Ladi

We're flying into Namibia for a few nights in between Cape Town and Botswana so that we can see the dunes. Do you recommend 2 or 3 nights in Sossusvlei? Which is better for a honeymoon - Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge or Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp?

Doogle

Hi there

Without a doubt Soussousvlei Mountain Lodge it is gorgeous, 3 nights is not nearlly enough, if you can stretch your budget a little try adn stop off in Swakopmund and do a living desert tour it is awesome!

Dana_M

Hi Ladi,
I stayed at Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp and it was very nice. I can't compare it, however, to Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge because I've never been there.

The dunes are absolutely magnificent, but I did find two nights at SWC sufficient. I'm not sure I would have wanted to climb big daddy more than once!

Our first afternoon we went for a "game drive" (in quotes because there isn't a lot of game but of course that is not what you go to Sossusvlei for). The scenery was, however, very beautiful. On the second day we left early to see the dunes at sunrise, then climbed big daddy, then went to Sessriem Canyon. This was a pretty full day, with picnic lunch, but it felt like we fit in most of what we wanted to do. I did not do a hot air balloon trip over the dunes, but some people I met in camp did and said it was spectacular. If you want to do this you will need that third morning. Whether you stay 2 or 3 nights might depend on when you arrive at/depart from camp.

A took a flight from Sossusvlei to Swakopmund and really enjoyed it. As with Sossusvlei, the scenery was magnificent.

Here's a link to some photos I took on my trip. The photos of Sossusvlei are at the beginning of the album.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Danastra...amibiaJune2007

Ladi

Wow - those pictures are amazing. I'm so excited to go!

For people who stay the 3rd night, what else do you do on that 2nd day, besides the hot air balloon ride?

tuckeg

I've spend about 9 months in that area in the last 4 years and am familiar with both accomodations. Before I offer an opinion, could you provide the time of year you will be visiting, how active you are, and what activities (if any) of the following you would be interested in: ATV dune drive, birding, walking to bushman cave with pictograms, and viewing sky through large telescope with astronomer as guide.

Ladi

We'll be there at the end of September /beginning of October. We want to hike the dunes (go into the park whether by vehicle or otherwise), walk to bushman cave with pictograms, and see the sky with an astronomer.

tuckeg

I would recommend SML as a honeymoon destination although SWC would be a good choice also. Since you are going when it's not too cold or hot then that aspect of the lodging is not important (SML units are made of native stone and stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter).

For honeymooners the SML villas are more romantic with large skylights over the (very large) beds and glass walls on one side (no one is allowed on that side so you have privacy). SML also has the walk to the cave and the telescope with astronomer and ATV trips (more fun than you'd think and low impact on the environment) and also will (if you ask) take you up on the dunes for a walk about and sundowner. If you are lucky, the SML choir will perform when you are there and they well worth hearing. I think 3 nights would be best.

Here is a photo of their night sky:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9406244@N06/2202949814/

SWC is more rustic and closer to Sossusvlei so if you were only going for Sossusvlei then I would recommend it and a 2 night stay.

Disclaimer: I have done astronomy programs at both (although the vast majority of my time has been at SML) and have friends at both so I am not unbaised but have tried to be objective in my response. If you have any specific questions, let me know.

tuckeg

I should have been clearer in my post. SWC is closer to the main dunes at Sossusvlei and Wilderness has a private entrance that SWC can use so they get to the park in less time and enter earlier than other area accomodations (I am not familiar with the new government lodge which is right at the enterance to the park and may offer even earlier entry). The best time to go to the main dunes is early morning when the shadows are most dramatic. You have to exit the park too early to get good shadows in the afternoon.

SWC is quite aways away from any dunes so I don't know if they offer sundowners on the smaller dunes outside the park, you would have to drive to Kulala I think.

SML is a couple of miles from the smaller dunes that are on their property but further from the park. They offer vehicle drives to these smaller dunes for walking by yourselves or with a guide and photos at sunset as well as sundowners. Very private and romantic! They also offer ATV rides in these dunes (more fun than you would think). Depending on how crowded they are, SML will arrange special romantic dining for honeymooners and may also offer dune dinners by then but I am not sure it will be warm enough by then.

New moon is Sept. 29 so that time will be excellent for using the telescope.

The cave is also on their property about a 30-40 minutes walk and climb from the lodge.

Marija

We stayed at SWC last June. We enjoyed it but it is not really a honeymoon destination. The kulalas are fairly basic and it would be a stretch to describe them as "romantic." I think Mountain Lodge is defintely the better choice.

Ladi

We'll be there Sept 28th-Oct. 1 so we'll be there right at the new moon - how great! I'm going to look into whether the Mountain Lodge is available...it is sounding better and better. Thanks!

tuckeg

While not confirmed, I am scheduled to be at SML from late May to early August and will check this board from time to time when I am there so if you have question let me know.

PacoAhedo

Hello Ladi,

there is another option in the area that you can consider.

South to SML and in the heart of the Namib Rand Reserve is Wolwedans.
We visit this place in July 2005 and stay 3 days at Wolwedans Dune Lodge.

Apart from the beautiful scenery,the magnificent red dunes(more red that in the rest of the area ,to me) and the amazing desert wildlife, this place has some special ambient that make you feel extremely free and alive.

I have said this before;after 5 trips and around 60 nights on safari at Wolwedans we had our best sunrises experience in Africa(and everywhere). Just sleep with your tent completely open and you will feel like sleeping under the stars.Then,in the morning the first sun ray will hit you directly in your bed,just wonderful!

I am sure Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge and Sossusvlei Wilderness Camp
will be nice also ,but this is another possibility to consider.

When we visited the area we spend 1 day at Kulala Lodge,this place has the best access to Sossusvlei so you can be there soon to maximize the best light for your photography or simply to enjoy.

You can take a look here at some pictures we took at the Namib Rand Reserve while our stay at Wolwedans.

http://www.pbase.com/africawild/namibrand05



and here is my gallery of the vlei.

http://www.pbase.com/africawild/namib05


This is a wonderful place,you will love it no matter where you stay.

Good luck.

Paco.

Ladi

We've been told that if we stay at the Mountain Lodge, we won't be able to see the Sossuvlei dunes at sunrise, and that we will be very far from those dunes. Is that true? How different is the experience at the Sossusvlei dunes from the smaller dunes tukeg recommends? If we have to go for 3 nights (due to safari scheduling) would it be crazy to do 2 nights at WS and 1 night at SML?

tuckeg

Not sure what you mean by WS, which lodge?

From the gate to the main dunes in Sossusvlei is 40-60 minutes depending on how you drive. Except for those camping at the park (and maybe at new government lodge, don't know how that works), everyone waits at the gate until it opens and then races for the dunes. Unless things have changed, the gate does not open in time to arrive at sunrise. However you do get there a little after and the shadows are still very dramatic. An exception to this are the four Wilderness properties. They use a private entrance to the park (a very controversial arrangement) and get in before other lodges although I don't think they make it by sunrise. The distance from SML to the gate is about 1 hour, about the same from SWC, Wolwedans is much further away (2 hours ++ to gate) and not a good choide for the day you visit dunes. As you were originally considering SWC and SML, comparing the two, at SWC you may get to the dunes a little earlier on the day you visit them but will not have dunes near you at the camp. At SML you will arrive a little later at the dunes, but will be able to go on walks, drives and ATV rides in the smaller dunes near the lodge and will have more comfortable lodging and a higher end experience. Being in the dunes at Wolwedans in tented accomodations is also very nice and temperatures at that time of year won't be a factor. As Paco suggested you would need to spend another night at a different accomodation near the Sossusvlei for your trip to the park.

Understand that the big dunes are big but also crowded, don't expect to wander about by yourselves. It is not very romantic. The smaller dunes at SML are private so when you go there to enjoy sunset you are alone.

As for splitting it up, depending on how busy they are, and they have been very busy recently, SML may not take a one night booking but you might get lucky. Most people are now booking 3 nights or more. In any event I wouldn't recommed the split you suggested but instead one night Kulala (closer to the Wilderness gate than SWC) and 2 at SML for activites.