Wolwedans Dunes Lodge & Dune Camp
NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia
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WOLWEDANS DUNES LODGE & DUNE
CAMP - NAMIBRAND NATURE RESERVE, NAMIBIA
 Once
the hunting ground of the Spotted Hyena, Wolwedans takes its name from
the African for "where the wolves dance." The very word conjures
up an aura of mystery and romance which, when visiting Wolwedans, nature
and the rhythm of the desert will evoke within you. Nestled amidst the
dunes in the heart of NamibRand Nature Reserve, and set against a backdrop
of unparalleled beauty, Wolwedans provides the perfect base from which
to explore vast stretches of awe-inspiring nature. Across this diverse
canvas of contrasting landscapes traverse an exciting variety of large
and small desert creatures - as wild and ancient as their habitat.
The Wolwedans portfolio of camps provides
ample opportunity to meet a variety of different expectations and preferred
levels of comfort - be it the rustic
Dune Camp, the more elaborate Dunes Lodge or the Wolwedans Private Camp.
No matter where you opt to stay, warmth and personalised service - embraced
by a commitment to care for guest and nature alike - are the hallmarks.
It is here, in this land of stretching
blue skies, endless plains and countless creatures enacting nature's
savagely exciting passion play,
that you will find beauty feeding your soul, tranquillity to clear your
mind and space for your imagination to fly. Visit once, and you will
long to return - that is a promise. |
Accommodation 
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The Wolwedans Collection consists
of the elaborate Wolwedans Dunes Lodge, the more rustic Dune Camp and
the Wolwedans Private Camp.
Wolwedans Dunes Lodge
The Dunes Lodge
aims at providing a unique experience close to nature, yet without compromising
comfort and style.The entire lodge is constructed
on wooden platforms and overlooks panoramic vistas in all directions,
capturing the desert in an intimate and memorable way. The building
style is a combination of wooden poles and large canvas blinds/windows
that open up to the desert beyond. The lodge reflects the ambience of
a tented camp, but provides the comfort and protection of a permanent
building. Each of the eight spacious Chalets with
en-suite bathrooms leads onto a private veranda and stretches of untouched
sand. Careful selection
of furniture, light coloured linen as well as the selection of accessories
give the Dunes Lodge a distinct natural charm. The 9th Chalet - the
family room - consist of 2 separate bedrooms and one bathroom.
The main complex
of Dunes Lodge - also built on stilts - consists of a bar and
lounge, sundowner decks with a fireplace and a spacious dining
room.
All communal
areas open out onto a veranda with a superb view of the surroundings.
Three Chalets are directly accessible from the main complex
by wooden walkways and thus easily accessible for elderly and
handicapped guests. The Mountain View Suite
The Mountain View Suite is
a new addition to the Dunes Lodge.
Just over 200 square meters of deck rising above the dunes provides ample
living space and adds a touch of luxury to the Wolwedans Collection. Located
within walking distance from the Wolwedans Dunes Lodge, yet secluded,
and nestled amidst a magnificent dunes landscape, The Suite allows
friends of Wolwedans to spend more than two nights in a homely
and stylish atmosphere with ample space, maximum comfort and a high degree
of privacy.
The Suite consists of a spacious bedroom
with a king-size double bed allowing guests to enjoy the view of their
private dune valley to the
fullest. There is a en-suite bathroom facility with two wash basins,
a shower and toilet. A shaded patio, provides an ideal venue for out-door
meals and relaxed hours in the shade floating about in a hammock.
Add to this a spacious lounge, bar and
dining area and you have a wonderful home away from home. In the event
that guests wish to enjoy meals ‘entre-nous’,
an open plan kitchenette supports the preparation of meals at the suite. An
east-facing veranda and sun-deck lead from the platform into the surrounding
dunes. A special attraction
is the ‘star-gazing’ bed incorporated
into the main veranda, providing a wonderful sleep-out venue during
summer.
Keeping in line with the traditional
Wolwedans style the ambience is that of plain elegance embraced by
a natural, comfortable charm. The
Suite is furnished with colonial/safari style furniture and a well
balanced variety of decorative items. The Suite can be regarded as
very elegant, yet allowing for a casual, relaxed and unpretentious
life-style.
Wolwedans
Dune Camp
Located on the very edge of a 250-meter high dune, the Dune Camp overlooks
the prominent Losberg Mountain towards the east. Heading west, the Chateau
viewpoint - one of the reserves' most enchanting panoramas - can be reached
by foot in less than five minutes. A sundowner in the dunes, facing the
sun as it sets over the Bushman Hills, is an experience to share with
someone close.
The Camp sleeps a maximum of 12 guests in a totally unspoilt setting.
Guests stay in comfortable tents pitched on wooden platforms and these
are furnished with standard beds, bedside tables and a suitcase rack.
Each tent has a spacious verandah and a private bathroom fitted with
a hot shower, washbasin and flush toilet. Meals are enjoyed at the central
lapa. The lounge, dining area and an open-plan kitchen, which allows
guests to chat to their chef while he is preparing a three-course dinner,
guarantee a cosy ambience.
A sundowner deck with fireplace provides
a relaxed atmosphere for brilliant star-gazing. Whilst the lodge aims
at accommodating those guests in need
of relaxed comfort, the camp is a more down-to-earth and close to nature
experience. Ideally suited for the younger and more adventurous traveller,
the charm of the camp lies in its tranquil and intimate atmosphere, capturing
the romance of a bygone era.
Wolwedans
Private Camp
Situated in the quiet seclusion of an idyllic valley,
the Private Camp - catering for four guests, is the perfect getaway for
honeymooners or individuals seeking uncompromising privacy and solitude.
The idea of the Private Camp is to get away for a day or two - not doing
much except relaxing and spending quality time with a partner. Guided
activities are not part of the package and the emphasis is on pure relaxation.
Browsing through the library, taking
walks in the plains and preparing your own meals (all food
and beverages are supplied, you cook and serve
'entre nous') will keep you fully occupied. It is recommended that
guests who have not stayed at Wolwedans prior, book the Private Camp
in combination with a night at the Lodge or Dune Camp, joining some
of
the activities before seeking total seclusion.
The Private Camp suite comprises two
spacious bedrooms with en-suite bathroom, a veranda and the lounge,
combining
a study,
a living-room arrangement, a dining
area and a fully equipped open plan kitchen. The building style is
a combination of wood and canvas, and the carefully selected furnishings
bring alive the true romance of Africa.
The Private Camp requires a minimum stay
of two nights and is only available from 15 December to 15 March. The price varies considerably, depending on how many guests book. Activities are normally together with Dunes Lodge or Dune Camp guests, but accommodation and meals are private. If total privacy on drives and walks is requested too, guests have to book the 'private' version at a surcharge. Only cohesive groups are booked into Private Camp. The
camp can also be booked with
all services and activities included, for example a private chef and
your personal field guide.
Wolwedans
Boulders Camp
Situated 45 kilometres south of Wolwedans and hugged by massive granite rocks, Boulders Camp is the latest addition to the Wolwedans Collection. Sleeping a maximum of eight guests in four spacious tents, Boulders is undoubtedly the most exclusive camp at Wolwedans. The main area sports a dining and lounge tent, a breakfast deck and open fire place. Close by is an awesome sundowner spot overlooking the vast beauty of the reserve. From Boulders Camp you will explore the deep south of NamibRand Nature Reserve. Guided scenic drives or two to three hour walking safaris treading along the ancient hunting grounds of the bushmen, will happily fill your days.
Boulders calls for a two night stay and is ideally booked in combination with one or two nights at any of the other camps in the dunes, which makes for the ultimate desert experience..
Activities
No matter where you stay at
Wolwedans, the inviting staff will introduce you to this great theatre
of nature and kindle ancient stirrings within you.
Accompanied by experienced guides, visitors are introduced to the
many facets of NamibRand Nature Reserve's desert habitat with its
diverse fauna and flora - on foot, by car, or from the air in a hot-air
balloon. Interpretive scenic drives in open Landrovers and
walks with resident field-guides reveal the wonders of the desert
- as do picnics in the wild, sundowners on the dunes and dinners
by candlelight.
The traditional programme - providing you stay for two nights -
which is earnestly recommended (if possible you should stay for three)
- would entail an afternoon drive on the day of arrival, followed
by a full day-safari. The lodge also lends itself to relaxing for
an afternoon - the choice is entirely yours.
Hot-Air Ballooning
A special attraction of a stay at Wolwedans is hot-air
ballooning which can be added to virtually any itinerary. Soaring
silently over the dune belts and never-ending plains provides breathtaking
360 degree vistas as the leisurely wind
carries you over an ocean of sand and waves of mountain.
From the
best viewpoint imaginable you admire the stark beauty of the Namib
for about an hour, before you celebrate this extravagant
experience with a champagne breakfast at the landing spot. On NamibRand
Nature Reserve, the hot-air balloon excursions commence at Mwisho,
situated about 30 kilometres north of Wolwedans.
Guests
staying at Wolwedans have one of two options; that is to either
extend their stay by another night, sleeping over at Camp
Mwisho or transfer to the launch site from Wolwedans
two hours prior to sunrise. Camp Mwisho, situated within the northern
parts of NamibRand Nature Reserve, offers accommodation for
eight guests
in comfortable Serengeti-style safari tents, with en-suite facilities. Meals are enjoyed on the veranda of the old farmhouse. Staying over
at Camp Mwisho serves as a means to an end, that is to avoid the
early morning transfer.
NamibRand Nature Reserve
The NamibRand Nature Reserve
(Southern Africa's biggest privately owned reserve) originated as a dream
of extending the desert frontiers by integrating
a large number of former sheep farms and developing a sanctuary free
of fences, so that once again the wildlife could roam their habitat unhindered.
Inviting nature lovers from all over the world to share in this dream
has always been one of the objectives, and today NamibRand is synonymous
with some of Namibia's - if not Africa's - most breathtaking locations.
Covering an area of some 200,000 hectares
close to Sossusvlei, NamibRand is bordered by the Naukluft Park in
the west and the impressive Nubib
Mountain range in the East. The special attraction of the reserve is
the diversity of desert landscapes. Virtually all facets of the Namib
are represented here. Mountains plunging down into endless grassy plains,
which are interspersed by red vegetated dunes, create a living tapestry
of colours and shapes that make it a visual utopia for artists and photographers.
Wildlife
Game species found in the
reserve include gemsbok, mountain and plains zebra, springbok, red
hartebeest,
bat-eared fox, spotted hyena, Cape
fox and African wildcats. The more rocky areas are inhabited by kudu,
klipspringer, baboon and leopard, while the dunes harbour a rich and
diverse micro-fauna. Over a hundred species of birds have been recorded.
Conservation
The main objective of NamibRand Nature Reserve
is to conserve this beautiful land, and to invite nature lovers from
all over the world to share in
this dream. Every guest staying at Wolwedans contributes directly towards
the conservation of NamibRand, as a fixed percentage of the revenue flows
towards conservation. In the long run, such levies will make the reserve
self-sustainable. However, income from tourism will always be limited,
because right from the outset, the number of guests
this wilderness paradise can and should accommodate has been restricted.
Despite the tremendous potential for
ongoing tourist developments it has been decided that every bed,
in theory, must be surrounded by 2000 hectares
of wilderness - now and forever. Hence, capital intensive funding for
major conservation projects - such as the introduction of giraffes, the
establishment of a research and education centre and the like - cannot
be financed out of the reserve's own resources.
This is where the NamibRand Conservation Foundation (NRCF) comes into
the picture. The NRCF is an independent non-profit organisation, established
during 1998 under the patronage of the Namibia Nature Foundation with
the aim of promoting large scale conservation and research projects in
the NamibRand Nature Reserve and the south-western Namib region.
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