After a day of traipsing through and photographing the red dunes at Sossusvlei, we travelled to Moon Mountain Lodge. This was totally unexpected after Willie’s dire warnings that things were going to be “all downhill here from here” (with reference to our stay at Naries).
Moon Mountain Lodge is a luxury tented lodge located in the Naukluft Mountains, about 50 kms away from the entrance gate to Sossusvlei. The views of the Namib Naukluft scenery are stunning. Especially in the early evenings and mornings, where everything is bathed in a soft glow. When the sun has fully gone down, the scenery looks like a moonscape.
When we first arrived it was still in the heat of the day, and the desert landscape looked washed out in the harsh glare.
View of the Namib Nauklauft plains and the main lodge buildings. ©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
The rooms are fixed, tented structures which give you the feeling of being in a tent in the desert, but with all the luxuries of a more traditional lodge. We did not get very good photos of the accommodation itself, but the Moon Mountain Lodge has a gallery which you can view here. The individual suites are dotted quite far apart against the hillside. This makes them very private although less accessible for some folk.
It was wonderfully cool inside our tented suite and I took the opportunity just to relax there until the sun set and it was time for dinner. Moon Mountain Lodge serves a traditional Namibian style dinner in their restaurant. It was a lovely dinner and the guests were able to relax and recount their adventures of the day.
©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
Looking up towards some of the tented suites ©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
Our suite perched on the hillside ©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
The view from our suite. The sun was setting and everything started to glow in the soft light. ©LB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
©LB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
As the sun disappeared below the horizon, the landscape took on a soft, lavender hue. ©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
In the morning, the gradual changes happen in reverse.
©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
©WMB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
A closer look at our suite ©LB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
The main lodge building which also houses the restaurant. ©LB/notesfromafrica.wordpress.com
Staying at Moon Mountain Lodge was a special treat for us. If you are on a budget, I would recommend Little Sossus Lodge which is close to Sesriem and the Sossusvlei gate. We stayed there the before going to Sossusvlei and although it is not as luxurious as Moon Mountain Lodge, the chalets are very nice and comfortable. Little Sossus is very deceptive – it does not look exciting from the outside, but is lovely inside. They also cater to people wanting to get an early start to Sossusvlei by offering early breakfasts.
This post is part of a series I will be publishing about our travels through Namibia.
Notes from Africa 
What an amazing place, it is hard to believe that we, in the middle of snow, are on the same planet.
I could really handle some snow – I prefer the cold.
It’s quite fascinating!!
It was a really interesting place to stay. The name suited the landscape so well.
Thank you for the beautiful photos 🙂
Thank you for your kind comment! 🙂
Oh. Wow. That looks amaaazing, Lisa. Isn’t it fascinating how the whole feel of the landscape changes, depending on the angle, softness or harshness of the light?
Yes, the landscape does change dramatically with the light. Late afternoons/early mornings are truly golden hours. It is also interesting to see the Namib-Naukluft in moonlight.