Kwessi Dunes
- NamibRand Nature Reserve
- 12 Rooms
- NAD 9,995 — NAD 18,495 per night
NamibRand, which is located just south of Sossusvlei in the southern Namib Desert, is synonymous with some of Africa’s most breath-taking locations.
If you are looking for a wide range of immersive experiences in a vast and tranquil desert wilderness, then this is the place for you. Climb the highest dunes in the world at Sossusvlei, balloon over red dunes and magnificent desert landscapes, marvel at desert adapted fauna and flora, and be captivated by the starry night skies.
NamibRand Nature Reserve was recently named Africa’s first Wilderness Quiet Park by Quiet Parks International, which, combined with its status as Africa’s first International Dark Sky Reserve at Gold Tier level, positions it as a trailblazer in fostering a naturally quiet sanctuary for animals, birds, and humans.
The NamibRand Nature Reserve, situated in southern Namibia, is one of Southern Africa’s largest private nature reserves,
Bounded to the east by the imposing Nubib Mountains and to the west by the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the NamibRand Nature Reserve is critical in order to facilitate seasonal migratory wildlife routes and to protect and conserve the unique ecology and wildlife of the south-west Namib Desert.
Four distinct habitats are found on the reserve: dunes and sandy plains, inselbergs and mountains, gravel plains, and stretches of savanna.
The reserve is home to a varied diversity of desert plants, including several endemic species. Euphorbias and quiver trees grow on the slopes, and some of the most intriguing plant species to look for include the ghost tree Moringa ovalifolia, elephant’s foot Adenia pechnelii, and camelthorn tree Acacia erioloba.
There are direct flights to Windhoek from Cape Town, Johannesburg, Frankfurt, Addis Ababa and Doha. Fly to Windhoek and then switch to a light aircraft to fly to the airstrip in the NamibRand.
Alternatively, you may drive and the Reserve is between 5 and 6 hours’ drive from Swakopmund or 4 and 5 hours’ drive from Windhoek.
The NamibRand area is hyper arid desert and is great all year round. In the dry winter months of April to October, the desert is pleasant and dry (with chilly mornings), whilst November to March brings thunderstorms and hotter temperatures.
The harsh desert of the NamibRand is home to a variety of wildlife that has adapted in many fascinating ways to survive.
The most common large mammals are oryx and springbok. The oryx’s white bellies reflect the heat of the sand, while their sophisticated vascular system cools the blood surrounding the brain. Other large mammals include kudu, Hartman’s and Burchell’s zebra, giraffe, klipspringer, steenbok, red hartebeest and baboon.
Leopard and cheetah are a rare but there are small numbers of both with cheetah being relocated from elsewhere in Namibia to the reserve. Other predators include spotted and brown hyena, black-backed jackal, aardwolf, bat-eared fox, Cape fox, African wildcat, caracal, and genet.
The dunes harbour a rich and diversified micro-fauna of rodents, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrate. Learn about these desert dwellers and their quest for survival on a guided nature walk.
More than 150 bird species have been identified in the reserve, including Namibia’s sole true endemic, the Dune Lark, and the endangered Ludwig’s Bustard, a huge terrestrial bird. The grey-backed sparrow-lark, a species indigenous to southern Africa, Rüppell’s korhaan, and the Namaqua sandgrouse, a small bird with brilliantly speckled wings and a surprising trick up its sleeve, are also frequently seen. To survive and raise chicks in this harsh desert environment, the male sandgrouse flies for dozens of kilometers every day in search of water, carrying vital drops on his feathers back to the nest.
