Namibia is an incredibly beautiful country, and one that seems to have shot to fame and popularity over the past couple of years, due in part to social media, and helped along by renowned boutique accommodation companies opening up some truly remarkable barefoot luxury lodges in Namibia

 

Travelling across Namibia is an incredible adventure, driving through miles and miles of red sand dunes, along endless dirt roads and through tiny villages which are scattered across this vast country. Not to mention miles of the famous barren ‘Skeleton Coast’ ending up in tiny wooden ‘shipwrecks’ to eventually stay across some the most unique and beautiful ‘barefoot luxury’ lodges that Namibia has to offer.

We spent two and a half weeks travelling across Namibia by car and I have put together this complete guide of Namibia hotels to help you plan your ultimate trip to the best luxury lodges in Namibia.

How to get to Namibia?

The easiest and best way to get to Namibia is to fly into Namibia’s major airport; Hosea Kutako International Airport, NB there are no direct flights to Namibia from London, (but you can fly direct from Frankfurt, Germany!) you can choose to stop over in Johannesburg or Cape Town from all major London airports. We chose Cape Town as we wanted to spend a few days exploring the beautiful city as I had never visited. Check flight prices and more details here.

When is the best time to visit Namibia?

Depending on what you want to see, Namibia is technically a year round destination. If its wildlife that you are most interested in seeing, then The Winter is the best time (July to October) this also means that it is peak season, so bear that in mind when you are planning and booking.

We visited at the end of May and just into early June and found it to be the perfect time, due to being just outside of peak season we had incredible weather; warm and dry (albeit a little chillier out in the mountains) and still managed to see our fair share of wildlife. Like any destination, there are pros and cons to the time of year you choose to visit, our priority was avoiding peak times for quieter lodges, and the perfect balance of weather and temperatures.

 

How to get around Namibia

There isn’t really any way around this, a 4×4 is the best way to see Namibia, the roads are rough and very unmaintained so you’ll be faster and more comfortable in a four wheel drive car. Unfortunately for us, our car hire mixed up our booking and we got an AWD (which I can assure you is not the same!) It wasn’t a disaster and we still managed to see every place we aimed for, but it did make for slow going on the roughest roads to avoid a puncture!

 

The five best luxury lodges in Namibia

Now the logistics are sorted, and you know when you’re planning to head out to Namibia and you have selected your car, let’s get to the main event and talk about the five best luxury lodges in Namibia.

Sonop, Zannier

Sonop is a luxury tented camp sitting on over 13000 acres of Namibian desert wilderness. Ten tents sit amongst a vast pile of granite boulders (of which not a single one was moved in the construction of Sonop) linked via a network of wooden walkways

Where is Sonop?

Sonop is situated in the Karas region, deep in The Namib desert.

What to expect from Sonop.

Honestly nothing short of magic, the entrance to the reserve is down a very long dirt track that seems to stretch on forever, after what seems like a life time you reach a small stone building where you can leave your car. The rest of the journey is in Sonop’s own 4×4 where you will be dropped off at the base of a vast pile of granite boulders. The wooden boardwalk snakes up steeply between them, and as you trundle up the boardwalk on the back of a golf cart the vastness of the desert spreading below you almost distracts you from the beauty of Sonop.

Each of the tents is decorated in a 1920’s British colonial aesthetic complete with binoculars, handmade writing paper and a beautiful claw foot bath which really is the ultimate in luxury lodges. We passed our days exploring the reserve at sunrise with our beautiful guide Lazarus, on horseback with our guide Austin and relaxing by the pool, which come dusk turns into an outdoor cinema, complete with blankets and popcorn!

 

Kwessi Dunes, Natural Selection

Kwessi Dunes is a series of 12 chalets all with canvas walls and thatched roofs. Each of them has a separate ‘star gazer’ room, completely open to the sky, and the perfect spot to gaze up at the milky way

Where is Kwessi Dunes?

Kwessi Dunes is located deep in Namibia’s striking NamibRand Nature Reserve, a vast desert wilderness of over 200,000 hectares. (The best lodge out of these to visit the iconic Sossusvlei!)

What to expect from Kwessi Dunes.

We were thoroughly spoiled with our entrance to Kwessi, as we drove slowly down the dirt track (are you sensing a theme yet?!) I started to see horses and foals amongst the red sands, as we drew closer we noticed to our extreme excitement that they were in fact desert adapted Zebra and their foals! This element was undoubtedly the best and most unique aspect of Kwessi (maybe alongside the outdoor bed for stargazing!), they have installed a watering hole in front of the lodge, just opposite the pool for the local wildlife to drink from.

Throughout our stay we watched in awe as the Zebra and Oryx interacted, and learnt all about their behaviours. We spent one night of our stay tucked up snugly in the outside bed and gazed at the stars as the milky way drifted above our heads. Did I mention that sundowners out in the desert are also a thing here?! The ultimate way to end a day relaxing is exploring the reserve and finish with an ice cold G&T.

 

Hoanib Valley Camp, Natural Selection

Hoanib is the smallest and most remote of all of the camps we stayed in. With only 6 safari tents it had the most intimate and personal feel of all of the camps.

Where is Hoanib Valley camp?

Hoanib is actually almost impossible to find, it is tucked at the base of craggy mountains in the Kaokoveld region of north-west Namibia, only accessible via a two hour drive down a dry riverbed. Hoanib is open year-round, but the two seasons (the green season and the dry season) offer two remarkably different experiences, so depending on what you want to see/experience you can plan your trip accordingly.

What to expect from Hoanib Valley camp.

Experiencing HVC starts as soon as you start the drive down the river bed, due to our aforementioned car issue we had an escorted transfer from Sesfontein which is the nearest village to Hoanib. Driving down the river bed was a surreal experience, seeing the way the water carved through the landscape and the debris it left behind was a beautiful start.

Hoanib was undoubtedly the most remote and quietest camp we stayed in. The camp itself is set back in a hidden valley and surrounded by a range of jagged mountains, and it was in that river bed that I set eyes on my first elephant. Elephants have been my favourite animal since I was a very small person so the feeling of awe and respect I felt as ‘Ollie’ the vast desert adapted elephant came walking slowly down the river bed in the early morning light is not one I will forget soon.

For those of you feeling most adventurous and in need of a true ‘off the beaten track’ experience, then Hoanib is for you. Mornings are spent in the back of the safari truck, in search of desert adapted giraffe, elephants, and if you are really lucky, Lions! Evenings are spent sitting round the fire pit, a drink in hand and the famous Namibian dark skies stretching above you.

 

Skeleton Lodge, Natural Selection

Skeleton lodge consists of only 10 wooden chalets designed to resemble shipwrecks, scattered along the sand dunes of The Skeleton Coast, and undoubtedly the most unique of the Namibia luxury lodges listed here. The only sounds are of waves crashing in the distance and falling asleep to a crackling fire in the stove is the stuff of dreams.

Where is Skeleton Lodge?

Skeleton lodge is in the famous Skelton Coast, 45km from Möwe Bay between the Hoarusib and Hoanib rivers. As with every property on this list, a 4×4 is necessary if you want to drive your own car the two and a half hours down through the barren landscapes and vast sand dunes. But if that does not sound like your idea of fun, there are of course transfers that will come and pick you up for the ride (complete with drinks and snacks!)

What to expect from Skeleton Lodge.

Skeleton Lodge is one of those ‘I cant believe this actually exists’ kind of places, a series of ten cabins nestled amongst the dunes with literally nothing surrounding them. With a two hour plus drive with no markers to guide your way it truly is like being shipwrecked on a desert island, albeit with more luxuries! Skelton Lodge was the one property where we truly stopped and relaxed, we spent the days reading our books, watching the distant ocean and listening to the wood-burner crackle gently in the background. While there are multiple excursions available there is something refreshing about slowing down and just being.

 

Omaanda, Zannier

Omaanda is home to 10 thatch and clay huts nestled in the heart of the Zannier Reserve, a 22,000-acre wildlife conservancy, and by far the closest you can get to a wildlife resort in Namibia.

Where is Omaanda?

Omaanda is only half an hour outside of Windhoek, although you would be forgiven for thinking that it is much much further away. The sense of calm and the extraordinary amount of wildlife (thanks to its neighbouring wildlife reserve) belies its proximity to the capital city.

What to expect from Omaanda.

Omaanda is without a doubt one of the best safari lodges in Namibia. During our stay we saw more animals than we had the entire two week trip. From tracking Rhino and calves on foot, (one of the most incredible experiences ever) to catching a glimpse of leopards out for an evening hunt, Omaanda was the perfect place to end our road trip through this remarkable country.

The temperature at Omaanda was the biggest surprise, at night the temperatures dropped to below zero, leaving mornings clear and frosty, we huddled round the fire in the dining room as we enjoyed the best breakfast of the entire trip! By late morning/midday the temperatures were soaring and the sun was once again warming our bones. Days at Omaanda were spent playing cards by the open air infinity pool, dozing in the sunshine and keeping our eyes on the plains that stretched as far as the eye could see.

In the evenings we bundled up and jumped into the safari truck to head through the wildlife reserve, the evening drives reveal the elusive beauty of the nocturnal savannah, which is an experience that you will never forget. Follow this by the obligatory sundowner in the wilderness. While staying at Omaanda you have the extraordinary opportunity to visit

 

Final Thoughts

I hope this blog has inspired you to visit Namibia, and to truly go all out and stay in some of the best Namibia hotels there are. For more imagery from the various properties, check out my gallery here and my photo work on my website here