Northern Namibia
Hoanib Valley Camp
The beautiful Hoanib Valley Camp was created out of a joint venture between the local communities and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
This small stunning camp is a remote retreat and can be accessed by light aircraft from Windhoek. Road transfers are possible from the capital which would be around an 8 hour drive or 7 hours from Swakopmund. If you decide to self drive then it is possible to park at Fort Sesfontein and enjoy the final part of the journey on a game drive provided a member of the camp staff.
The tents are raised from the ground but not too high so they are easily accessible without lots of steps. Each of the tents come with private verandas overlooking the valley and with a rugged mountain backdrop behind. The tents have comfortable beds, bedside tables, a seating area, wildlife artwork and ensuite facilities with both indoor and outdoor showers. Five of the tents can accommodate 2 people and there is one family tent that can comfortably sleep two adults and two children.
The accommodation is booked on a full-board basis, including all meals which are provided in the main building dining room or outside on the deck.
The fire pit is a perfect spot to unwind at the end of the day and socialise with other guests if you wish to.
Facilities
A restaurant, bar, dining room, lounge, fire pit, free WIFI, viewing deck and laundry service. Solar energy provides the electricity and water heating.
Local Wildlife
The surrounding area attracts a large selection of mammals including rhino, elephants, mountain zebra, leopards, the desert-adapted lion, hyenas, oryx, kudu, and springbok.
There are also a variety of birds including ostrich, Verreaux’s eagle, Monteiro’s hornbill, and Rüppell’s bustard.
Giraffes are especially important to the lodge as they work closely with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation to protect and monitor them.
Optional Activities
Game drives, rhino tracking, stargazing, nature walks, desert drives, find out more about local giraffe conservation and visit the local communities.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
If you have any questions regarding our Namibia tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
This was our second visit to Namibia in just over 12 months, with Reef and Rainforest and our seventh consecutive wildlife trip with them. I think that speaks for itself. This year we were particularly keen to try and observe some desert adapted Lions. The Lions found in ‘The Namib Desert’ are genetically identical to those found in the rest of Southern Africa but have adapted to live in one of the harshest environments on earth. They number around 150 and have a huge range, and are rarely seen. They came to prominence in the outstanding documentary film ‘Vanishing Kings’. The best chance of observing members of this subset of Lions is during a stay at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, although sightings cannot be guaranteed and weeks can pass by without any success. Therefore a stay at this camp was at the heart of our itinerary and we were very lucky to spend time with a Lioness and her niece who had killed an Oryx in the conservancy. The camp itself is absolutely outstanding in every respect and the location is just spectacular.
Visitors should be aware that this is not ‘The Serengeti’ and that the wildlife is quite thin on the ground. However you would have to be very unlucky not to see Elephant, Giraffe and several other species. Whilst we were out in the desert we were lucky to bump in to Dr P. Stander who has dedicated the whole of his adult life to the conservation of The Desert Lion, what a thrill. The day trip out to the coast was pretty special as well.
The rest of the itinerary worked very well and we were very pleased to have three full days in Etosha N.P. where we recorded 25 mammal species, including 32 individual Lions, observed the aftermath of 4 zebra kills, 11 Rhinoceros (both Black & White), an African Wildcat and the rarely seen in Etosha, elusive Leopard.
So a big thank you to ALL at Reef and Rainforest, another highly successful trip, you certainly delivered again.