Khorab Lodge – Time for a rest

For a convenient stop along your journey, a good lunch, some tea and cake or an overnight stay, Khorab Lodge is a relaxing stopover. It is an oasis of trees and flowers on a carpet of green grass, surrounded by thatched bungalows and serviced with friendly staff.

Driving takes its toll due to Namibia’s long distances and gravel roads.

Whether self-driving or travelling with a tour group, a rejuvenating stop is always a good idea. Situated just off the main B1 road 2.5 km south of Otavi with no gravel road to traverse, Khorab Lodge is well-positioned when heading to Waterberg Plateau Park approximately 212 km away or Namutoni in Etosha National Park, approximately 170 km away. If en route to Rundu or Oshakati in the north of the country, or returning to Windhoek, Khorab makes an affordable halfway stop.

Ten thatched rooms encircle the grassy, tree-filled garden, pond and swimming pool. Tables and chairs are positioned in shady spots under trees, on the bungalow verandas and on the restaurant terrace to sit and soak up the wonderful green haven. The clean and comfortable rooms have a ceiling fan, mosquito net and sliding door opening out onto a veranda and the garden. One of the bungalows is decorated in reds as a honeymoon suite and one additional room is wheelchair friendly.

Catering for campers

Two private camping sites allow each group of campers to have its own facilities and space. The campsites each have an ablution block, sink, barbecue, shaded area and power point. Campers are welcome to enjoy the lodge facilities and restaurant.

Sitting on the terrace with owners Inge Böckem and Thomas Mausberg while the full moon rises, a moth sips from my drink and a white horse and her foal come to eat some of the sweet green grass.

In the distance I see a group of blesbok drinking at the small waterhole. They tell me that in winter when Namibia is dry and yellow, antelope from their 80-hectare property come into the oasis to share their green bounty. Thomas says he loves to see the garden alive with the visiting creatures.

Inge and Thomas took Khorab Lodge over in December 2006 and have made it a place they love, inviting people to join them in this peaceful paradise. They both appreciate good food and have paid a lot of attention to the menu, which includes pasta, vegetarian and fish dishes, game, beef and pork.

Inge says it is important to have visiting European chefs give more flair to the dishes. Needless to say the food is delicious. The lodge also has its own organic vegetable garden and free-range chickens, and game meat is bought from the surrounding farms, resulting in a table which has fresh, high-quality food.

Tree markers

A short walking trail near the lodge has tree identification markers installed by well-known ‘tree lady’ Luise Hoffmann, who has identified 46 different tree species in the area.

Whether a local or a foreigner, a self-driving or a tourist group, for business or pleasure, Khorab will satisfy your taste buds and give you time to rest, before continuing on your way to explore Namibia’s spectacular sights and scenery.

This secret hideaway, just off the main road, is easily accessible and comes as a pleasant surprise. Once you discover it, you may just include it on future itineraries. A good meal eaten on the terrace with the oasis before you and a comfortable bed waiting invitingly in your thatched bungalow for a night of sound sleep may make the next day’s drive both safe and pleasurable.

This article appeared in the June/July ‘08 edition of Travel News Namibia.

Additional photos courtesy of http://www.khorablodge.com/index.htm