Moon Mountain Lodge

Under an impressive, sprawling tented structure, the enormous Nebula Restaurant seats around 46 people, serving up hearty and refined Namibian cuisine. The Cosmos Bar is a heavenly perch for daytime game viewing (springbok, oryx, Cape Mountain zebra) and a great place to stargaze the unpolluted Namibian night sky. For lazy indoor evenings, a cinema room has a flat-screen satellite TV, surround sound and a DVD player; it also functions as a small conference venue, hosting up to 17 guests.

Rooms are clustered in small groups across the mountainside; all have excellent views and L-shaped decks. Constructed with canvas and perched on wooden stilts, the tent structures are extremely solid, with ensuite bathrooms, fridges, telephones, and the crown jewel: a splash pool. There are four standard rooms, which are relatively basic and suitable for travellers with children, eleven luxury rooms and six suites. Suites offer the added comforts of a lounge area and air-conditioning.

The real drawcard for this part of Namibia is the dramatic dune landscape of Sossusvlei National Park: Big Daddy, Deadvlei and Dune 45 are just some of the iconic dunes found in this photographer's paradise. But these are best captured at first light, so the proximity of Moon Mountain from the gate (an hour's drive), might be logistically tricky. The lodge can arrange all-day outings to the park, as well as scenic hot-air balloon and helicopter flights. Evening sundowner drives happen on the property and provide a decent chance to see plains game. There are also a few walkable mountain trails. All activities (with the exception of the walking trails) come at extra cost.