Gondwana Damara Mopane Lodge

The hotel is pretty nice. Quiet and clean. Good night sleep. There is a platform for you to watch sunset. The only activity at this lodge is bird watching. However the guide was unavailable when we were there. The dinner was a buffer. We came back right after sunset. However, they run out of the main dish very quickly. This is a stop b/c Palmwag and Etosha. If you don't have to, I'd recommend skipping this stop.

Named after the mopane trees that grow here, this is another green oasis (an overused phrase, but appropriate) in the hot, harsh deserts of Damaraland. Featuring a large swimming pool surrounded by concentric semi-circles of cottages and abundant birdlife, it is a relaxing spot to hang out en route to those early mornings in Etosha. The rooms are large and comfortable, as are the shower/bathroom. The air conditioning struggled to cope with temperatures in the high 30s, and the room seemed to be substantially hotter than the outside temperature, even with windows open, although it did cool down overnight with the windows open. There is a nice little trail up to a sunset deck, and a much longer one round the whole mountain, and even a small waterhole. The food is top rate, although portions are unnecessarily large, as they are throughout Namibia it seems (consider sharing), and they coped fine with vegetarians without any fuss. Each cottage has a garden where fruit and veg are grown - spinach, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, herbs, lemons, papaya, you name it - so the lodge must grow more of its own food than anywhere else in Namibia.

Les photos sur le site sont trompeuses. Des petites maisonnettes sans grand confort. Une déco minimaliste et d'un autre temps. Pas de wifi en chambre, celui-ci étant uniquement disponible à la reception et pas de grande quakite. Un accueil pas très professionnel. Franchement ce n'est pas forcément un endroit que je recommanderai. Un peu de désorganisation au repas du soir. Un buffet est proposé.

The Damara is placed in a remote setting 20 kilometers outside Khorixas, and is a great outset for going to the Unesco heritage sites of Twyfelfontein (2½ hours drive) and the petrified forest. The bungalows are spacious and absolutely sufficient, but not luxurious. The pool area is really nice, and the outside restaurant are, where the evening buffet is served, is cozy. The breakfast buffet was okay, without impressing. What impressed was however the sundeck, which gave us one of the most beautiful sunsets in Namibia. PS: The wifi is a bit unstable, but then again: You are in the middle of Namibia.

Lodge faisant partie de la même chaîne GONDWANA, que nous avions découvert avec le Safari lodge d'Etosha. Nous sommes arrivés de nuit. Le personnel était là pour récupérer nos valises. Les bungalows commencent à dater même si la déco a été refaite. La salle de bain et sa douche sont correctes sans éclat. Le buffet du dîner correct mais pas avec un choix important. Comme point négatif, le WiFi est très faible du côté du restaurant uniquement voire ne fonctionne pas. Le Damara Mopane lodge est loin derrière son collègue le Safari Lodge. A noter qu'autour de chaque bungalow, il y a des potagers de légumes, salades, fruits, fleurs utilisés pour la consommation des touristes.

This was an ideal stop in Damaraland between Swakopmund and Etosha. The hotel was a green oasis in an otherwise very dry location. We really liked that each room had its own garden growing produce for the kitchen. The staff were very friendly and helpful and we enjoyed watching the sunset from the viewing deck. We travelled with guests with limited mobility and of all the lodges we stayed in, this was the best for accessibility. The site was relatively level and well lit. The only minor negative was that the food while perfectly adequate, was not quite up to the standard of other places we stayed.