Research
A safari of science and learning
The African bush is an ancient realm where wonder springs to life.
And the more we learn about the intricate web of connections that binds its fauna and flora to the land, the more it stirs our curiosity, our quest to wonder why.
At the Ongava Research Centre, an independent, privately funded institution adjacent to Anderssons at Ongava, scientists and researchers from around the world set out daily to explore, observe, analyse, and unravel the mysteries of the wild.
A restless quest to find out why
As vast and diverse as Ongava itself, the Ongava Research Centre’s field of study is guided by the way wildlife species inhabit, interact, and behave in their natural environments.
Why, for instance, do some animals turn back from roads, rivers, and boundaries they could easily walk across? How do tens of millions of wetland birds asses when to move to new breeding grounds?
Why do herds of zebra react so differently to lion and spotted hyena on the hunt? Why do certain animals slake their thirst at communal watering holes, while others drink from overflows in muddy pools?
Gathering vital data and sharing the answers, the Ongava Research Centre is making a wealth of difference to the world’s understanding of the wild.
Unravelling the ways and wonders of the wild at the Ongava Research Centre
“Finding answers for what we should know, but don’t know.” That’s the challenge that drives and inspires the global team of researchers and scientists based at the Ongava Research Centre.
Conducted together with Namibian and international scientists and visiting students, the research focuses on understanding animal habits and habitats, the impact of climate change, and the connection between humans and the natural environment.
The more gaps of knowledge that the centre’s dedicated researchers can fill, the more we will be able to preserve and maintain the integrity of our precious wild spaces.
As the Ongava Research Centre’s mission statement puts it, “We know more about the fascinating workings and the fragility of the natural world than ever before, and we use that information as best we can to conserve the world for all its living constituents and their offspring.”
Radiating from a central garden of mopane trees, the Ongava Visitor Centre is a carousel of fascinating knowledge and insight into the ways and wonders of the wild.
Take a wander around the centre, which is attached to Anderssons Lodge, and you’ll discover the amazing history of Ongava Private Game Reserve, the ancient geology of the land, and the secrets of its abundant fauna and flora.
It’s a must-visit that will open your eyes and mind to the beauty of nature, and the cutting-edge research that has earned the Ongava Research Centre its global reputation for excellence at the frontiers of scientific knowledge.
And when the sun sets, the roof of the centre doubles as an evocative setting for a night of gazing at the stars.
Learn about our projects to protect and preserve the land, in harmony with its people
Conducted together with Namibian and international scientists and visiting students, the research focuses on understanding animal habits and habitats, the impact of climate change, and the connection between humans and the natural environment.
Indulge in a Life of Luxury in the Wild
At Ongava, you can spend your day in the wide-open spaces of the wild, and come home to the embrace of comfort and luxury.
Our four lodges, distinctive in style and character, have been carefully designed to harmonise with the landscape that surrounds and inspires them. Each is a special retreat that will advance your appreciation of nature.
A place to call your own, in the Realm of the Rhino.
Ongava Tented Camp
Recapture the roots of adventure in comfort and style
Recapture the roots of adventure in comfort and style
Anderssons at Ongava
A touch of Mediterranean flair in the heart of the bushveld
A touch of Mediterranean flair in the heart of the bushveld
Little Ongava
A whisper of seclusion at its most seductive
A whisper of seclusion at its most seductive
Ongava Lodge
A breathtaking panorama that invites introspection
A breathtaking panorama that invites introspection
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