Naankuse Lodge

Wish we could have stayed for longer. It truly is a beautiful and intimate place to stop - BUT please don’t make the same mistake we did… you need at least 2 nights to explore and appreciate this truly special place. If I ever return to Namibia I’ll come back Naankuse… promise!

The property is huge! There’s even an airstrip. The lodge itself is spacious and comes with a patio. The decor is rustic but chic. The food was the best on the trip! Then there’s the cheetah walk in the morning which left an indelible impression. Finally, the staff were great and friendly. One even helped us squeeze us into the cheetah walk.

We chose this lodge for our stay, having booked a room for 4,900 NAD per night. Exhausted after a long journey, we were looking forward to taking a shower and washing off the dust. However, upon arriving in our room, we discovered that there was no hot—or even warm—water. After reporting the issue to the reception and waiting, the water became only slightly warmer. When we raised the concern again, Caroline offered us the option to shower in another room far from ours, but we couldn’t relocate there because “the roof was leaking.” In other words, if we wanted warm water, we had to run back and forth between our room and another one in a completely different area. The conditions provided were worse than those at a campsite. Caroline showed no concern for our comfort. Several hours after check-in, we still couldn’t take the long-awaited shower in our own room without having to dash through the street with wet clothes and hair. Additionally, at check-in, we inquired about activities for the following day. Caroline presented us with three options: a drive, a cheetah walk, and carnivore feeding. We took some time to decide, and when we returned an hour later to book the carnivore feeding, she informed us that it was already fully booked. Moreover, even at the dinner nobody met us and conducted to the table. We were on our own. We are disappointed. Having traveled extensively across Namibia, we have never encountered such a poor treatment at a lodge. Notably, this is the low season, and there is no overwhelming influx of guests. If the management finds this level of service acceptable, then good luck, guys!