NWR Hobas Camp

Campside and chales in a very nice place and near fish river canyon. Swiming pool and good restaurant. People very friendly and free internet available in reception and restaurant. Book in advance..always full. A paradise in the Namib desert

We visited the Hobas Camp Shop but not the camp. Clean bathrooms with toilet paper, and clean showers for campers. The camp area is shaded with tress that offer a cool breee amid the heat. The small store offers some curios, jams, great postcards, wine gummies, a short wine selection, including small bottles. The clerk was very attentive and helpful.

I spent 2 nights here. The camp is nice and it’s the closest camp to Fish River Canyon viewpoints, just 10 km, while the fanciest lodges are at least 20 km. There are 6 chalets at all (plus several camping sites): our chalet was wide, with enough space for luggage, plugs to recharge batteries in good position, fridge and tea/coffee station. Toilet area is nice. As sometimes it happens in public camps the details are not looked after: although the chalet seemed quite new, the front door curtain was badly torn. To be a public camp the rate/night is too high. The “Quiver Taste” restaurant is good and we enjoyed very good oryx fillet both dinner; breakfast was good as well.

Having read all the negative reviews of NWR resorts we were a bit sceptical about our stay at NWR Hobas, so didn't expect much. But what a lovely surprise Hobas was. We stayed here the night before we did the Fish River Canyon hike. We stayed in the Bush Chalets so we could have a decent night's sleep before hiking. Yes the chalets aren't perfect- it could do with some new curtains, but the beds were BIG & comfortable and the chalets were spacious and well equipped. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. The meals were incredible. Out of all the NWR places we stayed at in Namibia, this was by far the best. I would go so far as to say it was exceptional compared the others. Our waiter Daniel had his hands full with our big table (9 of us), but managed beautifully and compliments to Francois the chef. Our dinner & breakfast was really yummy. Thank you so much for a fantastic stay. (If you're hiking the Fish River Canyon - I suggest staying here instead of Ai-Ais. It's much closer, the staff are more helpful and the food is fantastic.)

Very quaint, well-cared-for campground operated by Namibia Wildlife Resorts. On the Fish River Canyon section of the reserve, it makes for a nice place to spend a night or two. Within easy driving distance (about 1.25 hours) to /Ai-Ais Hot Springs. If you want to do any hiking into the canyon, or the 5-day hike to/from /Ai-Ais, you MUST book in advance; a private guide is required for hikes of all lengths. Each of the ~25 campsites at Hobas have running water going to a sink with space for washing dishes. There is also a side table and a concrete picnic area that seats 4. Unlike at some of the Etosha NWR-operated campgrounds, the Hobas Camp has fire pits/braai areas that are very low to the ground. The other sites have them raised, sometimes to a height that's easier to reach from a chair. At Hobas, campsites are first-come, first-served. Bookings can be made online and paid for in advance, but you must pay park fees on arrival. I was told that the NWR camps attempt to accommodate walk-ins, but that would be harder at Hobas Camp due to its limited space. Staff recommend that if you're camping multiple nights that you leave a chair or something out during the day so that people know that campsite is occupied. Staff do a great job of keeping the campsites clean and will dispose of leftover wood/charcoal. They also regularly empty the trash/recycling. There are a couple of ablution blocks with sides for males and females; generally they're in good shape but when I was there in June 2023 not all of the showers worked, there was some building maintenance that needed to be done, hot water was hardly even warm, and campers generally supplied their own toilet paper because staff weren't regularly keeping up with that. There is a very small shop for drinks, ice cream, and a few souvenirs. This is also the guest registration building. Across from it is another building for visitors to the park. And across the other road is a restaurant operated by NWR. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served at all NWR sites, but whether or not they're open by noon varies by location. Their menus differ slightly, but are generally the same (burgers and vegetarian wraps for lunch, game meats for dinner). Availability of menu options varies as well. The quality of food was adequate and the pricing was good, but self-catering is always a good option at NWR-operated parks. While there are some concerns about camping right at the South African border, Hobas Camp is far enough north and out of the way that I felt very comfortable and secure. While the baboons can be a nuisance in camp, common sense measures prevent them from being a problem. The birds are a bit of a problem, though - they will try to steal food from your hand! Generally chasing them off (or back to the tree limbs just above you) is enough to dissuade them from further attempts, but care should be made not to leave even crumbs out for them. And don't leave the windows of your vehicle down either. I stayed a

We spent 3 nights at Hobas Camp on a visit to Fish River Canyon. The location of this place is very convenient for a visit to the canyon especially for the sunrise/sunset. Camping facilities are good - with hot and cold showers in an ablution block. There is a restaurant which campers can book for dinner. The food we had at the restaurant was very good in particular the oryx steak which was perfectly cooked. The camp does get visited by baboons during the day sometimes so it is worthwhile keeping an eye and an ear out for them as they can be a nuisance and do raid the bins. Keep all food locked in the vehicles if camping.