Top 10 Sustainable Stays in Namibia
Written by Daryll Williams
Geological extremes make Namibia a formidable prospect at first glance. They are colossal; from the haunting, windswept Skeleton Coast littered with shipwrecks, to the towering fire-red dunes that rise up from the scorched central regions. Yet Namibia is leading the way when it comes to responsible tourism. As the first African country to include environmental protection in its constitution, it's one of the good guys when it comes to the environment, economy, culture, and resources. This sustainability wave is also in large part thanks to its increasingly wide array of spectacular eco-friendly camps and lodges.
Setting an example to the rest of Africa, and the world, it is crucial that the country’s accommodation follows exemplary conservation practices. As such, we decided to scour the land, from the lush oasis of the Zambezi Region all the way to the arid Namib Desert, to find the very best of the country’s sustainable options…
Hoada Campsite
Hidden among large granite boulders and Mopani trees, Hoada Campsite affords travellers a serene home in the wilderness. The area, which also boasts a variety of animals, offers spectacular views and a number of hiking trails and 4×4 tracks to explore. All 6 luxury campsites can easily accommodate 8 people, with ample designated areas for vehicles with roof-top tents.
Location: Kunene Region
Budget: Basic
Sustainability:
This community-owned campsite boasts an eco-friendly innovation where the braai (barbeque) area is linked to the hot water system, which means that while cooking your dinner on an open fire you are simultaneously heating your shower water. Furthermore, the campsite has also received eco-awards from Namibia’s sustainable tourism certification body, adding further merit to the destination’s global top 100 recognition.
Hoanib Valley Camp occupies a special location in one of Namibia’s most remote and awe-inspiring environments. Blending in with its natural surroundings, the lodge’s 6 exclusive tents offer guests supreme solitude and serene views from private verandas. Activities on offer include nature walks through the desert discovering hidden flora and fauna, visits to the local Herero people to learn about their way of life, and game drives to find the desert-adapted elephants and endangered black rhinos.
Location: Damaraland
Budget: Fancy
Sustainability:
The camp is entirely solar-powered, using the desert’s ample sunlight. Furthermore, most buildings were constructed of natural materials like wood and bamboo and a recycled-material composite. The furniture inside was created by local Rundu and Himba carpenters and carvers, while the decorative baskets were sourced from the Omba Project in Windhoek.
Meike's Guesthouse is centrally situated in the coastal town of Swakopmund, only a few minutes walk away from the beach and town centre. The guesthouse is owner-run, which ensures each stay is a very personal one. A total of 5 en-suite double rooms, 2 spacious family rooms and a fully equipped self-catering unit make up the accommodation, each with its very own private outside sitting area in the lush garden.
Location: Swakopmund
Budget: Mid-level
Sustainability:
Sustainable tourism is at the heart of the Meike’s Guesthouse experience. Particular attention is paid to ecological and sustainable use of resources, such as the hot water system, which is entirely powered by solar energy. Meike’s was also the first tourism establishment in Swakopmund to be honoured with the eco-award of the Namibian Tourism Association.
What to look out for:
Popular lobster restaurant, The Tug, is a short distance away
Delicious continental breakfast
Hakusembe River Lodge
Hakusembe River Lodge is nestled amid lawns and shady trees overlooking the Okavango River. Its attractions include the river and its wildlife, and keen fishermen can easily justify more than a transitory stay. But the real appeal here is the 20 thatched bungalows that line the river, each with its own private view, en-suite bathroom, air-conditioning, hot water, and permanent electricity supply.
Location: Zambezi
Budget: Mid-level
Sustainability:
The lodge really shines with its commitment to operate under the principles of sustainability, which includes the funding of a nearby kindergarten and the installation of water dispensers to minimise plastic bottle usage.
What to look out for:
The large thatched bar with its cozy seating area
A sparkling swimming pool
Champagne sunset cruises
The Dune Camp
Dune Camp is perched along the ridge of a 250-metre high dune deep within the NamibRand Nature Reserve. With lavish tents that boast wide decks and luxurious interiors, the camp stands out because of its consideration for the environment, not despite it. Open-fronted to give full views of the desert horizons and scattered oryx, the structures contain natural materials, and guests are thoroughly absorbed into the desert landscapes.
Sustainability:
As part of the Wolwedans portfolio, Dune Camp has always been guided by an approach where people, planet, and profit were all equally important. Right from the start the commercial aim of the business has been to ensure the NamibRand Nature Reserve’s financial viability while assuring the conservation of the Pro-Namib for future generations. Furthermore, the camp is committed to a zero-tolerance policy with regards to water wastage, by employing effective measuring, monitoring, and maintenance.
What to look out for:
Several sundowner decks
Safe sleep-outs under the stars
Vegetarian meals
Grootberg Lodge
With perhaps one of the most spectacular locations in Namibia, Grootberg Lodge wows with views from the edge of the Etendeka Plateau looking out over the Klip River Valley in Damaraland. With black eagles soaring out over the private decks, the lodge offers guests a comfortable respite from the extremes of the desert. All 16 rock and thatch chalets are individually decorated, with breathtaking views of the surroundings.
Location: Damaraland
Budget: Mid-level
Sustainability:
Grootberg Lodge is unique because it was built to support the local ≠Khoadi//Hoas community and is wholly owned by the conservancy. As such, the =Khoadi-//Hoas Conservancy is considered one of the top sustainable destinations in the world.
What to look out for:
The infinity pool overlooking the valley
Unforgettable game drives through the area
Set on a hill overlooking the flat mopane woodland, Etosha Safari Lodge offers guests the ideal balance between action and calm. With its proximity to Etosha National Park’s Andersson Gate in the south, guided game drives and self-drives are easy and memorable. Other activities at the lodge include lounging by the pool or enjoying the sunset with a cocktail in hand.
Location: Etosha
Budget: Mid-level
Sustainability:
The lodge is part of the Gondwana Group, which uses various initiatives to decrease the effect its activities have on the environment. Awarded, 5 Eco Awards Namibia flowers and 5 desert flowers, signalling that it keeps to a standard of environmental care and implements sustainable practices for the future of the immediate environment, the company and the people. Etosha Safari Lodge uses responsible waste management to reduce non-recyclable materials and does not offer single-use plastic items like straws and cutlery. Moreover, the staff from the lodge can join the Gondwana Training Academy for further skills development.
What to look out for:
Fresh and delicious meals at the restaurant (including vegetarian)
A range of swimming pools to try out
Views, views and more views
Home of the AfriCat Foundation, Okonjima Lodge offers guests the opportunity to experience conservation and rehabilitation at its best. Stays at the lodge, set in the 200.000+ hectare Okonjima Nature Reserve, come with the bonus of possible leopard, cheetah and brown hyaena sightings around the camp. Moreover, Okonjima is home to AfriCat, a foundation that was founded in 1991 with the explicit mission of trying to ensure the survival of Namibia’s predators in their natural habitat.
Location: Waterberg
Budget: Mid-level
Sustainability:
The lodge has won 5 flowers at the Eco Awards Namibia for its commitment to sustainable practices and the environment. In addition, Okonjima Lodge positively contributes to local economic development. The lodge also looks after its employees by paying them living wages and offering skills training.
What to look out for:
The carnivore enclosures for big-cat views
The AfriCat Carnivore Care and Information Centre
Night-time game drives
Perched high among jackalberry, sausage and knobthorn trees, with elephants and other wildlife meandering through on ancient paths below, Nambwa Tented Lodge allows guests to experience the stunning Zambezi in a truly unique way. Spend sunny days spotting Africa’s largest contiguous elephant population as they go about their day, alongside lechwe, buffalo, lion and zebra, through expert-led game drives and boat cruises through the wilderness.
Location: Zambezi
Budget: Fancy
Sustainability:
Located in the largest conservation area in the world, Nambwa Tented Lodge was sustainably constructed on stilts to have as little impact on the surrounding environment. The lodge uses fresh, locally-grown ingredients and makes use of composting to dispose of its organic waste.
What to look out for:
Biodegradable amenities
Visit Sijwa Island to tour the recycling workshops
Buy a tree from the indigenous nursery and plant it
Perched along the edge of the Fish River and with breathtaking views of the world’s second-largest canyon, Fish River Lodge is an unforgettable stay in an otherworldly location. The interior of the lodge is stylishly decorated yet calm and inviting. Guests can explore the canyon below and its surrounding area through short hikes, rides with fat bikes, canyon drives, and sunset drives.
Location: Fish River
Budget: Fancy
Sustainability:
Water usage at the lodge has been optimised to be as responsible as possible, while power is generated using solar panels. The lodge is part of the Canyon Nature Park, which in partnership with the Greater Fish River Canyon Complex focuses on conservation, sustainable natural resource management, and socio-economic development.
What to look out for:
The swimming pool overlooking the canyon
Cocktails with the best view
Daytrips down into the canyon
Getting beneath the surface of sustainability
Here at Viatu, sustainable travel is not just a choice, but our standard. The importance of reducing the pressure that tourism exerts on the natural and social environments of our travel destinations cannot be emphasised enough.
Responsible tourism in Namibia could be held up as an example for many other destinations to follow. It has a fantastic conservation record, which is particularly important as it is home to a number of highly endangered species, including the black rhino. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind as a visitor which will help reduce your impact on this landscape, and prioritising where to stay should be at the top of your list.
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