Luxe Safari: Habitas Namibia

With its opulent tented rooms,spa treatments and private outdoor decks, Habitas Namibia is the most indulgent way to experience the vast Windhoek savannah, where lions, elephants and antelopes roam.

Our flight to namibia was bumpy with turbulence, and no amount of red wine could calm me down. In the brace position, I asked myself why I hadn’t chosen to travel by road, as in the summer of 2018 when we’d driven from Cape Town to Windhoek in six days, stopping at breathtaking places in the desert.

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The majestic sunsets I’d experienced on that trip and memories on the road hold a special place in my heart. Since then, it’d been my wish to return to Namibia. But this time around, I only had a weekend. “Where is everyone?” asked my travel partner as the plane dipped closer to the earth, preparing to land. A self-proclaimed city boy, he was, at that point, doubting his decision to visit the country known as the Land of the Brave.

We landed at Hosea Kutako International Airport, the main and largest in Namibia, serving its capital city, Windhoek. From the airport, we drove for about 45 minutes to Habitas Namibia, our home for the weekend. Resting within a 51 000-hectare nature reserve in the Windhoek District, Habitas is a sustainable luxury hospitality brand whose flagship property is in Tulum, Mexico. Habitas offers a unique wildlife experience like no other, and with a nod of approval from the Condé Nast Traveller, I expected nothing less.

Driving through the gates, we were welcomed by gira es and antelopes roaming on the vast savannah – our safari experience was well underway. We began our journey with a meditation ceremony, where we set our intentions for the weekend – mine was to disconnect and get plenty of rest. I enjoyed this moment, as it held me accountable for what I wanted to achieve and reminded me why I was there.

Habitas offers 12 tented rooms, minimally decorated and furnished with everything you need for a comfy retreat, including a double bed, indoor shower, WiFi, and a private outdoor deck, which was my favourite part of the room for watching the magical sunrise and toasting the sunset with a beer. The establishment is built sustainably using Habitas’s innovative modular build. An in-house team created its light-footprint rooms, delivering and assembling them on-site and using sustainable materials to minimise the environmental impact.

On the premises, there’s also a swimming pool overlooking a savannah that goes beyond the eye can see, a communal fire pit and a dining area. And numerous activities from which to choose if you’re planning to spend your time hanging around at Habitas, such as indigenous spa treatments, bush meditations, safari drives, animal tracking walks and sunrise yoga.

Then there’s the option to embark on adventures outside the property, private tours, as did the other guests we met there. But we stayed put, and here’s what we got up to:

Into the Wild

Sunrise and sunset game drives with ranger Perry were a highlight. I learned a lot about wildlife and the Savannah from Perry as we navigated the bumpy terrain. We watched lions, elephants and different types of antelopes up close.

Bush braai dinner

Hosted after the sunset game drive, this dinner under the stars is extraordinary. With a fire pit burning, we sat around the fire and shared folktales from our childhoods, which was a great bonding experience with the other guests. We also enjoyed a braai, local music and dancing late into the evening.

All the stars

With the stars sprinkled across the dark Namibian sky like magical dust, stargazing from our outdoor deck was a relaxing and spectacular way to end the day. The staff is highly knowledgeable of astronomy, and it was interesting to learn about how the stars act as a guide for navigating the desert.

Food, Food and more Food!

kudu to springbok and oryx, Chef Martin Katjiru put together the most flavourful meals throughout our stay. The array of game meat was beautifully seasoned and soft, and breakfast and lunch were also cooked to perfection.

Rest mode

The weekend felt too short – I needed more time to exist in what felt like a luxury bubble in the desert. I got to unplug and indulge in Namibian delicacies and the country’s natural habitats.