Safarihoek Lodge: A Luxury Safari Experience in Etosha Heights

Safarihoek Lodge sits atop a hill within the 60,000 hectare Etosha Heights Private Reserve, on Etosha National Park’s south-western boundary. It has sweeping views over the savannah and a waterhole below. Etosha Heights is one of the largest private reserves in Namibia. The reserve has much the same wildlife as Etosha, including black and white rhino, but far fewer visitors.

What Makes Safarihoek Lodge Different

Safarihoek’s guides lead both game drives and bush walks, so guests explore the reserve by vehicle and on foot. The lodge also has a double-storey photography hide overlooking a natural waterhole. The waterhole is floodlit at night, and the hide has its own live cam. The hide’s upper level is wheelchair accessible and has a toilet. The reserve’s anti-poaching rangers patrol 24 hours a day, and part of the income from every stay goes directly towards rhino protection.

Accommodation at Safarihoek Lodge

Safarihoek has eleven thatched, air-conditioned chalets: one family chalet, eight luxury chalets and two classic chalets. Each one is raised on a wooden platform, with a private deck looking out to the waterhole and plains below. Rooms have double or twin beds, a writing desk, minibar and coffee station, plus a hairdryer and charging points. Every chalet has an en-suite bathroom with an indoor shower. The eight luxury chalets also have an outdoor shower with a view. The family chalet has a main en-suite bedroom and a separate en-suite children’s room, joined by a small living area.

Location & Getting There

Safarihoek is in the Etosha Heights Private Reserve, which shares 65km of Etosha National Park’s south-western boundary. Lodge activities take place within the reserve. Guests can visit Etosha independently, but with the reserve’s own wildlife it isn’t necessary. Many travellers spend a night or two at Safarihoek, then move on to stay inside the park. Safarihoek can be reached by self-drive or by air, with the lodge’s airstrip about an hour’s flight from Windhoek.

• Swakopmund: Option 1: 559km (about 6h drive via B2 and C33 – mostly tarred). Option 2: 497km (about 6h drive via C35 – mostly gravel).
• Khorixas: 197km (about 2h45min drive).
• Andersson Gate Etosha: 112km (about 1h40min drive).
• Outjo: 158km (about 2h drive).
• Windhoek: 473km (about 5h30min drive).

Activities & Experiences

• Game drives: early morning and late afternoon drives across the reserve, with wildlife including elephant, lion, giraffe, mountain zebra, kudu, sable and black-faced impala. Aardvark are sometimes seen in winter.
• Night drives: a chance to see nocturnal species after dark.
• Bush walks: guided walks through the reserve on foot.
• Rhino encounters: black and white rhino, usually seen on game drives and sometimes tracked through the reserve by their footprints.
• Photography hide: a double-storey hide overlooking a waterhole that is floodlit at night.
• Birding: a wide variety of species, including near-endemics.
• Spa treatments: available at an additional cost.

Nearby Attractions

Safarihoek shares the Etosha Heights Private Reserve with Etosha Mountain Lodge and Safari House. See our guide to accommodation and top lodges near Etosha National Park for other options outside the park, or our complete Etosha safari guide for the wider park.