Malansrus Tented Camp

83% (7 reviews)

Full review Our view Geographics Food & drink Children Wildlife sightings Communications Health & safety Activities Extras

Malansrus Tented Camp: Our full report

Located 28km from Twyfelfontein in Namibia’s Damaraland, the simple Malansrus Tented Camp opened in May 2018.

Set on the banks of the ephemeral Aba Huab River, the camp offers dramatic scenery, easy access to Namibia's most famous rock art and a convenient base to seek out the area’s desert-adapted elephants.

Like its sister properties, Ozondjou Trails and Desert Hills Glamping Camp, Malansrus is owned and run by an operator we have known for many years and offers simple but comfortable accommodation. However, it is worth noting that it is often used as a base for the company’s small-group trips, which have historically formed the core of their business. While we think it works well for independent travellers, you may find yourself in camp with groups of up to about 12 people travelling together.

Malansrus has just nine en-suite twin tents. Built under the shade of mopane trees and well separated for privacy, each is furnished with twin beds, bedside tables with lamps, a small desk and a couple of leather chairs. Large photographs of Namibian landscapes hung above the beds brighten the muted, sandy décor. One of the tents, classed as a family tent, has an extra single bed for a child. To the back of the tent, the bathrooms have a toilet and storage area on one side, with the shower and his and hers basins on the other.

Outside, every tent has its own terrace with chairs, shaded by an extension of the canvas canopy and the surrounding mopane trees. This is a great spot to enjoy the sunset or relax with a book.

The camp’s focal point is an almost circular main tent, an open-plan space whose lounge area – complete with squashy beanbags – doubles as the camp’s reception. Meals are usually taken in the dining area, where you can also help yourself to drinks from the camp’s fridges, but we understand that dinner is occasionally served outside under the stars, where a large firepit is surrounded by chairs.

When we visited Malansrus in April 2019 we only stayed for one night so didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the camp’s guided activities. We understand that these generally focus on drives along the area’s ephemeral rivers in search of desert-adapted elephants, trips to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Twyfelfontein, and sundowner drives. There are also a number of guided walking routes from the camp into the surrounding hills.

Alternatively, the camp would make a good base for those looking to explore on their own, perhaps also taking in a visit to the Petrified Forest or one of the Damara “living museums”.

Our view

Whilst Malansrus Tented Camp is neither the closest camp to Twyfelfontein nor the most luxurious in the area, it is a great option for independent travellers who want to explore Damaraland, either on their own or with the camp’s resident guides.

Tom Morris

Country manager: Namibia

Geographics

Location: Damaraland, Namibia
Ideal length of stay: 2 nights
Directions: Malansrus Tented Camp is 28km east of Twyfelfontein by road.
Accessible by: Self-drive

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Full Board
Food quality: When we stayed in April 2019 we were impressed by the quality of the food at Malansrus. We understand that flexible mealtimes are available for families with young children and that the camp can assist with most dietary requests so long as they are given sufficient notice.

Days here begin with a typical Namibia safari breakfast of cold meats and cheeses, a selection of cereals, fresh fruit and bread, along with tea, coffee and juice. Hot dishes such as eggs, bacon, toast, etc are cooked to order by the kitchen.

We didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy lunch here but we would expect to see light options such as salads, sandwiches and/or lasagne.

Our dinner was a three-course meal which started with butternut soup and a fresh rosemary-bread roll. As a main, we were served grilled lemon chicken with basmati rice, seasonal vegetables, green salad and a herb sauce. The meal was rounded off with a rich chocolate mousse served with Amarula, a great way to end the day.

Breakfast and picnic packs are available on request.
Dining style: Mixture of group dining and individual tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: None
Drinks included: Local and house drinks are included on a full-board basis with premium drinks such as champagne and whisky available at extra charge.

Children

Attitude towards children: Children of all ages are welcome here.
Property’s age restrictions: Malansrus doesn’t have any age restrictions.
Special activities & services: The camp doesn’t offer any specific child-focused activities.
Equipment: None
Generally recommended for children: While the camp has a relaxed atmosphere and has no age restrictions there isn’t a lot to keep younger children entertained so we would suggest it for children aged eight and over.
Notes: There is always the potential for desert elephants to walk through camp so children should be supervised at all times.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Malansrus Camp

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Malansrus Tented Camp have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.

Elephant

80% success

Oryx

50% success

Giraffe

40% success

Black Rhino

0% success

Brown Hyena

0% success

Cheetah

0% success

Leopard

0% success

Lion

0% success

Spotted Hyena

0% success

Wildebeest

0% success

Zebra

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes: There is a back-up generator in case the solar system should fail.
Communications: There is WiFi in the main area.
TV & radio: None
Water supply: Borehole
Water supply notes: The en-suite bathrooms have hot and cold running water and flush toilets.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: Yes
Medical care: The closest hospital is in Outjo, about a 2½hr drive from camp. In case of emergency, guests can be flown to Windhoek. For more minor treatment, the guides and managers are trained in first aid.
Dangerous animals: High Risk
Security measures: Security personnel patrol the camp day and night.
Fire safety: There are fire extinguishers in both the tents and the main area.

Activities

4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Cultural excursion

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: Laundry services weren’t available on our visit in 2019 but were planned for the future.
Money: Each tent has a small electronic safe for valuables.
Accepted payment on location: Card payments may be made using Visa or Mastercard, while cash is accepted in Namibian dollars and South African rand.