Eco-friendly thatched lodge in Damaraland featuring 60 chalets built around natural rock outcrops. Swimming pool, restaurant serving local and international cuisine, and base for exploring Twyfelfontein rock engravings and surrounding attractions. Sustainable tourism supporting local Damara community.
Damara Mopane Lodge is set in the mopane scrubland of Damaraland, the rugged semi-arid region that spans northwestern Namibia between the Skeleton Coast and the Etosha Pan. The lodge sits near the town of Khorixas in the Kunene Region, positioned within comfortable driving distance of Twyfelfontein — one of Africa's most significant concentrations of rock engravings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site containing over 2,500 individual images carved by San communities across several millennia.
The sixty chalets are constructed around existing granite rock outcrops and mature mopane vegetation, with thatched rooflines and stone foundations that integrate the buildings into the surrounding landscape. The design reflects a sustainable and community-oriented approach, with materials locally sourced and staffing drawn from surrounding Damara communities. Each chalet has a covered private veranda, en-suite bathroom, air conditioning, and standard hotel furnishings. The lodge footprint is spread across a wide site, meaning some chalets involve a short walk to the central facilities building.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu that mixes international standards with Namibian preparations including game meat dishes. A bar adjoins the dining area and a craft shop sells locally produced goods — woven textiles, carved items, and traditional jewelry — with proceeds supporting artisans from the surrounding community. A swimming pool provides a gathering point during the midday heat, which in Damaraland regularly climbs above 38°C between October and March.
Guided excursions to Twyfelfontein, the nearby Organ Pipes basalt column formation, and the Petrified Forest near Khorixas can be arranged through the lodge. The surrounding communal conservancy land supports desert-adapted elephant and black rhino populations, though wildlife sightings require longer drives on unpaved tracks. Damara Mopane Lodge functions as a practical mid-circuit stop for travelers moving between Etosha in the east and the Skeleton Coast or Damaraland's more remote wilderness areas in the west.
Amenities
- swimming pool
- restaurant
- bar
- guided tours
- craft shop
- parking
Location
Khorixas area, Damaraland, Kunene Region
-20.3667, 14.9667 View on map
Highlights
- Gateway base for Twyfelfontein UNESCO rock art site, reachable within 30 minutes on a sealed road from the lodge
- Sixty thatched chalets integrated into natural granite outcrops with community-supported staffing and sustainable design
- On-site craft shop and restaurant that directly employ and support local Damara community members
Tips for visiting
- Combine a Twyfelfontein visit with the Organ Pipes basalt formation and Burnt Mountain nearby — all three are accessible in a single half-day excursion from the lodge
- Plan outdoor activity for early morning and late afternoon between October and March; midday temperatures in Damaraland regularly exceed 38°C
- The lodge craft shop offers more authentic locally produced work than most roadside stalls between Khorixas and the coast; allow time for it before departure
When to visit
April to September for cooler temperatures; avoid January–March when heat and occasional rain make excursion tracks difficult