instead of an apology with a smile, we got annoyance and irritation. At check out the bills were all mixed up and it took a while to clear up…. Again barely a smile or apology. Otherwise the lodge is tastefully decorated and food is good. Like mentioned before, do not book if you have mobility issues as the rooms are all spread out on the ridge in one long line.

Bad experience. No wifi in the room or reception. The staff promises it’s guests wifi by the reception when in reality it never works. They promise to fix it but it doesn’t get fixed and they have no way to fix it. They blame the government for not having any wifi in the hotel. When in fact the government has nothing to do with it. The other lodges in the area have wifi. There is also no reception in the area in case you plan to use your sim card to make emergency phone calls. The A/C in the room doesn’t work like other hotel guests mentioned in previous reviews. You need to be comfortable to be in a room that is ＞40 celsius.They have plenty of staff but none of them is doing any work. They stand around chatting most of the day. If you ask them to do something (e.g. for an omelet for breakfast) you need to remind them at least 3 times and they will still provide the wrong order. E.g. you ask for an all vegetable omelet and you get only eggs with meat. At dinner, a guy walks around who doesn’t speak any english forcing hotel guests to move to another table. There is zero flexibility around seating arrangements and you often have to sit next to a family with 3 screaming kids. The hotel only has see through curtains. No light is blocked out from the balcony. Hence you will wake up at 5.00am every day. The staff mentioned they accidently ordered the wrong curtains for the hotel but can’t fix it. The only have twin beds. There is no room with a bed for couples (i.e. 1 bed only). There is no bathroom door and no door for the shower. Hence the room will be completely wet and you have no privacy. The hotel is hard to find (no signs) and the walk to the rooms can be scary at night since there could be mamba snakes or other animals nearby. The room is full of bugs. The hotel is very old and not worth spending USD100+ per night. Best to stay elsewhere.

The lodge is set outside of Etosha so if you want to experience night time game drives, or spend hours near a waterhole viewing wildlife, this is not the place for you. However, for us, having been on safari before, this was a perfect location. Near enough to the park to enable us to spend lots of time in the park, but to be in luxury accommodation, with good services. As we were travelling in a quiet month (to be recommended) the lodge was quiet and very peaceful. We had all three swimming pools to our selves, although a family of mongoose did share the deck with us at one of them. Food is buffet style, plentiful and also vegetarian friendly. Breakfast is served early so you can get to the park for soon after sunrise. Staff were helpful, friendly and always cheerful.

Pretty lodges only a short distance from the Anderson gate and adjacent to a fabulous new fuel station which is ideal as there was no petrol available in Etoshia , during our week long visit to the park Great to stay in a lodge that was not various shades of grey/brown and nice seating area just outside your lodge . Lovely design ideas . The main building is impressive with a shop and large outdoor dining area with expansive views , a small pool area and viewing deck No designated area for smokers . Large groups of German tourists dominated the outdoor seating and viewing area which was fine. first come and all that, until you realise the majority smoke and this rolls over into the dining area - there was no escape . Tables are designated by room number and are supposed to be allocated for your stay but it became hunt the table, as the bottle with your number on it moves . Salad table at dinner was excellent but the rest of the food was a let down and the desserts were very poor , akin to substandard school dinners . Although breakfast is served until 9 if you arrive at 8.45am the tables are cleared as is 90% of the food and you are informed by staff that breakfast has finished . The coffee was Luke warm and the hot water flasks were tepid . This place has lots of potential but the staff look over worked and burnt out , the salad bar was beautifully presented and delicious but the rest of the food was really disappointing. The smoking was a big issue for us In comparison to the other lodges we’d stayed in , this one was not up to standard given the price .