KWESSI DUNES
NAMIBRAND RESERVE, NAMIBIA
Natural Selection opened their latest Namibian property, Kwessi Dunes, on the 1st March 2020. The new property is set in the vast 531,000 acre NamibRand Nature Reserve, with easy access to Sossusvlei’s iconic rusty red sand dunes and the photogenic Deadvlei.
The NamibRand is a vast place of awe-inspiring beauty. One of the largest private reserves in southern Africa, it was the vision of Namibian farmer Albi Bruckner in the 1980s and was created from the integration of several livestock farms and the removal of the fences which divided the land.
The barbed wire Bruckner removed was long enough to stretch from Cape Town to Windhoek. The result was a protected wilderness area that today is a model of conservation success. For Natural Selection, it was the perfect location for their sixth Namibian property.
When Kwessi Dunes opened on the 1st March, it brought Natural Selection’s low-key style and quirkiness to southern Namibia. The twelve thatch and canvas rooms measure 948 sq ft inside and out, and feature vintage four-poster beds, striped canvas walls and a beautiful map mural feature wall. Each bedroom has an ensuite bathroom with both indoor and outdoor showers and a shaded, outdoor veranda. High thatched roofs and air-conditioning will keep guests cool during the hot desert days.
The rooms at Kwessi Dunes really come into their own after the sun sets. Each room has been designed with a special “star gazer” room and every night there is the option to sleep outside, under the African night sky. In 2012 the NamibRand Nature Reserve was selected by the International Dark Sky Association as an official dark sky reserve on account of its low light pollution and cloudless night skies.
It is one of the best places on earth to star gaze and enjoy spending the night under a canopy of twinkling stars. The guides at Kwessi Dunes will help guests to tell their Southern Cross from their Orion’s Belt but if that all feels like too much hard work then counting shooting stars is a wonderful way to fall asleep.
The view from the lodge is spectacular and the glass windows and doors at the main area look out onto the undulating landscape that only ends when it meets the mountains, far in the distance. Inside, there’s a well-stocked bar, library area and several seating and dining areas. When the sun rises in the morning, the campfire is the perfect place to enjoy a cup of tea and in the heat of the day, the swimming pool is the only place to be.
As with all Natural Selection’s projects, 1.5% of turnover will go straight back to conservation projects which directly impact the area. The new lodge will also make use of the latest clean and green technology, ensuring that it leaves as light a footprint as possible on the fragile environment.
https://naturalselection.travel/camps/kwessidunes/