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February 1, 2023
This was the first of four properties we stayed at during our Namibia sojourn. We were torn about whether to visit the NamiBrand Nature Reserve over more time in the Damaraland region. In hindsight, we are glad with our choice - it offered enough variety and contrast compared to other parts of Namibia, and the fine people that supported our stay were arguably the best of the bunch. We opted to stay at the Mountain View Suite, which is on the premises of Desert Lodge (formerly known as Dunes Lodge) but is a self-contained unit that comes with a private vehicle/guide and chef, and is far enough away from the main lodge that it provides an air of intimacy and tranquility that we seek in our safari experiences. It also is the best situated - the MVS is at the far end of the lodge, giving it an expansive view down the valley as well as the mountains in the distance. It's a massive, 107m² Suite with separate dining, kitchen, lounge, living and sleeping areas as well as an enormous 118m² deck that features a plunge pool as well as a waterhole that is literally right outside the deck. Since Lions and Leopards do not roam the area, they were able to place the waterhole very close to the room, giving us awesome views of Jackals, Springboks, Oryxes and a variety of birds that frequented the oasis to quench their thirst. The MVS is due to be renovated in the near future (we were told that we may very well be the last guests to stay at the current iteration of the Suite), we did not feel it to be lacking when it came to creature comforts. In fact, given its location we felt that it did a great job blending in and giving it a good sense of place. Also, unlike the other rooms at Wolwedans, the MVS offered WiFi throughout the entire unit, which came in very handy for the both of us. The biggest benefit of the MVS had to do with the private guide and chef. Not only were we able to do what we wanted, when we wanted to, we really got to know our guide (Jakes) and chef (Selma), learning about their life, hopes and dreams. They are remarkable people that soon became friends rather than staff members. While the landscape and scenery are undoubtedly the primary reason to visit such a place, we soon found that the people are also a star attraction in Namibia in general and Wolwedans in particular. The majority of our three days were spent driving around and exploring the area, enjoying the gorgeous scenery and marveling at the various wildlife that have adapted to such a harsh environment. We also took a balloon flight (it's a very early morning departure, though!), a tour of Wolwedans' operations and their efforts at sustainability and staff training, and a Bushman walk with Boetie, a descendant of the Bushmen that used to live in a way that is reminiscent of people in the film "The Gods Must Be Crazy." If there is one thing you can't miss while at Wolwedans, the Bushman walk is it. Our next stop in our Namibia adventure was the Sossusvlei area, which is only about