Hoodia Desert Lodge

24°32’35.9"S 15°58’2.3"E

97% (229 reviews)

Full review Our view Geographics Food & drink Children Wildlife sightings Communications Health & safety Activities Extras

Hoodia Desert Lodge: Our full report

Set at the foot of the Namib-Naukluft Mountains, Hoodia Desert Lodge overlooks the ephemeral Tsauchab River.

It was opened in 2008 by owner-managers Thomas and Henreza Becker, an easy 22km drive to Sesriem, the gateway to Sossusvlei. The name comes from the flowering cactus, which dots the surrounding plains that seem to go on forever.

On arrival at Hoodia Desert Lodge you are greeted, often by Thomas or Henreza, with a refreshing cold towel and a glass of homemade iced tea, followed by a welcome talk before being shown to your room.

Mountains tower above the well-spaced row of 11 tented chalets under thatch, each boasting both indoor and outdoor bathrooms, a shaded veranda and a personal parking area. Inside, windows along the side walls admit plenty of light, and there are plans to open up the front walls to take better advantage of the superb views. The décor is in warm shades of brown with white bed linen and a scattering of colourful cushions, while facilities include a tea- and coffee-making station, air conditioning, a small fridge (filled on request) and a safe, as well as a mosquito net over the beds. All the chalets face either the river or the plains and far mountains, perfect for watching the sunset, but the best for uninterrupted sunset views is chalet no 1, which is the last in the row.

Both the indoor and outdoor bathrooms at Hoodia are decorated in a warm terracotta colour with decorative mosaics on the walls and copper taps. The indoor bathroom has a powerful shower, two handbasins, and a separate toilet. Double doors lead to the outside bathroom, which incorporates a changing area as well as an open-air bath and shower, and is designed so that guests can see out without being seen from nearby chalets. Guests are provided with complimentary toiletries and large fluffy white towels.

Hoodia Desert Lodge has a large lounge built under thatch that doubles as a reception area. The furniture is a fairly eclectic mix of styles and splashes of colour, arranged into separate sitting areas; we think the result is quite stylish! But it was the artwork – beautiful paintings by an artist friend of the owner – that really caught our eye on our most recent stay.

Down a few steps from the lounge is the restaurant, which offers superb traditional and international cuisine accompanied by a wide selection of South African wines. The service in the restaurant is great, with attentive and knowledgeable staff always on hand. Wooden chairs and tables are arranged around a large central fireplace that doubles as a barbecue in summer, while glass doors and windows allow for fantastic views of the surrounding mountains. These open up onto the outside terrace, overlooking the Tsauchab River: a good spot for birdwatching, as well as for sundowners or drinks after dinner. On our last visit we weren’t able to stay for any meals, but incredibly friendly and efficient staff made us a fantastic cappuccino, possibly the best coffee of our trip.

A short wooden walkway leads down some steps to a small swimming pool, set in a raised deck and sculpted into natural rock.

Hoodia Desert Lodge offers a range of activities, at extra cost, including a tranquil and rewarding sundowner on a nearby mountain and a full-day guided excursion to Namib Sand Sea. This trip takes in Sossusvlei, Deadvlei and Sesriem Canyon, and is a real highlight of any stay at Hoodia. The knowledge and quality of the guides really adds to the experience. We particularly enjoyed the 'living desert' section of the trip where you are shown some of the unique desert-adapted creatures of the Namib, such as spiders and lizards, and the geology of the area is explained. After a morning exploring the dunes, a beautifully presented picnic lunch provided a welcome stop to refuel in a truly stunning setting before finishing the day off in Sesriem Canyon. This is a much longer visit to the dunes than offered by many of the camps, and really helps you to get a complete feeling of the area.

Alternatively, self-drive guests can drive themselves to Sossusvlei and Seriem Canyon; it's just 22km from the lodge to the entrance at Sesriem. Guests who do this should be aware that due to the volume of traffic on the roads leading to the park the surface can be severely rutted and corrugated, so extra care should be taken when driving this stretch.

It’s also possible to walk in the riverbed and hills in the immediate vicitity of the camp. There are no specifically marked trails here, but the camp is easily visible, and it would be very tricky to get lost.

Our view

Hoodia Desert Lodge's friendly staff offer attentive service and delicious food in a beautiful setting. The atmosphere of the lodge is tranquil, and it feels quite luxurious without being stuffy. So although it's not the closest lodge to the dunes, travellers looking for these particular attributes should find it an excellent and stylish base from which to explore the Sossusvlei area.

Karen Sharpe

Namibia expert

Geographics

Location: Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia
Ideal length of stay: We recommend at least two nights at Hoodia to fit in a visit to the Sossusvlei dunes and Sesriem Canyon, especially if you plan to take their guided excursion as it returns to the lodge about mid-afternoon. You'll need a day or two longer if you plan to go on a hot-air balloon flight or a day trip into the Namib Naukluft Mountains to do some hiking.
Directions: Hoodia Desert Lodge is located on the C19, half way between its junction with the D854 and its junction with the C27. Turn off from the road then follow the track for 6km towards the mountains.
Accessible by: Self-drive

Food & drink

Usual board basis: Half Board
Food quality: The meals we've enjoyed at Hoodia Desert Lodge have been delicious. The lodge can cater for special dietary requirements, as long as they are informed in advance.

Between 06:30 and 10:00 a buffet breakfast features a selection of cereals, bread, fruits, yoghurts and pastries. Hot breakfasts, such as bacon and eggs, are cooked to order.

A light lunch is available at extra cost, or is included as part of the Soussesvlei excursion.

Dinner is served from 18:30 onwards and on our most recent visit, dinner was well presented, delicious and filling. Our starter was a lovely leek and bacon quiche. For a main course we had tasty kudu and bell-pepper kebabs, with fresh broccoli and couscous. Dessert was pannacotta, which rounded of the meal nicely!
Dining style: Individual Tables
Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining
Further dining info, including room service: Yes
Drinks included: Drinks are not included. We are told that the water is fine to drink, but bottled water is available from the bar, and there are usually a couple of complimentary bottles of water in each room.

Children

Attitude towards children: Children over the age of 12 are welcome.
Property’s age restrictions: Hoodia Desert Lodge accepts children over the age of 12.
Special activities & services: None
Equipment: None
Generally recommended for children: While children over 12 are welcome at Hoodia Desert Lodge, there is little to keep younger guests occupied here when not on excursions or participating in activities. On our most recent visit, we also felt that the lodge had a very adult atmosphere and would be unlikely to suit a family with younger children.
Notes: The pool is unfenced and there are no depth markings, although we were told it's around 1.7m at its deepest point. Children must be supervised at all times.

Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Hoodia Desert Lodge

Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Hoodia Desert Lodge have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.

Oryx

89% success

Wildebeest

32% success

Zebra

28% success

Giraffe

8% success

Brown Hyena

8% success

Meerkat

5% success

Spotted Hyena

5% success

Aardvark

0% success

Cheetah

0% success

Leopard

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Communications

Power supply notes: There is a back-up generator in case the mains power fails. There are plug points in all the rooms and adaptors are normally available to borrow, on request. The room lights are run using solar power.
Communications: Due to the lodge's location, cellphone reception is very weak and intermittent. They have installed a booster in the main area, so that's usually where you'll get the best reception. There is complimentary, but very slow, WiFi available in the main area.
TV & radio: There is a television with satellite in the bar area of the main building, but on our most recent visit this wasn't working and was awaiting repairs.
Water supply: Borehole
Water supply notes: The indoor and outdoor showers, as well as the outdoor bathtubs in all the rooms, are plumbed in. The lodge has flushing toilets.

Health & safety

Malarial protection recommended: No
Medical care: The lodge is 220km from the nearest hospital in Windhoek; but there is a nurse based at Sesriem for any minor ailments and the guides at Hoodia are first-aid trained.
Dangerous animals: Low Risk
Security measures: All buildings are locked at night, but there is no guard. Each chalet has an air horn, which can be used to attract attention in an emergency.
Fire safety: Fire extinguishers and hoses are situated in the main building. There is also a fire extinguisher outside each chalet.

Activities

4WD Safari
Guided walking safari
Helicopter
Hot air ballooning
Quad-biking

Extras

Disabled access: Not Possible
Laundry facilities: Laundry is available on request. This is charged per item in accordance with a list found in the rooms, and will be returned with in 24 hours.
Money: There is a small safe in each room to store valuables.
Accepted payment on location: Cash payments in South African rand and Namibian dollars are accepted, as are Visa and Mastercard, but travellers' cheques are not.