Look up, exhale and imagine you’re in deep space. Wherever you look are stars, just millions of them like diamond studs in black velvet. Let your mind wander the Milky Way and trace the outline of Orion. The stargazing is out of this world, but all from the earthly comfort of your private ‘star gazer room’ at Kwessi Dunes in the NamibRand Nature Reserve. The 200 000 hectare Namibian reserve is Africa’s first designated International Dark Sky Reserve, which means the stars are stupendously bright and clear and make for natural theatre every evening.
Each of the air-conditioned suites at Kwessi Dunes has its own ‘star gazer room’ outside – it’s a complete outdoor bedroom sans roof, where you can fall asleep under shooting stars. Or cosy up inside in a beautiful and quirky suite of striped canvas under thatch. By day, you’ll gaze across red dunes against mauve mountains, met by indigo skies.
Big Five country this is not; exquisite, unusual country it is. You won’t see another soul when you’re horse riding, quad biking, on a nature drive or enjoying a morning nature walk. And if you take to the skies in a hot air balloon or a helicopter, you’ll see just how vast and beautiful this ancient desertscape is. It is humbling and inspiring at the same time.
There is wildlife for sure. Graceful oryx will wander by and hardy springbok too, plus kudu, steenbok, Burchell’s zebra, bat-eared foxes and black-backed jackals. Aardwolf and African wild cats also live here, along with elusive leopard and cheetah. Take time to explore the fragile desert, look beneath the figurative surface and savour this, the world’s most ancient desert.
In keeping with its tread lightly ethos, Kwessi Dunes is entirely solar powered and water is from an abundant borehole – which also keeps the pool full all year round. There’s something evocative about swimming, surrounded by deep desert, and then seeing a herd of oryx or springbok stroll by. Actually, it’s unforgettable. As is a daytrip outing to the sandscape of Sossusvlei, where the world’s tallest dunes stand stoically.
But wherever you find yourself at the end of the day, pause and soak up the spectacular play of light on the desert dunes. It’s breathtakingly beautiful and balm for the soul. And it will remind you in an instant that one can simply never tire of Africa and her evocative spaces.
What we love!
- The simplicity of the lodge doesn’t detract from the desert scenery.
- Cooling off in the pool is a great way to spend midday.
- Seeing the fairy circles in the desert have you wondering just how they came to be.
- The décor colours reflect the desert, sun and sky.
- A spa treatment in the desert is enthralling.
What you need to know…
- The area is malaria free.
- This camp is not wheelchair friendly.
- All children are welcome, but the minimum age for driving quad bikes is 16 years.
- There is wifi and a complimentary laundry service.
- Getting there: self-drive from Windhoek (5.5 hours) or fly in directly to the lodge landing strip on a charter flight, then enjoy a 10 to 15 minute scenic drive to the lodge.
Reviewed by Keri Harvey