Namibia Kunene Safari Camps
Damaraland Camp is a warm, friendly place situated in the Huab River Valley in one of the most pristine wilderness areas in Namibia. It offers endless vistas across stark plains, ancient valleys and soaring inselberg of the Brandberg Mountains. Damaraland Camp is a rare synergy which integrates the local community and the environment with sustainable ecotourism, and has won an array of awards.
The camp has ten large adobe-style thatched units that are raised off the ground, each with a walk-in dressing area, a private bathroom and a large deck on which to sit and contemplate the wonders of the desert. The spacious living area combines the dining area, bar and fireplace. There is a swimming pool next to the bar. New technology combined with ancient knowledge has produced an ecofriendly yet high performance design. An open campfire and outdoor 'boma' are enjoyed during calm evenings and stargazing is superb thanks to the crystal-clear night skies.
Large wildlife is not concentrated year-round here, the natural cycle of rainfall dictating its seasonal movements along the Huab River. Activities include nature drives, walks and mountain biking during which guests can see species such as desert-adapted elephant, gemsbok, greater kudu springbok, and occasionally cheetah and black rhino as well interesting flora like euphorbia and shepherd's trees. The area also has some of Africa's best rock engravings including the famous Twyfelfontein etchings.
Set in the one million acre private Palmwag Concession in the heart of Damaraland, Desert Rhino Camp offers an original and exclusive wilderness experience, a good dose of tranquility and the largest free-ranging population of black rhino in Africa. It lies among rolling rocky hills, ancient welwitschia plants, scrubby vegetation and isolated clumps of trees. There is a tranquil, minimalist beauty and a surprising amount of life in this area. The camp is run in conjunction with Save the Rhino Trust, an organization that has been has been singly responsible for helping to ensure that these rare desert adapted black rhino has survived. Guests gain an amazing insight into the ecology and conservation of this area, while at the same time a portion of guest revenue contributes to the Trust and its rhino conservation projects.
Desert Rhino Camp, set in a wide valley, has eight large tents with private bathrooms. A tented dining and living area offers uninterrupted views of the desert and mountains, while the extraordinary welwitschia plants dot the plain in front of camp.
Activities include rhino tracking on foot or by vehicle, full-day outings with a picnic lunch, birding and day and night nature drives to explore this intricate ecosystem. The area’s freshwater springs support healthy populations of the famous desert-adapted black rhino, desert-adapted elephant, Hartmann's mountain zebra, giraffe, gemsbok, springbok, kudu and predators such as lion, cheetah, leopard, and brown and spotted hyena. Bird life is prolific and diverse with most of Namibia's endemics present.
Doro Nawas rests on a small hill on the edge of the dry Aba-Huab River overlooking ancient plains with glorious views of the rugged Damaraland area within the starkly beautiful Doro Nawas Conservancy. This is prime desert-adapted elephant country and clear nights offer ample opportunity for magnificent stargazing, while the ancient rock art of Twyfelfontein is a glimpse into a long-gone world. This combination of Africa's past and present makes Doro Nawas Camp a fascinating visit.
Guests are housed in sixteen luxurious units, the design and décor blending in with the surrounding scenery. Each unit consists of a bedroom, a private bathroom with an outdoor shower and a veranda for stargazing or sleep-outs. The main building is perched on the top of a small hill providing an unspoiled panoramic view of this diverse and dramatic landscape, which varies from tabletop outcrops, small canyons, and dry riverbeds to savannah and grassland vistas. There is a pool, a bar and a small gallery.
The camp provides an excellent base for exploring the local area in game drive vehicles and on foot, taking in the spectacular views and desert scenery. A highlight is Twyfelfontein, Namibia's first World Heritage Site, the largest collection of prehistoric rock art in Africa. There are no large concentrations of wildlife but this arid environment is home to desert-adapted elephant, gemsbok, springbok and variety of other species, including occasional glimpses of the endangered black rhino. Birdlife is excellent with several Namibian endemics such as Monteiro's hornbill and Rüpell's korhaan.
Palmwag Lodge, one of Namibia's oldest and most popular tourist destinations, is situated in northern Damaraland in an oasis in the desert. It is renowned for its beautiful location, framed by palm trees and spectacular scenery. The Etendeka Mountains dominate the scenery with their impressive flat-topped outcrops colored ochre-brown. The terrain is rocky but often covered with fine golden grasses and interspersed with large euphorbia bushes, which are endemic to the area. Other fascinating plants include the odd-shaped bottle tree, shepherd's trees, ancient leadwood, salvadora bushes and unique welwitschia. Dry river-courses cut through the landscape and occasionally fill with water.
The lodge on the banks of the dry Uniab River provides multiple accommodation options, from chalets to canvas-style tents, all decorated in an individual, tasteful style. There are total of twenty rooms. A swimming pool, restaurant and cozy pool bar make this an ideal base for exploring the vast 450 000-hectare Palmwag Concession and its surprising array of wildlife in Namibia's dramatic north-west region. Palmwag Lodge is an ideal stop-over en route to the Skeleton Coast, Kaokoveld, Etosha National Park and the remote Epupa Falls.
The concession's freshwater springs support healthy populations of other arid-adapted wildlife including good numbers of Hartman's mountain zebra, southern giraffe, gemsbok, springbok, greater kudu, dwarf antelope such as steenbok and klipspringer, scrub hare, comical meerkats, inquisitive ground squirrels, black-backed jackal and small spotted genet. Palmwag holds the core of the rarely seen desert-adapted lion population of north-west Namibia. Cheetah and leopard are also sometimes seen in this area.
Set amongst ancient albida trees on the banks of the Kunene River, the only permanent source of water in the region, Serra Cafema is one of the most remote camps in southern Africa. Rapids just below camp provide a calming ambiance; guests fall asleep to the sound of rushing water, while by day they explore one of the driest deserts in the world, Namib Desert. Serra Cafema gets its Portuguese name from the mountains that dominate the northern skyline, and shares the area with the Himba people, one of the last true nomads in Africa.
The camp has eight canvas and thatched chalets on spacious decks, each with its own private bathroom. Attention to detail, elevated decks and simple structures of wood, canvas and thatch create a camp that is one with its surroundings. The Ozonganda, or main area, comprises indoor and outdoor dining areas, sunken lounge, river bar, library, curio shop and swimming pool, all looking out over the Kunene River.
The variety of activities to explore the breathtaking landscape includes informative nature drives that tread lightly on the fragile habitats and boating on the Kunene River, where crocodiles and water birds seem out of place in this moonscape environment. Walking in the remote mountain and river valleys are also a highlight, as is a visit to a Himba settlement, should the nomadic people be in the area. One of the highlights of Serra Cafema is the carefully guided quad bike excursions that tread lightly on the dunes, while allowing guests to experience a true desert. The fairy circle phenomenon is best viewed in the Hartmann's Valley.
Skeleton Coast Camp has one of the most spectacular settings on the continent. This area is diverse ranging from roaring sand dunes and windswept plains to towering canyons, saltpans and Cape fur seal colonies. Freshwater springs and the early morning mist off the Atlantic Ocean sustain a surprising amount of life, from larger mammals to the extraordinary welwitschia plant. The wild and isolated coastline is strewn with bleached whalebones giving its name – but it also sustains enormous colonies of Cape fur seals.
The camp is built on an island in the dry Khumib riverbed, about twenty kilometers inland from the coastline and has six tents with spacious bedrooms and private bathrooms. A central area is made up of an open-plan lounge, bar and dining area with sweeping views of the desert. The camp has won awards for its minimal impact on environment.
Because of the uniqueness and vastness of this area, most activities are done in 4x4 vehicles. Activities include full-day nature drives or walks with a picnic lunch. Due to the pristine nature of this area many parts are accessible only on foot, as vehicle tracks can damage the environment. Other excursions include visits to the clay castles of the Hoarusib River, Rocky Point, the roaring dunes, lichen fields, Cape fur seal colonies, Himba villages, and birding. Secret water seeps attract wildlife, so guests can see desert-adapted elephant, gemsbok, springbok, giraffe, ostrich, brown hyena, Hartmann's mountain zebra and occasionally lion and cheetah.