Hey there, I’m Jess ✨. On The Signature, I share reflections on beauty, routines, travel, wellness, culture, and everyday life. For those drawn to a calmer, more intentional way of living, I send a free newsletter each month on the 7th. You're welcome to join.
After a wonderful stay in the Namib Desert, it was time to head north to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. We had a flight to catch in the early morning for the second part of our African journey so we decided to spend the night closer to the airport.
The journey was long and made us drive to Solitaire again, where we need a quick pit-stop.
Jess
The journey was long - over 4 hours - yet a scenic one, as Namibia knows how to provide at every corner.
We had the opportunity to cross the Spreetshoogte Pass, a mountain pass which connect the Namib desert to the Khomas region, a high plateau highland where the capital city is located. The pass traverses the Great Escarpment with its dramatically steep slopes.
The views are absolutely stunning and I had never seen them online or in a documentary before.
Yet they owed nothing to more famous images of the Grand Canyon in Northern America. It felt like the worst kept secret in the world.
Slowly, the desert faded from the landscape and lush farmlands became the norm.
We did another pitstop in Rehoboth and headed to Dordabis, our final destination for the day.
Sandwerf main gate and outdoor patio
We chose the Sandwerf retreat, just 30 minutes away from the Hosea Kutako airport. After such a long road trip - yet with aircon this time - it felt like the most surreal of stays after the days we had just spent in the desert. We were welcomed by Victoria, who took us to our accommodation in a cute golf cart.
Sandwerf beautifully combines the farm stay appeal with water features, gardens and endless views. Every accommodation is a cottage with high ceilings and a plunge pool. Instructions are clear as you enter your room: this is a place for silence, sustainability and to connect with nature.
Around each cottage, you can walk to enjoy the lodge as well as their animals, such as chicken, donkeys and even gazelles. In the little canals by the main lodge where meals are served, you can see fish swimming and going about their lives.
Our bedroom in the cottage - our cottage plunge pool with a view
The place is very demure in details yet beautifully decorated, letting nature and light do most of the work. It's possible to enjoy meals outdoors and that's what we did. First for our afternoon tea - which was complimentary - and in the evening, for the 3-course candlelit dinner in the romantic pergola.
Afternoon tea with rooibos tea, melktart and chocolate cake - Outdoor fire pit
Food was gorgeous and the tables were set apart, creating private moments for all the different parties. Those who wanted to gather could do so by the firepit area.
Night fell fast on our 3-course dinner that become candlelit in the pergola, under a very starry sky
We had a restful evening and were awaken early in morning with the sounds of nature aka the cock singing and the donkey honking. A casual farm stay indeed, with no need for an early alarm clock.
Donkeys, geese, cocks and hens in Sandwerf
Sandwerf is a favourite for corporate retreats and also provides with horse rides and spa treatments we did not have time to enjoy in such a short stay.
A few more reasons to come back if we ever need a pitstop close to Windhoek.
We left early in the morning to drive to the airport and catch our next flight. Fun fact: it was a German airline, but it did not take us to Germany. Stay tuned.
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