Last updated · Sandura Tours, Windhoek
Hobatere Lodge stands in the ≠Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy on the western border of Etosha National Park, a very short distance from Galton Gate. The lodge calls itself a success story in community-based tourism: your hosts are members of the community on whose land it rests, and the lodge earns income for that community, supports conservation and works to reduce conflict between people and wildlife. Its name, Hobatere, means “find him” or “find me” in Nama — fitting for a lodge that sits half-hidden in indigenous trees near a riverbed, looking out over a wide plain and a very active waterhole.
From the gate on the C35 it is 16 kilometres of gravel through the concession, through bushveld and riverine vegetation, and the lodge suggests you take it slowly and look for game on the way in. You are met with a warm cloth for the dust and a cold drink while you check in.
Life at Hobatere is built around the plain in front of it. The restaurant, bar and lounge sit under thatch with views across the veranda to the plain; there are viewing decks and verandas for watching the waterhole by day and by night, and a swimming pool with loungers beside the main area. Dinner is under the thatched roof or under the stars. The lodge lists elephant, lion, giraffe, a large variety of buck and the rare Hartmann's mountain zebra among the game here, and at night bat-eared fox, aardwolf and genet.
The history runs deep. In 1954 Renier and Hendrina Els and their three children settled on a farm in the Outjo district that they named Marenphil, after their children Maryna, Renier and Philippus; in the lodge's telling, lions raided their livestock one April night and Hendrina seized a lioness that had attacked her husband, and the farm became, many years later, what is now Hobatere Lodge. The lodge burned down in 2011 and was rebuilt with funds donated by the Millennium Challenge Account and the work of the community, reopening in 2015. The same conservancy also owns Grootberg Lodge in Damaraland, and Hobatere sits on the western border of Etosha, near Galton Gate.
Hobatere Lodge: a hidden gem on Etosha's western border
Hobatere lies 65 kilometres north of Kamanjab on the C35 tar road towards Opuwo. Pass Etosha's Galton Gate on your right and the lodge's entrance is 1 kilometre further, on the left; from there it is 16 kilometres of gravel through the concession to the lodge. In the rainy green season, November to April, the lodge asks for a high-clearance 4x4. There is also a working airstrip: guests who fly in are collected on landing and driven to the lodge.
The ≠Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy describes what happened here as a turnaround. Before 1990 the area was almost empty of game, and farmers saw lions, elephants and antelope as costly pests. Once the community became the custodians and beneficiaries of the concession, former poachers became conservationists, and the conservancy is now part of an international case study on community conservation. The lodge, rebuilt after a fire and hosted by members of the community, is part of that story.
Staying at Hobatere
- Six rondavels with twin beds and six double rooms, which can take a third person on request. Every room is en-suite with a shower, basin and toilet, and has a writing desk and a coffee and tea station.
- The lodge runs on solar power, which cannot run kettles or fridges in the rooms, so reception brings flasks of hot water at any hour — including first thing in the morning.
- The Treehouse, for those who want to be wholly immersed in the silence of the bushveld.
- A restaurant, a lounge and a bar under thatch, a veranda over the plain, viewing decks for the waterhole, a swimming pool with loungers, and a small curio shop stocked from the region's communities and fair-trade suppliers.
What there is to do
- Morning and afternoon game drives in open vehicles with the lodge's rangers.
- Night drives, for the animals the day does not show — bat-eared fox, aardwolf and genet among them.
- Watching the waterhole from the decks and verandas, by day and by night.
- Birding — the lodge names the Cinderella waxbill and the grey kestrel among its birds.
- Departure times follow sunrise and sunset, so reception confirms them on the day.
In pictures
Where we recommend staying
Hobatere Lodge
A rustic, thatched lodge in the ≠Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy on the western border of Etosha, hosted by members of the community on whose land it stands. Six twin rondavels and six double rooms, all en-suite, a restaurant, bar and lounge looking onto the plain and the waterhole, a pool, and morning, afternoon and night drives in open vehicles.
Giving back — education in the conservancy
Hobatere and Grootberg Lodge both put part of their income into a trust fund that pays school costs — tuition, boarding, books, uniforms and stationery — for children from disadvantaged families in the conservancy. Guests can add the equivalent of 1% of their bill, or more, to the fund; a committee decides who it supports.
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Common questions
Where is Hobatere Lodge?
In the ≠Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy on the western border of Etosha National Park, a very short distance from Galton Gate. The entrance is on the C35, 65 km north of Kamanjab towards Opuwo and 1 km past Galton Gate, and the lodge is 16 km inside on a gravel road.
Do I need a 4x4 to reach Hobatere Lodge?
In the rainy green season, November to April, the lodge asks for a high-clearance 4x4 for the 16 km gravel road through the concession. It suggests checking road conditions with the lodge before you travel. Guests can also fly in to the lodge's own airstrip.
What wildlife can you see at Hobatere?
The lodge lists elephant, lion, giraffe, a large variety of buck and the rare Hartmann's mountain zebra, with bat-eared fox, aardwolf and genet on night drives. The lodge looks out over a plain with a very active waterhole.
What accommodation does Hobatere Lodge have?
Six rondavels with twin beds and six double rooms that can take a third person on request, all en-suite, plus the Treehouse. The lodge runs on solar power, so there are no kettles or fridges in the rooms; flasks of hot water are brought on request.
What activities does Hobatere offer?
Morning and afternoon game drives in open vehicles with the lodge's rangers, and night drives. Departure times change with sunrise and sunset, so reception confirms them.
How is Hobatere Lodge linked to the local community?
It stands on the land of the ≠Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy, and your hosts are members of that community. The lodge burned down in 2011 and was rebuilt with funds donated by the Millennium Challenge Account and the community's own work, reopening in 2015.
What does the name Hobatere mean?
“Find him” or “find me”, in Nama.
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