The best lodges in Namibia

Ongava Lodge

Ongava Reserve

Chalets built into a rocky outcrop overlooking a waterhole, on a private reserve adjoining Etosha's Anderson Gate.

• Waterhole-facing rooms
• Private-reserve night drives
• Off-road tracking permitted

Onguma Tented Camp

Onguma Private Game Reserve

A tented camp on a private reserve directly bordering Etosha's eastern side, with rooms overlooking a waterhole.

• Tents facing a waterhole
• Private reserve, night drives allowed
• Sister camps nearby

Mushara Lodge

A chalet-style lodge near Etosha's eastern Von Lindequist Gate, with thatch-and-timber public areas and a sister property nearby.

• Close to the eastern park gate
• Thatch-and-timber public areas
• Sister property nearby

Le Mirage Resort & Spa

A castle-style desert resort on the D826 road about 20km from the Sesriem gate, with three room categories including open-air tower rooms for sleeping under the stars.

• Open-air tower rooms for stargazing
• Full-service Mystique Spa
• On-site pool and restaurant

Sossusvlei Lodge

Taleni Africa

A 45-room lodge directly at the Sesriem park gate, with a floodlit waterhole terrace and the shortest possible drive to Sossusvlei of any lodge in the area.

• Located right at the Sesriem park gate
• Floodlit waterhole viewing from the terrace
• Sundowner deck and beer garden

Desert Quiver Camp

A 24-chalet self-catering camp on a private reserve adjoining the Sesriem gate, about 5km from Sossusvlei and Deadvlei access, with kitchenette chalets and a pool overlooking Elim Dune.

• 5km from the Sesriem park gate
• Self-catering chalets with kitchenettes
• Pool overlooking Elim Dune

Mowani Mountain Camp

A camp built among massive red granite boulders between the Ugab and Huab riverbeds, about 15km north of Twyfelfontein, with rooms on raised platforms.

• Rooms built among giant granite boulders
• Sundowner bar on a rocky overhang
• Desert-adapted elephant drives and Twyfelfontein rock-art excursions

Grootberg Lodge

Believed to be Namibia's first fully community-owned lodge, built with the ≠Khoadi //Hoas community on a ridge with valley views from every room.

• Fully community-owned
• Ridge-top views from every room
• Rhino tracking access

Camp Kipwe

Igloo-shaped stone bungalows built into crevices between stacked granite boulders near Twyfelfontein, with nature drives for desert-adapted elephant and rock art.

• Bungalows built directly into boulder formations
• Curved stone architecture
• Nature drives for elephant and Twyfelfontein rock art

Shipwreck Lodge

Natural Selection

The only lodge actually sited on the Skeleton Coast itself, with shipwreck-shaped chalets scattered among the dunes two hours north of Möwe Bay.

• Genuinely on the coast
• Shipwreck-inspired architecture
• Remote dune and coastal excursions

Hoanib Valley Camp

Natural Selection

A six-tent camp in the Hoanib Valley near Sesfontein, run as a joint venture with the local community and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation. It sits inland in the broader Skeleton Coast region, not on the coastline itself.

• Guided giraffe-research field days with resident researchers
• Desert-adapted elephant, giraffe and rhino tracking
• Off-grid tented luxury run with the local community

The Delight Swakopmund

Gondwana Collection

A 54-room boutique hotel in downtown Swakopmund with colourful, contemporary design, and breakfast, water, parking and Wi-Fi included.

• Central downtown location
• Contemporary design
• Breakfast, water, parking and Wi-Fi included

Hansa Hotel

Namibia's oldest hotel, established in 1905 in the historic centre of Swakopmund, with 49 rooms and preserved period architecture.

• Namibia's oldest hotel (1905)
• Historic-centre location
• Preserved colonial-era façade

The Olive Exclusive

A seven-suite boutique hotel in Windhoek, each suite themed on a different Namibian region, with a private plunge pool and full bar and restaurant.

• Only seven suites
• Each suite themed on a Namibian region
• Private plunge pool

Villa Violet

A small, owner-run guesthouse with five bedrooms in the Klein Windhoek suburb, five minutes from the city centre.

• Owner-operated, personal service
• Self-catering kitchen option
• Small pool and patio

Canyon Lodge

Gondwana Collection

Thirty rustic chalets built among red granite boulders in Gondwana Canyon Park, near the canyon, and a common base for the multi-day Fish River Trail.

• Chalets built into granite boulders
• Base for the Fish River Canyon Trail
• Gondwana Canyon Park setting

Nkasa Lupala Tented Lodge

A small 10-tent lodge on Lupala Island in the Kwando-Linyanti river system, built around sustainable, community-linked tourism in Namibia's northeast.

• Only 10 tents
• River-channel setting
• Community-linked, sustainability-focused

Spitzkoppen Lodge

A 15-chalet lodge on the northern edge of the Spitzkoppe massif, connected by elevated walkways designed to minimise disturbance to the ground below.

• Elevated boardwalk design
• Private chalets with viewing decks
• Granite-boulder setting

Namushasha River Lodge

Gondwana Collection

A 24-room riverside lodge on the Kwando River bordering Bwabwata National Park, run by Gondwana Collection, with dawn and dusk riverboat cruises.

• Riverboat cruises for hippo, crocodile and 400+ bird species
• Guided game drives in Bwabwata National Park
• Sister property Namushasha River Villa for a higher-luxury option

Little Sossus Lodge

A lodge and campsite around 30 to 45 minutes' drive from the Sesriem gate, known for its stargazing terrace, year-round pool and kitchen.

• Highly rated terrace for stargazing
• Strong food and service reputation
• Year-round pool

Etosha Village

Taleni Africa

A village-style lodge and campsite in indigenous mopane forest, 2km from Etosha's Andersson Gate near Okaukuejo, with thatched bungalows arranged like a traditional village.

• 2km from the Andersson Gate
• Buffet dining plus self-catering and camping options
• Free-roaming kudu, oryx and giraffe on the grounds

Safarihoek Lodge

An 11-chalet lodge on an elevated wooden platform in the Etosha Heights Private Reserve near Kamanjab, southwest of the park, overlooking a waterhole with an active rhino-monitoring programme.

• Elevated platform lodge over a waterhole
• Only 11 chalets, small and exclusive
• Black and white rhino tracking as part of the reserve's conservation work

The Elegant Desert Camp

A boutique 10-tent camp on a rocky granite outcrop in the Tsaris Mountains outside Sesriem, with a cliff-top pool and sundowner deck, and breakfast included.

• Cliff-top pool and sundowner deck on a mountain outcrop
• Just 10 spacious en-suite tents with private decking
• Restaurant and bar with breakfast included

Twyfelfontein Country Lodge

A 56-room lodge built into the sandstone cliffs of the Aba-Huab valley, 3km from the Twyfelfontein UNESCO rock-engraving site, with a pool and restaurant.

• 3km from the Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage rock art site
• 56 rooms, the largest-capacity option in the area
• Outdoor pool and sun-terrace built into the cliffside

Vingerklip Lodge

A lodge in the Ugab valley near Khorixas, built at the base of the Vingerklip, a freestanding 35m sandstone pillar, known for its cliff-top Eagle's Nest restaurant reached by a stair climb.

• Sits beneath the Vingerklip, one of Damaraland's most photographed rock formations
• Eagle's Nest cliff-top restaurant for sunset dining
• Two pools and hiking routes up to the viewpoint

Palmwag Lodge

A fenced, pool-equipped lodge with thatched chalets at the southern gateway to the Palmwag Concession, a base for desert-adapted elephant and black rhino tracking.

• Base for desert-adapted elephant and black rhino tracking in the Palmwag Concession
• Year-round outdoor pool, garden and restaurant
• Family rooms and a children's playground

Khowarib Lodge

A lodge of 14 stilted tented chalets directly on the Hoanib River in the Khowarib Gorge near Sesfontein, facing the gorge cliffs.

• Riverside setting on the Hoanib, facing the Khowarib Gorge cliffs
• 14 stilted tented chalets with private bathrooms
• Pool and garden, buffet breakfast included

Okahirongo Elephant Lodge

Abercrombie & Kent

A 9-suite boutique lodge on the Hoarusib River in Purros, run under the Abercrombie & Kent Sanctuary brand, with a pool and fine-dining restaurant.

• The only specialty lodging in Purros, on the Hoarusib River
• 9-suite boutique scale with pool and international-cuisine restaurant
• Guided Himba village visits as a signature activity

Strand Hotel Swakopmund

A 4-star, 125-room hotel on the historic Mole in Swakopmund, surrounded by the Atlantic on three sides, with multiple restaurants and the Atlantic Spa. Namibia's best-known coastal luxury address.

• Panoramic ocean views from most of its 125 rooms
• On-site Atlantic Spa with steam rooms and a garden couples' suite
• Multiple dining venues from formal restaurant to deli

The Secret Garden Guesthouse

A 10-room guesthouse in central Old Swakopmund, built around a landscaped garden with a sun terrace, about 250m from the ocean and the Jetty.

• Central Old Swakopmund location, 5 minutes' walk to the Jetty
• Garden courtyard setting
• Breakfast served in the dining room or garden under palms

Bismarck 2

A self-catering apartment complex at the corner of Bismarck Street and Sam Nujoma Avenue in central Swakopmund, about 300m from Palm Beach, with 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom units.

• Dead-central location, everything within a block
• Full kitchen and 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom layout
• Balcony with city views

Hilton Windhoek

Hilton

A 15-storey contemporary hotel in Windhoek's city centre, with an on-site casino, fitness centre, spa, and rooftop pool and bar, geared at business and conference travellers.

• Central location, walking distance to Zoo Park and the National Art Gallery
• On-site casino, fitness centre, spa and rooftop pool/bar
• Multiple dining venues

Chameleon Backpackers & Guesthouse

A long-running budget property in North Windhoek Central, established in 1995, with a range from dorm beds to private en-suite rooms, a few minutes' walk from shops and restaurants.

• Outdoor pool, garden, shared lounge and on-site bar
• Continental breakfast included, plus a free city walking tour
• Rooms range from dorms to private and family rooms

Etango Ranch Guest Farm

A fenced working guest farm in Voigtland, about 4km from Hosea Kutako International Airport, with free-roaming oryx, kudu, mountain zebra and hartebeest visible on the property.

• 5 to 10 minutes' drive to the airport, with a shuttle offered
• Farm setting with viewable game and a pool
• Positioned for early-departure or late-arrival flights

Fish River Lodge

The only lodge built directly on the western rim of Fish River Canyon, with 20 stone-and-glass chalets with floor-to-ceiling windows and canyon-view decks.

• The only accommodation with rooms perched on the canyon rim itself
• Contemporary stone-and-glass chalets with canyon-view decks
• Guided hikes and drives along the canyon base

Canyon Roadhouse

Gondwana Collection

A Gondwana Collection property near the canyon's Hobas-side gate, built around a vintage American roadhouse theme, with vintage cars scattered through the garden and both hotel rooms and a campsite.

• Vintage-car and roadhouse theme, unusual for the region
• Closest of the Gondwana properties to the canyon's main entrance gate
• Hotel rooms and a campsite, a wider budget range than nearby lodges

Canyon Village

Gondwana Collection

A Gondwana Collection property of 42 stone-and-thatch chalets arranged around a central restaurant, bar and pool, set in the Gondwana Nature Park about 12 miles from the canyon.

• 42 chalets in a horseshoe layout around a central pool and restaurant hub
• Sunset drives and walking trails on-site
• Larger, more family-oriented than the area's boutique camps

Mount Canyon Guest Farm

An owner-run working guest farm on the Keetmanshoop-Grunau road, about an hour's drive from Fish River Canyon, with its own private canyon on the farm and sunset game drives.

• Owner-run working farm, independent of the larger canyon-area groups
• Its own private canyon and game drive on the property
• Praised for personal, family-run hospitality

Camp Kwando

A small, family-run camp of 6 elevated wood-and-canvas chalets on the Kwando River, between Bwabwata and Mudumu National Parks, with a pool and riverside restaurant.

• Only 6 chalets, an intimate family-run scale
• Pool and riverside deck overlooking the Kwando floodplain
• Base for game drives into Bwabwata and Mudumu, and Kwando boat cruises

Zambezi Mubala Lodge

Gondwana Collection

A Gondwana Collection lodge of 21 brick-and-thatch bungalows on the Zambezi River itself, about 40km east of Katima Mulilo, with a restaurant, bar and pool.

• Sits on the Zambezi River proper, distinct from the region's Kwando-river camps
• 21 bungalows including 4-bed family units
• Restaurant, bar, pool and curio shop

Protea Hotel by Marriott Zambezi River Lodge

Marriott

A 42-room full-service town hotel on the Zambezi River in Katima Mulilo, part of Marriott's Protea brand, with car rental and a tour desk arranging day trips to Victoria Falls and Chobe.

• The only internationally-branded hotel in the region
• Full-service logistics hub with car rental and a tour desk
• Arranged day trips to Victoria Falls, Chobe and Zambia

Hohenstein Lodge

A boutique lodge of 14 semi-detached stone bungalows built into granite boulders at the foot of the Erongo Mountains' highest peak, about an hour's drive from Spitzkoppe, with its own network of marked hiking trails.

• Stone bungalows built directly into the rock, each with a private terrace
• Free bicycle use and marked hiking trails through the Erongo hills
• Solar-powered, restaurant overlooking the gardens

Achab Chalets

A private conservation farm at the foot of the Gamgamichab mountains near Usakos, converted into a wildlife sanctuary for Hartmann's zebra and endemic birds, with self-catering eco-cabins and glamping tents.

• Private conservation farm with Hartmann's zebra and endemic bird species
• Self-catering eco-cabins and glamping tents with kitchenette
• Family-friendly campsite option with private ablutions

Lüderitz Nest Hotel

The only true beachfront hotel in Lüderitz, with sea views from every room, a private tidal beach and jetty, and a rooftop deck looking straight out over the Atlantic.

• The only beachfront hotel in Lüderitz, sea view from every room
• Private tidal beach and jetty
• Rooftop deck and on-site spa

Kairos Cottage

A restored guesthouse in the heart of Lüderitz's colonial quarter, a short walk from the Goerke Haus and Felsenkirche, with individually decorated rooms and a small breakfast terrace.

• Walking distance to Goerke Haus and Felsenkirche
• Individually decorated rooms in a restored colonial building
• Breakfast terrace in the town centre

The Cormorant House

A small, highly-rated guesthouse a few streets back from the harbour, known for personal service and consistently one of the best-reviewed stays in town.

• Consistently the top-rated guesthouse in Lüderitz
• Personal, small-scale service from resident hosts
• A few minutes' walk from the harbour

Alte Villa Boutique Hotel

A restored heritage building turned boutique hotel, one of Lüderitz's original Art Nouveau homes, with period detail intact behind a small-hotel level of service.

• A restored Art Nouveau heritage building
• Boutique scale with attentive service
• Period architectural detail throughout

Island Cottage Guesthouse

A family-run guesthouse known for its breakfast and personal welcome, in a quiet residential street a short drive from both the harbour and the Kolmanskop turnoff.

• Well-regarded breakfast and personal, family-run welcome
• Quiet residential street away from the harbour bustle
• Short drive to the Kolmanskop turnoff