Just east of Aus, Klein Aus Vista is nestled in the granite-gneiss hills with magnificent views of the landscape. This is the area where the Namib Desert begins to merge with golden grasses, where wild horses roam free and people once gathered with diamond dreams. Klein Aus Vista provides the perfect base to explore south-western Namibia, as a destination in itself or a perfect halfway stop en route from the canyon to the red dunes of Sossusvlei or vice versa.

The attractive and airy rooms of Desert Horse Inn, are built in a style indicative of the late century farmhouse and painted a deep, rich sienna that glows alluringly in the late afternoon sunshine. Put up feet on your veranda enjoying Klein Aus calm, partake in a day or sunset drive or explore the numerous mountain-bike and walking trails that skirt the rocky hills. Here you will discover old WWI ramparts, an old Hudson motorcar riddled with bullet holes from an almost-forgotten shoot-out with diamond smugglers, viewpoints with extraordinary vistas, springbok on the plains and, if lucky, klipspringer poised on the rocky slopes. Further afield, visit the wild horses at the Garub waterhole, 20km to the west, and the old diamond mining town of Kolmanskop and Lüderitz, 100km onwards. Return in the late afternoon to Klein Aus peace. Relax on the upstairs wooden deck, around the fireplace in the cosy lounge or at the Wild Horse bar until you cannot resist the enticing supper aromas any longer. Outside the sky will be alight with streaks of sunset colour until the twinkling stars and moon appear. And with them lie the promise of a good night's sleep and the anticipation of a new day.