Doro Nawas Camp, situated on a rugged, rocky hill on the edge of the dry Aba Huab River, rolled out the green carpet for us! From the accommodations to the dining to the daily activities, Doro Nawas Camp left me starstruck.
I could see the camp from half a mile away. Perched atop a rocky knoll, the unspoiled views of the Etendeka Mountains were breathtaking, but it was the massive suites with a veranda for stargazing or sleep-outs that left me speechless. This was the reason I came to Africa! Experiences like these don’t come along often. I wanted to soak it up and mingle with the stars! How could I sleep inside when this was an option? (I’ll get back to this question shortly, but you’ll be surprised with the answer.)
Before I turned in, or should I say rolled my bed out, for the night, dinner was in the agenda. Told to dress warm, I figured we’d be dining on the patio overlooking the mountains but the staff had something prepared that was even beyond my exotic, wild imagination.
We drove 20 minutes to a private dinner under the stars in the Namibian plains. Candles lit the path to our table, our backs to the sounds of the wild. This is the place of fairy-tales. Do people actually get to live like this? It didn’t even seem out of the ordinary to the staff. When I asked, they said they do it on a regular basis for their guests, especially for proposals or anniversaries. Take notes men! This is how you should treat your partner. That night will remain on the top of my best dinners for the rest of my life. They rolled out the green carpet and I dined with the stars!
I returned to the camp feeling exhilarated! I was ready to sleep outside, confident that I could make it through the night. I crawled into the bed with my emergency horn and headlamp.
I was feeling less confident. There are lions out here. I could be attacked. No, I could be eaten! Alive!
Then… it happened. I heard something. It was being attacked. Was it being eaten? It sounded like something was being eaten. Was there a lion? Were there several? I was going to be next. I ran inside. Closed the doors! Turned off the lights. Waited!
Darn it! Why did I put both beds outside? I’m going to have to go get them. I waited longer. Any thought of actually sleeping outside was completely gone. I ran out with the headlamp shining in all directions. My head was on a swivel.
Frantically and chaotically, I pushed the bed back inside. The others could have their outdoor adventure. I was fine with sleeping inside.
In the morning, I felt rested and refreshed. I wasn’t even the slightest bit ashamed for going indoors. The wild was more courageous than me. I’ll get over it.
As a final “hurrah” from Doro Nawas Camp, we finished our stay there with an elephant safari. We started the morning at 5:30 am and went elephant tracking. Just when we thought we’d go back without a sighting, our guide spotted something on a mountain in the distance. It was a miracle. I still don’t know how he did it. Like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, he made them appear as if from dust.
There were at least twenty of them. Somehow, my guess is because of all the excitement, I forgot to count.
Tears of joy filled my eyes and I pretended it was from the wind. I had envisioned this for so long and to actually be surrounded by my greatest travel dream, I was elated with happiness. I knew, and know, that anything is possible.
I found accommodations to match my ridiculous ideals of Namibia. Doro Nawas Camp isn’t just a place to stay, it’s a lifestyle.
