Etendeka Mountain Camp

Set below the basalt slopes of the Grootberg massif, in Damaraland's Kunene Region, Etendeka Mountain Camp sits among the region's ancient lava country, where mopane-shaded river courses cut through dry terrain. Ten en-suite Meru tents hold either a queen bed or twin beds, each fitted with cotton linen and an outdoor bucket shower. It is a rustic stay by design. Meals come from solar ovens and open fires, eaten in a dining area built around the camp's long-held eco-friendly practice; Etendeka holds the top rank in Namibia's Eco-awards, one of only two properties to do so. Wildlife here has adapted to a hard landscape of towering rock and thin river cover, and walking is the camp's main activity: a guided nature walk each morning runs three to three and a half hours over four to six kilometres, with a shorter self-guided walk up the hill behind camp on arrival. Afternoons bring a scenic drive through the wider concession. After dark, hosts Dennis and Bonnie point out constellations with a telescope under skies with little light pollution. Guests are collected at Palmwag Lodge and driven the final 18 km by game viewing vehicle, which keeps traffic off the camp's tracks. Dennis Liebenberg, co-owner and manager for twenty years, knows the ground well and shares it freely with guests. Check-in runs from 4pm.