Encounters of the wild kind: Why this African destination is drawing crowds

Interrupting the rhythm of a safari brings many rewards.

Day breaks quickly on the eastern fringe of Etosha Pan. Out here, towards the northern reaches of Namibia, there is barely a mound in the vast landscape that could interrupt the trajectory of the sun's first rays, and that sultry transition from night into day is made almost in a heartbeat. But still, there is a magic to the early-morning light, which lingers just long enough to wash tufts of grasses and the occasional acacia trees in gentle shades of copper. The lightening sky, layered with the high clouds of the approaching rains, is reflected in a waterhole and the hypnotic call of the Cape turtle dove - "work-haaarder work-haaarder" - fills the crisp morning air.

When you are on safari at a privately owned nature reserve there tends to be a particular rhythm to the days. You wake before sunrise for a game drive that lingers into brunch; when the animals seek solace from the heat, you indulge in a wholesome lunch; which is followed by afternoon tea and then it's time for another game drive, which stretches beyond sunset.

This morning, however, I have chosen to press pause on that routine. I am sipping fresh-brewed coffee on the elevated deck of my suite - one of only four in Onguma Nature Reserve's new Camp Kala lodge - and instead of actively searching for wildlife from a safari-outfitted vehicle, I am watching over a waterhole and waiting. For what exactly, I'm not sure... a lion would be nice; as would an elephant. A black rhino or a leopard would be outstanding. But Africa, I well know, is a lesson in patience and I am content to watch a soft breeze ripple the surface of my private plunge pool, when a jackal trots from almost beneath my feet towards the water's edge.

It will be later tonight that I'll see a lion from my thatched suite (his low, guttural moan will wake me and, in the light of the almost-full moon, I will see him clearly)... but sitting here now, I witness a parade of impala, oryx, kudu, springbok, giraffe, warthog and a herd of 50 majestic eland that tentatively approach the water to drink.

Onguma Nature Reserve shares a boundary with Etosha National Park, where the 4800-square-kilometre Etosha Pan (a World Heritage site, thought to have been formed 100 million years ago) makes this area a firm favourite on any safari-focused Namibia itinerary. This is true big-sky country, where elephants are dwarfed by the heavens.

"In a good rainy season the pan floods, bringing abundance of life like pelicans and flamingos," Onguma's reserve manager Jonathan Strijbis explained when we chatted last night over a dinner that started with broccoli quiche with asparagus gelato, and progressed to Namibian game fillet with red port wine jus. "Then it all evaporates and there's this extensive, mineral-rich surface that can be seen from space."

What's drawn me to Namibia is not only the luxe safari, but also the extravagance of privacy and space. At first glance Namibia is "empty" - with just three people per square kilometre, it is among the most sparsely populated countries on the planet (by comparison Kenya has 94, my native South Africa 25 and NSW has 10 people per square kilometre) - and I am delighted by the extensive swathes of semi-arid landscape, so flat that I can see the curvature of the earth.

"It's so easy to travel in Namibia; I've long considered it Africa for beginners," operations manager Garry Roberts had mused while we drove the six hours it takes to reach Onguma from Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia. "The roads are generally good and quiet, so it's very popular with self-drivers. The landscape is absolutely stunning, and of course the wildlife is outstanding."

As I sit down to an al-fresco breakfast beside the waterhole, a leggy heron stands completely still near the middle of the water, hunting. "You won't believe me while you see him out there, but this waterhole is actually really deep," butler Ivaz Tjaimi says as he serves a platter laden with pastries.

I linger over my morning meal, waiting. The elephants don't make an appearance, but giraffe do - and I wrap up breakfast with an espresso in the hide beneath Camp Kala's intimate bar, watching these lanky creatures. Front legs step out sideways, the body sways and stability seems to almost falter as the head drops down to the water.

"May I get you anything else?" Ivaz asks as a family of warthog trots down to join the giraffe. I've been meaning to ask, I say, what does "Onguma" mean?

Ivaz smiles. It comes from the local Oshivambo language, he tells me, and means "a place you never want to leave". Kala, he adds, is an abbreviation of the Oshivambo word "kalapo" which means "to stay". In that case, I say, settling back into my chair, may I have another espresso please?

Getting there: Qatar flies into Windhoek, and flights from Australia are via Doha and then either Johannesburg or Cape Town. Stopping off in South Africa first? Airlink connects Johannesburg and Cape Town with Windhoek.

Best time to go: For game viewing the drier winter months (July to October) are considered the best time to visit the Etosha region, as this is when animals will gather at waterholes.

Stay: Onguma Nature Reserve is on the eastern boundary of Etosha National Park. The private reserve has five luxury lodges - all set around waterholes, but quite different from each other. The reserve also has two camp sites. Accommodation inside the national park ranges from campsites to bush chalets. In Windhoek, The Windhoek Luxury Suites make for a comfortable stay. onguma.com; windhoek.com

Getting around: The roads in Namibia are generally good and self-driving is a popular way to travel. There are many options for 4x4 hire, with vehicles kitted out with camping gear.