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Camp from above, Hoanib Valley Camp, Kunene
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Hoanib Valley Camp

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This comfortable tented camp sits in the Hoanib River Valley, in Namibia’s arid Kunene Region. Brilliantly located for exploring this fascinating and starkly beautiful landscape, the camp focuses on the desert-adapted wildlife that survives here.

Why we like Hoanib Valley Camp

Hoanib Valley Camp is spectacularly located, at the heart of one of Namibia’s wildest regions. But whilst the landscape is stunning, it is the wildlife living here that is a particular draw. Desert-adapted elephants and giraffes are found here, as well as zebras, klipspringers and kudu. And what this ecosystem lacks in animal numbers, it more than makes up for in dramatic backdrops, meaning that sightings are inevitably set against dramatic desert landscapes.

Conservation

Hoanib Valley Camp supports vital conservation work by hosting researchers from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF). In return for a donation, you can learn more about the GCF’s work in monitoring and protecting the Angolan giraffe, working in partnership with local communities and the Namibian government.

The Angolan giraffe only exists in this remote north-western part of Namibia, as well as the bordering south-western deserts of Angola. Classified as “vulnerable”, this isolated subspecies is threatened by conflict with humans and the changing climate.

Facilities

The six spacious tents sit on raised wooden decks, arranged in a horseshoe shape on the valley floor with a rocky ridge rising behind. They look out over the deserted landscape, each one decorated in a style that is connected to its surroundings. Locally crafted furniture, Himba patterns and hand-woven baskets complement the desert colours of the bedrooms, all of which have en-suite bathrooms attached.

A fire pit is positioned in front of the camp – perfect for a sundowner drink beneath the stars. Behind, a spacious canvas-walled restaurant and lounge provide a communal space beneath a vast tented roof.

Activities

While the stars of the show are the hardy desert elephants that give the camp its name, there is also the chance to spot giraffes, springboks, oryx and even desert lions. The camp is situated close in an area traditionally inhabited by the semi-nomadic Himba people, who have long called this desert home. There is the chance to visit one of the nearby Himba settlements, to learn about their culture and way of life.

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Nearby experiences

  • Birding
  • Game Drive
  • Walking and Strolling
  • Conservation
  • Landscape

Ideally suited for

  • Adventure Traveller

Price guide

£££££

Location

Hoanib Valley Camp is – as the name suggests – found within the valley of the dry Hoanib River. This is located in the arid Kunene Region, in remote northwestern Namibia. Access is usually via light aircraft, landing at Sesfontein airstrip, which is around 60 kilometres from the camp.

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We know a thing or two about bespoke holidays – we’ve been creating them since 1989. Take a trip through the Namibia holidays that we love today.

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Explore a place breathtakingly silent, vast and empty. Fly low over shipwreck-strewn beaches, basalt mountains and ancient watercourses, staying at remote camps and accompanied by one of the knowledgeable Schoemans, who have been exploring this part of Namibia for generations.
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Where to stay

Some of the wonderful places to stay that we frequently recommended.

Kwessi Dunes £££££

  • Africa
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Deep within the NamibRand National Reserve lies Kwessi Dunes, surrounded by rolling desert plains, craggy mountains and iconic red dunes. A place where the space feels endless and time almost stands still.

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Sonop £££££

  • Namibia
  • Wilderness

Spread across a huge pile of boulders like an overgrown treehouse, Sonop is constructed from an elaborate maze of raised wooden walkways that link spacious canvas tents. The surrounding landscape is stunningly harsh: the rippling sands of the Namib Desert meet the dark rock of the Naukluft Mountains, as rugged wilderness encircles this rocky pinnacle.

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The Delight £££££

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Bright and modern, this colourful hotel is positioned in central Swakopmund, only a short distance from the main beach area, known as the ‘Mole’. The cheerful interior is matched by the friendly service, with staff only too eager to help. There are 54 rooms, with 10 of these designated as family rooms. All rooms are bright and spacious, with en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning and heating. The family rooms are loft rooms, split on to two levels, with twin beds on both.

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Onguma Tree Top Camp £££££

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Onguma Treetop Camp is a small and intimate camp, specially designed for those travellers who would like to truly experience the bush in all its raw splendour. This is where guests are able to come and relax for a few days in the midst of their busy travelling schedule, and just breathe in the aromas of the bush and take in all the wildness that this place has to offer. The camp is built on wooden stilts amongst the treetops with full views over beautiful watering holes on Onguma Game Reserve. The Camp consists of four thatched rooms with canvass walls, a dining room and the main complex. The water-level hide provides hours of game viewing opportunities.

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Little Ongava £££££

  • Namibia
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Built on the crest of a hill in the Ongava Game Reserve, Little Ongava offers wonderful views of the plains below and is an ideal base from which to explore. Accommodation comprises three spacious suites, each with its own plunge pool, en-suite bathroom, a sala, an additional outdoor shower and a view of the waterhole in front of the camp.

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Sossusvlei Desert Lodge £££££

  • Namibia
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Cradled against ancient mountains Sossusvlei Desert Lodge overlooks awe-inspiring dunes and stony outcrops – an unspoiled wilderness of vast spaces, endless horizons and rugged mountains. The Lodge offers luxurious accommodation in 10 free-standing glass and stone villas sympathetically built to the environment and designed to capture the splendour and solitude of the desert with absolute privacy.

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