Ngepi: heaven’s back garden

PHOTOS: Dook | PRODUCTION: Annemarie Meintjes | WORDS: Mirelle Leyden

At Ngepi Camp in Namibia, Mother Nature takes centre stage, constantly reminding us that we are merely the captive audience.

Imagine: You’re woken up by a yellow-bellied bulbul cheerfully saluting the break of dawn while perched on one of the wooden beams in your humble abode in the trees. You pull the duvet up to your nose and look through the mosquito net at the outside world splashed in hues of red, orange and pink, contrasting strongly with the bright-green palms that form a natural canopy over your deck.

A few feet away, the Okavango River that lulled you to sleep the night before greets you with the sound of hippos taking their early morning bath. When you take a shower, you’re doing it Adam-and-Eve style, as the entire bathroom is outdoors. Although cleverly hidden from public view, you remain utterly exposed to the hippos – and any other animal, for that matter – who are simultaneously enjoying a refreshing dip. At Ngepi, your imagination is given freedom by daily reality.

‘Our motto is “Get a life”. When we are caught up in the monotonous rat race, constantly striving to keep up with the Joneses, it is easy to forget what life is truly about,’ says Mark Adcock, founder and owner of Ngepi Camp. ‘At Ngepi, nature reminds us.’

Mark discovered the truth of this statement when,15 years ago, he found himself at a fork in the road of his own life. Turning right meant living the way he always had, as a successful businessman with a white-picket-fence approach to life.

Turning left meant going where he had never dared to venture before – on a journey in pursuit of the happiness and sense of purpose that he felt was lacking in his life. He opted for the road less travelled.

‘The Australian Aborigines used to go on what they referred to as a “walkabout”. This entailed a solitary journey in search of the meaning of life. They would retrace the paths of their ceremonial ancestors in the hope that they would experience the same revelations regarding destiny and life’s purpose. The idea thrilled me and I decided to go on a walkabout myself,’ recalls Mark. ‘My path led me to this place. Its beauty welcomed me with a heartfelt “hello” – one I had been searching for all my life – and I have never been able say goodbye.’

The name Ngepi could therefore not be more fitting: it means ‘hello’ in the local Thimbukushu language.

Simple perfection of nature

Ngepi Camp is situated in Namibia, 14km from Divundu, which is a small settlement on the B8 road between Rundu (200km) and Katima Mulilo (320km).

Your mode of transportation is entirely up to personal preference: a 4×4 is the most popular choice and a mountain bike the least popular. (Upon our arrival, a Swiss couple came to a panting halt before dismounting from their mountain bikes – fully geared with camping equipment – after having cycled all the way from Zambia!)

My personal favourite, however, was Mark’s private aeroplane with himself as the pilot. Nothing beats the feeling of flying so close to the tree tops that you are almost anticipating skimming the horns of the giraffes below. Except, of course, the feeling when you take your first step on Ngepi soil and make your way down to the Okavango River to embark on a sunset cruise that leaves you mesmerised by the sheer beauty of nature.

The accommodation at Ngepi varies from camping facilities to the more luxurious bush huts and tree houses. After finding the answers he was searching for in the simple perfection of nature, Mark vowed to leave it untouched. Not a single tree on Ngepi land has been, or ever will be, cut down for firewood or building purposes.

The trees dictate the structure of the tree houses, which are each stationed on a wooden deck with walls made from reeds and a thatched roof. ‘At Ngepi, nature is the masterpiece. Everything else (the accommodation, the game drives and the boat trips) is merely there to facilitate our interaction with it,’ Mark elaborates.

Ngepi is not your run-of-the-mill lodge where you can expect to be waited on hand and foot. A large sign in the cafeteria reading ‘It’s the waiter’s day off’ states this in no uncertain terms. Breakfast is farm style, complete with eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans and bread straight out of the oven, and can be ordered throughout the day.

A set dinner menu is also served at 7pm daily – be sure to expect a traditional venison pie that will keep you coming back for more. ‘Ngepi should feel like home, not like a five-star hotel,’ Mark explains.

While seated in a mokoro on the Okavango River, my fingertips caressing its mirror-like surface, I fully comprehend why Mark has never been able to say goodbye. I soon realise that this wildlife wonderland, or ‘remnants of Eden’ as some Ngepi visitors have cleverly branded it, has the inevitable ability to vastly expand the diameter of one’s heart.

More information: www.ngepicamp.com, bookings@ngepicamp.com, +264 66 259 903