Your Hosts
Welcome to our world where nature, family and our passion for sharing beautiful Alte Kalköfen Lodge come together.
We are Frikkie & Hilde, a couple who traded corporate city life to follow our passion for nature. Our journey led us to open a lodge where we could share our love for wildlife, plants and conservation with others.
Frikkie has a deep-rooted passion for eco-tourism. His extensive knowledge of wildlife and commitment to sustainable tourism create unforgettable experiences for our guests, and his deep knowledge of wildlife brings the Namibian nature to life for our guests. Frikkie truly lives the lodge motto “Give back to Nature that belongs to Nature”.
Hilde’s fascination with botany led her to grow lithops (living stones), becoming a world-renowned expert on the subject. Hilde’s artistic side also gives the lodge its distinct flair and adds to the natural charm. Her love for cooking means that every meal at our lodge is prepared with care, blending local flavours that reflect our connection to nature.
At the heart of Alte Kalköfen is family and friends. To us, every guest is more than a visitor – they become part of our extended family, sharing in our love for nature and the special moments that make our lodge feel like home.
We invite you to experience the beauty of the natural world, learn about the delicate balance of nature in this arid paradise, and feel at home in the world we cherish.
We stayed as a stopover for a long journey and wished we had stayed longer. Such a wonderful place. The quiet was only interrupted by birdsong. The room was comfortable with the most amazing view over the landscape and a small waterhole. It is the most interesting place steeped in history. An old lime kiln dominates the area and the owner has cleverly used old artefacts to good effect. There is also an interesting collection of ‘living stones’ used for research. The food was delicious. The hosts charming and helpful. I can’t recommend this place highly enough. We hope to be back one day.
Millie, UK
Our History
What Does Kalköfen Mean?
The lodge is named after the two limestone ovens which are in the area – ‘kalk’ meaning lime and ‘öfen’ meaning oven in German.
The first lime stone oven to be built stands on the Farm Sandverhaar (Sandverhaar was owned by the Gessert family for over 100 years and was bought from Nama Chief Paul Frederiks with gold coins). It is the oldest oven in Namibia and was built in the late 1800’s. The rock burnt in the oven would have been carried by ox wagon and packed with wood from the river bed, taking 2 to 3 weeks to burn.
The second oven, which is near to the lodge, was built on Simplon Farm, by George Kötter in 1906, after he was awarded the land by the German Government. George Kötter married Frieda Müller and they named the farm ‘Simplon’ after the town in Switzerland that Frieda’s family had come from.
Not to be missed!
Alte Kalkoefen is a very special place, from the position, the history, the people… We loved the design & decoration – very much in context, very serene and ideal for a longer stay.
The dinners were some of the best of our trip and on our last morning we had the sunrise breakfast on an outcrop overlooking the valley – we even saw three little foxes frolicking right below us!
The Lithops collection is an absolute highlight – with Hilde’s expert guidance.
One can feel the love Frikkie & Hilde invest in this remote farm, it is a place to return to!
Minnie, South Africa
