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Doro Nawas- Damaraland, NamibiaDoro Nawas Camp is a joint venture between a local Namibian company, Wilderness Safaris, and the Doro !Nawas community. (Note that the exclamation mark '!' isn't a mistake in this name – '!Nawas' is perfectly correct – it simply indicates a 'click' in the local Damara language! However, for simplicity we'll often use 'Nawas'.) Doro Nawas is situated on a rugged, rocky hill close to Twyfelfontein, on the edge of the dry Aba Huab River. It has awesome views of the mountains and sandstone cliffs of Twyfelfontein. The camp's 16 chalets have been built from a combination of stone and canvas. The base is stone, and the canvas walls are supported on wooden poles, which also hold up the thatched roof. Inside, each chalet at Doro Nawas is open plan, with a large bedroom in which you'll find a couple of comfortable, padded wicker chairs, and a double bed (or twin beds) below a ceiling fan. These chalets are not air-conditioned. The bed has a duvet on it, and extra blankets are provided for use when it's cold during winter. We noted on our last visit that there were no mosquito nets in the rooms – although that may have been because there were no mossies around either! At the side of the room, sectioned off slightly by canvas and stone dividers, are a flush toilet, a hot shower, and twin washbasins, standing on modern wooded wash-stands – each with a large mirror. Complementary shampoo, body lotion and hand cream are provided, as well as nice big towels The chalets do sometimes feel a bit dark here, but they are spacious and very lovely and cool during the hot summer days. At the front of each chalet at Doro Nawas, a large set of sliding glass doors open out onto a veranda. Here is an outdoor shower, a couple of iron chairs, and a terrific view of the spectacular surroundings. This veranda can also be used at night, when the large double bed can be rolled out, allowing guests to sleep under the stars. The sides of the veranda are screened with reed screens, lending it some privacy, and at the front are a few strands of wire to deter the area's resident desert-adapted elephants. The open-plan main area of Doro Nawas Camp includes an indoor dining area, a swimming pool, a bar, a curio shop with a small picture gallery. Within this main area there's an outside courtyard from where a staircase leads onto the roof. Here there is an outdoor roof-top terrace that's often used for diningand is popular for after-dinner stargazing. This is also a lovely venue for sun-downer drinks. The team at Doro Nawas run many activities for their guests, including guided 4WD trips to track desert-adapted elephants, normally in the Huab River Valley; guided 4WD trips to visit the Bushman rock art at Twyfelfontein, which also usually take in the petrified forest and the organ pipes; and there's also a walking trail in the vicinity of the lodge – which can be done with a guide, or on your own. When last we visited, our morning elephant-tracking was a resounding success, with the elephants being spotted within minutes of us leaving the lodge. However, in some cases these trips can bequite long, with several hours spent searching for the elephants, This whole excursion lasts from about 7am, just after a light breakfast, until about 1pm in the afternoon, depending on how long it takes to find the elephants. Although the guided activities here are popular, Doro Nawas is very convenient for self-driving visitors, who can easily make their own trips to visit Twyfelfontein, the petrified forest and the organ pipes. Note that it's possible to stay here on a 'full board and all activities' basis, or alternatively on a 'dinner, bed & breakfast' basis. In the latter case, you can arrange activities locally and pay for them locally – although be aware that if the lodge is full, they are not guaranteed to be available. Several travellers have commented that the cost of add-on activities here, purchased directly when at the lodge, is high. So we suggest that you check the latest charges before booking yourself any excursions here. In 2007 Wilderness Safaris signed a joint venture with the Doro !Nawas community. This is a particularly good example of the growing development between the tourism industry and communities in Namibia. The conservancy and its people benefit from the revenue generated by the lodge. All the staff at the lodge come from the surrounding villages and are trained to fill various positions here. We readily support such an initiative that allows local villagers to see the importance of sustaining such a unique environment which in turn brings in tourists, job opportunities and revenue that they too benefit from. In conclusion, on our most recent visit, we thought that Doro Nawas Camp was a striking lodge in a stunning location. We found the staff exceedingly friendly, and at ease with themselves and the place. It's a very good call for a one- or two-night stop in Damaraland, especially if you are self-driving and want the flexibility to decide on the day whether to drive yourselves to places like Twyfelfontein, or take a guided trip.
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