Perched on the rim of the Etendeka Plateau, Grootberg Lodge stands sentinel over the Klip River Valley. 12 000 hectares have been set aside by the #Khoadi//Hoas community for conservation and tourism, and it is through this pristine wilderness that you can explore either on foot or by car to encounter the inhabitants of this remote area. The lodge is a landmark in the Namibian tourism industry as its revenue streams provide direct benefits to the community: not only employment but also assistance in mitigating the human-wildlife conflict via specific funds set aside by the business in conjunction with continuous monitoring of the wildlife thanks to the cooperation of Grootberg guides with SRT and the community shepherds. The lodge also supports other conservancy’s projects, e.g. by purchasing vegetables grown by the local farmers, by financing an education fund and by collecting garbage to minimise pollution in the area.
The lodge is the ideal midway stopover for visitors travelling between Etosha National Park and Swakopmund, allowing them to experience the true wilderness that is Damaraland.
Thanks to active conservation, black rhino and desert-adapted elephant still roam the land freely. The ≠Khoadi //Hoas Conservancy is proud to be an international case study of how sustainable conservation efforts can be successful in the long run. By visiting this breath-taking part of the world and the lodge’s sister companies Hoada Campsite and Hobatere Lodge you are supporting the long-term sustainability of the area, its natural resources, and inhabitants.
Enjoy a magical sundowner from our restaurant’s veranda, taste the hearty meals prepared by our passionate chefs, or get intimate with your family and friends around our fireplace adding atmosphere on cold winter nights. And do not miss the unforgettable experiences guaranteed by the unique activities led by Grootberg’s expert guides and trackers.
Fourteen cosy twin chalets and two-family units, powered with solar energy, are perched along the edge of the Etendeka Plateau and will make you feel at home. They are built from natural materials to blend into the surroundings. Private decks provide stunning views across the Klip River Valley. Each chalet is equipped with a private bathroom, a desk and a coffee and tea station. There are no electrical outlets, but we have a charging station in the main area of the lodge.
Each double room has a shower, toilet and washbasin complimented with the necessary amenities. The rooms also each have a writing desk, bedside lamp and a small deck in front of the unit.
Family has two rooms, one double bed and two twin beds with a sharing bathroom. Two family units provide enough space for parents and two children to share comfortably. Standard amenities are provided in bathroom.
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.
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.
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.
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.
