The Ultimate Namibia Safari Lodge: Zannier Omaanda Review

Want to know what it’s really like staying at Zannier Omaanda in Namibia?

Namibia has so many incredible luxury lodges and activities to offer visitors…so how do you choose? I stayed at three different luxury hotels during my time in Namibia and they all offered something quite unique and exciting.

After experiencing them all though, one thing is definitely clear: If wildlife spotting is a priority for your trip, you’ll absolutely want to consider a stay with Zannier Omaanda.

Omaanda is the sister property to Zannier Sonop, a bucket list Namibia stay that is otherworldly. However, while the focus at Sonop is jaw-dropping vistas and wow-worthy moments, Omaanda is more sophisticated and subtle. Here, the wildlife and the preservation of the land is really the star of the show.

We had the pleasure of spending our final two days of our Namibia trip relaxing at this stunning lodge and exploring some of the 22,000 acres the lodge sits on in partnership with the N/a’an ku sê Foundation, an organization whose mission is the preservation of Namibian wildlife and land.

With every activity on offer, guests have the opportunity to learn more about these conservation efforts while experiencing plenty of adventure in the Namibian savannah in a way that respects and protects the land and its inhabitants.

In this post, I’m going to share our experience with every aspect of this ultra luxe lodge so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your trip.

Zannier Omaanda Review

What You’ll Love About Zannier Omaanda

• The wildlife: Guests have the opportunity to spot everything from lions, elephants, impalas and giraffes to leopards and rhinos.
• Omaanda is conveniently situated just 40 minutes outside Windhoek, making it an easy hop skip and a jump from the international airport.
• The decor here is super calming and soothing with neutral tones and earthy textures.
• The hotel takes sustainability seriously and earned their Green Globe certification in December 2024.
• Massive picture windows in every hut invite the African savannah into your room.

Property and Amenities

The Zannier Omaanda lodge is made up of one main lodge area that houses the restaurant, seating area, bar, fire pit and pool. There’s also a spa very close by, and then the thatched guest rooms that are placed along a wooden pathway.

Though the overall lodge is pretty small and intimate, the land itself is massive—the hotel sits on 22,000 acres of protected land in partnership with the N/a’an ku sê  foundation, where a wide variety of animals roam freely.

Guests are invited to join up to two game drives per day to take in the beauty of the sprawling savannah in the hopes of spotting wildlife like lions, elephants, leopards and much more.

There’s even a small watering hole just beyond the hotel’s pool that animals are occasionally known to mosey up to in the hopes of snagging a drink.

When we were there the property was pretty quiet overall with not a high capacity of guests given the timing of our visit in mid December. The vibe was very calming and relaxing but also eerily quiet at times—I’d be curious to return back in high season to see how the energy might shift!

Out of all the luxury lodges we stayed at during our trip to Namibia, I probably enjoyed the overall ambiance and decor at Omaanda the most. The entire hotel is outfitted in neutral toned furnishings with earthy textures and natural materials, and the interior accents feel like treasured authentic African objects you’d want to take home with you and cherish forever.

The colors, textures and layout of the hotel is incredible relaxing and understated which only underscores the calmness you feel being here surrounded by 360 degree views of untouched Namibian landscape.

What’s Included in Your Stay:

Zannier Omaanda’s nightly rates are all-inclusive style. The rate includes accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner including non-alcoholic beverages.

Dining at Zannier Omaanda

Dining at Zannier Omaanda takes place in their simple but lovely al fresco restaurant, Ambo Delights. The restaurant overlooks the pool and sunset bar hut and beyond that the stunning savannah and mountains in the distance.

Trust me when I say that guests eat well at Zannier Omaanda. Everything we ate was really delicious and in true Zannier Hotels fashion was beautifully plated for our viewing pleasure.

You can expect every meal here to be multi-course, giving guests plentiful options to choose from. Plus, they’re extremely accommodating to any specific dietary requirements so you don’t have to worry too much. Omaanda also takes every effort to source sustainable and organic produce where possible, and everything tasted super fresh.

Breakfast

During breakfast, we ordered ‘à la carte’ off the menu, but they’ll still bring additional items that come compulsory with every morning meal like breads, meats, cheeses and a fruit plate. You can expect standard breakfast menu options like egg dishes, pancakes, waffles, and healthy bowls.

My favorite thing we had for breakfast was a banana cream crepe that I’m honestly still dreaming about it.

Lunch

Lunch at Omaanda is always more of a mezze style meal with sharing style plates. We enjoyed many different dishes for lunch including garlic shrimps, cous cous salad, lamb meatballs and home-made breads. And of course there’s a dessert to finish off your midday meal as well.

Dinner

Dinner is the fanciest meal of the day at Omaanda and though still pretty casual, it’s a four course gastronomic occasion. Guests start with an amuse bouche and appetizer, then move on to a main course as well as a selected dessert. For dinner, we enjoyed a slow roasted chicken one night and a lamb shank on another that were both cooked to perfection.

The Rooms at Zannier Omaanda

The rooms are luxuriously spacious at Omaanda and are designed like authentic Namibian homes (or Owambo style). They’re made up of round clay huts with high ceilings and thatched roofs. Guests can book either a one or two bedroom hut (we had a one bedroom).

As you walk into your room, you’ll find a small desk area, mini bar and large king bed and even a TV (which I was surprised to find in the rooms and doesn’t feel needed when you have all the beauty of nature to enjoy here). The highlight of the huts are definitely the unobstructed picture windows that unveil the sprawling savannah beyond.

Additional features of the rooms include a fireplace, walk in wardrobe, private shaded deck and a generous bathroom including double sinks, a separate WC, rain shower and a bathtub with its own scenic viewing window.

Spa and Wellness

Just like the rest of the Omaanda property, the spa here is incredibly calming with neutral toned furnishings in natural materials like wood and rattan. Through their spa offerings, Omaanda weaves modern techniques and ancient Namibian therapies to create unique wellness experiences for guests that are deeply healing.

When I arrived for my deep tissue massage, I was first asked to select a personalized scent from a choice of about six that was then used for the remainder of treatment, which felt like a nice personalized touch.

But the massage itself is what really blew me away. As someone who gets regular massages back home and had one at every luxury lodge we stayed at this trip, Omaanda’s 1000% took the cake. It was one of the best massages I’d had in a long time and was the perfect way to end a trip full of long hours spent in the car on very, very bumpy roads.

The Safari Experience at Zannier Omaanda

Safari game drives are an absolute must while on the Omaanda property, and if you’re not doing game drives it probably doesn’t make a ton of sense to stay here.

Omaanda offers two game drives per day—one sunrise and one sunset—and guests have the ability to see a wide variety of Namibian wildlife including lions, giraffes, elephants, leopards, jackals, impalas, warthogs, springbok and much more.

I would recommend doing as many game drives as you can during your stay so that you have the greatest chance of seeing all kinds of wildlife. We were only able to do one game drive and got a little unlucky, but were still able to spot elephants (my favorite!), rhinos, warthogs and springbok.

I wanted to spot a lion so badly, but despite all our guide’s best efforts (that included a very crazy looking tracking device), we weren’t able to cross paths as they were likely hiding in the bushes from the sun.

Still, it was very impressive and fascinating to see our guide Jonas at work, tracking paw prints and monitoring how recent some of the animal droppings were to determine how close the animals were to the area.

Alas, no lions, but we’ll just have to book another trip to Namibia for that!

As you drive out with your safari guide along the Khomas Hochland plateau, you’ll not only get the potential to spot wildlife, but you’ll also take in the stunning scenery that is protected by the Zannier Reserve in partnership with the N/a’an ku sê Foundation.

What I appreciate so much about Omaanda is the conservation efforts behind every aspect of the hotel. In 2016, Zannier Hotels forged a partnership with the N/a’an ku sê Foundation (thanks to an introduction by Angelina Jolie), and together they’ve created the Zannier Reserve by N/a’an ku sê which acts as a sanctuary and “second chance” for many of the animals here.

This incredible land just beyond the capital of Windhoek is a fragile environment teeming with wildlife and Zannier Hotels along with N/a’an ku sê are working to protect the land and preserve the natural life cycle of its animal inhabitants.

The sunset and sunrise conservation drives max out at six people which is a lovely intimate experience as well.

Activities

Unlike some of the other luxury lodges in Namibia that offer all kinds of excursions, Omaanda’s activities are really focused on the wildlife and exploring the reserve.

• Sunset and sunrise conservation drives
• Rhino tracking
• Elephant tracking
• Carnivore tracking
• Behind the scenes tour of the Zannier Reserve
• Carnivore feeding experience
• Cheetah walk
• Guided nature walk

Helpful Notes for Your Stay

• Nature is unpredictable, so book as many game drives as you can to increase your chances of seeing all kinds of wildlife.
• The only real downside to our stay here was the long distances walking from the main lodge to the rooms—I’d call ahead and see if you can reserve a hut that’s close to the main lodge, especially if you have any injuries or trouble walking.
• Don’t miss out on Omaanda’s private chauffeur service to and from the airport if you don’t plan on self driving.
• For the best deals, book your stay from December to April when rates are lowest.
• For an all around epic trip to Namibia, pair a visit to Omaanda with a trip to their sister property, Zannier Sonop.

Did this Zannier Omaanda review inspire you to visit Namibia? Let me know in the comments!

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