The Kaokoland area extends south-north from the Hoanib river to the Kunene river (that also marks the border between Namibia and Angola). It is largely mountainous, with the northern Baynes Mountains reaching the maximum elevation at 2039 m. Other notable mountain ranges of Kaokoland include the Otjihipa Mountains (to the north) and the Hartmann Mountains (to the east). The land is generally dry and rocky, especially to the south, where it borders on the Namib Desert; nevertheless, it has several rivers as well as falls. The most notable falls in Kaokoland are the Ruacana Falls (120 m high, 700 m wide) and the Epupa Falls, both formed by the Kunene river. The northern part of Kaokoland is greener, with vegetation thriving valleys such as the Marienfluss and Hartmann Valley.
Hoanib Valley Camp is in the Sesfontein Community Conservancy Area, Kaokoland, in the very remote northwest of Namibia. The camp sits on the bank of the Obias River, overlooking the Hoanib River Valley, a linear oasis running through one of the most beautiful deserts in Africa, where desert-adapted elephant, giraffe, lion and rhino move freely.