Trip details

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. Set smack bang in the middle of the 200,000-hectare reserve, there’s plenty to get your teeth into – there is everything from 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).

Today, you’ll spend time exploring the magical NamibRand and Sossuvlei area. Whether you want to embark on all the activities, or just soak up the magic of the area, this is a day to remember.

In Namibia, the landscape is just as much of an attraction as the wildlife – and it’s even more mesmerising from the skies – but don’t forget your binos either, as there’s an astonishing variety of wildlife hidden in these desert plains.

In the Sossusvlei and NamibRand area, keep a lookout for springbok and oryx, as well as some of the rarer creatures like aardwolf. If you’ve got a penchant for birdlife, ask your guide to find the endemic dune lark, which is found nowhere but Namibia.

Northern Namibia’s newest retreat, Hoanib Valley is a stylish, six-bedroom tented camp in the heart of the remote and rugged Kaokoland. In an era of "conservation-focused" camps, Hoanib Valley actually does what it says on the tin, and the venture is a joint partnership between the local communities and the resident Giraffe Conservation Project. As well as learning about the protection of the stately, sadly endangered, giraffe in the region, you’ll be able to drive through herds of desert-adapted elephant, track rhino, and visit the fascinating Himba and Herero peoples who call this harsh environment home.

Spend today looking for desert-adapted giraffes, game driving through the sandy terrain or visiting the local Himba communities.

The valley is fascinating to watch, and you may also be lucky enough to spot desert lion and rhino. One certainty, however, is the desert-adapted giraffe. The icons of the area, they are also the focus of the conservation partners, Giraffe Conservation Foundation.

Namibia's Skeleton Coast is a strange and beautiful slice of African wilderness. Think wind-swept dunes, dramatic beaches and icy Atlantic seas, renowned for driving many a ship ashore - and it’s these ships that Shipwreck Lodge has taken its inspiration. Rising eerily from the dunes, the cabins are modelled on the relics from times past and whilst austere from the outside, the interiors are plush, cosy and offer the perfect respite from the harsh surroundings. Fantastically varied wildlife – seal and flamingo colonies, hyenas scouring the shoreline, desert-adapted lion and elephant – and a selection of excellent activities – quad biking, beachcombing and dune sundowners – make this a desert adventure of note.

Enjoy your time at the award-winning Shipwreck Lodge. Activities on offer include quad biking, visits to the Clay Castle and seal colony and game drives – or you may like to just put your feet up and admire the views.

At Shipwreck Lodge, expect giraffe, lions, baboons, elephants and elusive brown hyenas in the dunes, whilst at the coast you’ll find hundreds of Cape fur seals at the Mowe Bay Seal Colony, and plenty of birds flitting through the chilly ocean spray.

Travel to Namibia’s arid northern wilderness and you'll find vast gravel plains interrupted by occasional rocky ridges, stretches of mopane trees and lots of game around Etosha's permanent waterholes. Safarihoek Lodges lies in a private reserve on the southern edge of the national park, in the Etosha Heights Private Reserve. It’s a large, modern lodge that overlooks a huge waterhole, has far-reaching views and offers an exciting range of game-viewing activities. Lion and elephant are the stars of the landscape, and if rhinos are on your must-see list, you’ll more than likely be happy here!

The main focus at Safarihoek Lodge is getting you out into the wilderness in style. Whether early in the morning or under the stars, you can set off out into the reserve to watch the magnificent wildlife of Etosha Heights. Alongside the expert safari guides, you can have a crowd-free safari experience, spotting lions, black and white rhino, mountain zebras, elephants, and much more as you venture out into the wild for a once in a lifetime opportunity.