We think we may have found the best accommodation in Namibia. And we are so happy to share our full list of accommodation we’d recommend for families visiting Namibia! We stayed in all these places and are only listing the ones we would actually confidently recommend.

We hired a 4×4 with roof tents from Travel Namibia 4×4, and camped 50% of our time, and spent the other 50% of nights in a proper bed! It was a great balance of both experiences. There’s a whole other blog on driving in Namibia being drafted!

Namibia is one of those destinations where your accommodation isn’t just a place to sleep! It’s part of the adventure. One night you’re unzipping a tent to watch sunrise spill over dunes, the next walking to dinner on the coast. And then a giraffe or Nyala hangs out just outside your room!

Below are the full details of our eight recommended stays and accommodation in Namibia across the desert–coast–Etosha loop, each with its own rhythm, setting, and kind of comfort.

How to read this post: I’ve written each section like a mini guide: what it’s like to stay there, who it suits, and the small practical details that you don’t know unless you’ve stayed there. You can find out how each accommodation fitted into our 2-week Namibia itinerary here.

Best accommodation in Namibia:

Arebbusch Travel Lodge

For anyone arriving late into Namibia (we landed at 13.30 and got to our truck rental at 16.30), Arebbusch Travel Lodge is a superb base for the first night. It’s just 5 minutes from the centre of Windhoek (and our rental place), and offers comfortable rooms for up to 5 people (one bed in the living area). The site has a pool, restaurant and playground as well

• Why stay: Great place for night one if you don’t want to drive too far after the long journey.
• What to expect: Clean and comfortable lodges, mongoose roaming around freely outside. Good facilities for families.
• Good to know: Book directly with the hotel as they guarantee the cheapest rate. Dinner cost us £35 and breakfast was £20 for us all.
• Best for families: whilst we didn’t use the pool as we just didn’t have time, it looked lovely. The restaurant food was great and good sized portions, and breakfast was a buffet!

Sossus Oasis Campsite

If you’re aiming for a place close to Sossusvlei, without the price tag of being inside the park, this is for you. Views over the Namib desert, slow mornings and easy access to the park.  And if you are heading into Sossusvlei early, then this is a great location, literally metres from the park entrance. We paid £103 for 2 nights for our stay at Sossus Oasis Campsite. .

• Why stay: Great base for Sossusvlei/Deadvlei access, without the hefty price tag. Desert atmosphere without overcomplicating the logistics.
• What to expect: A practical campsite set-up. Private shower, toilet, sink, electric and braai! Super sunsets from the private roof terraces
• Good to know: The site is a few hundred metres from a petrol station which also has a well-stocked shop (including wood for the fire)
• Best for families: there are 2 pools for chill time post the dusty dunes! And there is so much safe space for kids to roam and explore the desert landscape in sight of your pitch.

Alstadthof 7 Central Town Apartment (Swakopmund)

After a few nights of sand, dust, and tent zips, a central Swakopmund apartment felt like an instant reset button. There’s loads of options within Swakopmund, including some very expensive and high end options.

Alstadthof 7 is the kind of base that lets you live like you’re staying a while: coffee in a real mug, space to spread out, a washing machine and full kitchen, and the freedom to walk to bakeries, restaurants, and the seafront when the Atlantic air rolls in.

For 3 nights we paid £240, so £80 per night for us all.

• Why stay: Central, easy, and comfortable. The location could not have been more perfect – central enough but not in the full hustle and bustle
• What to expect: Self-catering convenience (fridge, cooking basics) and more privacy than a hotel. Large spacious rooms and even a bath!
• Good to know: The Trading Post café over the road is exceptional! It’s walking distance to all the main attractions including the jetty for sunset. There is parking included but our truck and roof tents wouldn’t fit – but we parked on the street outside with no issues.
• Best for families: it’s a good reset and chance to get away from dusty and have some space from each other. Enjoy the luxuries of a sofa and bath!

Mowani Campsite

Mowani is the campsite you pick when you want your surroundings to feel curated by nature: boulders, views, and that hush that makes you speak a little quieter. It’s a place for slow evenings, watching the colour drain out of the rocks, then looking up and realising you can see the Milky Way!

The cost for us for 2 nights was £140 for us all – the setting and facilities are totally worth it! You can only book the campsite by going directly – or stay in the luxury lodge!

• Why stay: High “wow factor” setting; a memorable stop if you’re exploring Damaraland/Twyfelfontein-area attractions which are only 10-20 minutes’ drive away.
• What to expect: A more scenic, lodge-adjacent style campsite where the landscape is the main amenity. Private shower, toilet, kitchen and braai – although the critters do come out to play at night!
• Good to know: You’ll get the most out of it with an unhurried schedule. Enjoy the vastness. Arrive before sunset, climb their sundowner hill, and enjoy the views across Damaraland. You can also book an ‘Elephant Drive’ with them to find the Damara elephants.
• Best for families: There is a pool, with pool towels for hire, and a bar serving drinks and pizza. Plenty of space for kids to roam free and climb some of the lower height boulders.

Big Cats Namibia Farm Stay

There is one thing that makes this place one of the best places to stay in Namibia – well two things: Rolf and Rachel! Their hospitality is second to none. Their friendliness, passion, knowledge, and how they were with the kids was sensational. If you are visiting Namibia with kids, Big Cats Farm Stay has to be on your Namibia itinerary.

The second we arrived we felt at home on their reserve. We paid £450 for the night which included accommodation, dinner, breakfast, some extra drinks when we arrived and 2 x game drives: a sundowner game drive with drinks and a night game drive. That total cost is just over £100 per person. The accommodation on its own if you wanted to self-cater and not do the drive was £120. Breakfast was c. £35, dinner c. £60 and the game drives c. £110 per drive

• Why stay: A meaningful change of pace, great for travellers who like learning-based experiences alongside scenery. Everything was taken care of with the game drives leaving when you want, food prepared and comfortable spacious rooms. Our place actually had enough beds to sleep 7 across 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. You can also self-cater if you prefer! The game drives are the most authentic of all we did – standing in the back of a pick up truck was a great experience.
• What to expect: Farm-stay energy: down-to-earth hosting, sunrise sunset and night drives are all possible, and a sense that you’re staying in someone’s home. The reserve is 33k hectares – so huge – and has all the wildlife you’d expect (no elephants or rhinos)
• Good to know: Ask ahead what activities are available and what’s included (tours, feeding times, talks), and plan your arrival time so you don’t miss the main experience window. You could also use this place as a base for a few nights – Etosha, Waterberg plateau, Cheetah Conservation, Outjo and the Crocodile Farm are all within 90 minutes drive!
• Best for families: there is a small splash pool (think ice bath size!), the way the hosts are with the kids! Food options were catered to their taste. You must do the night drive – it’s a completely different experience and so exciting for the kids.

Okaukuejo Campsite (Etosha National Park)

Okaukuejo is iconic for a reason: you’re right in Etosha, so your “commute” to game viewing is basically zero (we saw Zebras within 5 minutes), and the park atmosphere carries into the evening. Campsites here are for travellers who want to skip the morning queues and enjoy the park before and after sunset (although driving at these times isn’t permitted).

Okaukuejo cost us £64 per night for our pitch. Park fees were £80 for 2 days for the 4 of us. Only guests staying the night are allowed to use the pool.

• Why stay: Prime Etosha base for self-drivers; unbeatable for early starts and late returns without leaving the park. It’s the closest entrance for the classic Namibia loop! (which does mean it can be busier)
• What to expect: A busy, functional campsite where the location is the luxury. The site itself is more basic with shared showers and toilets. There is a shop, restaurant and they have their own waterhole.
• Good to know: Follow camp and park rules closely (wildlife moves through camp areas). Have a simple “arrive, set up, repack” system so you can get back out on the roads fast. You can leave tables, chairs on the pitch whilst you are out driving for the day. You can’t book online, only via the NWR website.
• Best for families: once again, it’s the pool – 3 large pools and a kid’s pool. They also offer game drives but with the kids it was a lot more relaxing to self-drive!

Sophienhof Lodge

Sophienhof Lodge works beautifully as a “breathe out” stop, somewhere you can sleep properly, eat well, and let the trip feel a little more settled after all the camping. On a Namibia itinerary that leans heavily into driving and wild landscapes, a lodge night adds softness: a proper bed, a slower breakfast, and a piece of luxury.

We paid £393 for the 2 nights which included accommodation, dinner, breakfast, several beers and wine, and soft drinks, and a game drive for us all. The game drive was c. £100 for us all.

• Why stay: A comfort stop to recharge between more rugged nights. The game reserve is one of the largest with so much to see including rhinos! It’s just an hour from Vingerklipp, and Etosha, 90 minutes to the Cheetah Foundation and 10 minutes from Outjo.
• What to expect: A lodge-style stay with a calmer pace, comfortable rooms, amazing food (served family style) and a pool. The staff are great! Breakfast is amazing and the evening meal was good – 2 meat dishes, pasta, salad and potatoes – and a veggie option if requested in advance.
• Good to know: The game drive is 2.5 hours but no longer offers Ostrich feeding – the whole reason we booked this place. BUT, Nyle was so upset they arranged it that we could feed them the next morning! But this isn’t a standard offering. Booking.com makes you book 2 rooms, but they proactively messaged after we booked and said they could put in sleeper beds for the kids in our room – Nyle was free and Lissie was £25 per night.
• Best for families: the staff are so good with the kids – and there is a pool as well. You can see porcupines at night (in an ‘open’ enclosure) and various forms of antelope cruise around the main building.

Windhoek Game Camp

Windhoek Game Camp is a smart bookend to a road trip: close enough to the capital to keep logistics easy, but feels like you are getting a bonus night in the bush. It’s ideal for that first or last night when you’re sorting a rental car, reorganising bags, or simply wanting to squeeze in a final wildlife moment without committing to another long haul.

The cost for us for our night, including dinner and breakfast was £270 – the giraffes came free!

• Why stay: Convenient for arrivals/departures via Windhoek, with a safari-adjacent feel. Pure luxury – such a special place with so many small details. Service from the staff is exceptional.
• What to expect: A relaxing final night atmosphere with sunset views, giraffes visible from your balcony roaming in the distance, and a really comfy room (kids on sleeper beds!)
• Good to know: Giraffe feeding in the morning is between 7.30-8! Drinks on sight are not expensive – 3 large beers and 2 soft drinks was less than £10.
• Best for families: a pool! Again! And small enough for the kids to wander to the restaurant and around the lodges without any issue. Totally safe and secure. And the giraffes being around makes it magical.

Summary of accommodation in Namibia

The best family friendly accommodation is not hard to find. Everywhere we stayed was amazing (except maybe Tiger Reef campsite when we needed a last-minute pitch in Swakopmund!). Mixing up half camping and half lodges was the best idea – we couldn’t have done 2 weeks in the tents. Namibia is magical – and the accommodation is just part of that.