In the middle of northern Namibia's arid, captivating savannah, bordering the world-famous Etosha National Park, is Safarihoek Lodge. Perched on top of a hill, overlooking the plains below, Safarihoek is a stylish sort of place, and you’ll find cool, thatched chalets all with private decks, a double-storey photography hide, and a swimming pool with 180-degree vistas of the brilliant savannah.

However, the location of Safarihoek is perfect and unique. Everywhere you turn, the rugged Namibian savannah stretches into the distance, with only a spangly tree here, and a spiky bush there. The wildlife roams freely across the never-ending space, unhindered and unobstructed. This is a place of silence and solitude, and a rare opportunity to be at one with nature and the animals that thrive here.

The vistas at Safarihoek have to be some of the best in the business. Raised high above the savannah on wooden platforms, each of the 11 chalets look out over the ambling zebra and romping elephant on the plains below. Take a seat on your private deck and watch wild Africa wander by, or escape the heat inside; the view is just as spectacular wherever you choose to sit. Under the thatch roofs of the chalets, you’ll find large double or twin beds, and a small writing desk, minibar and coffee station. All bathrooms have air conditioning and are ensuite (with indoor showers), and if you can’t bear to tear your eyes away, some have outdoor showers with a view too.

In the centre of the camp, you’ll find a large lounge area, wine cellar, dining area, and a small curio shop all under thatch. On the chilly evenings of the dry season, you’ll probably eat inside, watching the wild through the large glass windows, then in the warmer months, it’s all about the alfresco dining on the outdoor deck. There’s also a cosy outdoor seating area complete with a roaring fire, and a perfect spot for keeping an eye on passing four-legged creatures. Drinks are served from the outdoor bar and can also be taken to the swimming pool, a cooling space with the same infinite views of the plains below.

About the Etosha Heights Private Reserve

Safarihoek is set amongst an epic wilderness of vast savannah dotted with scatterings of mopane woodland and dolomite hills. This beautiful piece of Namibia is Etosha Heights Private Reserve, situated close to Etosha National Park’s southwestern border in northern Namibia. It’s dry and dusty yet totally captivating land, and the silence and solitude that pervades are poignant. Down here, the wildlife is as magnificent as it is in the national park, and there’s one key difference too. Access to the reserve is carefully restricted, allowing for exclusive and totally private wildlife experiences, free from tourist crowds and bulging 4x4s.

The impressive 60,000 hectares of classic Etosha landscape around Safarihoek Lodge is dominated by vast, flat savannah interspersed with thickets of mopane woodland, riverine forest, and scattered salt pans. The dolomite hills offer sightings of elusive mountain zebra, kudu and lion and the numerous waterholes attract large numbers of game and their feathered counterparts. The reserve is also home to numerous species of antelope including sable and black-faced impala, as well as giraffe and other plains game. In winter, aardvark and elephant sightings are not infrequent. The Etosha area is rated one of the best places on the continent to view rhino, and Etosha Heights is home to both white and black rhino. A morning spent tracking their footprints through the dust before eventually coming nose-to-horn with one of the endangered beasts is a memory not to be forgotten.