Hoanib Valley Camp

LOCATION:

Hoanib River, Kaokoland

NUMBER OF ROOMS:

6

PRICE RANGE:

NAD 13,780 — NAD 21,460 per night

DATES OPEN:

Year Round

LOCATION:

Hoanib River, Kaokoland

NUMBER OF ROOMS:

6

PRICE RANGE:

NAD 13,780 — NAD 21,460 per night

DATES OPEN:

Year Round

Where the elephant roam

In a country jam-packed with vast, spectacularly beautiful landscapes, Kaokoland may just be the most incredible of them all. Deep in north-western Namibia, the area is a melee of towering mountains, sand dunes, and huge expanses of desert, scattered with unique wildlife and nomadic Himba settlements. It’s also one of Namibia’s most remote and wild environments, and one that not many will get the chance to discover in a lifetime. And that’s exactly why we’ve decided to build Hoanib Valley Camp. A joint venture including the local communities and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, the world’s only Africa-wide giraffe conservation organisation, the camp is an elegant, intimate affair that immerses you into the wilds of the desert. The six rooms blend seamlessly with the environment, offering a simple aesthetic that matches the rugged landscape down to a tee. Days are spent tracking endangered rhino, desert-adapted elephant, and of course desert-adapted giraffe, before retiring to your private veranda to marvel at the magnitude of your surroundings (G&T in hand).

For more information about combining a stay at Hoanib Valley Camp with Shipwreck Lodge at the Skeleton Coast, please contact us. 

Why You’ll Love Hoanib Valley Camp:

  • Discover the true magnitude and magic of Namibia and visit a place that not many will ever have the chance to explore…
  • This area is one of the best places to see desert adapted elephant, giraffe, lion, rhino, mountain zebra, and oryx.
  • Sip a G&T on your private veranda and contemplate the stark beauty of the landscape spread out all around you.
  • Learn more about the ground-breaking giraffe research that is being conducted in this remote corner of Namibia.
  • Spend time with local Herero people and learn a little of their fascinating way of life in such a harsh climate.
  • Embark on a guided nature walk and uncover the smaller flora and fauna of the desert.

We recommend booking Hoanib Valley Camp as part of a complete Natural Selection safari, but if you want to book it separately or just check availability, click here to select dates and book.

Interested in learning more about the prices? View Rates

Explore Hoanib Valley Camp

Hoanib Valley Camp Accommodations

Hoanib Valley’s six guest tents blend almost perfectly into the rugged environment. The colours, textures and patterns are inspired by the experience of the Hoanib; the rich ochre of the dunes, the geometric patterns of the Himba people and, of course, the giraffe that inspired the project. True to the ethos of Natural Selection, we’ve sourced materials locally, and you’ll find furniture shaped by the local Rundu carpenters and Himba carvers, and baskets weaved by the people of the Omba Project in Windhoek. The whole camp is a clean and green sort of place, leaving virtually no footprint on this fragile eco-system. It’s entirely solar powered to ensure carbon emissions are kept to a minimum, and the tents sit on decks made of a wood, bamboo and 70% recycled-material composite.

Accommodation & Amenities

  • 6 tents: 5 twins, 1 family
  • Ensuite bathrooms with indoor showers
  • Wifi available: Yes
  • Hairdryers: No
  • Battery charging facilities: In the mess tent & in room
  • Complimentary laundry service
  • Child policy: We welcome children of all ages.
  • Disabled access: Please enquire with reservations

When to Visit Hoanib Valley Camp

Hoanib Valley Camp is open year-round, but the two seasons (the green season and the dry season) offer two remarkably different experiences.

The summer months of December to March are the green season. When the rain comes, the rocky landscapes are transformed into a rich, emerald carpet, and, depending on the level of rainfall, the dry riverbeds flow (albeit briefly) with life-giving water. Dramatic sunsets are littered with heavy clouds, and short bursts of rain clear the dust from the air. It’s fresh, vivid, and although temperatures can be high, it’s a lovely time of year to visit.

Then the rain stops, and the land dries slowly into its iconic, desert state. Midwinter (May to July), brings chilly temperatures in the mornings and evenings (that’s where the warm jacket comes in) but as the season progresses the temperatures rise steadily. By October, the land is at its driest and the temperature at its warmest, and as the desert-elephant begin to congregate around the last drops of water in the river valleys, you’ll be rewarded with some truly incredible sights.

Seasonality

  • Green Season: 10 January – 31 March
  • Shoulder Season: 01 April – 30 June & 01 November – 09 January
  • High Season: 01 July – 30 September & 20 December – 19 December
  • Peak Season: 01 August – 31 August & 01 October – 31 October

Hoanib Valley Camp Activities

  • Game drives to track desert adapted lion, elephant and giraffe.
  • Nature walks.
  • Rhino tracking.
  • Cultural experiences with local Himba and Herero people.
  • Learn more about the giraffe research happening in the area (please contact us for more information on project funding).

Hoanib Valley Camp Landscape & Wildlife

Landscape

Deep in the north-western corner of Namibia, Kaokoland is one of the most remote, wild and marvellously unique areas of the country. It’s a land characterised by rolling dunes, rocky mountains and desert plains all criss-crossed by ancient, dry riverbeds, the roads of the area. Temporary Himba settlements dot the landscape, and scattered herds of desert-adapted elephant and giraffe are a common sight.

Hoanib Valley Camp itself is located in the Sesfontein Community Conservancy, our joint partners in the area. The camp itself is set back in a hidden valley and surrounded by a range of jagged mountains, just outside the private 500 square kilometre Palmwag Concession. Views are of the ephemeral Hoanib River that teems with resident elephant, giraffe, oryx and springbok. Although parts of the land have been designated ‘concession areas’ tourism is still limited, making a visit to this unspoiled corner even more memorable.

Wildlife

The wildlife of the Hoanib Valley is perfectly at home in the arid environment, and learning about their survival techniques is fascinating. Game drives will reveal desert-adapted elephant, as well as stately desert-adapted giraffe, and, if you’re very lucky, desert lion. Zebra, klipspringer and kudu move freely through the mountains, and you’ll find hardy herds of springbok and oryx, as well as steenbok picking their way across the dust-blown landscapes. The region is home to the largest population of free-ranging black rhino, and a day (or even a morning or an afternoon) tracking the magnificent beasts is an absolute must. Bird watchers, keep your eyes peeled for Monteiro’s hornbills or Ruppell’s korhaans in the valleys, and the imperious Verreaux’s eagle in the mountains.

Hoanib Valley Camp Story

You’ll find Hoanib Valley Camp in the Kaokoveld region of north-west Namibia – an area that has long held an allure for our partner, Dr Julian Fennessy, Africa’s foremost giraffe expert and the go-to guy for information on the hardy population of desert-adapted giraffe who live here.

Our other partner in this venture is the Sesfontein Community who live some way inland of camp. When we first started to build Hoanib Valley Camp, we employed 20 labourers from Sesfontein to help us and now, 80% of our staff hail from there. We also pay 8% of our turnover as rental to the community, which they in turn use to finance salaries for rhino rangers and game guards.

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