Hoodia Desert Lodge
Hoodia Desert Lodge Is An Ideal Base From Which To Access The High Sand Dunes Of The Namib Desert.
Hoodia Desert Lodge is a very comfortable and well run property located about 20 minutes from the park entrance to Sossusvlei and the Namib Desert. The exclusive lodge is tucked away from the main road overlooking the Tsauchab River course and a towering rocky mountain ridge beyond, and offers a high quality but very good value for money stay in quiet surroundings. Food and service is excellent, and they run a superb guided day tour to see the high sand dunes around Sossusvlei. This is a great four star level place to stay.
Rooms
The lodge accommodates around 22 guests in 11 individual air-conditioned thatched chalets with stretched canvas walls and glass/timber doors and windows. Each chalet contains two ‘three-quarter’ beds under a mosquito net, comfortable chairs and en suite facilities consisting of an indoor shower, loo and double vanity leading to an outside bath and shower. There is a minibar and room safe in each chalet. To the fore is a furnished verandah overlooking the seasonal (mostly dry) Tsauchab River.
Central Areas
The central areas, also under thatch, are very spacious and include an open plan reception, lounge, bar and small curio shop area which leads through to the dining room, deck, and swimming pool.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
Hoodia Desert Lodge is a privately owned and managed lodge set on 3,500ha of land, located around 20 minutes’ drive east of Sesriem on the banks of the Tsauchab River.
The reason to stay at Hoodia is for access to the Namib Desert where you can visit the towering sand dunes and spectacular scenery around Sossusvlei, a huge dried up clay pan formed at the end of the Tsauchab River where huge dunes (up to 1,000 ft) stopped its progress toward the sea. Often it is possible to see springbok and gemsbok (oryx) as they wander through the surrounding area searching for food. Nearby are Hidden Vlei and Dead Vlei. If you’re feeling fit, climb the dunes for a spectacular view of the surrounding area.
The Sesriem Canyon is one of the most amazing features of this desert. Here, the Tsauchab River has carved a gorge (up to 100 ft deep) into the gravel’s deposited around 16 million years ago. The canyon dates back to about 3 million years ago, when continental uplift caused the incision of most of the westward flowing rivers in Namibia. The canyon is about a kilometre long and become shallower as it makes its way towards Sossusvlei.
Activities
Although many guests will self-drive to Hoodia (it is possible to fly in), the lodge does offer a range of activities including extended guided tours to Sossusvlei (and the other Namib Desert highlights) and the Namib Mountains. These extended tours take much of the day, include lunch and refreshments, and are undertaken on a shared basis. Scenic helicopter or balloon flights, quad-biking and horse riding can all be arranged nearby.
They also offer a lovely private sunset drinks activity on their property, set up on a small hill that rises from the plains behind the lodge.
Seasons
Hoodia Desert Lodge is open all year round, although the best times to visit are late April to early November.
Children from the age of 12 years are welcome and there is no specific family accommodation.
Hoodia Desert Lodge is committed to uplifting the communities in the their remote, arid area. They employ only local Namibians and have provided their immediate community with the purchase of building materials to build their homes. They have provided training and career progression to staff who weren’t able to pay for their own education. Local procurement is an essential part of the lodge’s business, from supporting local construction companies and trades, to purchasing fresh produce from local farms.
Hoodia Desert Lodge aims to maintain the wildlife corridor in which it is located being mindful to only fence where necessary (ie along neighbouring farming properties) and ensuring there is no fencing that blocks the migration of wildlife.
The lodge has also adopted a number of sustainable operations, specifically tailored to their lodge environment focusing on water conservation and management, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy (specifically the use of solar power for water pumps and hot water), sustainable building materials and waste management.
