Wolwedans Dune Camp
Wolwedans Dune Camp Is An Intimate Tented Lodge Located In The Beautiful Wilderness Of The Namibrand Nature Reserve
Wolwedans Dune Camp is a small, intimate and very comfortable tented property nestled into the sand dunes of the NamibRand Nature Reserve. With sweeping views over the dunes, Wolwedans Dune Camp offers a very exclusive desert experience which combines well with a visit to the much busier Sossusvlei region to the north. There is plenty of game to see on the reserve, and the landscape is spectacular for photography. This is a place to slow down, re-charge and really appreciate the details of the desert. Although activities and experiences will be similar, Wolwedans Dune Camp feels quieter and more exclusive than the larger Wolwedans Desert Lodge.
Rooms
The camp accommodates a maximum of 16 guests in six comfortable tented en suite rooms and a two bedroomed family suite. The spacious tents are all built onto wooden platforms, with canvas sides that raise to allow cool breezes in the heat of the day. En suite facilities include both indoor and outdoor bathrooms, each with a shower, hand basin and toilet. Each tent has a furnished, extended deck to make the most of the views, and a ‘Wolwedans Chiller’ (a small water-filled silo) is a great way to escape the heat of the day. The decks also provide an option for sleeping under the stars with a day bed that can be converted into a ‘star bed’.
A short walk from the main camp is the family suite which accommodates another four guests (plus an extra four children). The suite comprises two en suite tents linked by an external lounge area. Each of the en suite bedrooms has a second small children’s room with twin beds. Children share the bathroom of the main bedrooms. The suite has two Wolwedans Chillers on the expansive deck. The suite includes its own kitchen and so the unit can be taken for an exclusive stay with private dining, or guests can dine in the main camp. A private guide and vehicle are included with the suite.
Central Areas
The main reception areas include an interactive kitchen, dining area and lounge, as well as a cozy ‘sundowner’ deck.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming – Private ‘chiller’ pools
Habitat & Wildlife
The NamibRand Nature Reserve is an exclusive desert reserve bordering the eastern edge of the Namib Naukluft National Park, a little way south of Sesriem and Sossusvlei. The reserve has beautiful scenery, ranging from a wide vegetated sand dune belt to rocky mountains that tower over the surrounding gravel plains. The reserve is home to a variety of wildlife including Hartmann’s mountain zebra, giraffe, oryx, springbok, leopard, bat-eared fox, brown hyena, klipspringer, aardwolf, Cape fox, African wild cat and caracal.
Activities
Included activities from the camp are morning, afternoon, sunrise, sundown or full day nature drives; bushman walks; a visit to the ‘Wolwedans Village’ for a behind the scenes tour, including learning about community-driven initiatives and sustainability projects; and e-biking (short trips of between 1-2 hours are included; longer guided safaris with picnic lunch are at extra cost). For those looking to truly disconnect, a ‘solitude’ experience allows guests to retreat to a remote dune and be fully immersed for a short while in the stillness of the desert and simply connect with this unique landscape. At extra cost, horse riding (morning, evening/sunset or full day rides), hot air ballooning and scenic flights can all be arranged (must be pre-booked).
Between April and September (for guests staying a minimum of three nights) it’s possible to arrange a night under the stars with a desert sleep out, also at extra cost (with optional dinner hamper in the dunes).
There are also a number of conservation focused activities that guests can get involved in, such as tree planting or adopting a fairy circle, all at extra cost with proceeds going towards foundation initiatives and conservation work.
Seasons
Although you can visit Namibia year-round, the best time to travel is late April to early November.
Children are welcome from the age of seven years and the two bedroom family suite offers a great family accommodation option, complete with private guide and vehicle. With the wide range of activities available, Wolwedans offers an inspiring, educational, fun-packed desert adventure for families, particularly those travelling with active children.
Since its inception, Wolwedans has been highly conscious of its impact on the NamibRand and has consistently sought ways to contribute to the conservation of the land and its wildlife, and the support of its communities. Wolwedans is more than just a collection of camps, it comprises an active Foundation and Desert Academy, all driven by its visionary ‘AridEden Project’.
The AridEden Project is a framework created by Wolwedans to build more sustainable, resilient and inclusive conservation-tourism economies, underpinned by a business philosophy of balancing people, planet and profit.
- Every stay at a Wolwedans camp contributes through:Paying the Sustainability Levy which is payable alongside accommodation costs. This levy includes the NamibRand Nature Reserve Park Fee and the balance is allocated to the Wolwedans Foundation.
- Supporting a lodge that not only employs an all Namibian team but one that has its own hospitality training school, the Desert Academy, as well as a range of other skills development projects and local enterprise support. The Wolwedans Foundation aims to empower young Namibians through education in hospitality and culinary art – through its Desert Academy at Wolwedans and Windhoek-based Nice academy (Namibian Institute of Culinary Education) both supported by the Namibian Training Authority.
- Contributing to the conservation of the NamibRand Nature Reserve, a private nature reserve established to help protect and conserve the unique ecology and wildlife of the south-west Namib Desert. Wolwedans began as one of a collection of farms that were purchased privately to create the NamibRand Nature Reserve – fences were removed and the land was rehabilitated. Over 2500 km of farming fences have been taken down and truckloads of old scrap have been removed as part of a huge landscape restoration effort. Guests are able to further participate by taking part in the ‘Adopt a Tree’ programme.
Wolwedans has also been awarded Global Ecosphere Retreat status by The Long Run, achieving the organisation’s most advanced sustainability standard, showing tangible dedication to positive impact nature-based tourism, a commitment to sustainability best practices and significant contribution to the well-being of both people and planet.
