Zannier Sonop

There are deserts, and there are deserts — and the Namib, if you follow our meaning, is the latter. This landscape is like nothing else on the planet, and Sonop Lodge places as little as possible between you and that picturesque desert — as well as the leopards, hyenas, jackals, and foxes that you’ll be sharing it with.

Fear not: Sonop’s ten luxurious tents, on platforms elevated above the rocky desert floor, are singularly uninteresting to the leopards and their friends. And given the plushness of the accommodations — they’re inspired by Twenties-vintage British colonial style — the experience here is a long way from ordinary camping. En-suite bathrooms with both freestanding bathtubs and rain showers go a long way, as do king-sized four-poster beds and espresso machines.

However luxe the accommodations, in the end it’s the service that shines. Butlers in black tie and white gloves serve a formal five-course communal dinner, and don’t think for a minute that you’re going to be turned loose on the Namib Desert with no supervision. The lodge’s guides lead multiple daily drives, they’ve got a stable full of horses for guests’ use, and they’ve even got access to hot-air balloons for when only a bird’s-eye view will do.