Etendeka Mountain Camp — Hotel in Kunene Region

We arrived at Etendeka Mountain Camp located in the lava plains, on foot, the culmination of a three-day Etendeka hike guided by the amazing Boas. The hike included two wild sleep-outs at River Camp and Hill Camp and is 100% recommended if you are fit, have a bit of resilience and wish to immerse yourself in Namibia.||Etendeka Mountain Camp prides itself in its culture. Run by the owners, it is rustic and a true eco-lodge pioneering community involvement in local tourism initiatives. Thus all energy is produced on site (solar), and the accommodation reflects this. Actually, the accommodation was wonderful! Our en-suite menu tent was superbly fitted, comfortable and stylish. They tents are widely spaced affording guests a degree of privacy, and do come with flushing loos and basic bucket showers. Water is at a premium, though it soon becomes obvious how little water is actually required to enjoy a decent shower. The decking at the front of each tent has outdoor seating, and affords captivating views over the dramatic scenery.||The central lodge is large with adjoining dining room, lounge and bar, with a central charging point for devices. Furnishings are plentiful and very comfortable. There is a small swimming pool just outside.||One aspect of meals at Etendeka is community meal times, guests sat around the long table. Although the menu is set, the meals are simple, wholesome and delicious; we enjoyed a gin and tonic as the meal was foil-cooked over an open fire. The staff were excellent throughout, and the ambience was refreshing and relaxing.||Due to our itinerary, we wanted to put our feet up after three say hike, so opted out of the 1600 game drive. However, we were entertained by the others returning, excited at having seen eight lions. The camp is rich in birdlife though, delighted to see so many love birds. And there is after dinner star gazing through a powerful telescope.||We departed in one of the camps game-drive wagons, and only then did we understand the true isolation of the camp as we drove over an hour to recover our car from Palmwag. It literally is a bit off the beaten track, and now we could appreciate how this camp is more suited to those who want a bit of authenticity rather than a stay in a Namibian version if Disney's animal kingdom lodge. It is a bit niche, and if you want a bit of niche, then this really is a special place.||Our stay at Etendeka Mountain Camp was brief, but extremely mellow and enjoyable. ...

This is not a review of Etendeka Mountain Camp but rather Etendeka Walking Trail which is run by the same owners.||We did the two-night option. The trail starts with an easy 2 hours on the first afternoon; then a more demanding 5 hours the next morning, and an afternoon stroll. And then an easy one hour downhill to Mountain Camp on the third day. Bags are transferred by vehicle, and there are water drops arranged so we did not have to carry much.||Thanks to exceptional rains, the landscape is looking fantastic, endless vistas of waving golden grasses. We did not see a lot of wildlife - kudu, oryx, zebras, lots of birds - but that did not matter, it was just a pleasure to walk through such a gorgeous remote area. ||The camps are quite special, the first near a riverbed and the second in a gap in the hills with incredible sunset views. Both have sleep-out decks and private WCs/sinks below, and solar heated showers. Sleeping under the moon and stars was fun, and while it was a bit windy, the bedrolls were cosy. ||Our guide, Gelasius, made sure we took plenty of breaks to investigate plants and tracks and insects and so on, and had an endless trove of traditional knowledge. Camp crew (of three) were all good humoured and produced excellent tasty food, eaten from a buffet at the camp fire. ||Overall highlighly enjoyable few days -...

I'm on the cusp... But I think this may be my favourite place to stay in Namibia. It's not luxury, but it is a genuine humble stay in a mountain desert. The tents are comfortable and washing facilities unique in that they force the conservation of water. The elements are in your face here from the cold winter nights to the wind slapping the tent canvas in the night. If you like the feeling of being away from it all, cocooned up in a comfortable bit of civilization then this will be your cup of tea. Meals were a you get what your are given affair, but all food was nice and importantly, wholesome. We did the morning walk 2 times. And an evening game drive. Our guide was knowledgeable and informative and always enjoyed a good laugh. This is one of the few places we went where it was safe enough to do major walks without worrying about being eaten. The crystal mountain walk was a highlight. The scenery and views were amazing. There were not many animals about when we were there and the staff sold the activities as landscape tours, and the landscape is worth the...