Khaudum National Park has a reputation for being tough stuff. Even the name has a slightly ominous ring to it. Pronounced "Kowdoom," it sounds like a bad neighborhood in Mordor. The park's deep Kalahari sand tracks are contenders for Top 10 listing in "The Worst Roads in Southern Africa Atlas." Accommodation is described by optimists as rustic, and visitors are officially required to have a minimum of two vehicles in case of a serious screw-up.

So is this remote wilderness in the northeast of Namibia worth a visit? In a word, yes. But with the proviso that if you insist on crisp white sheets and candlelit waiters, you'll need to bring them with you.

Khaudum is wild. That's its point. That's why you go.