Mariental
Mariental and Kalahari accommodation
Prices are indicative guides per person and may vary by season, room type, occupancy and meal plan. Contact Madbookings for current rates and availability.
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Mariental
Stampriet
Hardap Dam
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Mariental
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Kalahari
Visitors Guide
Travel Planner
Which Kalahari accommodation is right for you?
Camping For self-sufficient travellers who want to sleep under the remarkably clear Kalahari night sky.
Classic For comfortable guesthouses, chalets, lodges and game farms — a practical overnight stop or a family-friendly stay.
Luxury For travellers wanting an immersive dune-side setting, guided activities and space to themselves.
Accommodation around Mariental and the Kalahari ranges from convenient guesthouses and campsites to intimate desert lodges and private game farms. Some properties are well suited to a practical overnight stop, while others offer a more immersive wilderness experience, with guided activities, wildlife viewing and beautiful dune-side settings. Your choice will depend on whether you are looking for comfort on the road, a family-friendly stay or a memorable introduction to Namibia’s desert landscapes.
What you will see
Red sands and wide-open spaces
South-east of Windhoek, the Kalahari offers a beautiful introduction to Namibia’s quieter, more spacious landscapes. Around Mariental, red sand dunes rise above golden grasslands, camelthorn trees cast long shadows across the plains, and the enormous African sky seems to stretch endlessly towards the horizon.
It is a landscape of subtle beauty, where the changing light transforms the colours of the sand and the stillness of the countryside invites you to slow down and enjoy the moment.
The Kalahari is not a true desert in the strictest sense, but a semi-arid region supporting grasses, shrubs, trees and a surprising variety of wildlife. Depending on where you stay, you may see oryx, springbok, kudu, ostrich and other animals adapted to this dry environment. Guided nature drives, walking trails and sundowner excursions offer opportunities to explore the dunes and discover the smaller details of this fascinating ecosystem.
As evening approaches, the sunset can turn the landscape deep shades of orange and red, followed by remarkably clear skies filled with stars.
Visitors guide
Mariental & the Kalahari Desert
What to see and do
Mariental is a useful stop on Namibia’s main north–south route, making the surrounding Kalahari an excellent place to begin or end a self-drive holiday. Spend a night at a comfortable lodge, enjoy a game drive, walk among the dunes or simply relax beside the pool and take in the scenery.
The nearby Hardap Recreation Area, centred on Namibia’s Hardap Dam, offers a different landscape of water, birdlife and open countryside.
For many travellers, the greatest pleasure of the Kalahari is the opportunity to experience Namibia away from its busier attractions. It is a place for unhurried mornings, warm hospitality and evenings spent watching the last sunlight fade across the sand. Allow one or two nights if your itinerary permits, particularly if you would like time to enjoy activities at your lodge rather than simply passing through.
Where to stay
Accommodation around Mariental and the Kalahari ranges from convenient guesthouses and campsites to intimate desert lodges and private game farms. Some properties are well suited to a practical overnight stop, while others offer a more immersive wilderness experience, with guided activities, wildlife viewing and beautiful dune-side settings.
Madbookings tip
The Kalahari makes a rewarding first stop when travelling south from Windhoek towards Sossusvlei or the Fish River Canyon. Rather than treating it only as a place to break the journey, consider allowing enough time to enjoy the landscape, wildlife and extraordinary night skies.
Getting your bearings
Places you will hear about in this area: Mariental, the Kalahari Desert, Hardap Dam and the Hardap Recreation Area, Stampriet, and the B1 north–south route between Windhoek, Sossusvlei and the Fish River Canyon.