Hoanib Valley Camp
- Kaokoland
- 6 Rooms
- NAD 14,995 — NAD 23,995 per night
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 desert-adapted wildlife and nomadic Himba settlements.
Located in one of the most remote areas of the Kaokoland lies the inaccessible Hoanib River Valley, an untouched wilderness area of remarkable desert and mountain landscapes centred on the ephemeral Hoanib River. Here you have some of the best game viewing of the country’s desert-adapted wildlife.
While the search for desert-adapted wildlife is the main attraction for many visitors, the wildness of the setting and jaw-dropping scenery will make a lasting impression.
The Hoanib River Valley is well-known for its stark landscapes, desert-adapted wildlife, and is part of the larger Kaokoveld Desert.
The valley serves as a crucial lifeline for wildlife in the harsh desert environment and is part of several important conservation areas and protected regions, helping to safeguard the unique desert-adapted wildlife and ecosystems in northwestern Namibia.
Its exact size depends on how broadly you define the valley, as it includes not only the river but also the surrounding floodplains, desert, and mountainous regions.
The ancient mountains, gravel plains, sandy dunes, and ephemeral rivers with sporadic lush oases shape the valley.
The riverbanks host a riparian zone, where trees and shrubs that tap into underground water create vital habitats for elephants, giraffes, lions, and other wildlife.
Beyond the riverbanks, the vegetation thins out, featuring hardy desert plants like the iconic Welwitschia mirabilis, grasses that flourish briefly after rainfall, and a variety of succulents on the rocky slopes and plains.
Hoanib River Valley is accessible for self-drive and fly-in visitors.
Self-drive guests are met at Sesfontein, approximately 60km east of Hoanib Valley Camp and transferred by 4WD.
Fly-in guests land at Orutjandja airstrip before transferring to the camp by 4WD.
The two seasons (the green season and the dry season) offer two remarkably different experiences.
The summer months of December to March are when the rain comes, the rocky landscapes are transformed into a rich, emerald carpet, and the dry riverbeds flow (albeit briefly) with life-giving water. Although temperatures can be high, it’s a lovely time of year to visit.
Midwinter (May to July), brings chilly temperatures in the mornings and evenings 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.
Key species in this arid area include desert-adapted elephant, lion, rhino, giraffe, and brown hyena. Observing and learning about their survival techniques is fascinating.
The wider region is highly regarded for its population of rare desert-adapted lions, however their vast home ranges make them difficult to locate. Fortunately the Hoanib River Valley is a preferred area for the lions and sightings are relatively consistent.
Game drives along the dry river bed will bring you up close to elephant and giraffe feeding on the trees and shrubs. Other common animals along the river include oryx, baboon, steenbok, and jackal.
Zebra, klipspringer and kudu move freely through the mountains, and you’ll find hardy herds of springbok and oryx picking their way across the dust-blown landscapes. Rarer sightings in the valley and amongst the rocky crags include brown hyenas, leopards and caracals.
The region is home to the largest population of free-ranging black rhino in Africa and a day tracking these rare and magnificent beasts is an absolute must.
Bird watchers, keep your eyes peeled for spotting Monteiro’s hornbill , Ruppell’s korhaan, Benguela long-billed lark, and the imperious Verreaux’s eagle
