Photo courtesy of © Zannier Sonop

Location: Edge of the Namib Desert

Set within 13,800 private acres of untouched Namibian desert wilderness, Zannier Sonop Hotel is constructed on top of giant granite boulders in authentic 1920’s British colonial style. The remote location offer uninterrupted connection to Namibia’s desert wilderness whilst still being accessible as the lodge has its own airstrip.

Featuring just 10 spacious tented suites that are inspired by the journey of 1920’s British explorers, the tents provide a genuine experience of a bygone era. These include a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom tents, each with roll-up canvas walls for panoramic views, vintage bathtubs, four-poster king beds, and private terraces. The boulders location of the tented suites allow for a vast panorama of the Namib Desert. Read more here.

Why Choose Zannier Sonop : Isolated location, extraordinary stargazing opportunity, open-air cinema in the middle of the desert, private airstrip, open-air infinity pool, equipped with its own stables for horseback riding.

Photo courtesy of © AndBeyond

Location: NamibRand Nature Reserve

Located deep in the Sossusvlei Private Desert Reserve, andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is set within 12,715 hectares (31,419 acres) of private reserve. It is one of the best hotels in Namibia, offering an extraordinary blend of luxury, privacy, and dramatic desert beauty.

Featuring just 10 beautifully appointed stone and glass suites that spread out along the curve of the escarpment. Each suite features private plunge pools, retractable skylights – perfect for stargazing, panoramic desert views, along with and an ensuite bathroom with a glass-encased rain shower offering 180º desert views.

Because of both its remote location and its proximity to the International Dark Sky Reserve (NamibRand), it offers some of the clearest night skies that are exceptional for stargazing. andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is deal if you want the dramatic desert more than dense jungle or bush safari.

Why Choose AndBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge : On-site observatory for stargazing, helicopter flights, big dune walk experience, e-biking, sunrise-view gym, sunset-facing wellness centre, walk in vintage wine cellar.

Photo courtesy of © Little Kulala

Location: NamibRand Nature Reserve, bordering Namib Naukluft Park

Little Kulala sits in the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve (approx 37,000 hectares) on the edge of Namibia’s Namib-Naukluft Park. If you are looking for a luxury hotel near the Sossusvlei’s dunes, Little Kulala is the closest camp to Sossusvlei providing private gate into the Namib-Nakluft National Park with extraordinary view of the red dunes.

There are 11 climate-controlled, thatched “kulalas” (that means “to sleep”) built on raised wooden platforms to help with airflow. Each villa has a private deck with plunge pool,  indoor and outdoor showers and a rooftop ‘skybed’ accessed by an internal staircase above the villa for sleeping under the stars.

Little Kulala features a central lodge with dining room, lounge, bar, library, wine cellar, a swimming pool. The shady wrap-around veranda which overlooks a nearby waterhole is perfect for sundowners. It is worth nothing that Little Kulala does not accept children under the age of 6 years.

Why Choose Little Kulala: Sunrise excursions to Sossusvlei & Deadvlei via the private gate, hot air balloon rides over the dunes, quad biking, walks or nature drives through the desert, nighttime walks to spot scorpions.

Photo courtesy of © Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp

Location: Skeleton Coast

Located in the remote Hoanib Valley along Namibia’s Skeleton Coast, Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp is only accessible by a small aircraft via the camps own private airstrip. This luxury hotel in Namibia is notable particularly for wildlife encounters both via guided drives as well as due to its location. Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp looks out over a waterhole frequented by lions, elephants, giraffes, oryx and brown hyenas, flamingos can also be seen seasonally.

The camp offers just 8 spacious solar-powered tented suites, each with open design, private verandas that overlook the vast desert landscape and colour palette reflect the surrounding desert. It offers the perfect base to explore the highlights of Skeleton Coast including the shipwrecks, large colonies of Cape fur seals, as well as towering red dune that come right up to the Atlantic.

Why Choose Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp : Wildlife encounters, shipwrecks, visiting the Cape Fur Seal Colonies, rugged geological formations, and stark desert landscapes.

Photo courtesy of © Damaraland Camp

Location: Huab River Valley

The Huab River Valley, one of Namibia’s most dramatic wilderness areas, forms the backdrop to Damaraland Camp. Nestled in Torra Conservancy, Damaraland Camp is a luxury eco-safari camp run in partnership with Wilderness Safaris and the local community. In fact, it was one of the first lodges in Namibia to be developed with local communities, ensuring that tourism directly supports conservation and livelihood.

Damaraland Camp is one of the best lodges in Namibia for wildlife, here you will have the opportunity to see desert-adapted elephants, gemsbok, kudu, springbok, Hartman’s mountain zebras, southern giraffes, occasionally black rhinos along with other wildlife. If you’re in luck you may even be able to spot a lion, cheetah, or elusive brown hyena.

The camp features 10 elevated adobe-style thatched suites, Each suite is raised on wooden decking with a private veranda overlooking sweeping desert landscapes. The main lodge also features a pool, gather for a fireside boma evening of cultural cuisine, song and dance, canopied by countless stars.

Why Choose Damaraland Camp: Benefits the local community, supports conservation, game drives, wild desert environment, nature walks, bird-watching, close to the infamous Twyfelfontein rock engravings.

Photo courtesy of © Zannier Hotels

Location: Just outside Windhoek

Located relatively close to Windhoek, the capital city of Namibia Zannier Hotels Omaanda is one of the best hotels in Namibia that offers same feeling of being deep in the desert without the long drives or charter flights to extremely remote locations.

Omaanda is more than just a luxury hotel in Namibia, it’s part of a working wildlife conservancy. Through its partnership with the N/a’an ku sê Foundation, they offer unforgettable experiences in their own 22,000-acre wildlife conservancy. Here you can track a rhino or a herd of elephants going for a swim, get up-close sightings of big cats, spy a leopard climbing up a Jackleberry tree or simply experience the nocturnal beauty of the savannah.

15 individual Owambo-style thatch and clay huts are set in the heart of the Zannier Reserve. They offer magnificent views stretching to the distant hills of the Khomas Hochland Plateau. Along with the heated outdoor infinity pool which offers magnificent views over the savannah, from sunrise to midnight dip, the lodge’s design of terrace, open fireplaces, a boma for evening gatherings makes evenings under the sky especially memorable.

Why Choose Zannier Hotels Omaanda : Sustainable initiatives, close proximity to the capital, wildlife.

Photo courtesy of © Shipwreck Lodge

Location: Skeleton Coast National Park

As one of the few lodges in Namibia’s Skeleton Coast National Park, Shipwreck Lodge offers a unique experience among luxury hotels in Namibia. Designed to resemble the stranded ships that litter the shores and waters of this coastline.

10 cabins are spread out along the dunes, looking out over the desert towards the ocean. Wooden walkways and sand paths connect the main lodge to the cabins. The main lodge is home to a lounge where expansive windows offers views of the desert. The deck is the perfect place to recline on while watching as the setting sun dips behind the Atlantic Ocean.

Shipwreck Lodge offers an extraordinary wildlife experience amidst one of Namibia’s most rugged landscapes. Encounter desert-adapted elephants, desert lions, giraffes, Hartmann’s mountain zebras, brown hyenas, black-faced impalas, and baboons, on game drives. The lodge’s coastal proximity also allows visits to large Cape Fur Seal colonies and the towering red dune that come right up to the Atlantic.

Why Choose Shipwreck Lodge: Uniquely designed accommodation, close to the Cape Fur Seal colonies, wildlife, and stark desert landscapes.

Photo courtesy of © Doro !Nawas

Location: Damaraland

Located in Namibia’s Damaraland region, Doro !Nawas immerses you into the dramatic desert landscapes, valleys, and iconic scenery everywhere you look. Perched like a fortress on a rocky outcrop, Doro !Nawas features 16 wood, wood, canvas, and thatch suites. Each of the suites offer a private deck “Sleep-Out Deck” where the bed can be wheeled out, allowing you to sleep beneath the open sky and the vast Namibian wilderness.

Doro !Nawas Conservancy, the camp offers guided nature drives to observe desert-adapted wildlife, including black rhinos, desert-adapted elephants and more. It is also ideally located to explore sites such as the UNESCO World Heritage site of Twyfelfontein, known for its ancient rock engravings.

Why Choose Doro !Nawas : Exceptional stargazing opportunity, Desert landscapes, outdoor beds for stargazing, Close to Twyfelfontein UNESCO World Heritage site, the Petrified Forest, Burnt Mountain, and Organ Pipes.

Photo courtesy of © Ongava Lodge

Location: Edge of Etosha National Park

Located on a hilltop, overlooking the marvelous, 74,000-acre game reserve, Ongava Lodge puts you in a perfect spot for exploring the northern loop of Namibia and Etosha National Park. The area surrounding Ongava Lodge is teeming with rare big game species, such as mountain zebras, kudus, lions, and more. In fact, Ongava Lodge sits right next to its own floodlit waterhole, which attracts a steady stream of wildlife.

As one of the best lodges in Namibia, Ongava Lodge features 14 spacious en-suite chalets crafted from rock and thatch, in keeping with their natural surroundings. Each suite has a private veranda, air conditioning, en-suite bathroom with both indoor and outdoor showers, and modern comforts wrapped in rustic elegance. The elevated location ensures panoramic views and a sense of seclusion in the wilderness. Even the lodge’s swimming pool is perfectly positioned to overlook a busy waterhole.

A few of the spectacular activities you can enjoy from the Ongava Lodge include walking tours, wildlife viewing, sunset excursions, and game drives. No matter how you want to get to know the scenery, you’ll never forget your stay at Ongava Lodge, just one of the stunning lodges in Namibia.

Why Choose Ongava Lodge: Unbeatable wildlife encounters lodge’s offers its own floodlit waterhole which attracts a steady stream of wildlife, best Sunset views, hilltop setting.

* All listings featured in this article were independently selected. However, when you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. All the images belong to the respective owners. Main Image © AndBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge