The Vast Namib Desert and Naukluft Park

Our home for the night was the Namib Naukluft Lodge, one of two establishments located on a private desert reserve called Nam Hau Habitat. It is a 25,000-hectare nature park that spans the area between the Namib Desert and the Naukluft Mountains, and occupies a unique and diverse desert environment for its varied wildlife.

Since its establishment in 1993, animals have been allowed to freely roam undisturbed there, and this desert has hosted a variety of wild game. Pumps operated by solar energy were installed there to supply water to the buildings, fill the huge pool at the back, and sustain the watering holes for the animals. Thus, guests that stay there are provided with a lot of opportunity to observe wildlife. The property has impressive granite hills in the background and has a commanding view of the open desert plains. It was our perfect oasis in the desert.

We arrived there in the early afternoon and as soon as we were led to our apartment-style room, the first thing we did was to shower. We were covered in sand from head to foot, sand that we carried in our hair, clothes, and shoes from Sossusvlei and Sesriem all the way there.

I let my husband go in the shower first because I wanted to take a super long one. While I was in the bathroom, he cleaned his newly-acquired rocks outside. I guess he didn’t mind the wait because right in front of our apartment was a pile of gigantic granite boulders that provided a rather dramatic backdrop to the stone well installed in front of it. When I joined him outside, I noticed two critters chasing each other around the well. I am not sure what kind of animals they were, but they reminded me of prairie dogs, though those creatures are natives of South America. It must be a relative species, but I never got around to checking what they are called.

Our fellow travellers elected to take a long afternoon nap. I couldn’t blame them. We did a lot of workout that day on the sand dunes and the canyon. My husband and I, refreshed from our shower, decided to enjoy some drinks at the restaurant. It was empty but it was open.

We noticed a humongous weaver bird’s nest hanging from the bar area that almost dominated the corner. Upon closer inspection, we surmised that it was real. The bar tender who served us our cold drinks confirmed that it was indeed real, but of course, dried up and no longer used by the birds. It was amazing to see it up close because in all of our safari drives, we only saw these nests from afar, hanging from the trees.

Since it was a hot but breezy day, we took our drinks out to the patio overlooking the sprawling desert. The waiter told us that from the tables, one would often see wildlife from a distance. It was the perfect animal-watching spot, but that afternoon, we were not that fortunate. I guess the animals were in hibernation and were only coming out closer to sundown when the heat was not too harsh.

After we finished our drinks, we checked out the main building where there was a comfortable air-conditioned lounge that featured a small exhibit of handicrafts, woven rugs, decorative art, and original paintings from local artists. But the place was so quiet. We asked if we were the only guests. The receptionist said that the other guests were all out, either on a safari ride or a hiking tour. We decided to head back to our room and do what our fellow travellers were doing – snooze till dinner time.

Dinner was held at the patio, and at night, it gave a different vibe, with all the guests suddenly present and excitedly socializing and chattering about the day’s adventures. There was an open fire in the lapa and the buffet table was laden with game meat dishes and local delicacies.

I was glad we were seated furthest from the buffet table set against the wall, for as I approached to load up my plate, I noticed two desert geckos comfortably stationed in the center. At first, I thought they were decorations…some sort of wooden sculptures that for some reason I missed seeing that afternoon, but after I noticed one of them move its tail, I walked back to our table and asked my husband to kindly get my food for me. I had to explain to our guide and the German couple that I have a reptile phobia. Other than that small scare, dinner went well and the food was superb.

We slept soundly that night, with the drone of the air-conditioning and the howls and cries of wild animals on the prowl in the desert that night.

The next day, we had a hearty breakfast at the patio again. Luckily, the geckos were gone from the wall and as we lingered over our coffee, we finally saw some wildlife. There was a pair of antelopes scampering by, and a flock of ostriches who were all too fast for me to capture on my camera, and then a herd of wildebeests and some birds. This was so much better than watching breakfast television on your wide screen.

Photo Credits:

namibian.org, namibia-accommodation.com, namibweb.com, joinupsafaris.com, booking.com