8 Best Hotels in Namibia

This exceptional camp close to the dry Huab River bed in central Damaraland is the ideal starting point for searching for desert-adapted elephants, with guides who are astute in accommodating photographers’ need to get the perfect shot. Located within the Torra Conservancy, encircled by ochre mountains and sand dunes, the views from the gorgeous, adobe-style, thatch units take in a landscape of craggy beauty formed by millions of years of unending geological movement. After a day in the desert, cool off in the swimming pool, read or watch the desert birds from a comfy chair on the deck, or relax with a drink in the spacious, airy lounge, where surreal views and unsurpassable service are the name of the game.

This intimate and luxurious lodge in the 66,718-acre private Kulala Wilderness Reserve faces the mesmerizing red dunes of Namib-Naukluft Park with the ever-shifting sands and has a waterhole that attracts all manner of game and birdlife. The recently renovated lodge is very tastefully decorated in colors, textures, and raw materials that pay homage to the landscape's uniqueness. Elevated wooden walkways radiate from the main lodge to the elegant, air-conditioned suites where every creature comfort is attended to—plunge pool alongside a shaded, king-size day bed that is made up and wheeled out under the stars at night; a rooftop sundowner deck; and an indoor and outdoor shower set in an indigenous garden. Rooms also boast art supplies, wellness and workout equipment, and a tablet device for star-watching that comes in handy if you opt to sleep beneath the Milky Way in summer. The impressive wine cellar hosts tasting evenings and private dinners. 

There are just three thatched villas at this secluded, ultra-luxurious lodge within the Ongava Game Reserve, which borders Etosha. Each villa comes with its own private viewing deck and infinity plunge pool, as well as indoor and outdoor showers, and a bathtub with an unrivaled view over the reserve. Between game drives, relax in your private lounge decorated in shades of beige and turquoise. There's air conditioning in summer and for chilly winter nights, each villa has a fireplace. Daily activities include drives and bush walks in Ongava Game Reserve, as well as game drives into Etosha itself.

On the edge of Nkasa Rupara National Park, this intimate, unfenced tented camp—which is part of the award-winning, joint-venture Wuparo conservancy program—offers the best of both worlds, namely river cruises and game drives through wetlands, woodlands, and grass plains. The unpretentious, double-story main lodge has a swimming pool, bar, and a lookout over a natural watering hole that connects to the Kwando-Linyanti river system after heavy rainfall. Bell frogs will sing you to sleep with their chorus that resembles the clinging of glass bells. The stilted, en suite tents are simple and may not meet travelers’ expectations when it comes to the price, but its eco-tourism model that minimizes guests’ carbon footprint and partners closely with local communities is impressive. Their nearby sister property (Jackalberry Tented Camp), also within a concession in the national park, is recommended for those looking for a slightly higher-end stay.

The best time of year to visit Serondela Lodge, on the floodplains of the Chobe River, is just after the rainy season, which ends in March. This is when the Zambezi Region erupts in bursts of green and swells with an abundance of wildlife. The lodge directly looks out onto Botswana’s Chobe National Park, a mere 200 m (656 feet) across the river, which makes for delightful game spotting (especially elephants) from the wooden deck. A lunch-time or sundowner river cruise is a must for bird watching and photography. The easiest way to reach the lodge is from Kasane in Botswana, and the complimentary 17 km (10½-mile) boat transfer doubles as a wonderful arrival activity.

If it's rhinos you're after, especially the rare black rhino, then this very remote tented camp in the heart of the private 1-million-acre Palmwag Reserve is a must. In addition to the rhinos, you might also see desert elephants, giraffes, zebras, and springboks. The camp collaborates with the Save the Rhino Trust, and one of the highlights of your stay will be tracking the rare black rhino in an open safari vehicle, with the very short final approach done on foot. It's an honor to encounter one of the continent's largest free-ranging populations of these critically endangered animals. Though the landscape is very barren and stark, you'll likely feel very close to the desert in your contemporary canvas and wooden suite with a spacious porch and indoor/outdoor showers. During a two-night stay, you will be treated to an unforgettable dinner experience by the exceptionally warm-hearted staff. 

Blending into the backdrop and set amid stony slopes, rugged boulders, the distant Etendeka Mountains, and the pink and russet sandstone cliffs of Twyfelfontein to the south (where you can visit some of the most famous San rock paintings and engravings in the world), this is classic Damaraland. The wood, canvas and thatch camp offers 360-degree views of this fascinating landscape and the chance to see the desert-adapted elephants. The sturdy en-suite units have indoor and outdoor showers. You can relax in the glistening pool after a day's activities, or climb up to the roof area of the main building to sip sundowners or watch the blazing stars. Birders will delight in seeing a few of the country’s endemic species, such as Rüpell's korhaan, Carp's tit, and Damara red-billed hornbill. 

In the heart of the Namib, set on a private wilderness reserve that borders the Namib-Naukluft Park with an exclusive-use entrance gate, this is the closest you could possibly stay to the famous red dunes of Sossusvlei (along with Little Kulala, on the same reserve). This proximity also offers a remarkable setting with superb mountain scenery and vast open plains, while the main lodge truly exudes this sense of place with the large tree trunks that act as pillars. The wrap-around wooden deck leads from the swimming pool to an extended veranda (for alfresco dining), fire pit, and indoor dining area, making it the perfect place to watch or photograph the magnificent desert sunset. The tented, double-layer canvas, thatch-roofed chalets (kulala) sit on a wooden platform overlooking the dry Tsauchab riverbed and desert landscape, and while they don't have air-conditioning, they are designed in such a way that allows for natural airflow and cooling. On summer nights, you can request a star bed rollout with your turndown service to sleep on the chalet roof, under the night sky.