Okonjima Nature Reserve

Okonjima is a former cattle farm turned into a two-hundred-square-kilometre reserve and the base of the AfriCat foundation, which works on carnivore conservation and the conflict between farmers and predators. Leopard and cheetah in the reserve carry radio collars and are tracked on drives, which makes sightings far more reliable than in the parks; the animals are wild and hunt for themselves within the fenced area. Brown hyena and pangolin research also runs here.

What's there

• The leopard tracking - radio telemetry used to find collared wild leopard.
• The cheetah - a population within the reserve, also tracked.
• The AfriCat work - carnivore research and farmer conflict programmes.
• The night drives - brown hyena, porcupine and pangolin on evening outings.

When to go

May to October is the dry season and the most comfortable, with best visibility. Summer from November to April brings heat and thicker bush. Tracking runs year round.

Practical notes

The reserve is fenced and the animals are collared, which some visitors find takes the edge off the experience; it is honest about this. Rates are high and activities are charged on top. It is a conservation operation rather than a wilderness.

Nearby

Otjiwarongo is north, and the Waterberg is east.

Key facts