Many African lodges have knockout-beautiful settings, but if real joy can be found in remoteness and nature then this little princess has to be one of the best places to seek it out. Just one hundred and fifty kilometers or ninety-six miles from bustling Swakopmund and yet simultaneously deep in Namibia's rural hinterland, the Spitzkoppen Lodge's glamping cabins look down over the Erongo Mountains and boulders of the Spitzkoppe mountain.
This vast end seemingly endless stretch of copper sand has a direct effect on how you feel while you’re there. It exhumes freedom. A hidden oasis to repose among the ever present mountains. Late in the evening, thunder clouds gather above the distant table mountains and paint the most beautiful streaks of falling rain, a perfect view to simmer down with, at least from a pleasingly distant distance.
Meanwhile, klipdassies run wild across the golden colored boulders. Quietly greeting us while leisuring in the cooler late afternoon air. Good-humoured staff welcome you at the main area of the lodge and whisk us and our luggage away by golf cart to our boho-chic cabin.
We drive over raised timber decks, adjoining all cabins and the main lodge areas. The impact of Spitzkoppen Lodge on the environment has been reduced to the bare minimum. Boreholes and solar powered energy supply the electricity and clean water in the lodge, the wooden decks and cabins on stilts eliminate the need for pavement or concrete of any sort. Striving to leave a minimum footprint behind in this alluring delicate wilderness.
What's the vibe?
Spitzkoppen Lodge represents affordable luxury. To us true luxury is about the feeling we get upon seeing an unspoilt desert against a backdrop of gorgeous table mountains. It is about sensing the revigorating water drops of a short desert thunderstorm on our face. It’s about reconnecting with nature while enjoying modernday comfort and serene privacy without have yo share it with thousands of other visitors.
True luxury is being where the world can't find you.
What can you expect from the rooms?
The 15 clamping cabins are gentle cocoons of soft light, with turquoise decorations, a lush bathroom and sweeping views of the Erongo Mountains and Spitzkoppe boulders. All cabins are connected by a floating deck, making all accommodations wheelchair and golf cart accessible.
The Spitzkoppen Lodge is all about space and nature, with floor-to-ceiling windows in both the main dining areas and the cabins, letting the pristine golden mountain light floating in. The colour palette is soothing: crisp whites, burnt browns and cool turquoise make your clamping cabin a true desert oasis.
Inside the cottage, a fluffy kingsize bed and luscious bathroom embrace you after a day of sunbathing or activities. A private terrace gives unforgettable views over the Namibian outback. The citrus and Namibian myrrh bathroom products enveloping you in a refreshing cocoon, all ready for diner in the glass dining room.
What about the activities?
A dumpling pool adjoins the common lodge area. A sundeck and unspoiled views over the surrounding wilderness are the perfect place to enjoy a sundowner of daydream the day away. The water is cool and silky to swim in. Overlooking the surrounding outback, it is easy to feel like you're at the very edge of the world. Lit at night, you'll enjoy a 360° view of the nearby rock boulders while enjoying a sundowner platters and seeing the sun dip below the distant Brandberg Mountain.
More active souls can join a trip to nearby Bushman's Paradise, considered to be the finest collection of rock art in Namibia. Both sunrise and sundowner tours are available as well as a mountain bike tour through the surrounding wilderness. Almost all tours include a stop at the Spitzkoppe Rock Arch viewpoint.
What about the food?
The food is exactly what it should be: unfussy and simply presented. Lunch might be a meat and cheese platter or a grilled vegetable salad. Dinner is a slightly more formal affair but reassuringly uncomplicated: homemade carpaccio sushi with vegetable sorbet and a chef's platter filled with grilled chicken, homemade meatballs and fresh salads and pastas.
The wine is South-African, all nicely in keeping with the lodge's authentic and unfussy ethos. Dinner can be served in individual platters or as a buffet, depending on the number of guests present. Breakfast is an abundance of hearty and sweet bits: homemade granola, baked bananas, honey sweetened pancakes and chocolate cupcakes paired with colorful juices. For a nightcap, settle into the library section of the main lodge area and repose with a good book until bedtime.
Final thoughts about staying at Spitzkoppen Lodge
Photos don’t quite capture the feeling you get when you arrive at the lodge. Surrounded by bright orange colored towering rock formations, klipdassies, and more desert flora, it blends in perfectly with surrounding outback. As if it was always part of the desert, the Spitzkoppe mountain a natural landscape as you drive through the gates to the Spitzkoppen Lodge's main area.
The lodge attracts a mix of young and old looking for affordable luxury and a sense of escapism. The lodge is intimate, the staff amiable. Photographers and nature enthusiasts will frenzy at the endless possibilities in the vicinity.
What if I'm short on time?
Spending one night at the Spitzkoppen Lodge is sufficient to appreciate the desolate location as well the nature and cultural activities. We opted to arrive in the late afternoon from Swakopmund, which is only a one and a half hour drive away. The late afternoon was spend relaxing in the rock pool, photographing the spectacularly beautiful thunderclouds and pastel colored sunset. The next morning we selected the sunrise drive with stops at Busman's Paradise and the Spitzkoppe Rock Arch.
If you're not able to spend the night but wish to explore the beautiful surroundings of Spitzkoppe Mountain, you can opt to join this tour. Leaving from Swakopmund or Walvis Bay, it can become a perfect day trip while still being based at the cooler Namibian coast.
