Okahirongo Elephant Lodge

Perched on a hill above the banks of the ephemeral Hoarusib River, the Okahirongo Elephant Lodge is possibly one of the most remote lodges in Namibia. If you make it here, you will be rewarded with a genuine safari experience.

The lodge will dazzle your senses with its mix of stylish tranquility, eccentric architecture, ultimate comfort and excellent service. An oasis of luxury in the middle of the desert.

The stunning architecture and the unique desert setting make this place the perfect “James Bond location”: an extraordinary mix of elegance and essential shapes topped with friendly and professional service to make your stay unforgettable.

Infinity pool, dining rooms, library, chill out lounges, sun deck, beautiful wildlife wandering around, stunning views, top quality service, fine food & cocktails: you won’t miss a thing.

The décor is a rich combination of earthy tones, dark African wood and unrefined natural surfaces, textures reminiscent of the ragged edges found in the landscape

Shapes, materials and colors have been designed to recall the environment of the desert and the local himba culture with just a touch of the essential european taste. In the evening, lit candles will lure you to the elegant dining table where indulge in sumptuous Italian-Namibian fusion food

Ethnic and local sculptured furnishing bring the excitement and romance of Africa to life. In the library are collected precious photographic books about the namibian wonders, along a collection of local himbas portraits and some novel and non-fiction books exchanged by the owners and the guests.

The main complex area is shaped after the traditional local tribe village: with the himba’s signature dome-like entrance and the holy central fire-place to stay in touch with the ancestors and the ‘boma’, the African meeting place.

Prepare to see billions of stars you couldn’t even imagine of. Chronicles of ancient times report that during clear nights it was possible to read a book just with the light of the full moon reflected by a pool. At Okahirongo it is still like that.

The Elephant Lodge is set inside Purros Conservancy, 55 km from the Skeleton coast in a stunning namib desert “james-bond-style” location.

The luxury Chalets

Seven independent chalets, two with wide, three-quarter, twin beds and five with double king-size beds, each one with its private bathroom with double basins, inside and outdoor showers, bathtub and something no one else can spoil you with: an estonishing view on the oldest desert of the world.

Our luxury chalets are pearls tucked in the Namib, the oldest desert in the world and the only one where adapted elephants and lions live freely

King-size bed and decorations in a rich and sensuous fusion of ochre, honey and sand colours, create a unique atmosphere that will let immerse yourself in absolute silence and complete privacy

The terracotta double chalet is a luxury 70 square meters cottage with en-suite large bathroom and a spacious private gazebo with a sun bed. Five units have king size double beds while two are available with wide three-quarter twin beds.

The devil is in the detail. We like to spoil our clients with great service and a greater attention to the smallest details. There is nothing better than an outdoor shower in the desert’s afternoon, but for relaxing in the evening you can choose between the indoor shower and the bathtub to completely relax.

The only regret almost all our guests have? Not having booked another day to just relax and enjoy the silence and beauty of the desert.

Presidential Suite

The Presidential Suite is a villa featuring a private scenic entrance, extended lounge area with external veranda and two gazebos, day beds and cushions for daydreaming or star watching. The suite have two luxury bedrooms, each one with its private vast bathroom and king-size double beds.

Relax in the bathtub or choose between indoor and open air shower, in the morning you can do your toilette in the finely decorated bathrooms with double basins and mirrors reflecting the sunrise in the magic valley.

The suite is our most private VIP accommodation, with a dedicated entrance, a private lounge, two gazeboes and a minibar with your favourite choice of drinks for each of the two bedrooms. Fine furnitures and a unique view on the desert

Guest in the suite can use the private lounge as an extra space for their preferred activities: yoga, meditation, reading or just sipping that well deserved cold drink.

NAMIBIA

Namibia is a safe country and you can enjoy the great adventure of self-driving or you can hire a private driver/guide for a more relaxed experience.

Distances are huge in Namibia, and the most beautiful and wildest areas have nothing more than tracks that requires a strong 4×4 and enough time to enjoy the adventure.

If you have up to 14 days of holidays a private plane may be the best choice if you plan to see multiple places without rushing. The Namib desert is the oldest desert in the World and the Kaokoland area, where we are, is one of the most remote, untouched and unspoiled areas in Africa.

Home of the last truly semi-nomadic Himba tribes and some of the rarest desert adapted species such as the desert elephants, the desert lions and a rich heritage of endemic vegetal species and stunning minerals formations.

FACILITIES
Our lodges are small boutique lodges with maximum attention to each individual client. We can accommodate a maximum of 34 persons at the Elephant Lodge (24 guests and 8 pilots/guides rooms) and a maximum of 18 persons at the River camp (14 guests and 4 pilots/guides).

At The Elephant Lodge the maximum occupancy can be extended for private events renting the location for exclusive use. The owner’s quarter can then bring the occupancy for guests up to 26 persons sharing.

The owner’s quarter is a complex of 4 villas, all with ensuite bathrooms and private terrance, with a dedicated entrance and an additional living with kitchen.

Both at the Elephant Lodge and at the River Camp we worked to make pilots and guides rooms comfortable even if simple. Each room have twin standard beds, fans and private bathroom.

ACTIVITIES
Others offer “activities”, we deliver experiences! Both The Elephant Lodge and the River Camp offer unique occasions to live great adventures: from stunning scenic drives to elusive desert adapted animals tracking.

Each location has a specific set of experiences that we suggest to dive deep in the heart of the Kaokoland and the extraordinary Himba culture. Our guides are 100% locals with lifetime experience in the location: they are true Himbas, heirs of ancient desert tribes knowledge.

We train them to master desert driving and english and they bring in their priceless knowledge of nature and animals, for an experience that is a true encounter rather than just another “drive”.

Our everyday activities are run on Toyota LandCruiser and LandRover Defender 9 seats open game-drives, specifically equipped for desert environment. The vehicles are shared with other lodge members, to have a dedicated vehicle we offer private activities on closed, air conditioned vehicles with a private guide.

DESERT ADAPTED ELEPHANT TRACKING
Purros area is the home of a residential herd of desert adapted elephants, some of the most scenic endemic species that populate this region.

ELUSIVE BLACK RHINO TRACKING
Leaving early in the morning (6:00 am) will be forgiven by the extraordinary experience: 3 black rhino males and 2 females are resident in the area of Okhongue, where our experienced guides will bring you. The tracking is done by foot, with a supporting vehicle.

The ranger will look for footprints and clues to track the elusive rhino in all safety: reaching them by downwind to avoid being spotted by these giants.

A brunch in the bush and a beautiful drive back to the Lodge will ensure the pleasure to dive into the pool before tasting the supper and gazing at the starry night of the desert.

This beautiful adventure is preferably booked in advance (at least the day before) and can be either organized as a full day activity with a lunch pick nick in the bush or as a morning activity with lunch back at the lodge.

Included in our Fully inclusive plan Purros Conservancy Ranger Levy fee of 200 n$ per person must be paid cash to the ranger.

NATURE AND SCENIC DRIVES AND MORNING WALKS
Stunning towers of giraffes, jumping springboks, kudus, birds and a rich variety of big and small wildlife can be observed during a nice morning trekking or a guided scenic drive in one of the many beautiful spots present around the lodge. From river beds to sandy hills, from rocky peaks to himba tribes visit.

RESIDENT HIMBA VILLAGE VISIT
The Elephant lodge is blessed with a nearby authentic Himba village. The location is on the other side of the valley, crossed the majestic Hoarusib river (almost always running underground, can flood only a few days of the year between december and february).

The village is the home of many relatives of our guides and staff members who still live with the ancient traditional style of pre-technological era: the close and respectful relationship we keep with the nearby community and the unique experience of our guides can ensure a true and deep dive into the local culture which is far from what travelers can usually expect elsewhere.

SUNDOWNERS

Of course after a full day of discovering and enjoying the beauty of the desert there is nothing better than sip at your preferred choice of drink while gazing at the sun disappearing beyond the dunes. Our expert guides know many different magic spots to give even recurring guests an ever new sight on the landscape.

RELAX, CONTEMPLATE, ENJOY
Another very popular activity among our guests is to just enjoy the beauty of the lodges and the nearby surroundings.

Both the Elephant lodge and the River Camp are designed to make guests comfortable: many different lunges, a library, the curio shop, the pools make a variety of choices for each guest to find his own peaceful corner to relax and enjoy the beautiful views on nature.

THE HIMBA EXPERIENCE

The himba tribes populating this area are among the last truly semi-nomadic traditional tribes in the world. They move around following the necessities of their livestock and don’t bother to be found by travellers.

With the experience and mediation of our guides – all 100% himbas – our guest have the best chance not only to see them but to get a real encounter. This is usually a full day activity: we leave early in the morning (the earlier the better) to find a tribe and meet them when all the activities are in full range.

You will see them preparing brakfast, milking and taking care of the animals, doing their special toilet based on a pouder mixed with natural ingredients.

After 10 am is usually resting time, and we move to the permanent villages, where there may be nobody (depending on the time of the year) but you can appreciate the difference in setting and architecture of the village with the more temporary camps where usually tribes are found.

THE RIVER CROSSING

We offer an amazing opportunity to cruise the Kunene river and see the natural border between Angola and Namibia.Frequent sights are the angolan himbas on the other side of the river, along with crocodiles, different birds and some particular plants.

The sailing is the right amount of time to experience the unique setting of the river, sipping a cold drink and letting “the world slip”.

THE NATURAL JACUZZI

This corner of the kunene river, just a walk away from the lodge, is the perfect setting for a wild afternoon refresh: the rapids protect this body of water from the dangerous crocodiles and provide at the same time a nice body massage. We call it our “natural jacuzzi”.

MOUNTAIN TREKKING
Beautiful chain of mountains enclose and protect the marienfluss valley as an hidden pearl. The closest one provide a great location for an early morning trekking or a sundown climb. The view on top will reward the effort for the walking.

THE SUNDOWNERS
The red dune and the half moon valley are two among our favourite spots to watch the sunset in a magic atmosphere: your favourite drink, a nice snack before dinner and a priceless view on the stunning colors of this corner of the world.

SCENIC DRIVES AND FAIRY CIRCLES

As beautiful and elusive as they are, fairy circles have attracted the attention of scientists and tourists from all over the world: perfectly rounded shapes of deserted sand in otherwise flourishing fields.

Our guides will tell you about the many theories surrounding their origins: gods, aliens, wild animals… or the answer may be… smaller?

ROCKY MEN ART TREASURE HUNT

Do you want to meet the “Bansky of the desert”? Possibly the most elusive artist in Namibia and maybe in Africa, someone has created over 40 pieces of art around the Kaokoland area: lone men, staring at the infinite beauty of the desert, resting under a tree, or walking towards his future.

These rocky men impersonate the struggle and the soul of the modern human in what can be considered one of the most vast pop art of our time. The artist choose our area for his setting and it will be a beautiful adventure to try to spot as many pieces of this unique artwork.

A LUNCH IN THE BUSH

Under request is possible to organize a special surprise lunch in the bush, alongside the river in Marienfluss or among the dunes at the Elephant Lodge.

VANISHING KINGS

Did you happen to chance upon a unique pride of lions, could you stand the look of nature? The Kaokoland has always been home for the unique desert adapted lions: an elusive species that have been endangered by human conflict.

We are actively involved in the effort of conservation along with the desert lions project. Rarer than rare, the best occasion to have a once in a lifetime encounter with these beautiful lions is to drive between the Elephant Lodge and the River Camp.

Only very few individuals are left, and they are very elusive, but you will still experience one of the best drive of your life. Not only wildlife. We are blessed with the most beautiful surroundings you can imagine. A scenic flight is the paramount way to see them

Prepare to feel the Earth’s breath, prepare to see the most incredible panoramas of your entire life. Star gazing will beat any other location you tried in the past.

FOOD
Both at the Elephant Lodge and at The River Camp our chefs are working to deliver fresh delicatesse. Starting from early in the morning, when you can taste our home made muffins and cookies, freshly baked every day.

A selection of tropical and local fruits, yogurt and muslei. Your choice of hot breakfast from french omelette to scrumble eggs will provide the right nutrition for a day of unforgettable activities and a real italian espresso to give you the sprint.

At 13:00 our fully inclusive clients can enjoy a 3 course meal usually beginning with a fresh starter, a main course and a refreshing dessert with our italian homemade, unbeatable, creamy gelato.

Supper is the moment to indulge: a full dinner that you can match with our selection of fine wines will be the right conclusion for a perfect day.

We mix a few typical italian dishes with local african cuisine to give you the best dining experience. Did we mention that we bake our special focaccia bread everyday?

SUSTAINABILITY
Building two lodges in one of the most remote area of the world is an act of courage, a symbol of commitment in what we trust: using our culture and technology to represent a more sustainable way of approaching the Nature.

Our lodges rely on solar panels to provide as much clean power as we can: we chose to avoid air conditioning in the rooms and any other facilities that may have obliged us to run diesel generators more than for emergency support.

We have launched a plastic free campaign to reduce the use of plastic by providing clean, tested, water from the tap and reusable water bottles for our clients.

We are committed to differentiate trash and involve our neighbourhoods to turn recycled waste into precious artifax (like the espresso cups we expose at the lodges and you can buy directly from local communities nearby). We actively promote conservation of animal and vegetable life, along with the respect for the mineral and desert environment.

8% of our income is donated to the local conservancy, on top of the 1% mandatory tourism levy, plus we are committed to employ 100% local people from the nearby surroundings, training and teaching them to be able to thrive in the tourism industry.

We support the local schools with material for the children, and we will be happy to confer to the local community any help you wish to donate.

Website: www.okahirongolodge.com

Rooms: 7

Price: from 513 EUR per night