Ugab Terrace Lodge: Our full report

The sign at the bottom of the exceptionally steep driveway to Ugab Terrace Lodge reads ‘difficult roads often ...

... lead to beautiful places’, which accurately sums up this lodge. After tackling the driveway you reach a lodge perched on a flat-topped mountain plateau surrounded by the stunning scenery of Damaraland.

Ugab Terrace Lodge stands about 14km south of the main Koraxis-Outjo road, between Damaraland’s main sites at Twfelfontain and Namibia’s Central Highlands. The 1km access track is very steep in parts (though it has been paved in strategic places) so unless you are a highly confident driver you’re advised to park at the campsite and call for a lift.

The main area is a large thatched room perched at the end of a ridge with a high ceiling and huge windows at one end with panoramic views down the valley towards the Vingerklip (a 35m high rock finger) and nearby mesas. The dining room and lounge are open plan, and there are additional chairs and tables on the patio that's wrapped around two sides of the building. Umbrellas on the patio provide some shelter from the sun – and the views from here are spectacular!

Ugab Terrace has 16 bungalows, three of which are family units, spaced along the edge of a terrace hill. Each bungalow has a spacious veranda, with great views over the unique Damaraland scenery. The rooms have an African feel, with brightly coloured and patterened cushions and throws, and animals painted onto the bathroom wall. A nice touch is the complimentary bottle of wine and jug of filtered water provided in each room. Although there is no air conditioning for environmental reasons, there is a ceiling fan above the beds. The en-suite bathrooms, each with a private shower and a toilet behind a curved wall, are clean and functional, but look a little dated.

The swimming pool is a real highlight at Ugab Terrace, built into the natural stone surroundings with views straight down the valley. The pool is split into three sections, with two smaller pools and a larger one split over several levels with water able to flow between them. This gives the pools the unique feeling of a mountain stream, and while not terribly practical for swimming lengths it makes for a unique place to cool down during the heat of the day.

Activities from Ugab Terrace focus around hiking, either alone or with a guide, and nature drives. The land is quite bare, rocky and exposed –so hiking is best in the early morning or late afternoon, to avoid the heat of the sun. If you choose to hike alone they will equip you with a map and a radio, and can arrange to pick you up at the end of the walk, to save you walking back. Nature drives usually visit Vingerklip. There is also a stargazing platform here, with a guide to help you explore the heavens using the lodge's telescope.

Our view

Ugab Terrace Lodge has a fantastic setting with some incredible views, and at the lodge itself we’ve found the staff to be friendly and the bungalows comfortable and homely. While the lodge is too far east to be convenient for the main attractions of Damaraland, the drive to the lodge passes through some stunning scenery and the vistas from the top of the plateau make this an interesting place to stopover in a less visited area of Damaraland.

Richard Trillo

Namibia expert

Geographics

Location: Damaraland, Namibia
Ideal length of stay: We recommend Ugab Terrace as a one-night stopover.
Directions: Ugab Terrace Lodge stands just west of a gravel road, some 14km south of the main (tarred) Khorixas–Outjo road. Once on the tar, it's about 51km west to Khorixas, and 80km east to Outjo.
Accessible by: Self-drive or Fly-and-Transfer

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Bed & Breakfast
Food quality: Breakfast is always served as a buffet, with choices of fruit, cereals, yoghurt, cold meats and bread, as well as a hot breakfast cooked to order. Lunch is served à la carte from 12.00 to 1.30pm. Dinner is usually a set menu, unless the lodge is full in which case there will be a dinner buffet. It is served between 6.30pm and 8.30pm in the winter months, and 7.00–9.00pm in the summer.
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Private dinners can be arranged on request.

Children

Attitude towards children: Children of all ages are welcome at Ugab Terrace.
Special activities & services: Babysitting can be organised
Generally recommended for children: Ugab Terrace is situated high on a ridge, with some steep drops and unfenced pools, making it better suited to older children.
Notes: Children must be under supervision at all times.

Communications

Communications: There is cellphone reception here, and WiFi in the main area.
TV & radio: No.
Water supply: Borehole
Water supply notes: Water is sourced from a local borehole and then filtered for drinking. Rooms have hot and cold running water at all times.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: Yes
Medical care: There are first aid kits on site. For minor injuries there is a clinic in Khorixas, and a larger hospital in Otjiwarongo for more serious illnesses.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: There is security on site 24 hours a day.
Fire safety

Activities

4WD Safari
Cultural excursion
Guided walking safari

Extras

Disabled access: Not Possible
Laundry facilities: No.
Money: There are safes in the bungalows.
Accepted payment on location: Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted, as are cash payments in Namibian dollars and South African rand.