 |
| Sundowner NamibRand Nature Reserve Family on top of dune Namibia 2026 |
 |
| Road C13 through Neisipvlakte Plains Before turn of D707 |
 |
| Start of legendary D707 road Namibia 2026 |
Leaving the former Sperrgebiet behind, we continue north along the legendary D707, a road that consistently ranks among Namibia's most scenic drives. The route runs between the red and ochre desert plains and the dramatic Tiras Mountains, with endless horizons and constantly changing colours. It is one of those roads where the journey really is as important as the destination.
We are actually rather surprised by the condition of the road. It appears almost freshly graded, with hardly any corrugation – a very pleasant change after some of the rougher gravel roads we have encountered.
Another thing that strikes us, as it has throughout this part of Namibia, is the complete absence of rubbish. There is simply nothing along the roadside except pristine desert stretching towards the horizon. The land is divided by numerous fences marking different farms and nature reserves, and we see everything from goats to small herds of oryx and several ostriches.
 |
| Driving along D707 Namibia 2026 |
We make a short stop at the entrence to Namtib Biosphere Reserve, where we stayed at Little Hunters Rest campsite with our children in 2009. It brings back wonderful memories. Back then we were travelling on a much more economical budget, in a 2WD with our own tent brought from Denmark, sleeping mats, sleeping bags and a Trangia stove. Considerably more primitive than today's setup – but somehow every bit as cosy, and certainly no less spectacular.
 |
| Blogger taking a break near Namtip D707, Namibia 2026 |
Betta – the last stop before the desert
Eventually we reach the last place where we can refuel and stock up before heading into increasingly remote country: the tiny settlement of Betta.
We remember Betta from our previous visits, but it has clearly had something of a makeover. The little roadside establishment now has a fuel station, a well-stocked shop, restaurant and accommodation. It is all neat and clean, and makes an excellent stop on this otherwise very remote stretch of road. The facility has indeed developed over the years from a simple fuel station into a more comprehensive traveller's stop.
 |
| Well-stocked shop in Betta and nice restaurant Namibia 2026 |
We enjoy freshly made hot sandwiches with tomato, ham and cheese while sitting upstairs looking out over the desert. I add a strawberry milkshake to wash down the dust.
It is quite a civilized lunch stop in the middle of nowhere.
From here, there is little more than 60 kilometres to our destination.
Back to NamibRand
 |
| Blogger and brother Reducing tyre pressure at enterence NamibRand, Namibia 2026 |
 |
| Enterence NamibRand Nature Reserve Namibia 2026 |
Our destination is the NamibRand Nature Reserve, which has been one of the highlights of several previous journeys through Namibia.
The final 60 kilometres pass quickly, and soon we arrive at the entrance gate and the beginning of the roughly 10-kilometre access track to the NamibRand Family Hideout.
Before continuing, we stop to reduce the tyre pressure. We lower the tyres from 1.8 bar, which is suitable for the gravel roads, to around 1.3 bar. The lower pressure gives considerably better flotation and traction once we encounter loose sand.
And now the feeling changes completely.
We are heading into the desert.
NamibRand Nature Reserve
 |
| Sunset NamibRand Nature Reserve "Sandboarding Dune" Namibia 2026 |
NamibRand was established in 1984 as a private conservation initiative and today covers more than 215,000 hectares – approximately 2,150 km². That is about 5% of the area of Denmark (Denmark is approximately 43,000 km²). The reserve borders the Namib-Naukluft National Park to the west and forms part of the larger conservation landscape surrounding the Namib Desert.
The neighbouring Namib-Naukluft National Park is enormous by European standards, covering 49,768 km² and making it Namibia's largest national park. It encompasses an extraordinary variety of landscapes, including the great dune fields around Sossusvlei, gravel plains, mountains and ephemeral rivers.
NamibRand itself is a very different concept. It is a privately managed conservation area, established to protect the unique ecology and wildlife of the south-western Namib Desert. Its landscape encompasses sand dunes and sandy plains, gravel plains, mountains and inselbergs, creating an extraordinary mosaic of desert habitats.
One of the reserve's most remarkable achievements is perhaps something you cannot see during the day at all.
 |
| Our house, NamiobRand Family Hideout And Milkey Way! Namibia 2026 |
NamibRand was designated an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2012 and has Gold Tier status – the highest level of recognition from the International Dark-Sky Association. It was the first such reserve in Africa and one of the first in the Global South. The reserve has deliberately limited artificial lighting and introduced strict guidelines to preserve the extraordinary darkness of the night sky.
That makes this one of the world's exceptional places for stargazing.
And fortunately, we have three nights here.
Our own farmhouse in the desert
 |
| NamibRand Family Hideout Namibia 2026 |
 |
| NamibRand Family Hideout terrasse Making plans Namibia 2026 |
For the next three nights we have rented the wonderfully secluded NamibRand Family Hideout, a former farmhouse standing in almost complete isolation in the middle of this immense landscape.
There will be no neighbours, no traffic and virtually no artificial light.
Just silence, space and desert.
Check-in goes completely smoothly. Fortunately, they are expecting us – despite the fact that we booked the house almost a year ago. And that is probably worth knowing: you need to be quick if you want to book this place.
When we finally reach the farmhouse, we immediately understand why.
The location is extraordinary.
We have the entire place to ourselves, with three bedrooms, three toilets and two bathrooms, all surrounded by the NamibRand wilderness. There is a cosy dining room and living room with a wood-burning stove, while covered verandas on two sides of the house provide uninterrupted views towards the desert and mountains.
A lone ostrich is wandering around a couple of hundred metres from the house, occasionally stopping to look in our direction.
Perhaps it has just had a drink from the waterhole directly in front of the farmhouse.
Rustic – in the best possible way
 |
| NamibRand Family Hideout Indoor dining table Namibia 2006 |
 |
| NamibRand Family Hideout kitchen Namibia 2026 |
 |
| NamibRand Family Hideout Namibia 2026 |
This is self-catering in the truest sense. You have to bring all your own food and drinks – something we have already learned the hard way in the previous blog post!
Fortunately, the house has everything we need: refrigerator, freezer and gas stove. Electricity comes from solar panels and is sufficient for lights and charging smaller electronic devices.
Outside, there is a partly fenced little “garden” – although garden is perhaps a generous word. It consists mostly of sand. But there is a proper fire and barbecue area, complete with everything needed for an evening around the fire.
Inside, there is plenty of crockery, glasses, cutlery, pots and pans. In other words, nothing essential is missing.
 |
| NamibRand Family Hideout Living room Namibia 2026 |
 |
| NamibRand Family Hideout Bathrooms / restrooms Namibia 2026 |
The house is rustic, however, and that is an important part of its charm.
Do not expect a newly renovated Airbnb with designer furniture and perfectly fitting doors. Instead, expect an original farmhouse in the middle of the desert, far from everything, with the basic facilities you need to live comfortably for a few days.
The doors are crooked and stick slightly. The original windows have peeling paint. Everything shows its age.
But then there is the wood-burning stove.
It is new, and will undoubtedly become the centre of the house on the cold desert evenings.
We have booked the house with beds made up and towels provided, and everything is clean and ready for us.
Exactly as we hoped.
Three days of desert ahead
During our stay we have planned a four-hour nature drive to learn more about the reserve's remarkable flora and wildlife. We also hope to explore some of the property's 4WD tracks and, if conditions allow, perhaps climb one of the nearby mountains for panoramic views across the reserve.
This is actually our fourth visit to NamibRand, a place that continues to captivate us no matter how many times we return.
We have experienced it in very different ways over the years: camping with best friends at the wonderfully remote Venus Campsite (link), walking the unforgettable Tok Tokkie Trails, sleeping beneath the stars in open-air desert beds (link), and enjoying the ultimate luxury experience at Wolwedans Desert Lodge, where exceptional hospitality is combined with one of Namibia's most spectacular settings (link).
This time will be different again.
No lodge.
No guide unless we choose one.
No other guests.
Just the four of us, an old farmhouse, the Namib Desert and three nights of almost complete solitude.
We cannot wait to see what the next few days will bring.
 |
| Sundowner NamibRand Namibia 2026 |
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for your comment, I return as soon as we have internet again