The Dunes Lodge is perched on top of a dune plateau, overlooking panoramic vistas in all directions and capturing the beauty of the desert in a most memorable way. Building style is a combination of wooden structures and canvas blinds, opening up to the desert beyond. The lodge reflects the ambience of a tented camp, but provides the comfort and protection of a permanent building. Each of the nine spacious chalets with en-suite bathrooms sports a private verandah, which connects you to vast stretches of untouched sand. Sleeping with your canvas blinds open is just like sleeping under the stars. The main complex - which has completely been rebuilt during 2003 - consists of two lounges, a number of sundowner decks, a fireplace, a tea deck, a library, the wine cellar and two dining rooms. The lodge also has a swimming pool, which is suspended above the sand. All communal areas of the lodge open out onto decks with superb views.
The tented chalet with an elevated deck on top of a dune plateau sleeps 2 adults in a king-size bed. The en-suite bathroom offers a double vanity, shower & toilet facilities. 2019 Fully Inclusive Package. 2020 Full Board + Shared Activities.
The tented chalet with an elevated deck on top of a dune plateau sleeps 2 adults in a king-size bed. The en-suite bathroom offers a double vanity, shower & toilet facilities. 2019 Fully Inclusive Package. 2020 Full Board + Shared Activities.
The Suite, capturing memorable vistas in all directions, is ideal for honeymooners or those seeking complete privacy. Comes with a private chef and has an outside bed for sleeping under the stars. Included is a generous lounge, bar cabinet and dining area
Bar, Library, Pool, Restaurant
En-Suite, Lounge Area, Shower, Verandah
Credit Card, Laundry Service
Duration: Two options are available for Bushman walks at Wolwedans:
Bushman Walk
Duration
Morning walks
09h00 -11h00 AM
Afternoon walks
17h00 – 18h00 PM (ending with a Sundowner)
Fitness Level: Intermediate, walking required.
Description: Khoisan men, from the south of Namibia lead the bushman walk through the desert. They lead the walk through areas surrounding the sites and focus primarily on micro-fauna and flora. Activities from the previous night, like tracks and trails are sought out and small desert creatures are located, identified and explained to guests. This activity is the most popular at Wolwedans.
Duration: Four options are available for nature / scenic drives at Wolwedans:
Nature Drive
Duration
Sunrise drive
06h30 - 07h00 AM incl. coffee / tea
Morning drive (after breakfast)
09h00 – 12h00 AM followed by lunch at camp/lodge
Day drive
08h30 – 17h00 PM incl. bush picnic
Afternoon drive
16h00 PM – sunset incl. a sundowner
Fitness Level: None required. This activity takes place in an open air game-viewer. Disembarking the vehicle does require some effort. There is no wheelchair access.
Description: The drives are either southbound or northbound. The NamibRand Nature Reserve is home to various game, but not the Big 5. Many desert-adapted animals are found on the nature reserve. Nature drives can be done privately, at an additional cost. Keep an eye out for the Plains Zebra, Springbok, Hartebeest, Oryx, Bat-eared Fox, Lappet faced Vultures and sand grouse.
Duration: 17h00 – 17h30 PM incl. sundowner
Fitness Level: None required. This activity takes place in an open air game-viewer. Disembarking the vehicle does require some effort. There is no wheelchair access.
Description: A Sundowner drive is a short drive (30-40 minutes), with a short stop-over at a stunning location, whereby guests are spoilt by witnessing an incomparable Namibian sunset over the dunes (with their drink of choice in hand ).
The horseback riding offered at Wolwedans can be tailored to suit each guests’ riding ability. Our horses range from gentle souls to more lively rides – dependant on each guests’ level of experience.
Riding Capability:
Guests should be very considerate at selecting their horse riding ability.
Beginner (D): - Never ridden before or have and is a nervous rider.
Novice (C): - Comfortable at walk and trot on quiet horse. Has been on a horse before.
Intermediate (B): - Able to walk, trot and canter on well-mannered horse.
Advanced (A): - Comfortable on any horse, at any pace.
Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
Fitness Level: Intermediate. This activity is guided. Previous riding experience is not necessary. All horse rides are for beginners, except for the day ride.
Description: Wolwedans horse guides will take guests on a 1 - 1.5 hr complimentary horse-ride, on our in-house horses.
Guests have the option of either: a morning ride - or an afternoon ride.
Should guests wish to have a longer horse-ride, additional costs will apply.
Should guests wish to have additional horse rides throughout their stay, additional costs will apply.
Duration: 2 – 3 hours
Fitness Level: Intermediate. This activity can be guided or unguided.
Description: Fat e-Bikes is a term coined by the makers of these exciting new devices. The name refers to the size of their tyres, which are wider than the standard mountain or racing bicycle. These solar-powered, 500W electric motor assisted bikes are designed for the red sand dunes of the Namib and vast flat Chateau plains. They provide the cyclist with a dual powered experience that engages them physically, while also providing an extra push for up to 40km per charge, creating a truly exciting gliding effect and sand surfing-like experience.
Fat e-bikes make no noise and cause no damage to the natural environment, emit no poisonous exhaust fumes, have a zero-accident rate and leave such little track evidence that any traces are simply blown away by the next sand gust. As quad-bikes are completely off-limits in the NamibRand Private Nature Reserve, these super-charged fat e-bikes are the next best thing for nature lovers hoping to explore the desert environment up close. Bike tours on the reserve can accommodate large groups as well as couples and children. They also come with a 3-inch LCD colour display that provides interesting facts on your speed and distance while you’re gliding in the sand.
Availability: Strictly on a first come, first served basis. Guests are encouraged to book upon check-in at their lodge or camp.
Duration: 1.5 - 2 hrs
Fitness Level: Intermediate, walking required. Some walking over dunes and down semi-steep slopes.
Description: From the basin to the shower, it’s easy to forget that there is a complex water system helping to provide the convenience of running water in the middle of the desert. The Wolwedans Water-Walk is a zero-carbon, zero-impact activity that takes visitors on a guided, or self-guided walk along the
water network, all the way to the state-of-the-art water pump room at our base village. It’s a journey of discovery and is designed to get guests active and learning, and encourage them to not only appreciate the miracle of the water supply, but also conserve it.
The Water Walk will answer all of these questions whilst providing guests with an invigorating dune walk. Guests are provided with a map and received at base camp with a refreshing glass of Wolwedans made ice-tea, home made from the pure-filtered water of the Namib Desert.
Duration: 1.5 – 2 hours
Fitness Level: Intermediate, some walking required.
Description: The Wolwedans Village Tour is an informative back-of-house walk that takes guests through our elaborate base operations. Guests are taken on a walk that visits the pump house, the solar panel field, the motor-vehicle workshop and the battery centre. Then past the stables and to the organic garden. Finally, it meanders past the pigsty, carpenter workshop, student and staff accommodation and ends at the trainees’ classroom opposite the base kitchen where all meals are prepared. The tour encourages guests to get a hands on experience of our operations, gives them the opportunity to ask questions and encourages a transparency of our back of house. This activity is highly rated by guests and agents alike.
Cost: None – Donations are welcome.
Availability: This activity is available all year round.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Fitness Level: None
Description: The first activity to really bring one back in touch - is aptly named “Solitude”. Solitude is a zero-impact, low-carbon activity, which takes visitors to some of the quietest places on the reserve and creates a solitary experience – to think, observe, meditate and rejuvenate.
Solitude is a meditative experience, giving guests the opportunity to experience the tranquillity and deep serenity of the desert silence. Guests are accompanied with refreshments and writing material. The guides leave the guests seated in a
comfortable chair with the desert silence as their friend. Guests may also choose to listen to the incredible piano fractals produced through the Stranger project, which visited Wolwedans’ Chateau Plains, by way of the CUBE project in 2018.
Cost: None