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This is Damaraland at its best – rugged, uncompromising and beautiful in its austerity. It's also the setting for Doro Nawas Camp, an intrepid camp perched on a rocky outcrop on a floodplains of the dry Aba Huab River. The rooms blend almost seamlessly into the arid environment, successfully making you feel as if you’re a very part of the landscape. From here, the views across the plains to the mountains and sandstone cliffs of Twyfelfontein are completely uninterrupted. That is, unless a group of desert elephants ambles past, or a southern pale chanting goshawk catches your eye…
From $390 person/night
Sleeping in the al fresco star beds on the veranda of your room, ideally positioned to maximise galaxy gazing as you fall into a deep slumber.
Request a room that faces the mountains for views that will make you gasp, no matter how many times you see them.
The road into Doro Nawas is long, hard and bumpy – but the reward at the end makes the African massage worthwhile!
The open-plan communal area has a long indoor dining area, a lounge with comfortable sofas and a fireplace, a bar, curio shop and a small picture gallery. Below it is an open-air courtyard with a firepit and squashy beanbags. Climb a few stairs to the rooftop terrace with its all-round views – meals are often served here, followed by an animated chorus of local songs performed by the staff, and it's popular with stargazers. Nearby is a small pool to wash off the desert dust.
At the foot of the hill are 16 chalets (one is a family unit). All have stone bases, canvas walls and thatched roofs. The units have a large bedroom (with a double bed or twins that can be wheeled onto your veranda for a night under the stars) and padded wicker chairs. There's no aircon, but the chalets are spacious and cool, and have ceiling fans. There's an en-suite bathroom and an outdoor shower, accessed via sliding glass doors.
Game drives concentrate on the valleys and the riverbed and whilst this isn’t a big game area, you may encounter desert-adapted elephant and plenty of antelope. The highlight is undoubtedly Twyfelfontein, the largest collection of prehistoric rock art in Africa, the Petrified Forest and the Organ Pipes. There's also a walking trail near the camp (great for birders) and after dark, a guided walk will reveal captivating nocturnal creatures such as scorpions, which fluoresce under UV lights, and bat-eared fox. Doro Nawas is convenient for self-driving visitors, who can safely make their own way to the sights.
Doro Nawas Camp is owned by Wilderness safaris which aims to double its conservation impact by 2030, protecting 6 million acres of land. Their framework focuses on Educate, Empower, and Protect pillars, building a conservation economy, nurturing future leaders, and preserving unfenced wilderness. Through immersive hospitality experiences and partnerships with nonprofits like Children in the Wilderness and the Wilderness Trust, they engage guests in conservation efforts and address diverse threats to wilderness, wildlife, and communities.