Highlights

• Track desert-adapted elephant, giraffe, lion and black rhino in one of Namibia's most remote wildernesses
• Partnership with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation puts research and conservation at the heart of every stay
• Cultural visits to nearby Himba and Herero communities
• Six solar-powered tents built with locally sourced materials and recycled composites
• Rhino tracking on foot with rangers from Save the Rhino Trust
• Open year-round, with two distinct seasons offering green-flush landscapes or classic desert vistas

You Should Know

• Children of all ages are welcome
• Families travelling with children aged 9 and younger must book and pay for a private vehicle
• The camp is solar powered, so hairdryers are not provided
• Reaching camp involves a light-aircraft flight followed by a road transfer; please enquire about disabled access
• A Community, Conservation and Reserve Fee of NAD 650 per person per night is added to the accommodation rate

The Details

Location

Hoanib Valley Camp sits deep in the Kaokoland region of north-western Namibia, within the Sesfontein Community Conservancy and just outside the 190,000-acre Palmwag Concession. The camp is tucked into a hidden valley ringed by jagged mountains, with views over the ephemeral Hoanib River where elephant, giraffe, oryx and springbok come to drink.

Kaokoland is one of the wildest and most thinly visited corners of the country, a landscape of rolling dunes, rocky peaks and desert plains laced by ancient dry riverbeds. Temporary Himba settlements dot the area, and tourism remains carefully limited.

Accommodation

Six guest tents, five twins and one family unit, sit lightly on the landscape with private verandas facing the valley. Interiors draw on the ochre tones of the dunes, the geometric patterns of the Himba people and the form of the giraffe that inspired the project. Furniture is shaped by Rundu carpenters and Himba carvers, with baskets woven by the Omba Project in Windhoek.

Each tent has an ensuite bathroom with an indoor shower. The camp is entirely solar powered, and the tents stand on decks made from a wood, bamboo and 70% recycled-material composite. Shared amenities include a swimming pool, a library, an outdoor dining area and Wi-Fi in the main area and tents.

Dining

Meals are served in the main area or al fresco under the desert sky, with drinks shared around the fire as the light fades. The kitchen leans on fresh, seasonal produce, and selected beverages are included throughout the stay.

Activities

Days are spent on morning and evening game drives in search of desert-adapted elephant, giraffe and, with luck, desert lion. Rhino rangers lead tracking outings on foot to find the resident black rhino, part of the largest free-ranging population on the continent. Guests can also learn about the work of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, walk in the valleys with a guide, or visit nearby Himba and Herero communities to meet families living a semi-nomadic life in the desert.

Price Includes

• Accommodation in a luxury tent
• All meals
• Selected beverages
• Daily scheduled activities including game drives, rhino tracking, nature walks and cultural visits
• Airstrip transfers
• Guiding and park entry fees
• Guest laundry
• Wi-Fi
• VAT