Mowani Mountain Camp

A hauntingly beautiful eco-lodge sculpted atop a rocky outcrop with soaring views across the Abu Haub valley

Beauty will always be in the eye of the beholder but let me state my case: there are few places to stay in the world that can match the natural setting of Mowani. It seems right that the camp takes its name from the Swahili for 'Window on Heaven'.

This masterfully crafted eco-lodge wraps around a high granite koppie, amidst the vast savannah of Damaraland. Its design was a triumph of bush architecture, creating a near seamless union between the camp and its natural environment. The pod-like buffalo-grass roofs of the main lodge echo the gargantuan granite boulders of the hillside whilst graceful, stilted tents with rust-red fly sheets mirror the colours of the surrounding veld.

All aspects of the lodge are above the commonplace: its food superb, the staff friendly and attentive, and the tented accommodation as spoiling as any we've seen in Africa. It would be worth the journey here just to experience the isolated beauty of Mowani, which brings you close to the pulse of Namibia's ancient landscapes.

Highs

• The beauty of this part of Damaraland borders on the surreal: you can't help but be moved to hyperbole
• The stilted tents have been positioned to guarantee each a maximum of privacy and a large slice of view
• Sundowners served at a viewing point atop a high boulder are never to be forgotten
• The standard of guiding at the camp is first class and your chances of seeing elusive desert elephants as good as anywhere in the country
• Night skies at Mowani, with one of the lowest counts of light pollution on the continent, have to be seen to be believed

Lows

• Be prepared for long game drives if you plan to go in search of the desert elephants
• The only activity included is a guided nature walk; safari drives and the trip to Twyfelfontein are extra
• Being at the camp is as much about landscape as it is about game viewing although you will certainly get to see amazing bird and reptile life close to the camp