Namibias Guest Farms - 3 examples and other Namibia Hotel/Accommodation Reviews

I present here the Ghaub Guest Farm, the Buellsport Guest Farm and the Sinclair Guest Farm as examples for the many (also of good quality) Guest Farms in Namibia.

Almost every one of them started as a farm (with cattle), but since there isn't often enough water to feed all the animals a farm would need to survive, some of them discovered a new income: Tourism. So now they are Guest houses. - But some do still have their original Income and have cows.

At most of the Guest farms you eat together with the owners and other residents.
The meat is mostly self-hunted (in their area) and very good. It is Kudu or Oryx or some other Antelope. Very fine meat, indeed.

Also: don't miss the evening drives most Guest Farms offer! You get an idea of the area they are living (and working) in and you get to see a lot of animals if you are a little lucky.

The owners are also happy if you speak with them about their work and problems. Don't be shy.

Unique Qualities: Every one of them is special and different.

At Sinclair you can visit a copper-mine on their ground and they make (almost) all of the food themselves (very good bread and sausages),
Sinclair Link

At Buellsport they have special hiking tours, (see the "off the beaten track" tip.)
Buellsport Link

And Ghaub is an old mission station that they renovated and added some buildings in the same stile. Wonderful surrounding "park". Also you have here the luxury of a very nice swimming pool.
Ghaub Guest Farm Link

Leave a Comment

Theme: Pension/Guesthouse
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$20-40  » Currency Converter
Address: all over namibia, try your travel-book
Website: www.namibiareservations.com

Namibias Campgrounds are a good and cheap alternative to staying in Lodges or Bungalows etc.

Most of them are very simple, - back to the roots, but the scenery makes up for the missing facilities.

Often the private Campgrounds are better maintained than the ones that belong to the state, so I would choose them.

The prices are very reasonable. For 4 persons in 2 cars we paid between 110-180 Namibian Dollars per night. That would be less than 10 Dollars for all!

Reservation is not a must. The Campgrounds are quite spacy and have enough place.

Here are a few I have tried (and thought as very good):
(see more detailed tips at the locations described):

Unique Qualities: Aba Huab Rest Camp (at Twyfelfountain, Damaraland):
good and clean facilities - hot water comes from fire heated boilers.
Best place to stay the night would be right next to a dry river bed where desert elefants are walking through (- if you are some lucky.)
Aba Huab Link

Spitzkoppe Rest Camp (at the Spitzkop)
No Toilets, no showers, no running water. But what a scenery!
Spitzkop Link

%Etosha National Park has 3 Rest Camps: Okakouejo, Namutoni and Halali.
Clean and simple. Located at lighted waterholes.
(for more info see my Etosha pages)

Quivertree forest Rest Camp (at Keetmanshope).
Good and clean facilities, wonderful view at the Quivetree forest - so you can walk right in.

Looking for a Camping Place? Try this sites:
Camping in Namibia Link
Campsites Namibia Link

Leave a Comment

Theme: Campground
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$20  » Currency Converter
Website: www.namibiareservations.com

Ok, this was the "luxury" highlight of our trip, so don?t expect it to be cheap.

Afri Cat at Okonjima is not only a lodge. They want to conserve and rehabilitate Africas big cats such as leopard, cheetah and lion.
So if you have missed them somehow until now, here's the opportunity not only to see them, but also to learn something about them.

The rooms are very comfortable, and there are a lot of activities, so don't arrive too late (around 3 p.m. is ok).

The food is very good, too (5 stars), so is the service.

Unique Qualities: In the evening you are going on a jeep drive to look after some leopards. It can be a challenge finding them, but sometimes they find you earlier !
Our driver was quite surprised how close the first male was.

In the morning have some coffee right in front of some big, sleepy lions.

After that go help feeding the cheetahs. No, they aren't shy. Some of them even jump on the jeep (the open jeep) you are in :-)

Don't expect that this is a "just touch the animals, it?s ok". farm as some others are.
The first thing you do here is sign a paper, with what you confirm, that you understand that these are wild animals and the proprietors of the lodge are not responsible if you behave stupid and get hurt (!).

The farm is also quite big, so sometimes you have to drive some to see the leopards, but it is worth.
Also you will get a lot of information about the fondation.
You are already sponsoring it by staying here, but any help is apreciated.

Don't miss "Mister pig" the house warthog! I have never seen such a big and lazy exemplar.

Leave a Comment

Theme: Other
Comparison: most expensive
Prices: US$180 and up  » Currency Converter
Phone: +264-67-304563/4
Address: Okonjima Afri Cat Fondation, Otjiwarongo
Directions: Otjiwarongo, Namibia
(between Windhoek and Etosha Ntl Park)
Website: http//www.okonjima.com
Other Contact: okonjima@iway.na

Located right on the rim of the "Big dunes".
Camp Mwisho contains 4 Tent-houses. 3 are close together, one -the"honeymoon-suite" is a little on the side.

The tents are built on wooden platforms and stay all year. In it you have a real double-bed with all comfort and outside in the back a real toilet and shower. They are inside a bamboo-fence but right adjacent.

Luxus in tents. Never had THAT before.

The view is wonderful. All you can see is pure desert. Wide dry land. Wild birds, antelopes, etc.

Unique Qualities: Dinner is in the main building where the owners live.
The food was excellent, I would give them five stars for the cooking and for beeing so friendly.%c*

Lunch, Dinner and Sunset-Drive with Sundowner inclusive.

By the way: if you speak french: they are from Belgia. They were in Zimbabwe until they had to leave. Now they are here and had that idea with ballooning in the desert (see must-do tip).

The Balloon drive (see must do tipps) starts from here or from Sesriem, depends on how many and where the people that booked it, are.

Leave a Comment

Theme: Other
Prices: US$40-80  » Currency Converter
Directions: Camp Mwisho, 50km south of Sesriem
Website: http://www.namibsky@mweb.com.na

Located opposite of the Ugab Terraces -
unfortunately you can not see the from there, but never mind, the view is spectacular enough. The Ranch is standing on the top of a hill

It is one of the oldest Guest Farms of Namibia. But nicely renovated and decorated. The rooms are just lovely (and do also have that view).

Unique Qualities: You stay in rustical Bungalows (see picture) with all stile- and luxury.
Warm water is beeing made with fire under the boilers outside of the bungalow.

Afternoon- round drive on the farm is included (if the owner doesn?t have to buy some food in the over-next town, which is about 200km away).

Dinner on the terrace while the sun goes down and the stars come up.

Leave a Comment

Theme: Pension/Guesthouse
Comparison: about average

Directions: 55km east of Khorixas at the C39
Website: http://www.natron.net/tour/bambatsi/ranchd.htm