Information
Grootberg Lodge is perched on the rim of the Etendeka Plateau in Namibia and stands sentinel over the Klip River Valley, where 12 000 hectares have been set aside by the #Khoadi//Hoas community for conservation and tourism. Visitors can explore this pristine wilderness either by foot or car and experience encounters with the inhabitants of this remote biosphere.
Grootberg Lodge is a landmark in Namibia for the tourism industry as it is the first middle-market establishment in the country that is 100% owned by the community conservancy. For travellers making the journey between Etosha and Swakopmund, this lodge provides an ideal midway stopover, whilst allowing guests to experience the true wilderness that is Damaraland.
The staff are all employed from the community and well trained in their various duties. Guests are hosted in genuine local hospitality complimented by excellent food prepared by the well trained kitchen staff. The waitresses and barman are at the beckon-call of each guest, always ready to serve and assist where needed.
The conservation organization supports projects in the area, promotes the importance of wildlife tourism to locals, and provides jobs.
Rooms
Activities
Eco-tourism is the main focus at Grootberg Lodge with members of the local community ensuring your stay is filled with golden memories. Become immersed in nature as you encounter some of the larger inhabitants of this unique biosphere. Through active conservation, desert elephant, rhino and even lion still roam freely in this beautiful landscape.
Damara Culture tour
Guests will be guided through conservancy farms in the surroundings, visiting several authentic Damara homesteads. This tour is an exclusive opportunity to spend time with their hosts and gain insight into their origins, cultures, traditions and their approach to human-wildlife conflict as part of farming in harsh desert conditions.
The tour also includes a visit to the #Khoadi //Hoas Conservancy office to meet the staff and to understand the role of the conservancy in preserving the natural resources of the area, as well as the positive impacts and benefits that the conservancy enjoys as a direct result of owning Grootberg Lodge.
The Cultural Tour starts after an early breakfast.
Moringa Guided Walk
The guided walk can be arranged either in the morning after a scrumptious breakfast on the veranda of the restaurant, or in the afternoon after enjoying our delicious cakes with tea or coffee. Highlights of the walk include an introduction to the local flora and the medicinal use of specific plants while admiring the amazing rock formations of the Etendeka Mountains, which were formed 180 million years ago when the supercontinent of Gondwana broke up.
Departure: Between 08h30 and 09h00 for the morning walk | Afternoon walk at 16h30 in summer and 15h30 in winter after tea | Duration: about 2 hours | Minimum 2 guests – maximum 9 guests per guide | Not for children under the age of 12.
Sundowner Drive
Mammals such as zebra, antelope, jackal and occasionally also leopard, lion and hyena inhabit the plains. Springbok, kudu and oryx are a permanent fixture, and even the shy and skittish klipspringers are sometimes seen leaping from ledge to ledge on the steep cliffs of the mountain. Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain, can be seen in the distance on particularly clear days.
Departure: 18h00 in summer and 17h00 in winter | Minimum 2 guests per excursion – maximum 9 per vehicle | 50% discount for children under 12 years.
Rhino Tracking
Once listed as critically endangered, black rhino populations in Namibia have increased dramatically thanks to a conservation partnership between local communities and eco-tourism efforts. Our Grootberg Conservancy has been recognised by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism as a rhino custodian, and huge endeavours to protect this highly poached species continue.
This excursion is a combination of walking and driving amidst the cliffs and the volcanic basalt ridges of the Damaraland Region. At lunchtime we stop near the springs and enjoy refreshments. This almost full-day activity of driving on bumpy roads and walking in rocky terrain is not for the faint-hearted. Rhino sightings are not guaranteed.
Departure: Early morning, varies according to sunrise. Please enquire at reception for applicable departure time. | Duration: ¾ day | Minimum 2 guests per excursion – maximum 8 per vehicle | Not for children under the age of 16.
Desert Elephant Tracking
Guests set out early in the morning with a guide and tracker to the neighbouring farms in search of the elephants which roam freely in the conservancy. Sightings cannot be guaranteed. These elephants are known to migrate up to 200 km in search of water, but herds can often be spotted along the dry riverbeds. They are not a separate species of African elephant but due to their frugal diet can appear leaner and taller than their cousins in habitats with more abundant vegetation, and they have bigger feet.
A picnic lunch is served in the cooling shade of a shepherd tree. You can expect to return to the lodge early in the afternoon, enriched by the unique beauty of Damaraland and possibly the privilege of having spotted one of Namibia’s Big Five.
Departure: Early morning, varies according to sunrise. Please enquire at reception for applicable departure time. | Duration: half-day | Return around 15h00 | Minimum 2 guests per excursion – maximum 9 per vehicle | 50% discount for children under 12 years.
