Damara Mopane Lodge

A superb choice for guests looking to get off the beaten track in southern Damaraland, Damara Mopane Lodge is 20kms from the small outpost of Khorixas, offering easy access to a range of exciting activities and acting as an ideal stopping point between the northern ranges of Damaraland and the coastal town of Swakopmund.

With 55 rooms this is a large lodge, but the chalets are well away from one another and even boast their own vegetable gardens, so there is a very private feel to them. Spacious and decorated in striking vivid colours, the chalets come with their own en-suite bathrooms, plenty of storage as well as tea and coffee making facilities – ideal for making a morning refreshment as the sun rises. The main area is set in a u-shape around a central courtyard where a fire is lit at night and where guests can relax with a drink before dinner. The restaurant has a varied menu, with lots of game meat and locally sourced ingredients for guests to choose from. Evenings can be spent in the convivial bar area sharing tales of your travels through Namibia with fellow guests. The large swimming pool, complete with a small island in the middle is perfect for lazing by or in as the afternoon sun starts to set over the surrounding landscape of mopane woodland.

Activities here revolve around walking, with a number of self-guided hiking trails through the mopane accessed from the lodge. They also offer guided sundowner walks, which are rounded off with drinks served on the mountainside as the day starts to turn to night.