Namib Outpost

97% (20 reviews)

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

Namib Outpost: Our full report

Formerly known as Desert Homestead Outpost, Namib Outpost is being re-built and is due to re-open in April 2023.

Information on the newest incarnation of the property is scarce, but here is the information on the old lodge. The property is a 30km drive from the Sesriem gate, the entrance to the magnificent Namib-Naukluft Park. A very comfortable, if slightly remote base for exploring the Sossusvlei area, it has individual stilted houses with panoramic views over the vast gravel plains and mountains in the distance.

Desert Homestead Outpost lies on the lower section of one of the area's mountains, affording excellent views across the gravel plains to the mountains and the Namib's dunes in the distance. It's found along an 8km drive leading west from the C19. The last section of thise driveway is quite steep, so self-drivers are well advised to drop their luggage at reception before driving back down the hill to park.

Spread across three levels, the main area at Desert Homestead Outpost consists of the reception, indoor and outdoor dining areas, a bar, and the lodge's inviting swimming pool. The outdoor areas provide plenty of shaded seating in which to hide from the heat of the sun and the indoor dining area has a fireplace to stave off the colder evenings of Namibia's winter.

Perched high above the lodge like a ship's crow's nest on top of a mountain, the sundowner deck is a spectacular place to watch the sunset or perhaps the sunrise. The track up to the deck is somewhat steep with a loose surface, so perhaps not suitable for the less fleet of foot, and it should only be walked when there is sufficient light. On our last visit in May 2018 we climbed up here in the early afternoon, and despite the heat of the day and the effort of the steep climb it was worth it for the incredible panoramic views of the desert, and we can imagine that it makes an incredible sundowner spot.
Desert Homestead Outpost has 11 twin houses, each partially set up on stilts and decorated with neutral greens and browns, offering a modern take on a safari lodge feel. These houses offer a spacious en-suite bathroom, featuring a loo with a view and – in the newer houses away from the main area – an outdoor shower. Our favorite feature, however, is the sleeper deck on the roof; each room is provided with a sleeping roll and extra blankets for guests to take to the sleeper deck for a night under the stars – or this can be arranged with housekeeping in advance if you want the 'star bed' to be set up for you. You'll also find a private shaded sundeck, mosquito net, air conditioning, an honesty minibar, complimentary tea and coffee station, and a small digital safe. Please note that the walk to the furthest of the houses from the main area is about 360m along an uneven path with a loose surface. Less mobile travellers may wish to request a house closer to the main area.

At the end of the row of houses is a spacious 'superior unit', which was completed in July 2016. This has its own private lounge, luxurious plunge pool and large deck complete with loungers and its very own spherical, cushioned nest to enjoy the view. This unit is available on a dinner, bed and breakfast rate and is perfect for honeymooners or perhaps families.

Desert Homestead Outpost The lodge offers sundowner drives, which last for a couple of hours and involve a scenic nature drive, culminating in watching the sunset over drinks and snacks at an appropriate spot. These aim to leave the lodge at around 17:005.00–5.30pm-17:30 in the summer (October to March) and 3.30–4.00pm in winter. There are also hiking and jogging trails here. A number of additional activities are run from the lodge's sister property, Desert Homestead, about 10km away. These include trips to Sossusvlei, guided horse rides (lasting from half a day to several days), nature drives in the surrounding area, and guided and unguided hiking trails. Hot-air ballooning and helicopter flights can also be arranged.

Our view

Situated a little further from the dunes than other camps in the area, Desert Homestead Outpost is a great option for those looking for a feel of remoteness in what is becoming an increasingly busy area. We liked the welcoming and comfortable feel of the lodge, and the views from the striking, stilted houses are some of the best in the area.

Claire Scott

Namibia expert

Geographics

Location: Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Ideal length of stay: 2-3 nights
Directions: Desert Homestead Outpost lies 30km from the Sesriem gate, and is accessed and signposted from the C19.
Accessible by: Self-drive or Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Half Board
Food quality: During our most recent stay, in October 2016, the standard of food was high.

Breakfast is a European-style buffet with a large choice of muesli, fresh fruit, yoghurts, teas, coffees and more. A cooked breakfast can be ordered on request.

We took the opportunity to enjoy lunch on our last stay, and ordered a fantastic fish and chips from the pub-style a la carte menu.

Dinner is a five-course set menu. Last time we stayed at the camp we were served a crumbed camembert with a chilli sauce, followed by calamari rings, then a peach granita to clear the palate. The main course was either grilled chicken breast supreme filled with cheese and served with a tomato and onion relish, or a prime cut of beef steak, flame grilled and served with a red-wine reduction. A homemade cheesecake with a strawberry coulis rounded off the meal delightfully. Depending on the weather, dinner may take the from of a braai.
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Drinks included: Drinks are not included. We are told that the borehole water here is safe to drink, but if preferred, bottled water can be bought from the bar or the honesty bar found in the houses.

Special interests

Riding holidays: Guests at Namib Outpost can take advantage of some of the best horseriding in Namibia at its sister property, Desert Homestead, situated only 10km away.; See ideas for Riding holidays

Children

Attitude towards children: Children of all ages are welcome.
Property’s age restrictions: None
Special activities & services: None
Equipment: Cots can be provided on request.
Generally recommended for children: There is not a lot to keep children entertained at Desert Homestead Outpost, and given the layout and generally adult feel of the lodge, we think that children would feel out of place here.
Notes: The pool is unfenced and unguarded so children should be supervised by their parents at all times. There is also a considerable drop from the terraces of the stilted houses.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Namib Outpost

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Namib Outpost 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.

Oryx

88% success

Zebra

25% success

Brown Hyena

13% success

Wildebeest

13% success

Aardvark

0% success

Cheetah

0% success

Giraffe

0% success

Leopard

0% success

Meerkat

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Spotted Hyena

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes: There is also a generator as a back up.
Communications: There is cellphone reception here and free WiFi is available in the main areas.
TV & radio: None
Water supply: Borehole
Water supply notes: All the bathrooms include flush toilets and plumbed-in solar-heated showers.

Sustainability

Partnerships that support children’s education

Comprising of 12 guest houses, Namib Outpost boasts incredible views of wide open plains of the remote Sossusvlei, in Southern Namib. The team at Namib Outpost strictly adheres to eco-friendly principles by making a constant effort to increase the environmental awareness of visitors and locals alike. For example, the Outpost is trying to keep its environmental impact as minimal as possible by using solar power as the main source of electrcity. The lodge’s own solar farm not only provides guests with all necessary comforts such as air conditioning and hot water, but it is also used to provide electricity for the employees’ accommodation and the hot air balloon base.

The team at Namib Outpost is also aiming to foster a mutually beneficial partnership with the local community. Apart from providing various authentic activities around the lodge such as horseback safaris and cultural safari, a highlight of each visitor of the Outpost is the possibility of going on a hot air balloon ride. This is offered by Namib Sky Balloon Safaris who has recently established the Namib Sky Community Foundation with a mission to provide access to education for disadvantaged children in the local community of Sossusvlei. Therefore, by taking the trip, guests can not only see a spectacular sunrise across UNESCO’s world heritage site ‘Namib Sand Sea’, but are also supporting a local Early Childhood Development centre and a lower primary school.

See more great sustainability projects in Namibia

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: No
Medical care: The nearest clinic is in Sesriem. In an emergency, patients would be airlifted to Windhoek.
Dangerous animals: Moderate Risk
Security measures: The lodge managers live on site, and each house has a foghorn to raise the alarm in case of emergency.
Fire safety: Fire extinguishers are placed in every house.

Activities

4WD Safari
Fly-camping
Helicopter
Horse-riding
Hot air ballooning
Quad-biking
Sleeping under the stars

Extras

Disabled access: On Request
Laundry facilities: Small items can be washed on request but there is a limited supply of water in this area so guests are discouraged from submitting large quantities of laundry.
Money: There is a small digital safe in each house.
Accepted payment on location: Payments may be made in Namibian dollars and South African rand cash, and by Visa and Mastercard.