Brandberg White Lady Lodge: Our full report

Brandberg White Lady Lodge lies at the foot of the Brandberg Mountain, the highest mountain in Namibia, within ...

... easy reach of the famous Bushman “White Lady” rock painting. The accommodation and facilities are varied but basic, catering for a range of visitors, from those travelling alone to large groups.

Located on the northern side of the Brandberg, an enormous and rugged granite mountain rising out of the Namib Desert, Brandberg White Lady Lodge has a beautiful location. We are very familiar with this area of Namibia, and while it’s been a few years since we last stayed here we last visited the lodge in October 2018.

At the heart of the lodge is a central garden and pond,overlooked by a terrace with chairs and tables, shaded by passion-fruit climbers, and decorated with eclectic iron sculptures of the local wildlife. Set around this are a thatched dining area, separate bar and a lounge with plentiful soft furnishings and dark wooden furniture. Two swimming pools provide relief from the desert heat, and the dusty terrain that surrounds the lodge.

Varied guest accommodation is scattered away from this main area, with careful consideration clearly given to spacing and privacy. The chalets and rooms are spread out under large, shady trees across the Ugab River valley, each with a private veranda, electric lights and ceiling fan.

Six tents and eight twin chalets have en-suite facilities.
15 rooms are set in a solid block. Each has basic BBQ facilities outside but shares ablution facilities with the campsite . These rooms are generally reserved for large groups, and include four that can sleep up to four people, so suitable for families.
23 campsites

Given the distance between the various options and the main area, it is recommended that travellers drive between the two, as elephants do wander across the site.

Brandberg White Lady works well as a scenic stopover between the coastal regions of Namibia and Etosha or the more remote areas of Damaraland. If you are staying longer it’s well worth heading out with a guide in search of the desert-adapted elephants that frequent the dry and sandy riverbeds that snake across the terrain. If you are feeling more active then trekking on the Brandberg can be arranged, and offers some incredible views across the desert at sunset.

Our view

Although basic, Brandberg White Lady has a stunning location, and can provide a beautiful low-cost rest stop on a trip through Namibia. The camp also works for a longer stay, searching for desert-adapted elephants and trekking through the mountainous terrain.

Richard Trillo

Namibia expert

Geographics

Location: Damaraland, Namibia
Ideal length of stay: 1-2 days
Directions: Brandberg White Lady Lodge is situated on the northern side of the Brandberg Mountain, some 11km west of the C35.
Accessible by: Self-drive