Distant Luxury: Namibia | Luxurious Travel Advisor
Prolonged before 2020 became the year of social distancing, Namibia was the final place for distant luxurious. New houses are ever a lot more significant-finish, and at any time a lot more personal. Some are grand desert hideaways for only two attendees, who share infinite desert horizons with no other humans (apart from most likely the devoted chef and driver, who seem only when summoned).
We retreated with anticipation to be the first at the Desert Whisper, far into the Namib Desert, just as Namibia was preparing to open all over again to global travelers. Formulated by the regionally centered Gondwana Collection Namibia team, which has put in extra than two many years perfecting its 20 Namibian choices, this a person is the pinnacle.
The Whisper is like a romantic asteroid flung down into the much reaches of the rock hills, with the desert unspooling into infinity all about. Exterior it blends into nature, when inside of it is flooded with normal mild and retains the very best-stocked bar we’ve seen outside New York.
A 19th-century colonial German architecture in the city of Swakopmund on Namibia’s Atlantic coast. // Photo by Sharri Whiting De Masi
In this bean-shaped luxury pod is a entire kitchen area, loaded with contemporary components for breakfast, lunch, aperitivo, dinner and candies. Friends may well pick out to prepare and serve by themselves or sip a cocktail on the terrace though the chef will make and serves the meal. (The chef and driver are posted at reception, about a few miles away). The visitor limit at The Desert Whisper is two people, with a least age of 13.
Outside of the kitchen area is an open dwelling/bedroom house with numerous sofas and simple chairs, a king-sized bed at the rear of a 50 percent wall, a enormous glass shower enclosure, and a private lavatory. There are books about Namibia and the relaxation of the universe, a massive basket of regionally made tub facilities, and a telescope. (Notice: Yes, there is air conditioning). The scenery is ever switching as the sunshine moves across the desert — amazing sunsets are a specified, alongside with the darkest of nights punctuated with some of the ideal star-gazing in the environment.
The Desert Whisper, with its distinctive rusted exterior, delivers the greatest in social distancing. // Photo by Sharri Whiting De Masi
The Gondwana Reserve below is surrounded by nationwide parks, which includes the Namib-Naukluft, where the world’s optimum red dunes encircle the eerily empty salt pan, Sossusvlei. This Namib Sand Sea was declared a Entire world Heritage internet site in 2013. This aspect of Namibia is regarded for its distinctive geological formations and remarkable dune landscapes. We have seen oryx (gemsbok), giraffes, antelopes, mountain zebras, ostrich, wildebeest and dozens of small desert denizens from the floor and from a balloon.
One particular idea for a perfect working day could be to consider off in a hot-air balloon over the dunes at dawn, have breakfast in the center of the desert, acquire a swim in The Desert Whisper’s personal plunge pool just before lunch, have the chef get ready lunch, acquire a restorative nap in the afternoon ahead of your driver picks you up for a sundowner travel by way of the large reserve, with a halt for an aperitivo in the desert as the sun turns the grass silver. Then, back to the Desert Whisper for a impressive sunset and supper beneath the stars. (Or, just sit by the pool all working day, sipping anything chilled and studying Wilbur Smith).
Eating at The Desert Whisper, with a perspective of the world’s oldest desert. // Photo by Sharri Whiting De Masi
About 20 miles away on the reserve is The Desert Grace. Listed here, the luxurious chalets have unique plunge swimming pools overlooking the look at there are some loved ones rooms, a comprehensive cafe and a bar/lounge. From the Grace, it’s doable to just take person or guided walks or e-bike excursions, character drives, excursions to Sossusvlei, or join the creepy and really well-known Night Scorpion Walk, in which UV mild reveals scorpions hiding out in the darkness. The Grace may possibly be an choice for households or partners traveling collectively or for a spot wedding ceremony team, with the bride and groom staying at The Desert Whisper. There is a private airstrip which serves the reserve.
This Namibian itinerary could start out or close at Walvis Bay, where by there is a present day airport with flights to the global airports in Windhoek or Cape City, or, as part of an impartial or guided driving tour. Either way, it definitely will have to include things like a stop at the previous German town of Swakopmund on the Atlantic coastline, just half an hour from the cruise port at Walvis Bay. Started in the late 19th century, it is now an active and numerous group, wherever Bavarian architecture, open up-air craft markets, environmentally friendly parks, seashores, dining places and boutiques mirror the various cultures of the place. We adore facet visits, these as to wonderful Sandwich Harbor (with Sand Waves, [email protected]), Tommy’s Minor 5 tour of the dunes (www.livingdesertnamibia.com), Mola Mola’s dolphin tour of the Walvis Bay Lagoon (www.mola-namibia.com), or a generate up to Cape Cross to see the seals and have lunch on the ocean at the Cape Cross Lodge. (Hint: Looking at tens of millions of seals residing on a single rocky outcrop is phenomenal, but it smells simply just terrible. You will need to mask up for this working experience).
The 1,000-mile Namibian Atlantic coastline is acknowledged for its oysters and fish. Swakopmund is entire of great seafood restaurants, as nicely as all those that give wild video game and other meat. We like The Jetty and The Tug on the h2o, Kucki’s Pub and Gabrielle’s Pizza. A pleasurable favored is Fork n Awesome, the yellow university bus up Strand Street on the beach front, where the takeaway includes marvelous calamari and chips. The 3 extremely good eating places at the 4-star Strand Hotel overlook the Atlantic along the mole, wherever locals like to swim in the chilly sea. There is a foodie going for walks tour in city (www.swakopfoodtours.com) and the laid again Goanikontes Oasis (www.goanikontes-oasis.com) a couple of miles absent in the Moon Valley, a form of Luckenbach, Texas, in Africa.
The plunge pool for two at The Desert Whisper. // Photo by Sharri Whiting De Masi
From Swakopmund’s smaller airport it is possible to charter a flight to the relaxation of Namibia. We like to guide private flights with Westair, which also has scheduled flights all about the state and to South Africa. We counsel preparing a journey to Etosha Countrywide Park, which is about the size of Belgium and loaded with absolutely free-ranging animals: elephants, lions, cheetahs, rhinos, zebras, springbok, ostrich, oryx, kudu and a lot more. There are a great deal of luxury lodges that ring the park, as well as a amount of destinations to continue to be in just. Gondwana’s newest property, the 40-room Etosha King Nehale, has one of a kind private obtain to the Ontalelo Outpost, a waterhole basically inside the park.
Realistic Details You Need to Know
To start with and foremost, Namibia has dealt with the pandemic pretty properly and now has properly opened its borders to international travelers. According to Vera Salt, vice chair of the Affiliation of Namibia Travel Brokers, “Namibia’s extensive measurement and its smaller inhabitants [under three million] tends to make it the best vacation spot. Our an infection costs have been very very low and the govt has implemented rigorous and controlled COVID-19 pointers for tourists entering the state.”
As component of its Tourism Revival Initiative, Namibia has launched a “visa on arrival” alternative for travelers from some countries, even though some others may use for a visa in progress by way of a travel agency, such as Rennies Travel Namibia. Presently, arrivals with a negative COVID examination fewer than 72 several hours previous do not have to quarantine and may perhaps keep on immediately to their locations within the state.
The chalets at The Desert Grace are created from indigenous Namibian building components. // Photo by Sharri Whiting De Masi
Masks, get in touch with tracing, temperature checks, and mandatory provision of hand gel at each individual business institution have been in spot considering that Spring 2020. Vacation in distant spots, the place there are few men and women and vast-open up areas, is a gain for individuals wishing to have a break from some of these demands.
We requested Jacky Ebenau ([email protected]), sales director at Rennies, about how U.S. vacationers should program their travel to Namibia. She reported that the most immediate alternatives are Lufthansa/Eurowings and Ethiopian Airways, which fly from Europe right into Hosea Kutako Intercontinental Airport outside the house Windhoek. From there, travelers may well consider scheduled flights somewhere else in the region, select up a rental automobile from important providers, or satisfy their tutorial/driver. The different would be to fly to Cape City or Johannesburg, South Africa, and choose up a on a regular basis scheduled flight to Windhoek or Walvis Bay, Namibia, on Westair or Airlink. Jacky famous that the return journey to the U.S. on Lufthansa/Eurowings necessitates an overnight continue to be at a German airport, because the flight from Windhoek is a working day trip.
For updates, go to na.usembassy.gov or examine with Jacky at Rennies.
A non-public plunge pool reflects the sunset at a Desert Grace chalet. // Photo by Sharri Whiting De Masi
In which to Shop
Blue skies, extensive panoramas, hundreds of species of animals and birds, and superior food items/wine/beer do not preclude the delights of procuring in Namibia. Each and every lodge has its personal reward shop, showcasing regionally designed things, and nearly just about every town has an open-air market place, in which sellers offer souvenirs produced from all the things possible, from telephone wire to seeds.
The region is recognised for its diamonds, gold and gemstones, together with tourmalines, amethysts, and several other people. Jewelers, lots of gemologists and designers educated in Europe, offer patterns incorporating regional stones and will develop on purchase for customers. Our most loved is Sebastian Klein ([email protected]) in Swakopmund, who educated in Germany and apprenticed with the nicely-recognized Horst Knop, right before opening his personal studio downtown. A very good supply for gems and stones is the Kristall Gallery.
The lounge/bar at The Desert Grace delivers collectively classic Namibian décor with modern African fashion. // Photo by Sharri Whiting De Masi
Other incredibly higher top quality Namibian products and solutions include things like ostrich and other skins, which are normally exported to Europe. They can be discovered at Nakara in Swakopmund and Windhoek, among other locations and are extremely moderately priced in contrast to Europe and the U.S. Karakul rugs, handwoven from karakul sheep wool from Namibia and the Northern Cape of South Africa, are unique no matter whether carried out in purely natural or dazzling shades. Coming from the identical animal, the Swakara pelts employed in coats, bags and gloves are comparable to Persian lamb.
Our favored stores promoting the two souvenirs and high-good quality décor goods and linens are !Ikhoba on Sam Nujoma Avenue, Meme !Ikhoba on Tobias Hainyeko, Summer months Salt on Daniel Tjongarero Street by Bojo’s Espresso Shop, and Make Waves in the open up-air Arcade off Sam Nujoma Avenue. All promote hand-embroidered linens from the !Ikhoba Venture, started in 1963, as properly as soaps and creams employing Namibian crops. Soft and comfy kudu leather-based sneakers and boots, a beloved of each adult men and females, are available close to the country we like the kinds from Sibold in The Arcade because of the added arch guidance. Oscar & Olive, also in The Arcade, sells kudu sneakers and boots for children, as effectively as linens, blouses, dresses and uncommon footwear for females.
A king-sized bedroom in a luxurious chalet at The Desert Grace. // Photo by Sharri Whiting De Masi
We questioned Jacky at Rennies if tourists experience harmless touring to Namibia. Her answer:
“Yes, completely they nevertheless really feel harmless. Their main issues are that all the suppliers, i.e., airways, automobile rental providers, and lodging institutions, adhere to the basic safety expectations. Social distancing is adhered to at all the establishments, primarily those out of the main cities and cities.” She went on to say that self-drives continue to be a superior solution to journey by Namibia, nevertheless 1st-time visitors may perhaps choose to merge personal air vacation with guided vacation by auto.
A chalet at the new Etosha King Nehale has a entrance-row seat to match viewing on the edge of the vast nationwide park. // Photo by Shawn van Eeden
We say go for it. Now is the time for Africa, especially Namibia.
Connected Articles
Wilderness Safaris Reopening to Company in Namibia This November
Now Open in Namibia: All-natural Collection Unveils Kwessi Dunes
Just Back again: Tanzania and Zanzibar
South Africa Is Now Open up to All International Tourists
