Tents on stilts among granite boulders above golden grass — Zannier Sonop, southern Namib Desert, Namibia

Zannier Sonop

Namib Desert, Hardap · Namibia

Availability

Year-round

Per unit

10 tents · 2–6 guests

Region

Hardap

Price range

$$$$

Price range

$$$$

Per unit

2–6 guests

Type

Lodge

A tent on stilts at the edge of the boulders, open to the desert at dusk
Four-poster bed, desk and antiques in a tent open to the desert
Four-poster bed and leather armchair under the canvas of a tent
The southern Namib from above: plains, dry riverbeds and mountain ranges
Outdoor cinema screen beside the infinity pool, among the boulders at sunset
Writing desk, telescope and antiques in a tent facing the desert plains at sunrise
Bed with a mosquito net in a canvas tent
Clawfoot bathtub facing the desert through the open canvas
The lodge's granite boulders seen from above, the plains beyond
Infinity pool and terrace among the granite boulders at dusk
A table set in the open desert at sunset
Bubble bath and desk looking out over the boulders and the desert
Open-sided lounge tent with white sofas on a wooden deck
Tents on stilts lit up among the boulders at dusk
The lodge lit up among the boulders under a starry sky
A tent and its walkway among the boulders, a cone-shaped hill on the horizon
Fire pit by the main tent at night
The main tent's terrace lit by lanterns at night
A table being set by a window open to the desert
The long table of the dining tent, under candlelit chandeliers
Double treatment room at the spa, with a view of the hills
Billiard table in the Cocktail & Cigar Lounge, with views of the desert
A guest on a beanbag by the pool, facing the mountains
Grass plains at sunset during a nature drive
Game drive vehicle on a track across the plains
Two cyclists on a sand track through golden grass
Electric fat bikes lined up under the bike shelter
Two riders crossing the red sand, seen from above
The gym, with weights and cardio machines
Yoga on the wooden deck by the pool, the desert behind

Zannier Sonop

Namib Desert, Hardap

Lodge · $$$$

10 tents · Year-round

  • 923 solar panels, off the grid
  • Water from its own boreholes, wastewater reused
  • Green Globe certified
View on ExpediaView on Booking.com

Welcome to Zannier Sonop

Zannier Sonop opened in July 2019, the second Namibian lodge of Zannier Hotels, the group founded by Arnaud Zannier. The 10 tents stand on stilts among granite boulders, linked by wooden walkways. Inside, antiques found in Africa and Great Britain recreate a camp of 1920s British explorers. Sonop holds Three MICHELIN Keys.

The 8 One-Bedroom Tents (42 m² inside) have a four-poster king bed, a lounge, a bathroom built around a central bathtub and a wooden terrace with a telescope. The 2 Two-Bedroom Tents (75 m²) add a second bedroom and bathroom around a shared lounge, for up to 4 adults and 2 children.

Breakfast is à la carte in the main tent. Dinner is five courses, served by butlers at a long shared table or privately on a dune. There is a heated infinity pool with a bar, a spa in a traditional hut with treatments based on Namibian plants, a gym and yoga. Rates are full board or all-inclusive, which adds drinks and activities.

The lodge sits on a private reserve of 5,600 hectares of open plains and sand dunes in the southern Namib Desert, on the edge of the NamibRand Nature Reserve and about 45 km from Betta, around 50 minutes by road. Oryx and springbok range across it. Sossusvlei and its red dunes make a full-day trip from the lodge.

Solar powered

Accommodation

10 tents

Capacity

2–6 guests per unit

Availability

Year-round

Price range

$$$$

Amenities

Pool · Spa · Restaurant · Wi-Fi · Wheelchair accessible

Included

Full board · Drinks except premium spirits and Champagne · Shared nature drives, morning and afternoon · A 30-minute horse ride · E-bikes and walking trails · Outdoor cinema

Good to know

  • Children from 6 years.

  • Many steps between the tents, the main area and the pool.

  • From April to September, desert nights can drop below freezing, and the wind is often strong: pack warm layers.

Why it's a Positive Escape

A camp of 10 tents on stilts among granite boulders in the southern Namib, furnished like a 1920s expedition and powered by its own solar plant.

Energy

  • 923 solar panels, off the grid

    the lodge says the panels supply all its electricity, pool heating included, with a generator kept as backup

Water

  • Water from 5 boreholes

    drawn on the reserve and carried by gravity through 9 km of pipes and 10 tanks. Wastewater is treated and reused

Wildlife

  • Bottled water for rhino rangers

    money from bottled water sold at the lodge goes to the Save the Rhino Trust, which funds rangers, sniffer dogs and aerial patrols for Namibia's black rhinos

  • No off-road driving

    vehicles keep to the existing tracks across the reserve

  • Dark skies kept dark

    outdoor lights go off once guests have settled for the night, and each room key comes with a small torch

Community

  • A Namibian team

    the lodge reports that all its staff are local, housed and fed on site, paid above the legal minimum, with service charges shared among the team

  • Training with a hospitality school

    students from the Ongula Academy, a Namibian hospitality school, train at the lodge

Food

  • Namibian producers

    fish from Walvis Bay, meat from a neighbouring farm near Betta, herbs from a farm in Windhoek and wines from Neuras, a Namibian estate, according to the lodge. Set menus limit food waste

Materials & Construction

  • Built on stilts

    the whole lodge stands on stilts above the rock, and construction used the tracks already crossing the land

Transparency

  • Green Globe certified

    since December 2024, renewed for 2026

  • A public sustainability plan

    the 2026 Sustainability Management Plan, with yearly targets on waste, water, energy and the community, is published on the lodge's website

Travel mindfully

  • The road from Windhoek is the lowest-impact way to get here. Arriving by small plane adds a heavy carbon cost to the trip.

Getting there

By road · 451 km

Windhoek

About 6 hours by road, as a self-drive or with a transfer arranged by the lodge, which publishes a step-by-step road itinerary.

Photos · © Zannier Hotels

Last verified: October 2026

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This never influences our selection.

View on ExpediaView on Booking.com

Why we exist

Responsible travel
should be easy.

We do the research so you don't have to. Each stay is selected on what it publicly documents: certifications, audits, named commitments. Only places worth going to.

Explore the selection