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Previously known as Wolwedans Dunes Lodge, Desert Lodge is positioned in one of the most enviable locations that the NamibRand has to offer, Desert Lodge has a stunning outlook. Think vast orange-hued dunes, mountains, rolling skies and, well, nothing. This magnificent vista is at the heart of the lodge, and all the rooms and guest areas are perfectly positioned to make the most of the surroundings. The lodge has recently been refreshed with new furnishings, layered textures and handcrafted details, carrying a design language guided by one simple idea: Of the Earth.
The lodge reflects the ambience of a tented camp but provides the comfort and protection of a permanent building. After a day out on the reserve, it’s the perfect place to return to, whether that’s settling into the main areas to connect with fellow guests, or finding a quiet corner of your own to sink into the ‘Wolwedans Way.’
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The 10 tented rooms, including 3 Family Rooms, are open to the beautiful desert vistas and have been built to maximise the views from all corners of the room. Each has a private verandah, connecting you to the swathes of untouched sand beyond, and new wooden walkways now link every room to the main area. All rooms have a new King/Twin bed configuration, and the Family Rooms have gained two additional single beds for children aged 5 to 14.
Each room also has its own Wolwedans Chiller and Wi-Fi. We highly recommend sleeping with your canvas blinds open to feel the soft evening breeze and marvel at the vast star-studded sky.
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Outside Shower, Plunge Pool, Verandah
The 3 Family Rooms, have gained two additional single beds for children aged 5 to 14. Each room also has its own Wolwedans Chiller and Wi-Fi. We highly recommend sleeping with your canvas blinds open to feel the soft evening breeze and marvel at the vast star-studded sky.
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Outside Shower, Plunge Pool
Property Facilities
Bar, Internet Access (Complimentary), Library, Restaurant
Room Facilities
Lounge Area, Plunge Pool, Shower, Verandah
Available Services
Credit Card Facilities
Activities on Site
Bird Watching, Cycling, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Horse Riding, Sleep Outs, Walks (Guided), Walks (Self Guided)
Activities Nearby
Bird Watching, Cultural Tours, Game Drives, Game Walks, Horse-back Safaris, Hot Air Ballooning
Experience the thrill of a hot air balloon flight with an early morning adventure.
Begin your day with a pre-dawn wake-up, followed by a 1 to 1.5-hour drive to the balloon launch site. Once there, you'll have the opportunity to soar above the stunning landscape, taking in breathtaking views that are truly unforgettable. End this extraordinary experience with a champagne breakfast at the landing spot.
This unique activity requires advance booking, with reservations needed at least one day before your planned flight. Prepare for an extraordinary journey that offers a fresh perspective on the landscape and a truly transformative start to your day, one that will stay with you long after the journey ends.
Duration: Full morning
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Indulge in a range of luxurious wellness and massage treatments designed to rejuvenate both body and mind, all within the comfort of your room.
Whether you’re looking for a soothing massage, invigorating body treatments, or holistic therapies, our expertly tailored services are crafted to provide the ultimate relaxation and renewal. For a complete list of available treatments and pricing, please consult the spa menu. All services are available for booking onsite upon arrival.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES APPLY
From breakfast in the dunes, lunch in the gardens or the 'hard rock' café, to dinner under the stars - a range of unforgettable meal options are available.
Garden Lunch
Duration: Variable
Enjoy a healthy lunch in the Wolwedans vegetable garden. Normally done after a Heart & Home tour, garden lunches can also be booked as a stand-alone activity, in case you don’t join a Heart & Home, or following a scenic morning drive or horse ride. Either way, you should not miss a lunch in the garden.
Lunch at the Hard Rock Café
Duration: Variable
Head out further into the dunes for a full day drive with picnic lunch between boulders at our take on a 'hard rock café'.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES APPLY
Dune Breakfast
Kickstart the day with a one-of-a-kind breakfast tucked between Namibian dunes. Whether a short walk from camp or paired with a sunrise drive, this experience offers an unforgettable start to your day in one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes on Earth.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES APPLY
Dinner Under the Stars
End your day with a memorable dinner beneath the stars. Savor exquisite cuisine during this
Private dinner set in a secret location at the heart of the desert.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES APPLY
Experience the magic of Namibia’s wilderness like never before with Wolwedans’ exclusive Desert Sleepout. Savor the sunset, marvel at the sunrise, and gaze upon skies brimming with stars. This unique adventure in the heart of the Namib Desert invites you to leave the ordinary behind and immerse yourself in the vastness above and beyond.
This is a private activity with a dedicated guide who will be nearby throughout the night, to ensure your comfort and safety, while respecting your privacy. This is a seasonally available from September – May for stays of 3 nights or more, and not available from Boulders Camp.
Dinner hamper in the dunes
The Namib Desert sets the stage for an extraordinary dining location. Enjoy your sleep out with a simple dinner hamper under the vast African sky and wake up to a sunrise coffee with the dunes as your backdrop.
Morning coffee in the dunes
Head out into the dunes after dinner in camp for a once-in-a-lifetime sleeping experience. End your sleep-out with a morning coffee in the remote dunes.
Desert Sleepout requires a minimum 3-night stay, is available from September – May (June-Aug have very low night temperatures) and needs to be pre-booked at reservations level.
For fitness enthusiasts, an exhilarating E-Bike adventure awaits, led by our friendly and knowledgeable guides. This experience takes you deep into the dunes and across the expansive plains of the desert, providing a unique perspective that’s typically only accessible by 4x4 vehicles.
Whatever your level, our E-Bike guides ensure you get the most out of this high-energy excursion, blending fitness with exploration for an unforgettable desert adventure.
Morning or Evening Ride (Included)
Duration 1.5-2 hours
Pedal through the shifting sands and have the opportunity to connect with the desert's beauty. Morning rides can be combined with a Village Tour with a lunch or end back in camp where you dip into your private chiller. Evening rides end with sundowners in the dunes.
Full Day Ride (Extra cost)
Duration 4-6 hours
Experienced riders are invited to take part on a full day of riding across the dunes. Along the journey, pause for a picnic in a secluded spot. The excitement of conquering the challenging landscape on two wheels, is matched only by the breathtaking views you'll encounter along the way. This is better suited to our cooler winter months (June – August)
For riders of all kinds, a range of riding experiences is available. Depending on the rider's experience level, the rides can include a mix of galloping, trotting, or walking through the dunes and expansive plains. Whether seasoned or new to horseback riding, these guided rides are designed to suit individual abilities while offering an unforgettable journey through the terrain.
Morning Ride
Duration 2 hours
Set off on a morning horseback ride through the desert, departing from the village and ideal for young adventurers. This gentle ride offers a unique way to explore the landscape and is the perfect precursor to a relaxing lunch in the village garden.
Sunset Ride
Duration 2-3 hours
Take a leisurely 2.5-hour horseback ride through the desert at sunset, exploring the vast landscape as the colors of the sky shift with the fading light. Along the way, stop for sundowners, enjoying a refreshing drink while soaking in the untamed beauty of the desert.
Full Day Ride
Duration 6 hours
Experienced riders seeking a deeper connection with nature may opt for a full-day horseback ride through the desert landscape. From the horseback vantage point, you'll experience the enduring beauty of the desert. Along the journey, pause for a picnic in a secluded spot.
We invite you to contribute to the Wolwedans Foundation through leaving your mark in the desert. The full amount collected goes to the Wolwedans Foundation and each adoption supports a different project being run by the Foundation.
Adopt & Plant a Tree:
Contribute to the restoration of the local ecosystem and help combat desertification by planting a tree in this vital conservation effort. Proceeds go into the Wolwedans Horticulture Project. The tree planting takes about 15 minutes. Your tree has your name on a plaque and we hope you visit us again to see how it has grown.
Adopt a Fairy Circle:
Help preserve one of Namibia's most intriguing natural phenomena by adopting a fairy circle. This project supports the conservation arm of the NamibRand Nature Reserve.
Adopt a SiloTile:
A new initiative with the addition of the silo bar at Dune Camp. Each tile on the silo contributes to our trash to treasure project. All proceeds go towards the waste & recycling plant in Maltahohe, which is part of Rural Revive. Waste is something each of us contribute to on a daily basis, yet few of us think about the impact. In a pristine environment like the NamibRand, creative waste management is a top priority.
The Wolwedans Village is our base camp of operations. Meet the team and learn about the community-driven initiatives, including the sustainability projects that make Wolwedans a renowned leader in sustainable tourism. This tour offers a thought-provoking look into the way of life at Wolwedans, and an insight into the Wolwedans Foundation's AridEden mission.
The AridEden Project, encapsulating the Wolwedans Vision 2030 and beyond, is a strategy that integrates our 5Cs sustainability commitment (Commerce, Conservation, Community, Culture, Consciousness). This approach balances people, planet, and profit, with a focus on empowering our team, fostering well-being, and driving consciousness about sustainable solutions.
Village Introduction:
A 1-hour Wolwedans Backstage tour ending in the garden.
Village Immersion:
A 2-3 hour more in-depth experience concludes with lunch in the gardens.
Family Treasure Hunt:
A 1-hour fun and interactive way to explore the behind-the-scenes of a desert camp. Kids might search for a carrot in the garden, or crush a can in the recycling zone - learning while playing.
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Join an immersive Bushman walk, guided by an experienced Bushman, as you traverse the Namib sand dunes.
This excursion offers a unique opportunity to explore the desert landscape on foot and delve into its intricate details. As you journey through the dunes, you'll interpret the "morning newspaper" left by small critters overnight, gaining insights into their nocturnal activities. You'll also track the fascinating toktokkie beetle, a remarkable creature vital to the ecosystem, and might even be lucky enough to spot the Dancing White Lady spider as it darts across the sand.
This walk provides a fresh perspective on the natural world, shifting from passive observation to active participation. It highlights the tiny, yet significant, life forms often overlooked from the comfort of a vehicle.
It’s possible to combine your bushman walk with the Heart and Home village tour and lunch in the gardens.
"The Bushmen read the desert like a book, every track a story, every breeze a whisper of life."
Duration: 2-3 hours
Disconnect to Reconnect, this signature Wolwedans experience includes 30–45 minutes in peaceful silence. For those seeking a moment of personal reflection in the quiet, we offer the opportunity to leave your phone behind and sit in solitude in a remote spot within the dunes, fully embracing the stillness and beauty of the desert.
Recognized by Quiet Parks International, Wolwedans has an exceptionally quiet environment, where only sounds of nature abound. Quiet Parks International is an organization that works to protect natural quiet spaces, helping to preserve the few places in the world where the peace of nature is still intact, free from man-made noise.
As a recognized quiet place, this rare access to silence, allows you to tune into the subtle sounds of nature, experiencing a profound sense of quiet in mind, body, and soul.
For those wishing to connect with the ancient landscape on a deeper level, this experience can be arranged during a sunrise or sundowner drive.
"Silence is not the absence of something but the presence of everything." – Gordon Hempton, acoustic ecologist.
Duration: 30-45 minutes
Opt for a sunrise or sunset drive with coffee or sundowners in the dunes, or immerse yourself in the vast desert landscape with full-day or half-day options.
Sunrise Drive
Duration: 1.5 hours
Before breakfast start your day with a sunrise drive across the dunes. Savor a hot cup of coffee or tea with home-baked rusks and biscuits as you take in the raw beauty of the landscape. After the sunrise, return to camp or combine with Dune Breakfast.
Morning or Afternoon Drive
Duration: 2-3 hours
Morning Drive: Head out after breakfast and return to camp for lunch. Combines well with an in-room massage.
Afternoon Drive: Head out after afternoon tea to watch the shadows growing over the landscape, ending with sundowners.
Sundowner Drive
Duration: 1.5 hours
A shorter a drive to a prime sundowner spot. Spot oryx and other wildlife preparing for nightfall, set against the stunning Namibian sky, before enjoying a perfectly prepared G&T as you watch the sun dip below the dramatic desert expanse.
Full-Day Drive
Duration: 6 hours
This signature Wolwedans experience promises to be an immersive exploration of the region's most remote and awe-inspiring corners. Enjoy a picnic lunch at our own ‘Hard Rock Café’, an unforgettable setting in the shade of towering boulders.
From breakfast in the dunes, lunch in the gardens or the 'hard rock' café, to dinner under the stars - a range of unforgettable meal options are available.
Garden Lunch
Duration: Variable
Enjoy a healthy lunch in the Wolwedans vegetable garden. Normally done after a Heart & Home tour, garden lunches can also be booked as a stand-alone activity, in case you don’t join a Heart & Home, or following a scenic morning drive or horse ride. Either way, you should not miss a lunch in the garden.
Lunch at the Hard Rock Café
Duration: Variable
Head out further into the dunes for a full day drive with picnic lunch between boulders at our take on a 'hard rock café'.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES APPLY
Dune Breakfast
Kickstart the day with a one-of-a-kind breakfast tucked between Namibian dunes. Whether a short walk from camp or paired with a sunrise drive, this experience offers an unforgettable start to your day in one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes on Earth.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES APPLY
Dinner Under the Stars
End your day with a memorable dinner beneath the stars. Savor exquisite cuisine during this
Private dinner set in a secret location at the heart of the desert.
ADDITIONAL CHARGES APPLY
Desert Lodge main area is where guests gather for a coffee in the lounge, dinner on the deck, a wine at the bar or sundowners at the fire pit.
