Wilderness Namibia camp newsletters – May 2025

Winter comes to Desert Rhino Camp

Early winter in Damaraland means daytime highs of around 25-26° Celsius, with nighttimes cooling significantly, to between 8 and 11° C.

Winter is also the dry season, and we had clear skies and mild afternoons throughout May, with no rainfall. 

Condition of the Palmwag veld 

By May, the landscape is drying significantly and rainfall has tapered off, resulting in golden-brown grasses with limited lushness. Trees seen in the area include the makalani palm, mopane, and shepherd’s tree, while rewarding sightings of African crocus, yellow daisies, and tiger aloe were noted. 

The 120 km-long ephemeral Uniab River is the central drainage line in the concession. While it rarely flows significantly during the dry season, several permanent springs near Palmwag Lodge provide reliable water and attract wildlife year‑round. The Aub and Barab rivers are typically dry in May. 

Wildlife and birds seen around Desert Rhino Camp

Guests out on nature drives spotted rhinos, springbok and Hartmann’s mountain zebra.

Did you know? The Hartmann’s  mountain zebra is distinguished from its plains ‘cousin’ by a white belly and broader stripes that cover its legs. It’s also smaller and range-restricted to Namibia, unlike the plains zebra, which has a much wider eastern and southern African distribution. 

Rhino tracking operations remain ongoing and were described as ‘exhilarating and unforgettable’, with guests observing tracked rhinos on foot with the Save the Rhino Trust Namibia guides.

Conservation news

In a nationwide conservation project covering Namibia’s north-west region, including the Kunene, Ultimate  Safaris contributed NAD8 million towards initiatives including predator‑proof kraals designed to reduce human-lion conflict in this area.  

The initiatives also included upgraded water infrastructure, predator-proof fencing, wildlife-tracking telescopes, satellite collars, and early-warning towers, strongly enhancing anti-poaching and community safety.

Camp news 

Our guest Mr Stuart is a very wise old man, and so knowledgeable. He took the time to share his insights and educated both Bons and me, which we truly appreciated. 

The guests thoroughly enjoyed the Star Bed experience, and told us they found the walking trail to be amazing. 

Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the songs, the seating arrangements, the food, and the overall ambiance of our desert environment. 

Staff news

Staff members often engage in casual football matches after 5 pm during our quieter periods, which helps promote camaraderie and relaxation.

Newsletter by Getruida Eises, Assistant Manager

Damaraland May weather and landscape

Wilderness Damaraland Camp enjoyed typical early winter weather, with low temperatures from 12° Celsius heading up to 26° Celsius during the day. A north wind blew in the early morning hours taking away all dry vegetation. 

The plains are still looking stunning, even in the windy weather. 

The desert is still alive with flowers and grasses, which, as our guides observed, are greatly appreciated by the crickets and birds. And let’s not forget about the snakes!

Wildlife

The elephants are still enjoying the water pools in the river beds, and we saw giraffe in the dry beds, and surrounding streams, attracted by the natural water springs in the vicinity. 

With all the new growth, we have seen beautiful baby springboks and ostriches. The guineafowls around camp have shown up with new chicks after the rain. It’s all quite amazing.

Damaraland Camp Activities

Nature drives are tremendously rewarding still after the good rains, and guests have appreciated the abundance of flora and fauna. The guides constantly marvel at the beautiful sightings around every corner, pointing out the recent arrivals, from horned adder snakes to baby springbok to the very special endemic chestnut weaver birds. 

Our sundowners, bush breakfasts and river lunches are even more popular now.

Guest comments

• Hospitality, friendliness, entertainment & food, well done chef! 
• Fantastic service from everyone, lovely camp & environment. We were celebrating our 50th anniversary & staff went way above & beyond to make it so memorable!  
• Everything! Staff, camp, food were top-class.

Damaraland Camp team: 

General Manager Collin Ananias Netope;

Assistant General Manager Monika Edward;

Food & Beverage Andreas Hidishange;

Mechanic Sem Alweendo;

Kitchen Mr Pinehas (Head Chef), Sophia, veterans Josephine& Emelia;

Housekeeping Hansina-Anna, Annalise, Virginia, Martha, Elizabeth & Riana;

Front of House Donavan, Emmy, Leonie, Roux-Che, Dios & Cassius (casual)

Our Guiding team: Enos, Brian, & Lukas.

Men in Overalls (Team No Sleep): Oupa Wellem, Ricardo Williams & Winstone (casual) Hygiene team Aron & Lucrisia

Applause to George Muvuma for being a solid Relief Manager

Compiled by Guide Brian Kahengombe
Pictures by Colin Ananias Netope

Early winter at Doro Nawas

May brought winter mornings and summery afternoons to Doro Nawas, with temperatures starting at around 10° C, and maxing out at 35° by mid-afternoon. A south-westerly wind came up every afternoon, bringing the warm conditions. 

Landscape conditions

Thanks to the good rains during summer, we are still seeing beautiful Sesamum capense (wild sesame), ostrich herbs and devil thorns all across the plains. 

The plains are also covered in amazing grasses from the rainfall, with our striking sandstone Etendeka Mountains forming the perfect backdrop. Naturally, dotted everywhere are Euphorbia damarana bushes and our national flower, the Welwitschia mirabilis. 

Wildlife and birds seen around Doro Nawas

From large and small mammals, including red hartebeest, numerous elephants, springbok, steenbok and baboons, to rewarding bird sightings of cattle egrets in camp. We also saw busy and chirpy starlings, a regal augur buzzard, the monotonous lark (despite its name, it has a distinctive, melodious call), and striking helmeted guineafowl. 

Among the reptiles commonly seen, the guides noted burrowing scorpions, a highly venomous parabuthus scorpion, numerous lizards, an imposing rock monitor and a camel spider. 

Camp news 

We created an unforgettable celebration for our guest Jennifer’s 80th birthday, as well as a riverbed lunch for 17 guests on the 20th of May.

The staff village is currently undergoing a welcome revamp.

Guest comments

• We feel ‘at home’; your kindness was a gift, much more than a hotel. Thank you! 
• The staff is amazing; very friendly and the service was really great – a very personalised experience. 
• Friendliness of the staff + beautiful singing. Roof BBQ, beautiful rooms with v. comfortable beds.

Staff news 

Head Guide Stephanus Mutjiviri has moved to Wilderness Serra Cafema. We wish him all the best at this beautiful and ultra-remote camp on the Kunene River.  

Compiled by Fritz with pictures by Fanuel 

May weather & landscape around the Hoanib

In the early stages of winter, the weather is extremely variable in the Hoanib Valley, and our minimum temperatures started at 18° Celsius, soaring up to a maximum of 42° C one day! 

There was no rainfall this month, and the wind came through mostly from the east. 

Naturally it is very dry, but the Salvadora, ana and mopane trees are surviving, as are the last of the devil’s thorn, yellow butterfly leaf and Datura flowers. 

Hoanib River valley & floodplain wildlife

From the sublime to … the even more sublime. Guests saw Hartmann’s mountain zebras and Namaqua chameleons while out on a full day excursion, along with the more usual desert-adapted giraffes, elephants, springboks, oryx, ostriches and lions. A rare sighting of cheetah was another highlight. 

At the coast, the seal colony was as impressive as ever, but guests also saw a humpback whale, which was fantastic. 

Camp news

When we have honeymooners in camp, as we did this month, we love to set up a private candlelit dinner for them at their tented suite. Creating this romantic setting is always greatly appreciated. 

Guest comments 

• If we could give them 11/10 then we would! Jonathan, Richardt + the entire team were just brilliant, such nice people who couldn’t do enough to assist, in spite of the weather conditions!  
• Staff availability, food, friendliness, variety of excursions – loved the brown hyena lecture! Ben was wonderful. 
• Comfortable rooms, excellent meals, kind staff. 

Staff News 

We said goodbye to our Head Chef Tylves Shanyenge, who has at Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp for more than nine years. We wish him all the best on his new journey. 

May weather at Sossuvlei

Not unexpectedly, this month we had variable weather here in the Namib Desert, with hot daytime temperatures and cold, windy evenings.

Thanks to the amazing summer rains, around the camp it is still green and lush, and Kulala Wilderness Reserve still has a lot of vegetation around for animals to snack on.

Wildlife and birds around Little Kulala

On nature drives, as well as in camp, guests saw oryx, springbok and black-backed jackals, as well as a rare and thrilling sighting of a brown hyena too. 

They were particularly astonished to watch a black-necked spitting cobra prey on a member of the sociable weaver nest colony. 

Camp news 

From a special sundowner setup at Uitkyk lookout point to a riverbed lunch, our guests thoroughly enjoyed their out-of-camp activities. One special party also enjoyed a private pool dinner as well.  

Guest comments  

Attention to detail! You thought of everything, cold towels when we returned from an outing, to always having cold water available. All the food was delicious. Rooms very clean.  

Honestly everything! It was a very good experience, the treatment of all the staff was amazing! Congratulations. 

The food has been some of the best on our trip. Loved the variety of options, and attentiveness and kindness of the whole team has been amazing, The activities also! Loved being busy, always trying something with Obbie.

Complied by Wellen Rooi – F&B Manager