Wandersleeps: NAMIBIA

Whether you’re looking for rare wildlife on your doorstep or otherworldly landscapes to explore, these unique retreats will get you right into the heart of the action in your Top Country

Shipwreck-strewn sandscapes, dusty desert dunes and lush forest offer an dramatic backdrop for these sultry retreats in your top country

1 NAMBWA TENTED LODGE, BWABWATA NATIONAL PARK

Bwabwata NP on the Caprivi Strip attracts plenty of wildlife but few visitors – and the only lodge inside the park is Nambwa, created to benefit the local Mayuni Conservancy communities. The spacious tented rooms sit on wooden platforms, linked by walkways high enough to allow elephants to stroll underneath. The rooms and main deck look out to a floodplain where kudu, buffalo and warthogs among others come to feed. From 13,930NAD (£735) per night fully inclusive based on two people sharing; africanmonarchlodges.com

2 OLIVE GROVE GUESTHOUSE, WINDHOEK

If overnighting in Namibia’s laid-back capital, this boutique guesthouse ticks all the boxes for a comfy and convenient stay. In a quiet residential area, its rustic décor with wrought iron and old silver lends the place a Moroccan feel, with each room uniquely designed – and the restaurant is exceptional. It’s a great base for exploring the city, whether you’re shopping in smart malls, strolling along the jacaranda-fringed avenues or taking a tour of the Katutura township.

From 1,940NAD (£101) per night B&B based on two people sharing; olivegrove-namibia.com

3 SHIPWRECK LODGE, SKELETON COAST NATIONAL PARK

This eco-friendly lodge’s main building and cabinlike rooms of wood and glass replicate the thousandplus shipwrecks that eerily punctuate the Skeleton Coast’s dunes. The lounge and dining room open to a terrace that makes the most of the sandscapes, and blankets and wood-burning stoves keep you warm on chilly Atlantic nights. From 23,460NAD (£1,228) per night fully inclusive, including conservation contribution, based on two people sharing; naturalselection.travel

4 ANDERSSONS AT ONGAVA, ONGAVA GAME RESERVE

Stay at Anderssons, on a private game reserve, and you can track rhino on foot, watch elephants from the infinity pool and spy on wildlife undetected from a secret hide. You can even wander around the camp’s own research centre, learning from conservationists. Recently redesigned with a distinctly luxurious air, its suites are all wood and natural stone, inspired by the landscape. Smart TVS show real-time wildlife at the waterhole. From 22,292NAD (£1,176) per night fully inclusive based on two people sharing; ongava.com

5 DEAD VALLEY LODGE, NAMIBNAUKLUFT PARK

Namibia’s desert dunes are among the oldest in the world. Hike – or crawl – up Big Daddy, take a whole Sd-card full of eerie Deadvlei images and marvel at the massive red and terracotta dunes of Sossusvlei. Dead Valley Lodge opened last summer with contemporary tented rooms in neutral shades and a refreshing pool. Its location inside the park unusually grants you access to the landscapes of the Namib Desert before sunrise and after sunset.

From 5,800NAD (£303) per night fully inclusive based on two sharing; sunkarros.com/deadvalley.html

6 OKAUKUEJO RESORT, ETOSHA NATIONAL PARK

For great value and exceptional wildlife-watching, stay at Okaukuejo, the largest of three camps owned by Namibia Wildlife Resorts and located within the park. It’s big and busy, with over 100 rooms, but its USP is a floodlit waterhole that makes it one of the best places in Namibia to see rare black rhino. Accommodation ranges from simple double rooms to two-storey Premier Waterhole chalets. Take a guided game drive or, with good roads and clear signage, drive yourself around.

From 2,664NAD (£139) per night B&B based on two people sharing; nwr.com.na

7 SERRA CAFEMA, KAOKOLAND

This might just be the remotest lodge in Namibia. In the country’s northernmost corner, Serra Cafema lies amid lush forest on the banks of the Kunene River with the golden Namib Desert behind. Think rustic luxury with leather, plush velvet and wood in thatched villas and the rapids of the river as a soundtrack. Meet the nomadic Himba people, who the lodge supports, and learn about their culture in an authentic, sensitive way. Spot birds and crocs on boat trips or explore the desert and the nearby Hartmann’s Mountains. From 22,086NAD (£1,149) per night fully inclusive based on two people sharing; wilderness-safaris.com