Kwessi Dunes Lodge

Cool and comfortable desert quirkiness at the newest lodge in the NamibRand.

With a strict limit on the number of lodges allowed in the beautiful NamibRand Nature Reserve, it’s not often that a new one appears on the books. But here is Kwessi Dunes Lodge, once a traditional Namibian farm and now 10 cool and quirky chalets,...

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Jonty

Eve

Kristin

4.9 out of 5 stars Average guest rating

About Kwessi Dunes Lodge

With a strict limit on the number of lodges allowed in the beautiful NamibRand Nature Reserve, it’s not often that a new one appears on the books. But here is Kwessi Dunes Lodge, once a traditional Namibian farm and now 10 cool and quirky chalets, which opened to guests in March 2020. Set smack bang in the middle of the 200,000-hectare reserve, there’s plenty to get your teeth into – we hear tales of nature drives and walks, quad bike explorations, hot air balloon flights, Sossusvlei trips and plenty of opportunities to spot desert-adapted wildlife. Add to that a lovely-looking lodge and a team that knows exactly what they’re doing when it comes to top-notch safaris (and air conditioning and a swimming pool).

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From $580 person/night

Lodge

10 Rooms

NamibRand, Namibia

What you'll love

The quirky, air-conditioned chalets. With stripy walls, map murals and vintage four-poster beds, they stand out in a desert of green canvas.

Insiders tip

We’ve heard that each chalet will have a separate ‘star gazer’ room at the back, the ideal spot for counting the shooting stars in Africa’s first internationally-acclaimed Dark Sky Reserve.

Something to think about

The lodge isn’t located at the dunes of Sossusvlei (which we think is a good thing!) but if you’ve got your heart set on gazing at those iconic dunes from your veranda, that’s not the case here.

The property

Natural Selection Safaris, owners of Kwessi Dunes Lodge, are known for their low-key style and originality when it comes to safari lodges and Kwessi is no exception. The main area is all about the views of the expansive desert and distant sand dunes, and folding glass doors allow uninterrupted gazing whilst still keeping you cool. Inside, the thatched main lodge has a bar, library and fireplace (it gets chilly even in the desert), and outside, there’s a mini swimming pool, fire pit and several eating areas, open to the skies.

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The rooms

The 10 canvas-and-thatch-chalets (plus two family suites!) are sprinkled around the main area. Conical roofs and swinging hammocks are fun and quirky and inside, the décor is traditional with a touch of something different – think striped canvas and contemporary steel lamps mixed with old maps and leather chairs. All are air conditioned and have ensuite bathrooms with indoor and outdoor showers, but the real cherry on top is the alfresco ‘stargazer’ rooms at the back into which the beds can be moved to spend a night under the glittering stars.

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Activities

Hot Air Ballooning

Activities at Kwessi are focused around the incredible desert landscape. Nature drives and walks will reveal the desert-adapted wildlife (lots of springbok steenbok and kudu, as well as bat-eared foxes and gemsbok), whist hot air balloon safaris and quad biking will show you the terrain from a slightly different perspective! Visits to the iconic red dunes of Sossusvlei are available – make sure to book in a climb to Big Daddy at sunrise – as well as to the fossilised trees of Deadvlei, and heli flights can be booked in advance too. And don’t forget about stargazing either; the NamibRand is the only Dark Sky Reserve in Africa and the celestial theatre shows are spectacular, especially from the outdoor beds.

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Positive impact

Kwessi Dunes Lodge is owned by Natural Selection which is dedicated to conservation, partnering with local communities, governments, and organizations to protect and expand conservation areas. They build eco-friendly camps that blend into the environment and aim to inform guests about Africa's wildlife challenges and successes, hoping to inspire further positive action for wildlife conservation.

A contribution of $27,40 per guest, which is included in the nightly rate, goes towards the above goals.

Reviews

Maggie Liu

a year ago

wonderful staff especially Papa G who is the most experienced guide in the region. Food is nice and staff are friendly.

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5 out of 5 stars

About NamibRand Nature Reserve

NamibRand

A collection of farms, home to some of Namibia’s greats: sand dunes, mountains and desert animals.

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