With 60 guest chalets, the sprawling Damara Mopane Lodge is far from the most intimate accommodation in Damaraland, and certainly not the most luxurious. Rather the focus is on providing comfortable, family friendly accommodation in an excellent location for exploring the area’s varied attractions. Situated close to the town of Khorixas and less than 100km from the Petrified Forest and Vingerklip rock formation, the lodge is styled as an African village amidst expansive mopane trees. There are imitations of the Twyfelfontein rock art adorning many of the building walls and an assortment of quirky scarecrows in the gardens, where African staples such as maize and pumpkin are grown. Inside, the rooms are reasonably spacious but simple, with wood furnishings painted green for a splash of colour. Residing within a herb garden, each provides a private veranda, air-conditioning and en-suite bathroom facilities.

As a Gondwana property, Damara Mopane Lodge displays the group’s usual mixture of a warm welcome, helpful staff and good facilities, all ideal for the self-driver. There is a swimming pool for guests to cool off and children to enjoy a splash, while evenings spent in the restaurant and bar area tend to be lively and social. The Twyfelfontein rock art site is also reachable as a day-trip for self-driving guests, while you might want to book a guided excursion to track desert adapted elephant.