Situated approximately 43 km from Otjiwarongo, Namibia – Frans Indongo Lodge is the ideal stop when travelling between Windhoek and Etosha National Park or the Caprivi.
The Frans Indongo Lodge Terrace is the ideal setting for a leisurely ending to an eventful day, allowing you to enjoy a chilled drink while soaking up the reflection of spectacular hues of red over the sandstone rocks of the Waterberg Plateau on the side of the thorn bush savanna.
A relaxing restaurant is available on the Frans Indongo Lodge premises, allowing you to start your day with a scrumptious breakfast, enjoy a slice of cake for teatime – or indulge in truly Namibian cuisine in the evenings.
All of the meals prepared fresh and from scratch, using locally sourced produce, ensuring that you experience the wonders of Namibian food.
After a long day in the Savanna Bush veld, you can bath in the sun whilst relaxing on the Sundeck at the Swimming Pool – watching a succession of Sable Antelope, Black Springbok and Nyala quench their thirst at the nearby watering hole.
During the day, you can explore various parts of the Lodge and surroundings with the various activities available at the Frans Indongo Lodge.
The hosts at Frans Indongo Lodge are Astrid and Alf Walter. Astrid, a qualified Hotel Manager, was born on a farm near Kamanjab; Alf is a restaurant specialist and comes from Dresden in eastern Germany. Both, Astrid and Alf, have trained in renowned hotels in Germany and gained further experience in Switzerland before settling in Namibia.
We are right on your way. Frans Indongo Lodge is located north-east of Otjiwarongo and north-west of Waterberg Mountain. Thus it is ideally suited as a stop-over on your way from Windhoek to Etosha, the far north, to Bushmanland or the Caprivi. We are close to the tar road but nevertheless in the midst of the African bush savannah. [map]
One little hint: take your time. Our guests keep complaining that they would have liked to stay longer.
Accommodation at Frans Indongo Lodge
Frans Indongo Lodge offers 14 Rooms and Chalets, with a stylish African Interior Design inspired by the Namibian Ovambo culture. Each room and chalet is fitted with its very own bathroom, air conditioning, fridge, and more. Visit Accommodation for more information.
The lush green garden is shaded by tall trees and sports an artificial brook. It attracts the Shaft-tailed Whydah, the strikingly coloured Crimson-breasted Shrike, the Pied Barbet and many other feathered friends. You can have a refreshing dip into the swimming pool, and when the sun starts to set just before dinner you can retreat to the large wooden veranda at the bar or the little observation tower. Both are fabulous places for savouring the enchanting hour of dusk - and keeping an eye on the watering place which is illuminated at night. The rare Nyala, Black Springbok and White Blesbok, Sable and Roan Antelope regularly put in an appearance.
Activities at Frans Indongo Lodge:
Frans Indongo Lodge is situated in the heart of a 17.000 ha (170 km) farm in the bush savannah. Only a small part of the farm is still utilised for agricultural purposes. The focus now is on caring for the game. Apart from Gemsbok, Zebra, Kudu and Springbok there are also rarer species like Eland, Sable and Roan Antelope, Impala and Black Wildebeest, as well as White and Black Rhino. A game drive in an open off-road vehicle (about two hours) offers plenty of opportunity to watch the animals and take pictures.
Those who like to go exploring on foot, have three trails of differing length (1.5 to 4 hours) to choose from. Quite often antelope will cross your path. The effort of climbing the hilltop is rewarded with wonderful panoramic views of the vast bush savannah plains right across to Waterberg. Furthermore, there is much to learn about trees on the wayside. A botanist has numbered many typical trees and shrubs according to the Pocket List of Southern African Indigenous Trees. These are standard numbers, used in any good guidebook on plants, so that you can read up on any tree or shrub bearing a number.
Sprint-training for Cheetah:
The natural habitat of Cheetah in the wild has shrunk dramatically all over the world. Thus the fastest terrestrial animal on the planet has become a highly endangered species. With about 2,500 animals, Namibia boasts the largest Cheetah population on earth. In order to protect Cheetah in Namibia, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) was founded in 1990.
The CCF information centre is as entertaining as instructive and definitely worthwhile. Cheetah which no longer can be released into the wilds for various reasons, are kept in large enclosures next to the centre. You will be able to take stunning pictures of the big cats. On certain days visitors are also welcome to watch Cheetah at full speed during their sprint-training.
Leisure activities:
-3 trails (1,5 to 4 hours)
-Game drive on the 170 km farm, which is abundantly stocked with a large variety of animals (2 hours)
-Watch Cheetah and have a look around the Visitors Centre at the Cheetah Conservation Fund (half-day)
-Vulture restaurant and Information Centre at the Rare and Endangered Species Trust (2 to 3 hours, mornings or afternoons)
-Excursion to Waterberg Plateau Park and the OvaHerero Cultural Centre at Okakarara (day trip)
-Excursion to Otjiwarongo with visits to mineral shop, crocodile farm and local heritage museum (half-day)
Frans Indongo Lodge is host to 14 gorgeously decorated Rooms and Chalets, exuding the sense of life of Northern Namibia’s people in the most charming way. All of our Rooms and Chalets, modeled on traditional Ovambo Homesteads, giving guests the feeling of warmth and security of a home right in the middle of the African Bush veld.
All of the Rooms and Chalets at Frans Indongo Lodge are equipped with their own bathroom, air conditioning, fridge, hairdryer, telephone, television, and an electric kettle for tea and coffee.
We have 3 different types of accommodation available, namely: 2 x Double Rooms, 2 x Family Units, and 8 x Generously proportioned Chalets.
The Lodge and Chalets, built from materials like natural stone, wood, and reed that used for building houses in the Ovambo tribes.
Items of daily use in the Ovambo tribe (e.g. earthen pots, voluminous storage baskets and original wooden figures) serve as decoration to emphasize the African Theme – lending a very special charm to the Lodge.
Situated north-east of Otjiwarongo, only 43 km from the town and easily accessible without four-wheel drive on the B 1 tar road (26 km) and the D 2433 gravel road (17 km).
