Escape to the desert at Sossusvlei Lodge

Sossusvlei Lodge is the ultimate desert getaway. We’re 300 metres from Sesriem Gate leading into Namib-Naukluft National Park, so you don’t have to get up at 4am to watch the sunrise over the dunes at Sossusvlei. My family built the lodge in 1994 on a 40,000-hectare private reserve that used to be sheep farms. It was incredibly successful once people discovered the beauty of Namib – there aren’t many other places to stay in this remote area. I grew up here and feel like I have red desert sand in my veins.

The lodge was designed to blend in with the desert landscape and has a Moroccan feel; the chalets are covered with canvas so they look like tents but inside they’re luxurious. There’s also a pool in the shape of the southern cross and a rooftop terrace where everyone gathers for sundowners. The views are unbeatable, a combination of red dunes on the horizon, crisp grass plains with camelthorn trees and the most beautiful mountain ranges that change colour during sunset. In the evening, our boma area is perfect for dining under the stars and we’re famous for our buffet grills.

From our activity centre, you can book a range of half-day guided tours to Sossusvlei, Deadvlei and Sesriem Canyon. We also have nature walks and sundowner drives where there’s a chance of spotting everything from oryx and black-backed jackal to bat-eared fox and wildebeest; at night, we get the odd brown and spotted hyena creeping around. If you want to see the landscape from an aerial perspective, we have a helicopter and aeroplane at the lodge for scenic flights over the dunes. Our exclusive bush dinners, which we offer for special occasions, are a highlight.

Sossusvlei Lodge is known for its service, all thanks to our amazing staff. It’s a family business and many of our team have been with us for over ten years. The lodge has been running for nearly 30 years and we constantly support the Ministry of Environment and Tourism with clean-ups in the national park and help the whole community to maintain waterholes, vehicles, you name it! We also support the local clinic, police station and Little Bugs kindergarten – Sossusvlei Lodge is a real part of the Namib landscape and community.