We had spent an exciting time sampling the activities in Walvis Bay and Swakopmund and now
we were off to somewhere entirely different – Etendeka Mountain Camp, Namibia. We were to drive up the Skeleton Coast, the northern part of the Atlantic coast of Namibia, up to the Damaraland region at the top of the country that borders Angola. The name Skeleton Coast probably comes from the huge numbers of stranded whales that have lost their lives here – it’s a hostile area, where the cold and unpredictable Benguela Current of the Atlantic Ocean meets the dunes and desert landscape of north-western Namibia.
Getting there
Armed with the de rigor 4×4 vehicle stocked up with water and snacks we set off for Etendeka Mountain Camp in Namibia, a five-and-a-half-hour journey. It soon became apparent that the sand around Walvis Bay was nothing to the magnificent dunes we would encounter as we made our way up through the Skeleton Coast World Heritage Site National Park. As we entered the park, we noted that we were only the fifth car to enter the park that day and the feeling of isolation just added to the remote beauty of the landscape. Driving along the coast it was easy to understand why so many ships and sailing boats got stranded up here in previous times, it is not called the ‘world’s largest ship cemetery’ for nothing.
After a few hours of driving, we turned inland into the Damaraland region and the temperature rose sharply as we approached the meeting point for all Etendeka Mountain Camp guests, the Palmwag Visitors Day Centre. On the road before this, we had seen giraffes munching away on the leafy trees that bordered the road and were particularly lucky to encounter a herd of desert-adapted elephants too. We left our car and clambered aboard the specially adapted Land Rover for the one-and-a-half-hour transfer to our camp. This is such a great part of the overall experience, as the Etendeka Concession is a massive 400km², and the trip allowed us to start to see and feel the rugged beauty of this remote environment. Our mini-game drive also led us past two landing strips should guests wish to cut out the driving and arrive by plane.
Etendeka Mountain Camp
The Mountain camp itself is situated on a plateau with stunning views of the scenery for miles
around. As we pulled in our host David offered us a most welcome cocktail, as we walked into
the roomy reception, bar, and eating area. This is a real window to the world, and I immediately
walked to the open front of the round-shaded building, drawn by the vastness of the view, with
not another building or person in distant sight. Just the vast wide-open foothills of the Grootberg
massif in the late afternoon sun.
We went for a short walk to the hill behind the camp and watched the sun go down, it was
beautiful, the wide sky of an African sunset over the distant mountain ranges is really something
to behold. This is an eco-friendly camp, where simple, fresh, and wholesome meals are prepared either on solar or open fires. Everything is designed to have as little impact on the environment as the emphasis is on nature. The whole camp has an open-plan flow leading to the incredible vistas outside, it is simple yet welcoming and very comfortable.
The heart of Etendeka
Etendeka Mountain Camp is one of Namibia’s first safari camps and has been run by Dennis
Liesenberg since 1993.In the evening Dennis sits down for a relaxed dinner with his guests who
enjoy a very tasty meal. It was immediately obvious that Dennis was passionate about the area,
the geology, and the wildlife that inhabits this harsh landscape. He also has some great stories to
share, and we had two very enjoyable evenings in his presence.
The tented accommodation
The double bedded tent was spacious with plenty of room for our luggage, space to hang
clothes up, and a bed made up with a luxury mattress and 100 percent cotton linen. The camp
runs on solar energy and the tents and bathrooms have solar lighting. I had been alternatively
intrigued and slightly worried about the outside bucket shower, but it was easy to use and I felt
very much at one in this stark environment as I stood in the warm evening air to wash. Again,
the view is the draw here and the evenings were spent sitting outside the tent in our luxury
camp chair, listening to the sounds of the night and watching darkness come down. We slept
very soundly and woke feeling refreshed early the next morning.
Activities
We had incredibly interesting drives and nature walks guided by Boas who was extremely
knowledgeable about the wide variety of animals that have adapted to this harsh landscape. We
saw white rhinos, giraffes, and springbok but for me, the highlights were walking with our guide
and learning about the area’s geology, birds, and wildlife. The sky was cloudy both nights we
were there so unfortunately we missed out on the highly rated star gazing experiences led by
Dennis. We did however enjoy the small swimming pool in the late afternoon heat.
One of the unique activities at Etendeka Mountain Camp in Namibia is the opportunity to experience the stark beauty of the wilderness on foot and then have a night under the open skies. Although I am not a hiker I could imagine this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Etendeka has two overnight camps, one on the hill and one on the river where you can sleep under the breathtaking desert sky in an open raised sleeping platform with a toilet and basin, and shared open-air bathrooms.
Finally
I really enjoyed our stay at Etendeka Mountain Camp and our highly personalised experience in this remote part of Namibia. The combination of the quietness of the wilderness, the beauty of nature, and the warmth and deep knowledge of everyone in the camp makes for an unforgettable experience. It may not be the easiest place to get to, but it was certainly worth the effort.
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All Imagery Courtesy of Etendeka Mountain Camp.