Gondwana Namib Park · C19, 60 km north of Sesriem

Namib Desert Lodge

Namib Desert, Namibia

A big, unfussy lodge at the foot of the ancient fossilised dunes, an hour north of the Sesriem crowds. Sixty-six rooms among the palms, two swimming pools and a waterhole that the gemsbok come to at dusk.

The stay

The lodge under the fossilised dunes

The dunes behind this lodge are not the red sand sea everyone photographs at Sossusvlei. They are its ancestors: the same sand, petrified into a hard ochre wall millions of years ago, now standing over the grassy plains with trees growing at their feet. The lodge is built right underneath them, and at sunset the whole face turns a deep rust colour.

It is a substantial place — sixty-six en-suite rooms in wooden bungalows set among palms, all air-conditioned, all with a veranda facing either the plains or the dunes. That scale is the point: it is one of the few lodges in this area that can take a family, a group, or a late booking without drama.

The lodge sits inside the Gondwana Namib Park, which means the nature drives, e-bike trails and night walks happen on the property rather than on a public road. Campers and self-caterers are on the same premises at Namib Desert Camp and Camping2Go.

Namib Desert Lodge below the fossilised dunes

Wooden bungalows among the palms

Where you will sleep

Accommodation at Namib Desert Lodge

Sixty-six rooms in five layouts, from twins to a four-bed family room adapted for wheelchair users. Every room has air-conditioning, a veranda and an en-suite shower.

Namib Desert Lodge below the fossilised dunes

Wooden bungalows among the palms

Twin room with two single beds

En-suite bathroom with shower

Triple room made up with three single beds

Veranda outside a room, facing the plains

Family room with four single beds

Seating area inside a bungalow

Twin Room

The standard room and by far the most common — fifty-three of the sixty-six are twins.
Two single beds, linen and towels provided, an en-suite bathroom with a shower, and a veranda looking out over either the grassy plains or the base of the fossilised dunes.
Air-conditioning and heating, a safe, a seating area, a clothes rack, tea and coffee facilities, a hairdryer and basic toiletries are all provided.

Because there are so many of them, twins are usually the easiest room to get at short notice in high season.

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Twin room with two single beds

En-suite bathroom with shower

Triple room made up with three single beds

Veranda outside a room, facing the plains

Family room with four single beds

Seating area inside a bungalow

Room interior at Namib Desert Lodge

Fossilised dunes behind the lodge

Double Room

The same bungalow and the same view, made up with a double bed instead of two singles.
Linen and towels are provided, the en-suite has a shower, and there is a veranda, air-conditioning and heating, a safe, a seating area, a clothes rack, tea and coffee facilities, a hairdryer and basic toiletries.

There are far fewer doubles than twins, so say clearly when you enquire that you want a double bed rather than a twin.

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Triple room made up with three single beds

Veranda outside a room, facing the plains

Family room with four single beds

Seating area inside a bungalow

Room interior at Namib Desert Lodge

Fossilised dunes behind the lodge

Cold-water swimming pool and sun deck

Grassy plains and the petrified dune wall

Triple Room

Four rooms are set up with three single beds for three people sharing.
Otherwise identical to the twins: en-suite with a shower, veranda, air-conditioning and heating, safe, seating area, clothes rack, tea and coffee facilities, hairdryer and basic toiletries.

Only four exist, so they go early — worth asking well ahead if you are three travelling together.

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Family room with four single beds

Seating area inside a bungalow

Room interior at Namib Desert Lodge

Fossilised dunes behind the lodge

Cold-water swimming pool and sun deck

Grassy plains and the petrified dune wall

Namib Desert Lodge below the fossilised dunes

Wooden bungalows among the palms

Family Room

Four of the rooms are furnished with four single beds for a family or group of up to four.
Linen and towels are provided, the en-suite has a shower, and there is a veranda, air-conditioning and heating, a safe, a seating area, a clothes rack, tea and coffee facilities, a hairdryer and basic toiletries.

Children are genuinely welcome here: under-5s stay free sharing with parents, and 6 to 13 year olds pay half the bed-and-breakfast rate. Tell us the ages when you enquire and we will work the rate out for you.

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Room interior at Namib Desert Lodge

Fossilised dunes behind the lodge

Cold-water swimming pool and sun deck

Grassy plains and the petrified dune wall

Namib Desert Lodge below the fossilised dunes

Wooden bungalows among the palms

Twin room with two single beds

En-suite bathroom with shower

Accessible Family Room

One of the four family rooms is adapted for guests with restricted mobility, with enough space to move a wheelchair around.
It is furnished with four single beds, linen and towels provided, and has the same en-suite shower bathroom, veranda, air-conditioning and heating, safe, seating area, clothes rack, tea and coffee facilities, hairdryer and basic toiletries as the others.

There is only one of these in the whole lodge, so please say when you enquire that you need it and we will check it is free before quoting you.

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What to do

Why stay at Namib Desert Lodge?

Sesriem is 60 km south, so Sossusvlei is a full day out rather than a quick morning. And as with everywhere outside the park boundary, the gate opens at sunrise, so you will not have the dunes to yourself at first light. Ask us if that early light is the whole reason for your trip — there are only a handful of beds inside the park and we will tell you straight what they cost you.

What this lodge trades that for is room to breathe. You are away from the cluster of properties at the gate, with the fossilised dunes directly behind you and a waterhole out front that gemsbok walk up to in the late afternoon.

It is also the most practical base in this area for anyone who is not a couple. Sixty-six rooms means twins, doubles, triples, four-bed family rooms and one adapted for wheelchair users, plus campsites and self-catering tents on the same property.

The activities happen inside the Gondwana Namib Park rather than on public land, so the e-bike trails, hiking routes and nature drives start from the door. The lodge is also the base for Namib Dune Star Camp, the sleep-out cabins up on the dune crest, if you want one night of each.

Travelling with children

Children are welcome throughout the lodge
Under 5 years: free when sharing with parents
6 to 13 years: 50% of the bed-and-breakfast rate
Four-bed family rooms available
Tell us the ages when you enquire and we will work out the rate

Activities

Guided excursion to Sossusvlei
Sunrise and sunset dune drives
Guided nature drives in the Gondwana Namib Park
Guided desert night walk
Fat-tyre e-biking on the property
Self-guided hiking trails from the lodge
Game watching at the waterhole
Two cold-water swimming pools

Things to see

Sossusvlei, Deadvlei and Hidden Vlei
Dune 45, Big Daddy and Big Momma
Sesriem Canyon
The fossilised dunes behind the lodge
Solitaire

Facilities

Restaurant and outdoor dining area
Buffet breakfast and dinner, light lunches
Bar and lounge
Two cold-water swimming pools with sun terrace
Waterhole with viewing deck
Curio shop and activity desk
Wi-Fi at the main lodge, plus mobile signal
Laundry service, safe parking and 24-hour security

Camping and self-catering

3 shaded campsites on the same premises
8 Camping2Go self-catering tents
Campers and self-caterers share the lodge activities

Getting there

On the C19, 60 km north of Sesriem
30 km south of Solitaire
Gravel roads throughout — allow more time than the distance suggests

Fossilised dunes behind the lodge

Cold-water swimming pool and sun deck

Photos

Namib Desert Lodge in pictures

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Video

How to visit Sossusvlei

A practical guide to the gates, the drive and the dunes, for the day trip you will make from here.

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