Namibia Travel Companion 2015

1Namibia Travel Companion Your Holiday Guide 2015www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

2 Namibia Travel Companion Your Holiday Guide 2015 www.namibiatravelcompanion.com


4 Namibia Travel Companion Your Holiday Guide 2015 www.namibiatravelcompanion.comCheetah at the CCF (Cheetah Conservation Fund)4


Book directly online: www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Cover Photograph: Cheetah - photograph taken by Dave Morris

Namibia Satellite Office: Fax: +264 (0)88 632 503Cell +264 (0)81 127 8000

P O Box 7 Windhoek NamibiaCompany Registration No:

CC 2004/2762VAT Registration No: 3904183015

Cape Town Studio:Tel: +27 (0)21 790 9400Fax: +27 (0)21 790 9600

P O Box 51704, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa

DISCLAIMER: Extreme care has gone into supplying correct and accurate information for the publica-tion. However, no liability can be accepted by the publisher for any errors or omissions (E. & O.E) that may have occured. Visitors should confirm details and exact location with the establishment before making reservations. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without the express written permission of the publisher. © Legends of Africa

Namibia, the land of contrasts and wide open spaces abounds with wildlife. The big five are well represented and keenly observed all over the country, but also need to be respected and protected. There is a story behind choosing the face of “Aurora”, one of the ambas-sadors of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), as our cover photo. The cause of responsible tourism and conservation of endangered species lies close to our heart and we fully support the CCF Vision: To see a world in which cheetahs live and flourish in co-existence with people and the environment.

The cheetah is the oldest of all the big cats in Africa. It is the fastest land mammal, reaching speeds of up to 70 miles per hour in its quest to hunt prey. But while the cheetah took four million years to de-velop into the unique species it is today, mankind has taken only 100 years to bring it to the edge of extinction. In the last century, cheetah numbers have decreased by approximately 90%. The wild popula-tion of these magnificent cats is thought to be less than 10,000 today. Cheetahs have become extinct in more than 16 countries where they once roamed free. At this rate, the wild cheetah could be extinct in the next 20 years.

Namibia hosts the largest remaining wild cheetah population – about one third of the world’s numbers. They are perceived by farmers as a threat to their livestock and game and are thus hunted, trapped and killed. Dr Laurie Marker, the founder and executive director of the CCF moved to Namibia in 1991 to work towards the cheetah’s survival in the wild. She turned a humble research station into an internationally recognised research and education centre that has become a model for predator conservation worldwide.

Read all about the CCF’s holistic approach to saving the cheetah on pages 78 & 79. Enjoy your journey. We hope that you will return home with a new appreciation for the African wild and remember:

Don’t leave anything but your footprints Don’t take anything but your memory

[email protected]

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - the Legends team

PUBLISHER:

NamibiaTravel Companion 2015

Also available in e-format

Visiting CCF near Otjiwarongo


Con

tents

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African Kirikara Inside Front Cover, 185African Art Jewellers 1, 184Magnet Bureau de Change 2 & 3Welcome 5Quick Reference & Key to Icons 8Distance Chart 10Reservations Africa 11Travel Safety Tips 12, 13Demographics 14, 15Introduction to Namibia 16History - Shaped by the Land 18Geological History 19Political History 20

Central RegionCentral Region Introduction 22Central Region Map & Listing 24, 25Windhoek - In the Heart of Namibia 26Central & Windhoek Establishments 28 - 71

Northern RegionNorthern Region Introduction 73Northern Region Map & Listing 74, 75Etosha 76Otjikoto & Guinas Lakes 77Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) 78Babson House 79 Northern Establishments 80 - 93

North-Eastern RegionNorth-Eastern Region Introduction 95North-Eastern Region Map & Listing 96, 97The Kavango Intro 98North-Eastern Establishments 99 - 107Caprivi (Zambezi): A Tropical Riverine Paradise 105

North-Western RegionNorth-Western Region Introduction 108North-Western Region Map & Listing 110, 111Twyfelfontein 112Skeleton Coast 113Burnt Mountain 114Kaokoland 115Epupa Falls 116North-Western Establishments 117 - 122


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onten

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Southern RegionSouthern Region Introduction 124Southern Region Map & Listing 126, 127Fish River Canyon 128Quiver Tree Forest 129Garub & the Desert Horses 130Farm Sandhof 131Sesriem Canyon 132Sossusvlei 133Sperrgebiet 134Kolmanskop 135Lüderitz - Place out of Time 136What to do in and around Lüderitz 138 - 139South Establishments 137 - 157Apple Pie in the Namib Desert 156

Western RegionWestern Region Introduction 159Western Region Map & Listing 160, 161Welwitschia Plains 162Gobabeb 163Brandberg - Mountain of Mystery 164Sandwich Harbour 165Cape Cross 166Swakopmund - Namibia’s top Seaside Resort 168Swakopmund Establishments 167 - 185Walivis Bay Lagoon - Internationally Important Wetland 186Walvis Bay Establishments 188 - 191Arandis Town Council 192 - 195Western Establishments 196 - 205Omaruru Intro 198 - 199

Eastern RegionEastern Region Intro: Kalahari Desert 206Eastern Region Map 208Eastern Region Establishment 209

Suggested Routes & Open Africa Initiative 210 - 251

People of Namibia 252 - 267

Alphabetical & Categorised Listing 268 - 271

Fold-out Namibian Map Inside Back Cover

Beach Hotel Swakopmund (Luxury Apartments) Back Flap

Namibia Reservations Back Cover


Boating

Air-Conditioning

TV

Telephone

Credit Cards

Internet

Casino

Swimming

Children Welcome

Parking

Special Amenities

Airstrip

Bed and Breakfast

Camping Facilities

Conference Facilities

Restaurant

Liquor Licence

Shuttle Bus Service

Diesel Available

Petrol Available

National Monument

Golf Course

Excellent Views

Horse Riding

Bow Hunting

Wildlife Viewing

Hunting

Birding

Quadbiking

Scenic Drives

4x4 Route

Cycling

Hiking

Caving

Dune Boarding

Bushmen Paintings

Ballooning

Sundowners

Canoeing

Water Skiing

Fishing

River Rafting

Star Gazing

Quick Reference

Key to Icons

This guide is divided into 7 colour coded regions, each with an enlarged map of the relevant region, detailing each accommodation establishment’s number which can be found in that region. The es-tablishments are grouped under towns or specific areas of interest for ease of reference. At the begin-ning of each region you will thus find the enlarged map with a listing of all accommodation establish-ments and referenced page numbers, plus an in-troduction of the region and various editorials and photographs of the specific areas of interest within that particular region.

A complete fold-out map of Namibia appears on the inside back cover. If you are looking for a spe-cific place, please refer to the complete alphabeti-cal and categorised Index at the back of the book on pages 268 - 271.


On the C13 near Aussenkehr


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Dist

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Tabl

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In Namibia, you drive on the left side of the road. You

need to have a valid driver’s licence (get your inter-national licence before leaving home) and ensure you have it on you at all times when driving. Al-ways ensure you have a thorough check done on your entire vehicle – tyres, brakes & spare (perhaps even two spare tyres). A good idea is to hand your itinerary to someone so that your intended route is known to others. An updated map of the area you plan to visit is always helpful. A First Aid kit is ad-visable, especially when travelling through remote areas. 4 x 4 Vehicles are recommended when driv-ing through rugged terrain. Please do not litter, but dispose of your litter when facilities are available to you.

Take the same precautions you would when in any other country. Ensure your valuables are locked away when possible. Ensure that your hotel room/ car is locked when leaving. Avoid flashing your expensive jewellery. Do not pick up hitch-hikers. The

wearing of safety belts is compulsory in Namibia and it is

forbidden to use one’s cell phone whilst driving.

Gravel Roads60 – 80 km/h is believed to be a safe speed on gravel

roads. If abiding by this, you will most likely be able to

control your vehicle when in a dangerous situation. Plan

your daily route to be no further than 500km per day since

this distance should take approximately 8 hours to com-

plete by gravel road. It often happens that gravel roads

change rapidly from a hard surface to soft sand, on which

it becomes very difficult to control a vehicle that is travel-

ling at a higher speed.

Tarred Roads120 km/h is the speed limit on tarred open roads, however,

100 km/h is advisable until you are familiar with the tarred

roads and conditions of the area. When approaching a

town, the speed limit is reduced to 60 km/h. Distances are

TRAVEL SAFETY TIPSOn the C19 near the Tsaris Mountains


great and traffic is minimal, thus drivers are easily tempted

to exceed the speed limit. Please do not exceed these

limits for your own safety and that of others. Please note

that not all sharp turns have roads signs indicating this and

therefore it is vital that you remain alert and take regular

breaks when driving long distances.

AnimalsIf you see animals, slow down and be cautious. Do not

swerve to avoid the animal as rollovers often occur when

drivers are trying to avoid animals. Enjoy the sight of ani-

mals in their surroundings. Try to avoid traveling at night

as certain animals are more active and thus the risk of a

possible collision is greater. Therefore, always try to be at

your destination by 17:00 or before dark.

FuelAs distances can be great when travelling across Namibia,

ensure that you fill up as often as possible even though you

may not be in need of it immediately. Make sure you have

some cash on you since not all petrol stations have card

facilities (normally in remote areas).

Water & FoodA good suggestion is to ensure you have sufficient water and some food in case of a breakdown in a remote area where you would then need to wait for assistance.

HealthThe North of Namibia is a malaria-endemic area and

travellers are advised to use insect repellents and prophy-lactics to be safe when travelling through these areas; a medical doctor or pharmacist will be able to advise you accordingly. The main concern is to sleep under a net and to use insect repellent spray and long sleeved tops and trousers/socks to prevent mosquito bites.

Emergency numbers: Police: 10 111 • Ambulance & Fire Brigade: 211 111

TRAVEL SAFETY TIPSKudu


GeneralSurface Area: 825,000 km²Capital: Windhoek Independence: 21 March 1990Political System: Democracy; Leading party: SWAPOPresident: Dr Hifikepunye PohambaFreedom of religion: 90% Christian

Population2.1 million people240 000 inhabitants in Windhoek (15% of the population)Population density: 2.2 people /km²Language: English is the official language of Namibia. Afri-kaans and German are also widely spoken. In total 16 lan-guages and dialects are spoken by 13 ethnic cultures.

ClimateNamibia is one of the driest countries south of the Sahara.70% of the country’s rainfall occurs between December and March. Temperatures reach above 35ºC in the summer months (October - April). During winter (May - September), days are warm but nights are very cold, often below 0ºC.The country is wedged between the Namib Desert in the west and the Kalahari Desert in the East.

MoneyCurrency: The Namibian Dollar (N$) is fixed to the value of the South African Rand (ZAR/R) which can also be used as legal tender. All major credit cards are accepted.Banking hours: Mon - Fri: 09:00 - 15:30 | Sat: 08:30 - 11:00VAT Refunds: For purchases exceeding N$ 250, foreign tourists can obtain a VAT refund (15%) at their port of exit, provided that all cash slips have been kept.Tourism Levy: All accommodation establishments are obliged by law to charge a tourism levy of either 1% (all inclusive rate) or 2% (BED or B&B rate).

Telephone/CommunicationNamibia has direct dialing facilities to 221 countriesMobile communication is well supported by various service providers with international roaming agreements in place with over 100 countries. Dialling codes:Calls from outside Namibia:Country code: ++264 plus Area code (without the “0”) plus telephone number (usually 6 digits) eg: ++264 61 123456Calls from inside Namibia:Area code (eg: 061 or 067, or 064 etc) plus telephone num-ber, eg: 061 123456

Demographics


TransportOnly about 12% of all roads are tarred; within the country gravel roads are predominant.Harbours: Lüderitz and Walvis BayMain Airports: Hosea Kutako International Airport (40 km outside Windhoek) and Eros Airport (within Windhoek) - mainly domestic charters. Ondangwa Airport.Otherwise, many airstrips (approx. 45)are availableExtensive network of regional and international flights to Windhoek; domestic charters to all destinations.Public transport: Very limited Bus service: Whk-Cape Town-Johannesburg-Vic Falls-Swa-kopmund.Travel by train: operates between Karasburg in the south, Windhoek in the central, Swakopmund in the West, Goba-bis in the east and Ondangwa in the north.

Flora & FaunaNamibia boasts 120 different species of trees, 200 endemic plant species and more than 100 lichen species. The Welwitschia Mirabilis is Namibia’s living fossil plant.On the Fauna front Namibia offers the big 5: Lion, Leo-pard, Buffalo, Elephant and Rhino, plus Cheetah and Giraffe and about 20 antelope species and hundreds of mammal and reptile species, not to forget over 670 bird species.

Nature reserves cover 15% of the entire surface area. Peren-nial rivers run only in the south (Orange River) and the north (Kunene, Okavango, Zambezi and the Kwando/Lynianti/Chobe) whereas ephemeral rivers run only during the rainy season (i.e. December to March), amongst those are the Fish River, the Kuiseb, the Ugab and the Swakop Rivers.

Demographics


Namibia has been called many names – Thirst-land Wilderness, The Land God Made in Anger and Land of Contrasts, to name a few. It is indeed a land of contrasts, with much of it wedged between two enormous deserts, the Kalahari in the east and the Namib in the west, and its north-eastern extremity, the Caprivi Strip, penetrating the tropical riverine swamplands and floodplains of Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

With its surface area of 824 268 square kilometres, Na-mibia is a vast country, even by African standards. South-ern Namibia is characterised by extensive grassy plains punctuated with the occasional windmill, flocks of kara-kul sheep and the prehistoric-looking quiver tree. Its ma-jor features are Sossusvlei in the Namib-Naukluft Park, the majestic Fish River Canyon further south, the desert horses of Garub, the quaint harbour town of Lüderitz and the for-mer diamond settlement, Kolmanskop. The central region is dominated by Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, with the rolling hills of the Khomas Hochland to the west.

On the Namib coast are many points of interest for the visitor, including Namibia’s top seaside resort, Swakop-mund, the legendary Sandwich Harbour, and the Cape

Cross Seal Reserve and its affiliated lichen fields. Further north is the mysterious Skeleton Coast with its hinterland, Damaraland, a region rich in geological phenomena, and the remote expanses of Kaokoland, the land of the ochre people and desert-adapted elephant and rhino. It is in this north-western section of the country that many of the top tourist destinations are found: Twyfelfontein with its rock engravings, the monumental Brandberg famous for the White Lady rock painting and Epupa Falls on the Kunene River.

Namibia’s top tourism draw card, however, is the Etosha National Park, situated in central northern Namibia, where large herds of game are seen against the ghostly white ex-panses of the Etosha Pan. To the east are the water-rich areas of Kavango and Caprivi, a bird-watcher’s paradise and a place for complete peace and relaxation.

Supported by a good road network and an interesting mix of accommodation establishments ranging from luxury lodges and hotels to basic community campsites, Namibia has something to offer every tourist, whether a nature lo-ver, specialist tourist, an adventure traveller, a four-wheel drive enthusiast or a person interested in local people and their different customs and traditions.

Introduction to NamibiaSandwich Harbour


Makalani Palms - Northern Namibia


A history shaped by the land Situated in south-western Africa on the Atlantic seaboard and bisected by the Tropic of Capricorn, Namibia with its surface area of 824 268 square kilometres is a vast coun-try, even by African standards. Bordered in the west by the Atlantic Ocean, in the north by Angola and Zambia, in the south by South Africa and in the east by Botswana, the country can be divided into four separate topographi-cal regions.

The most distinctive of these, the Namib Desert, is a long narrow strip of moist coastal desert between 50–140 kilo-metres in width and 1 350 kilometres in length, bordered by the Kunene River in the north and the Orange River in the south. Also running from north to south is the central plateau with an average altitude of between 1 000–2 000 metres and ranging from rugged mountain ranges inter-spersed with endless valleys and sandy plains. The plateau falls away to the east to merge with the legendary Kala-hari Desert, typified by long, vegetated dunes of deep, red sand. In the far north-east are the high rainfall areas of Kavango and Caprivi, characterised by perennial rivers, tropical forests and woodland savannahs.

Namibia’s climate, too, is one of contrasts, with regular droughts and periods of intense water scarcity, which oc-

cur cyclically, as in any semi-desert country. It is prima-rily these topographical and climatic features that have shaped the history of Namibia and its people.

Early history The historian Herodotus wrote that the Phoenicians were the first seafarers to sail down Namibia’s coast on their quest to circumnavigate the continent of Africa. This was 2 000 years before attempts were made by Portuguese navi-gators to find a sea route around Africa. The first was Diego Cão, who planted his stone cross or padrão at Cape Cross in 1486, some 150 kilometres north of Swakopmund. The second padrão was planted by Bartolomeu Dias in 1488 at Dias Point in the bay of Angra Pequena, or Little Bay, laying the foundation for the Lüderitz of today.

The first white man to reach Namibia overland was the Af-rikaner Jacobus Coetsé, who crossed the Orange River in 1760 to reach what was then called Transgarieb, the Garieb being the Orange. The first missionaries established mission stations at Warmbad and Blydeverdacht in 1805. Thomas Baines described his travels through Damaraland and Ka-okoland in his book Explorations in South West Africa, pub-lished in 1864, while the Swedish adventurer and explorer, Charles John Andersson, who travelled through Namibia in the mid-1800s, was reputedly the first to refer to the territory as South West Africa.

History


Geological history When flying over Namibia, the imprints of the geologi-cal forces that moulded and shaped the landscape are especially evident. About 600 million years ago notable rock forms accumulated, the remains of which consoli-dated, transformed and eroded. Today their remains, as the Damara system in the north and the Nama system in the south – blanket much of the land. Other sedimentary formations such as the Karoo and Kalahari systems sub-sequently added to the landscape.

Prior to the onset of continental drift, Namibia lay land-locked in the hinterland of the gigantic supercontinent, Gondwanaland. As the continental plates drifted across the mantel of the earth they entered new latitudes and were metamorphosed by different climatic forces. In periods of prolonged cold, massive sheets of ice built up and planed vast sections of the countryside. At other times what is Namibia today lay submerged under pri-meval oceans that laid down extensive layers of sedi-mentary deposits as the foundations of today’s moun-tains.

Some 120 million years ago when Gondwanaland be-gan to drift apart and the African and South American continents came into being, Namibia acquired its wes-tern border in the shape of the Atlantic Ocean and its

defining characteristic, the Namib Desert – the feature from which the country derived its name.

Earliest inhabitants The earliest known inhabitants of Namibia’s southern and central areas were the San/Bushmen, who were hunter-gatherers; the Nama, who were nomadic cattle farmers; and the Damara, about whose origin little is known other than that they were hunters and to a lesser extent pastoral-ists.

The relatively stable water supply and well-wooded terrain in the northern and north-eastern regions encouraged cat-tle-farming and agricultural practices by the Owambo, who moved down from the Great Lakes of East Africa to settle between the Kunene and Okavango rivers in about 1550, and by the Caprivians, Tswana and Kavango, who moved to the water-rich north-east in the 1700s and 1800s.

The Herero, believed to have lived in ancient times in the legendary African marshland of Roruu, moved southwards from the Great Lakes of East Africa and crossed the Kunene River into Kaokoland in the mid-1550s. Here they stayed for about 200 years, then moved further southwards to settle in the central and eastern regions of the country, lea-ving the Himba and Tjimba tribes behind in Kaokoland.

History


Political historyThe German Chancellor Prince Otto von Bismarck pro-

claimed Namibia (excluding the Walvis Bay enclave,

which was under British occupation) as a German pro-

tectorate in 1884. In 1915 the peace of Khorab was

concluded on the farm Khorab near Otavi, following the

defeat of the German forces by the South African forces.

Thus the South African forces were now in control of Ger-

man South West Africa, and in 1920, in accordance with

the Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations confirmed

South Africa’s mandate over Namibia.

The League of Nations dissolved in 1946, to be replaced

by the United Nations (UN). In 1950 the World Court pro-

nounced its first advisory opinion on the legal status of

Namibia, namely that South Africa was still to take care

of the interests of the inhabitants of the country under

UN supervision. The Odendaal Commission of 1964, the

implementation of which involved establishing different

‘homelands’ for Namibia’s indigenous population groups,

had far-reaching effects on the social, cultural, economic

and political future of the country.

A protracted war between the occupying South African

forces and the Swapo (South West African People’s Or-

ganisation) liberation movement started in 1966. The next

year saw the institution of the Council for South West Af-

rica, subsequently the Council for Namibia, and in 1970,

in accordance with Resolution 284, for the first time, the

Security Council asked the International Court for a con-

sultative opinion on the legal consequences of the contin-

ued South African presence in Namibia, which was found

illegal in 1971.

The implementation of United Nations Resolution 435 for

free and fair elections in 1989 resulted in Swapo com-

ing to power. Thus, after 106 years of colonial rule, on

21 March 1990, Namibia achieved independence. Swapo

co-founder and leader Sam Nujoma was instated as Na-

mibia’s first president. Fifteen years and three terms later

– the first as incoming, the subsequent two as elected

president – Nujoma stepped down, to be succeeded by

Hifikepunye Pohamba, former Minister of Lands, Resettle-

ment and Rehabilitation.

HistoryView of the Tintenpalast


Jacaranda tree in parliamentary garden

22 www.namibiatravelcompanion.comCENTRAL ACCOMMODATION

The central region of Namibia is the starting point for most trips organized around the country, since the capital Windhoek with its international airport, Hosea Kutako, lies in the centre of the region.

A well maintained road structure and many guest farms, B&B’s and lodges make the Central region an ideal stopover for visi-tors en route to the Etosha pan in the North, the Fish River Canyon in the south, or the West coast.

Vegetation is typically bushy (thornbush savanna) with lots of grassland, bushy shrubs, ca-melthorn trees and many hills and mountains which makes for

interesting scenery. About 300 bird species have been recorded in this vegetation zone, from ground feeders like Redbilled Francolin, helmeted Guineafowl to those that look for food in the canopies of trees like the beauti-ful Pied Barbet.

Game is abundant also in this area with many species of an-telope (especially kudu) being a common sight. Most game farms, however, hold a wide variety of game ranging from leopard, rhino and lion right down to the smaller game like springbok and open vehicle game viewing is a daily activity on offer at all farms.

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CENTRAL REGION INTRO

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23www.namibiatravelcompanion.com CENTRAL ACCOMMODATION

Cheetah pair observed at CCF


Note: The location of establishments on this map is an approximation only; please also consult the adverts for further directions.


CENTRAL REGION LISTING

Windhoek 1 Alexander Pension Hotel 282 Belvedere Boutique Hotel 283 Christoph Hotel Pension 284 Hilltop Guesthouse 295 Jordani B & B 306 Kalahari Sands Hotel & Casino 317 Naankuse 34-358 Safari Hotel and Safari Court 369 Tamboti Guest House 3610 Villa Moringa , Dunas Safaris 3711 Vineyard Country B & B 3812 River Crossing 39 Windhoek Tourism Services Namibia Wildlife Resorts 33 Desert Air 40 FNB 41

HAN 43 Magnet Bureau De Change 44-45 Gustav Voigts Centre 46 Horst Knop Jeweller 46 Leder Chic 47 African Sun Car hire 48 Asco Car Hire 49 Camping Car Hire 50 Caprivi Car Hire 50 Crossroads Car Hire 51 Namibia Car Rental 52 Odyssey Car & 4 x 4 Hire 53 Pegasus Car & Camper Hire 53 Savanna Car Hire 54 Eden Travel 55 Exclusive Reservation & Marketing 56 Frantic Nauralist Tours & Safaris 57 Nazimbo Camping Safari 57

Namibia Reservations 59 Weavers Tourism Marketing 60-61

Windhoek Surrounds13 Düsternbrook Guest Farm 6214 Eningu Clay House 6315 Gocheganas 6416 Immanuel Wilderness Lodge 6517 Sun Karros 66-6718 Windhoek Mountain Lodge 68

Gamsberg Surrounds19 Hakos Gästefarm 6920 Rooiklip Gästefarm 70

Rehoboth Surrounds21 Kiripotib, Collection 70

Okahandja Surrounds22 Okahandja Country Hotel 70

Page PagePage Hutno.

Hutno.

26 www.namibiatravelcompanion.comCENTRAL ACCOMMODATIONWWin

dhoe

k The capital of Windhoek lies in the heart of Namibia. It pos-sesses a unique charm due to the harmonious blend of African and European cultures.

Despite being one of the small-est of the African capitals, it has over the years developed into a thriving, efficient city with a superb infrastructure which has gained popularity as a safe tour-ism, business and conference destination. With two airports, Hosea Kutako International Air-port, which lies about 40km East of the capital and Eros Airport, situated on its outskirts, inter-national and domestic/regional flights are well catered for.

Since Namibia’s independence in 1990, tourism has boomed and Windhoek offers many world-class restaurants, cof-fee shops, guest houses, B&B’s and hotels to choose from. Visit the local markets in the North- Western suburbs of Windhoek to gain insight into the true Namib-ian community way of life, visit the many monuments and his-torical buildings in and around the capital and browse at leisure through local craft markets and the many curio shops on Inde-pendence Avenue.

For advice on outings and day tours, visit the Windhoek Tour-ism Info Office in Post Street Mall, situated right opposite the Zoo Park, in the heart of the city.

Health care facilities are top class with two state hospitals

and three private clinics (Rhino Park, Roman Catholic and Medi Clinic) offering well equipped facilities and well qualified medical practitioners. Intensive Care units and 24 hour medical emergency services are always on call.

Car hire companies and tour operators are manifold in the capital. Air Namibia is the na-tional airline of the country with many travel agents and offices around town. Most guesthouses and B&B’s offer booking advice and services regarding transport, trips and tours around the coun-try.

The Namibian post and tele-communications network is well established and cell phone companies offer the usual pack-ages and satellite reception of good international standard. Internet Café’s have sprung up like mushrooms - so there’s no need to lose touch with your loved one’s when travelling in Namibia.

Banks are well represented in the capital and all offer efficientforeign exchange facilities. Autobanks also offer Saswitch transactions and are usually well serviced and maintained.

Shopping for mementos or stock-ing up on your travelling kit is aworthwhile pursuit when in Windhoek and coffee shops and restaurants offer scrumptious meals and the best coffees since your last Italian cappuccino.

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WINDHOEK... in the heart of Namibia



Windhoek

Windhoek

Windhoek

Belvedere Boutique Hotel | Accommodation - Windhoek, is a unique, up-market sactuary for the modern day traveler. The hotel is conveniently situated in Ludwigsdorf, Klein Windhoek - Belvedere is an exclusive boutique hotel boasting a total of 18 individual rooms - equipped for both the business traveler and tourist. An accommodation choice in Windhoek that wil not disappoint - “Belvedere Botique Hotel” with your hosts Herman and Jeanne Davin.

Tel & Fax: +264 612 588 67 • Cell: +264 (0)81 127 2037 / +264 (0)81 128 4241P.O.Box 3399 Windhoek • Namibia • [email protected] • www.belvedere-boutiquehotel.com

Tel: +264 (0)61 240 777• Fax: +264 (0)61 248 560 • [email protected] • www.natron.net/tour/christoph P.O. Box 6116, 33 Heinitzburg Street, Luxury Hill, Windhoek, Namibia

Centrally situated - 10 minute walk from the city centre. Luxury rooms. Let yourself be spoiled with our excellent buffet breakfast. Award winner in the category “Best Hotel Garni of Namibia” for 4 consecutive years. Very personal, friendly ser-vice. Plenty of shaded safe parking area. Excellent restaurants close by • Shower and WC • Satellite TV • Roomsafe • Heat-ers (Winter) • Telephone with Wake-Up System • Minibar • Radio • Ceiling Fan • Speak German, English & Afrikaans.

Situated within walking distance from the Windhoek City Centre, major shopping complexes and various restaurants, Hotel Pension Alexander offers a combination of luxury and budget accommodation at affordable prices. Accommodation consists of budget single rooms, luxury double rooms and family rooms, each with en-suite bathrooms/showers. Rooms are equipped with television, DSTV, fridge, telephones, work tables and central airconditioning. Secure parking is available on site. We offer wireless internet access, conference facilities and two training rooms.

Tel: +264 (0)61 240775 • Fax: +264 (0)61 271892 • Email: [email protected] Beethoven Street, P.O. Box 40427, Ausspannplatz, Windhoek • Website: www.pensionalex.com

GPS: -22° 34’ 4.80”, +17° 4’ 27.52”1

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Windhoek

The Hilltop Guest House offers bed and breakfast accommodation within a warm and relaxed atmosphere, you will feel

right at home. The Hilltop Guesthouse has stunning views over the city and surrounding mountains. The rooms are elegantly

furnished and are equipped with a flat-screen TV, air conditioning, mini bar and tea-and-coffee-making facilities. Featuring a

shower, private bathrooms also come with a hairdryer and free toiletries. Free Wi-Fi access and private parking is available.

Our garden has a lovely swimming pool and an adjoining wooden deck with loungers, chairs and tables. Indulge in our

scrumptious breakfast. The National Art Gallery is 1.6 km away. Looking forward to welcoming you!

Cell: +264 81 245 2750 • Lessing Street 12, 12345, Windhoek E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.hilltop.com.na

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Windhoek

White-Browed Robin-Chat

Tel: +264 (0)61 220141• Fax: +264 (0)61 238007 • Cell: +264 (0)81 124 0090 • [email protected] PO Box 80448 • 55 Hamutenya Wanehepo Ndadi Str. • Olympia • Windhoek • www.jordanibb.com

JORDANI B & B - Windhoek’s *Accommodation with Recommendation*• Informal, quiet and relaxed ambience • En-suite air-conditioned rooms • Extra-long high-quality beds • FREE Secure On-Site Parking • FREE Wi-Fi • FREE Buffet Breakfast • Liquor License • Outside Terraces

• Sparkling Pool • Sun Loungers • Pool Towels • Private Secluded Gardens • Laundry Service • Admin Services • Visa/MasterCard • 5 Minutes from Maerua Mall • Professional Taxi Service

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Windhoek

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Windhoek

www.nwr.com.na


Windhoek

Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is your gateway to the prime destinations across spectacular Namibia. Our camps are strategically positioned within the magnificent protected areas, with their amazing wildlife and varied landscapes.

We offer outstanding accommodation and services of the highest quality within the Etosha National Park, Namib Naukluft Park, Waterberg Plateau Park, Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park as well as Skeleton Coast Park.

NWR exclusive products like the guided night and day game drives in Etosha, scenic drives and Sossusvlei excursions, allow NWR to offer a completely unique and memorable tours experience.

Windhoek: Tel: +264 (0)61 285 7200 Fax: +264 (0)61 224 900 [email protected]: Tel: +264 (0)64 402 172 Fax: +264 (0)64 402 796 [email protected] Town: Tel: +27 (0)21 422 3761 Fax: +27 (0)21 422 5148 [email protected]

www.nwr.com.na


Windhoek


Windhoek

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Windhoek

Windhoek

Tel: +264 (0)61 296 8000• Fax: +264 (0)64 235 652 •P.O. Box 3900, Windhoek, [email protected] • www.safarihotelsnamibia.com

Hotel Safari*** and the Safari Court Hotel**** offer accommodation in over 400 bedrooms of various categories and at extremely com-petitive room rates. Enjoy the facilities of 3 Restaurants, 4 Bars, 2 beautiful Swimming pools and the Safari Court Wellness Centre and Oukolele Day Spa. A regular courtesy shuttle bus offers transport between the hotels, a shopping mall and the city center while airport transfers are offered by Shuttle Namibia (bookings essential). Free WiFi on the premises for hotel guests. Namibia’s modern and largest Conference Centre offers facilities for conferencing and banqueting for between 10 and 2400 delegates in over 30 different venues.

Corner of Auas and Aviation Streets, Windhoek, Namibia

Guesthouse Tamboti is within walking distance to the city center, located in a quiet residential area. We have15 en-suite rooms all with air-conditioning, television, telephone and fridge. From the terrace you can enjoy the beautiful view over the Khomas Hochland or take a swim in our sparkling pool. Laundry service and Transfers can be organised. You are guaranteed to feel welcome and be surrounded in a friendly atmosphere.

Tel: +264 (0)61 235 515 • Fax: +264 (0)61 [email protected] • www.tamboti-namibia.com

Singleroom B&B: N$510.00 • Doubleroom B&B: N$750.00Tripleroom B&B: N$900.00 • Familyroom B&B: N$1000.00

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Windhoek

Villa Moringa is a modern, elegant, up-market Guesthouse consisting of 16 luxurious en-suite double rooms : 4 VIP Rooms, 3 Executive/ business Room and 9 Standard rooms. Our guests can enjoy their stay and indulge in the contemporary flair and stylish surroundings. We will endeavor to make your stay as comfortable as possible and provide you with personalized ser-vice and genuine hospitality. Only 10 Min. from Windhoek‘s CBD and within easy reach of restaurants and city sightseeing. DUNAS SAFARI is a tour operator based in Windhoek, Namibia, who emphasises on ‘individually tailored safaris’; guided and self drive tours. We offer our own fleet of vehicles: Mini Bus, Volvo XC60, BMW X 6 & All terrain vehicles. Dunas Safari also specialized: Conferences for Sonangol, ALNG, SOMG, Chevron; Incentive Tours ‘’ Team Building’’, for the bank “Banco Espirito Santo Angola” BESA; A wedding ’’ for 100 people on the beautiful Mauritius; April 2012 we celebrated the signing of a service contract with the Brasilian Oil Gaint Petrobras. In May 2012 a service contract victory with the American Oil com-pany Halliburton; In January 2013 we secured the service contract for Schlumberger American based oil; In February 2013 we securede our second contract for 2013 with Brazilian Oil company HRT.

Tel: +264 (0)61 224472 / +264 (0)61 231179 • Fax: +264 (0)61 231 957Cell: +264 (0)81 298 2535 / +264 (0)81 124 0617 • P.O.Box 86470 • Eros • Windhoek • Namibia

Email: [email protected] / [email protected] • Web: www.dunas-safari.com / www.villa-moringa.com

Direction – 111 A Ludwisgdorf - Windhoek

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Windhoek

On the B6 from the Hosea Kutako International Airport, you enjoy the quiet country ambience of our century old rustic stone homestead on the very doorstep of Windhoek. Newly built self-catering unit sleeps a family of five. 8 En-suite bedrooms leading onto the gardens are tastefully and comfortably furnished with custom made furniture. 2 Metre long beds, quality mattresses, solar heated showers and a sumptuous breakfast guarantee a comfortable stopover. A five minute drive takes you to a number of exci-ting restaurants or you can make your own barbeque and enjoy refreshments from our honest bar in the original wine cellar. For exercise or bird watching, take a lovely walk to the nearby Avis dam. We also specialize in hosting conferences and workshops in 2 well equiped venues. Just completed 8 camp sites each with own LUXURY private bathroom, wash-up, braai and lawn.

Tel: +264 61 224 144 •Fax: +264 61 233 337 / +264 ( 0 ) 88645457 •Cell: +264 81 124 3620P.O. Box 194 •Windhoek •[email protected] •www.vineyardcountrystay.com

WINDHOEK: 22.588694 S • 17.142148 EDirection: 2 km from Windhoek on the

B6 to Hosea Kutako International Airport

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Windhoek

River Crossing offer sumptuous accommodation on a pristine game farm whilst being only 5 minutes from the heart of Wind-

hoek. The twenty chalets rediscover the nuances of a bygone era of farm life and offer the discerning traveller all the modern

amenities... of course there are the feather duvets wrapped in 100% cotton, the environmentally friendly guest amenities

and the unparalleled service and hospitality to consider too. We also offer a host of activities including game drives, horse

riding, guided or self guided walks and mountain biking. We have a selection of function venues and would love to host

your special occasion or wedding.

Lodge: +264 61 401 494 • Fax: +264 61 243 079 • Reservations : +264 61 401 494 E-mail: [email protected] • www.rivercrossing.com.na

Directions : 2 kilometers outside of Windhoek

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40 CENTRAL ACTIVITIES & ADVENTURES www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Impala

41CENTRAL AMENITIES & SERVICESwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com

42 CENTRAL AMENITIES & SERVICES www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Christuskirche Windhoek


44 CENTRAL AMENITIES & SERVICES www.namibiatravelcompanion.com


46 CENTRAL WHERE TO BUY www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Indigenous lizard

47CENTRAL WHERE TO BUYwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com

48 CENTRAL CAR HIRE www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Another mode of transport

49CENTRAL CAR HIREwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com



Lion Pair




Caracal

55CENTRAL TOUR OPERATORwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com

56 CENTRAL TOUR OPERATOR www.namibiatravelcompanion.com







Windhoek Surrounds

Experience excellent cheetah, leopard & 4 hippo viewing, enjoy the spectacular view of the uniquely situated historical farmhouse (1909) and feel at home in our individually furnished rooms (13 beds). North of Windhoek (50km) and close to the airport (90 km). We cater for the individual traveller, camper or day visitor looking for something small, special and unique. Other activities include game drives, horseback riding, hiking and a big pool. Transfer service and overnight packages available. Eco award Namibia 4 out of 5 flowers, several HAN awards. NEW (july 2014): one dbl luxury suite. More on our website!!

Take B1 north from Windhoek for 30Km, turn left into D1499 (opposite Okapuka and same security entrance gate as Namib Poultry) drive 18 km to farmhouse, well sign posted

Tel: +264 (0)61 232 572 • Fax: +264 (0)61 257112 • Cell: +264 (0)81 864 3000 / +264 (0)81 124 1662Email: [email protected] • Web: www.duesternbrook.net

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Windhoek Surrounds

Tel. Central Reservations: +264 64 464 144 • Tel. Lodge: +264 62 581 880P.O. Box 11558 • Windhoek • Namibia

Email: [email protected] • Website: www.eningulodge.com

Eningu is a window on the Kalahari, a creative view from a place of wonderful style and beauty; a lodge imbued with warmth, handcraft and art, nestled in camel thorn savannah, where the last rocky outcrops of the central Namibian high-lands dip their jagged backs into deep red sands, creating the gentle ripples that are the first dunes of the Kalahari.

Walk along well-marked trails, glimpsing steenbok and gemsbok or a resting eagle owl; watch porcupine or an elusive leopard from the viewing hide at the floodlit waterhole. Be fascinated by archaeological remnants, by the whispers of an-cient cultures; be inspired by the stunning contemporary art at „Peperkorrel - Home of Sculptures“, home of the artworks of Dörte Berner, an internationally renowned artist. Eningu Clayhouse Lodge, situated on Farm Peperkorrel, offers nine private, individually styled guest rooms, a large swimming pool, a rooftop sundeck, a lounge, indoor and outdoor dining areas, a wine cellar, a souvenir shop and much more.

Directions from International Airport: Turn left when from airport onto B6 - after 3km turn right onto M51 (big Eningu sign board) - proceed 64km, turn right into 1471 (big Eningu sign board) - drive 1km, turn left into farm gate - keep going 5km to the lodge.

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Windhoek Surrounds

GocheGanas, a perfect beginning and a superb ending to your safari and adventure in Namibia. A luxurious private nature

reserve and wellness village, nestled on a hilltop, surrounded by majestic mountains, boasting with 25 different large

wildlife species. Sweeping views onto an awesome Namibian landscape from your luxurious accommodation - 16 private

thatched chalets. Only 30 minutes from the capital city of Windhoek and 50 minutes from the international airport. Tranquility

and serenity on a wildlife sanctuary with wide open spaces - totally unspoilt. Excellent game drives and wildlife excursions,

state-of-the-art spa and wellness treatments, ultimate hospitality, fascinating stargazing and successful conservation.

Tel/Fax: +264 61 224 909 • Fax: +264 61 224 924 • P.O. Box 40770, Windhoek, Namibia E-mail: [email protected] •Web: www.gocheganas.com

Directions: 29 km south-east of Windhoek. Take the B1 out of Windhoek, after 20 km turn left on the gravel road D1463 for 9 km and turn right through the GOCHEGANAS entrance gate.

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Windhoek Surrounds

We are essential on your way to your Africa adventure! We are the beginning and the end - directly following your arrival to your return to your home we are the ideal residence. Our lodge is the comfortable accommodation for everyone looking to enjoy the peace of African Wilderness. Let go of all stresses and strains and just relax!Rates: Single room: N$ 700.00 • N$ 570.00 pp sharing room. Kids from 3-11 years: 50% discount. Rates incl. breakfast

Tel: +264 (0)61 260901 •Fax: +264 (0)61 260903 •Cell: +264 (0)81 324 8198Email: [email protected] •Web: www.immanuel-lodge.de

Directions:From Windhoek to Okahandja – turn left onto D1474

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Giraffe


Windhoek Surrounds

Amongst the rolling hills of the Khomas Hochland, less than 20km from Windhoek one finds The Daan Viljoen National Park. Located in the heart of this gem is Sun Karros Daan Viljoen a stylish yet relaxed Lodge. Facilities include chalets, campsite, conference and banqueting venues and restaurant and pool.

Tel:+264 (0) 23 23 93 or +264 (0)833 23 23 [email protected] . www.sunkarros.com

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Windhoek Surrounds

Location and ChaletsThe 4000ha Game Park is home to a wide variety of indigenous mammals, reptiles and 200-plus bird species. Nestled in the heart of the park is the alluring Sun Karros Daan Viljoen. Modern-day chalets are dotted around the bank of The Augeigas Dam. These stylish yet relaxed units all comprise of a main bedroom, bathroom with shower, and a private patio complete with outdoor umbrella, furniture and BBQ. In unit facilities included air-conditioning, roof fan, small safe, hairdryer, 220v charging facilities, satellite TV, WiFi access, writer’s table, tea & coffee station with mini fridge, basic BBQ cutlery and crockery.

Camping The grass-covered camping terrace that snakes around the bank of the dam is popular with self-camping camping guests. Each camp island is equipped with an open air BBQ area, wash basin and preparation area, 220v electricity access and camp light. The three ablution facilities are the same standard as the main lodge bathrooms, making this one of the most popular camping destinations.

The Boma Restaurant & PoolGuest can relax around the pool while other enjoy delicious meals and beverages served from The Boma Restaurant.

Reception, Kiosk and ActivitiesThe reception is tech-current and wired to offer overnight guests free internet and WiFi access. The kiosk is stocked with essentials and curios for your convenience. Day visitors and guests to the park enjoy self-guided one-way game drive of 6.5km (4x4 vehicle needed). There is also a choice of two hiking trails. The 3km Wag ‘n Bietjie Trail leading down to The Stengel Dam and The 9km Rooibos Trail taking avid hikers along The Augeigas Dam and to the eastern highlands. Reception will provide information with regards to additional activities and costs.

Accommodation and restaurant: [email protected]

Conference and meetings: [email protected]

Private and corporate events: [email protected]

Lodge direct:+264 61 232393 or +264 833 232393 (Mon – Sun 06:30 till 20:00)


High above Windhoek amongst the Auas Mountains you will find us by following the B1 towards Rehoboth only 15 km out from town and then just 4 km on tarred/gravel pad (D 1504). We offer 8 thatched spacious double rooms with ensuite bath-room, as well as a family/honeymoon suite. A sparkling blue swimming pool, thatched dining room & bar and the great view over the mountain ranges gives you a cosy atmosphere. WLAN & Fax available. Double N$ 530,-pp; Single N$ 690,-/pp incl. breakfast. Find all about Windhoek Mountain Lodge on our website!

Tel. +264(0)61 257053 | Fax +264(0)61 250 147 | Cell +264 81 2306049

[email protected] • www.windhoek-mountain-lodge.com

Directions: Only 20km away from the Windhoek city centre.

Windhoek Surrounds

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Hakos Guest Farm is located two hours drive away from Windhoek, located amongst spectacular scenery on top of the Gamsberg Pass. From the Farmhouse you have a wonderful view to the Hakos Mountains and into the Namib Desert.

• Guided star tours after dinner (the moon has to be taken in consideration where it is not possible)• Astrofotografie for everyone • Sun observation by day

• Gamsberg tour • HESS-Project visit and/or introduction • Visiting the different observatories by day

• Wind and Solar energy • 14 Guestrooms en-suite • 4 Campsites

Tel/Fax: +264 (0)62 572 111 • P.O. Box 5056 • Windhoek • NamibiaEmail: [email protected] • Web: www.hakos-astrofarm.com

Eagle Nebular, Werner Moehler, International Amateur Observatory http www.ias-observatory.org

Gamsberg Surrounds

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6 Rooms: Live in our charming guest houses where you feel at home, each room with a private bathroom, braai-place and terrace. Relax at the large pool and enjoy a drink or a meal in the shady lapas.Campsite: On top of a huge ancient rock there is a breathtaking campsite, carefully integrated into the natural surround-ings. Hot and cold showers, modern toilets and a fireplace. It accomodates 2-6 persons and there is space for1-2 cars. Since there are no big trees, shade is provided by huge rocks only. We speak German, English and Afrikaans.

Tel. +264 (0)61 681 031 • Fax. +264 (0)61 681 032 • Cell: +264 (0)81 128 7844 / +264 (0)81 129 2126P.O.Box 40522 • Windhoek • Namibia • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.rooiklip.iway.na

Guest Farm Kiripotib: Claudia & Hans Georg von Hase Tel: + 264 (0)62 581 419Fax: +264 (0)88 61 4348 • [email protected] • www.kiripotib.com • 23`19”36’S, 17`57”12’E

Magnificent scenery in the heart of the Kalahari, stylish African Ambience, farm fresh Namibian cuisine, guided hiking and walking excursions, sundown game drives and farm tours, Weavery and Jewellery Studios, African Arts and Crafts Gallery - Kiripotib is the perfect venue to begin or end your Namibian safari.

160km s/e of Windhoek / Airport max. 2hrs drive

The Okahandja Country Hotel is the perfect stopover before continuing your journey through our beautiful country. Visit us for the best hospitality in Namibia. The hotel has a wonderful rustic, yet elegant African ambience and offers a swimming pool in tranquil garden settings. The perfect setting for beautiful weddings and functions. We offer 22 comfortably furnished en-suite twin rooms and 2 family units. All of our rooms are equipped with air-conditioning/heating, television & DSTV, bedding, towels, soap and coffee making facilities. 2 air-conditioned conference rooms can accommodate up to 120 delegates.

Tel: +264 (0)62 504 299 • Fax: +264 (0)62 502 551 •P.O. Box 1524 • Okahandja • NamibiaEmail: [email protected] • Web: www.okahandjahotel.com

Gamsberg Surrounds

Rehoboth Surrounds

Okahandja Surrounds

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Lion Pair

72 NORTHERN ACCOMMODATION www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Beautiful view of the Waterberg from Waterberg Guest Farm

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NORTHERN INTRO

The northern region of Namibia is centered around the vast expanse of the Etosha National Park, which is one of Namibia’s most popular tourist attractions. The Park is one of the the largest game parks in Africa with 114 species of mam-mals and over 330 species of birds stretching over an expanse of approximately 23,000 square kilometers. The north of Namibia is big 5 country: Not only in the Park, but also throughout the en-tire northern region, many spe-cies such as rhino, buffalo, leop-ard, lion, antelope and giraffe can be observed either on foot or with game viewing vehicles. This activ-ity is particularly popular around the Waterberg Plateau Park, south-east of Otjiwarongo. Visit the 60 ton Hoba Meteorite,

the largest of its kind world-wide, just a stone’s throw from Groot-fontein. Lake Otjikoto and Lake Guinas are Namibia’s two bot-tomless lakes , steeped in legend and folklore, situated just outside Tsumeb.

The further north one travels, the greener the countryside. The most spectacular sunsets and palm lined horizons can be found in this region. Near the Angolan border, Namibia is most densely populated, mainly by the Owam-bo people. In fact, approximately 80% of the Namibian population Iive in the north of the country. The northern people are born traders and offer their goods in cuca shops, stalls along the side of the road, or in shopping com-plexes.


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75NORTHERN ACCOMMODATIONwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com

NORTHERN REGION LISTING

Etosha National Park & Surrounds23 Onguma Bush Camp 8124 Onguma Etosha Aoba 8025 Onguma Tented Camp 8126 Onguma The Fort 8027 Onguma Tree Top Camp 81104 Okutala 89

Ongwediva28 Etuna Guest House 82-83

Kamanjab29 Toko Lodge Safari 84

Grootfontein Surrounds30 Wildacker Guestfarm 8531 Roy’s Rest Camp 85

Otjiwarongo Surrounds32 Aloegrove Safari Lodge 86103 Babson House 79

Outjo33 Bambatsi Guestfarm 8634 Etotongwe Lodge 87

Outjo35 Matunda Guest Farm 8836 Ombinda Country Lodge 8837 Vingerklip Lodge 89

Tsumeb38 Makalani Hotel 9039 Minen Hotel 9040 Mousebird Backpackers 9141 OMEG Allee Pension 9142 Travel North Guest House 92

Waterberg & Surrounds 43 Hamakari Gastefarm 9344 Waterberg Guest Farm 9345 Weaver’s Rock Guest Farm 93

North Tourism ServicesNamibia Reservations 59Reservations Africa 11

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no.Page Page Page

Dirt road near Otjiwarongo

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ETOSHA – THE GREAT WHITE PLACE OF DRY WATER

EtoshaIt is seeing animals against the unique backdrop of the Etosha

Pan – a vast expanse of desiccated white clay characterised

by distant mirages and spiralling dust devils – that makes the

game-viewing experience in the world-renowned Etosha

National Park different to any other. In September 2007 the park celebrated its first hundred years of existence, the cen-tennial celebrations taking place at the Namutoni Resort in the eastern section of the park.

The park was originally proclaimed as a conservation area in 1907 by German Governor Frederich von Lindequist. This entailed the region south, west and north-west of the pan and Governor von Lindequist named it Game Reserve No 2. (Game Reserve Nos 1 and 3 were established to the north-east and the Namib Desert respectively.) With subse-quent additions Etosha became the largest game reserve in the world, extending over a vast area of approximately 80 000 square kilometres westwards across Kaokoland to the Skeleton Coast. However, for political considerations, it was progressively diminished in size until 1975 when it was re-duced by 77 per cent to its present surface area of 22 912 square kilometres.

The definitive feature of the park is the Etosha Pan, an im-mense, shallow depression of almost 5 000 square kilome-tres of dry, white cracked mud, its flat surface broken only

by shimmering mirages and the occasional animal wending

its way across the empty wastes. It is this typical appear-

ance that gave rise to the name in the local vernacular as

‘the great white place of dry water’. In the rainy season, fed

by the Cuvelai system that has its origins in the highlands

of Angola, floodwaters drain across Owambo. The pan fills

with water and becomes an important breeding ground for

migrant flamingos.

Consisting of saline desert, savannah and woodlands, Eto-

sha’s vegetation varies from dwarf shrub savannah and

grasslands to thorn-bush and woodland savannah. Mopane,

Colophospermum mopane, is the dominant tree species and

is found in eighty per cent of the park. West of Okaukuejo a

large stand of African moringa, Moringa ovalifolia, referred

to as Sprokieswoud, Fairy or Phantom Forest, is the only lo-

cation in Namibia where this interesting tree grows in a flat

area.

A total of 114 species of mammals are found in the park,

including the rare and endangered black rhino, cheetah

and black-faced impala. Large mammals include giraffe,

elephant, blue wildebeest, mountain and plains zebra, hy-

aena, leopard and lion. The diminutive Damara dik-dik is the

smallest antelope species and the largest is the stately eland,

with kudu and gemsbok in between. Smaller mammals are

bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal, warthog, honey badger

and the endearing ground squirrel. A large number of birds

occur in Etosha – about 340 – from ostrich, kori bustard and

flamingos to vultures, owls, nightjars, bee-eaters and several

species of waders.

In the dry season the best places to see the game is at the

thirty odd waterholes, which provide outstanding game-

viewing and photographic opportunities. During the rainy

season when there is plenty of groundwater the animals are

distributed throughout the park. The best policy is to enquire

from camp staff, before setting out, what the current game

movements are.

Etosha can be entered through three points: the Andersson

Gate in the central southern section, the Von Lindequist

Gate in the east, and the King Nehale Gate from the north-

central Owambo regions. The park has three well-laid out

and equipped tourism resorts: Okaukuejo in the centre of the

park, Namutoni in the east and Halali halfway between the

two, all three with luxury bungalows, well-equipped camping

areas, information centres, restaurants, shops and museums.

www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

77NORTHERN ACCOMMODATION

OTJIKOTO AND GUINAS LAKES

Otjikoto and Guinas LakesSurrounded by legend and folklore are Namibia’s two

‘bottomless’ lakes – Otjikoto, distinguished by it emer-

ald-green waters, and Guinas, by its mystical inky-blue

depths. Both lakes lie north-west of Tsumeb – Otjikoto 24

kilometres along the road and Guinas on a farm 32 kilo-

metres further west. Lake Guinas is therefore less acces-

sible, and can be viewed only after obtaining the farmer’s

permission.

Lake Otjikoto was discovered by the two explorers Gal-

ton and Andersson in 1851. At the time they measured

its depth as 55 metres, an assessment that was proved ac-

curate by subsequent plumbings (the depth varying from

33–90 metres). At 100 metres, Guinas is somewhat deep-

er. However, the legend that Otjikoto was bottomless per-

sisted. It was possibly this notion that led to the dumping

of a considerable supply of artillery and ammunition into

its murky depths by retreating Schutztruppe, rather than

let the armaments fall into the hands of the South African

troops. Many years later, in co-operation with the Wind-

hoek State Museum, divers salvaged some of the equip-

ment, among others an ammunition wagon still in perfect

condition, which can be viewed in the Alte Feste Museum

in Windhoek, and canons and other armaments that were

restored and are now displayed in the Tsumeb Museum.

One of the many legends that surround Lake Otjikoto is

that the body of Johannes Cook, a postmaster of Tsumeb

who drowned there in 1927, was never found because the

lake was bottomless. In fact, because Otjikoto is shaped

rather like an upside-down mushroom, it is thought that

his body was caught under one of the overhangs.

Both these lakes lie in the Otavi mountain-land, which con-

sists of a thick succession of well-stratified dolomite and

limestone about 700 million years old. Being carbonates of

calcium and magnesium, these rocks are soluble in water,

especially if they contain some carbon dioxide. The rocks

are criss-crossed by a system of solution channels that have

generally developed on joints, fracture zones or bedding

planes, which become partially filled with groundwater.

Now and then big cavities are exposed by weathering, or

the roof caves in when it becomes very thin, as in the case

of Otjikoto and Guinas. These solution channels lead away

from them, although the two lakes need not necessarily

be directly connected. The lakes are fed by water seeping

through porous rock from southern Owambo.



Founded in 1990 by Dr. Laurie Marker, Cheetah Conservation Fund is located at the base

of the Waterberg Plateau Park on a large private nature reserve east of Otjiwarongo,

the Cheetah Capital of the world. Namibia is home to the largest concentration of free-

ranging cheetah, which is approximately 30% of the world’s population. Dr. Marker is

the Founder and Executive Director of CCF, a conservation biologist, research and

author who is recognised as one of the world’s leading cheetah experts. Laurie’s tire-

less work to unite a nation, a continent and the world in an effort to save the cheetah

is impressive. She has received almost every major international award given in her

field and in 2000, was named one of Time Magazine’s Heroes for the Planet.

While CCF is home to resident non-releasable cheetah, it is not a sanctuary, but

rather a world-class research and education centre that is open to the public,

maintaining a specialised veterinary clinic, visitor centre, museum and model farm

that sets the standard for cheetah management and conservation worldwide.

CCF works actively to develop integrated programmes that enable the cheetah

to live in harmony with people on the land. Since 90% of wild cheetahs live on or

near livestock farms, CCF’s Namibian focus is to work with farming communities to

reduce conflict; establish sustainable,integrated livestock and wildlife manage-

ment systems; and ensure the future of the cheetah.

HUMAN/WILDLIFE CONFLICT RESOLUTIONThrough its groundbreaking Future Farmers of Africa Programme, CCF teaches

farmers predator-friendly livestock management techniques to encourage

acceptance of cheetahs as part of the ecosystem. The use of dogs to guard

livestock is one of the most popular and successful methods. CCF’s Livestock

Guarding Dog Programme uses two rare dog breeds from Turkey, the Anatolian

shepherd and Kangal, which have been used for 6,000 years to protect sheep

from wolves. The dogs do not herd the flock but place themselves between

livestock and approaching predators. If the dog’s loud bark does not scare the

predator away, the dog will attack. To date, CCF has placed hundreds of dogs

on Namibian livestock farms, and those farms report an 80% decrease in livestock

losses attributable to predation.

EDUCATIONCCF’s main focus is to change people’s attitudes about cheetahs and preda-

tors in general by teaching young people about the importance of biodiversity.

The education centre hosts thousands of students each year and education offi-

cers conduct assemblies at schools throughout Namibia. CCF’s educational efforts

have produced a new generation that is proud of its wildlife -- including predators

-- and will help fight to save them.

HABITAT RESTORATION

Cheetah territory, which covers thousands of square miles, has been chopped up

and fenced for livestock and wild game farms. CCF encourages conservancies –

groups of farmers who manage their livestock as a whole instead of separately – to

remove their fences. CCF also harvests encroaching thorn bush that has taken over

and destroyed the cheetah’s native grasslands and uses it to make a fuel log known as

“Bushblok”. This innovative, award-winning project not only restores habitat for cheetahs

and farmers, but also provides jobs for workers and clean-burning home heating and

cooking fuel for Namibians.


CCF WELCOMES VISITORSCheetah Conservation Fund is open to the public and welcomes visitors 364 days a

year (closed on December 25). Visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

CCF is located on the D2440, which goes off the B1 from Otjiwarongo towards Otavi.

It is an ideal stop-over on the way to the North.

ACTIVITIESVisitors can tour CCF’s Education Centre and learn about the cheetah’s history at

the Cheetah Museum. The tour also includes the opportunity to observe resident

cheetahs dine (Monday-Friday at 2 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday at 12 noon).

Or, visitors can take a three-hour safari drive through CCF’s Bellebenno Game

Camp (pre-booking required), or a drive through the Elandsvreugde cheetah pen

closer to CCF’s Visitor Centre (one hour, no advance notice required).

Visitors can also learn more about cheetahs and CCF by pre-booking these special

experiences:

• Cheetan Run - Witness cheetahs live up to their reputation for speed as the

world’s fastest land mammal. CCF’s resident cheetahs are exercised daily by staff,

providing a wonderful opportunity for photography and video recording.

• Little Serengeti - View scores of birds and game animals at the base of the Wa-

terberg Plateau, an area referred to as CCF’s “Little Serengeti.” This is one of the

largest open areas in north-central Namibia and the ideal place to enjoy a sund-

owner while learning mroe about the cheetah’s natural environment.

• Cheetah Exclusive - Spend an entire day on a private, guided tour with one of

CCF’’s senior staff members and learn about CCF’s research, education and con-

servation programmes in the field. This tour includes a selection of any of the other

activities offered and promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

GUEST ACCOMMODATIONVisitors may choose to extend their stay by spending the night at CCF’s three-bed-

room luxury guest house. Babson House is a private, elegant cottage reminiscent of

the “Out of Africa” era. It can host six guests and includes two double bedrooms, a

combined dining and living room, and a wide veranda with a view overlooking the

breathtaking Waterberg Plateau.

Wake and enjoy the delicious taste of goat’s cheese produced at The Dancing Goat

Creamery, CCF’s onsite creamery that produces a soft, spreadable Chèvre and a ro-

bust, solid Feta cheese that is available all year-round and sold at CCF’s café and

selected supermarket outlets in Namibia.

For more information or to book any of the activities offered at CCF, please contact:

[email protected] or phone +264 (0)61 237 294

CCF contact details: Phone: +264 (0)67 306 225 | Email: [email protected] | Web: www.cheetah.org

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Sharing the eastern border of Namibia’s Etosha National Park, the 34 000 hectare Onguma Game Reserve combines night drives, bush walks and Rhino research drives to create a diverse wilderness experience.

Onguma – The Fort - iconic drama The drama of The Fort is matched by its dramatic surroundings and blends Namibian and Moroccan elements into a truly memorable 13 suite lodge.

Onguma Etosha Aoba - wine and dine under the stars Newly renovated, Etosha Aoba offers charming, rustic bush style accommodation for nature-lovers. With only 11 rooms and attentive service, guests will not want to leave the Aoba hospitality.

Tel: +264 61 237055 •Fax: +264 61 235677 [email protected] •www.onguma.com

Onguma The Fort

Onguma The Fort

Onguma Etosha Aoba

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Etosha National Park and Surrounds


Onguma Tented Camp - the ultimate in safari chic Onguma Tented Camp is a beguiling mixture of sophistication and relaxation, of elegance and the earth. The seven spacious tents extend the U-shaped design, allowing for both privacy and fantastic views.

Onguma Tree Top Camp - up among the tree tops Onguma Tree Top Camp is small and intimate, especially designed for those travellers who would like to truly experience the bush in all its raw splendour. It is ideal for small groups or families traveling together and the 4 rooms can be booked out as a whole camp – with private chef, host and guide. What better way to experience the wilderness?

Onguma Bush Camp – family delight Onguma Bush Camp offers guests a stunning new waterhole around which the main guest areas are positioned – ensuring there is something to see with every meal.

Tel: +264 61 237055 •Fax: +264 61 235677 [email protected] •www.onguma.com

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Etosha National Park and Surrounds


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Ongwediva


Ongwediva


Situated at the gateway to Western Etosha, Damaraland & Kaokoveld, this award winning lodge on the slope of Fossil Mountain of-fers 14 comfortable en-suite double rooms with stunning views overlooking some 3000 hectares of Savanna. Just relax at the pool in a lush garden, do some birding or go in search of the fossils. After an exciting day, enjoy a sundowner around an open fire followed by a scrumptious meal, whereafter you can go on a nightdrive to find the ‘shy’ five. Camping site (full ablution facilities). Dinners can be booked. You can also visit our Katenda Himba Village and enjoy an informative 1 hour guided tour. Get to know the life of this beautiful traditional tribe. We will explain their beliefs around the holy fire, ancestors, herbal medicine and much more.

Tel: +264 (0)67 687 095 • Email: [email protected] - www.tokolodgesafaris.comBookings: Eden Travel Agency - Tel: +264 (0)61 234 342 • Email: [email protected]

Directions: 27 km north-west of Kamanjab on the C35 then left onto the D2763 and left again onto the D2695.

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Kamanjab

Cheetah


Your halfway stop over between Windhoek and Caprivi or the eastern Etosha and the Caprivi! Wildacker is situated in the unique Caprivi woodland vegetation zone of the northern Kalahari. 15 000ha private game reserve - rich in a variety of endemic Namibian wildlife. Guided game walks, nature drives through the Mangetti Dune landscape and thornbush savannah. The birding here will surprise you! Accommodation in thatched, en suite bungalows, with a private setting and view into the African savannah, a lush green garden and pool to relax after adventurous days and home cooked meals. Come and enjoy this part of Africa with us.

Directions: Halfway between Rundu and Grootfontein. Drive 110kmfrom Grootfontein on the B8, turn east on gravel road D3016 andcontinue for 23km and follow the signs for 7km.

Tel: +264 (0)67 687 292 • Fax: 088644485 •P.O. Box 541, Grootfontein, NamibiaEmail: [email protected] •Web: www.wildacker-namibia.com

More than just a camp... Roy’s welcomes you into a realm fantasy of mobiles and decor where one can fulfill a real African Dream. Settle down in one of our rustic bungalows or peaceful camping sites. In the atmospheric dining room we serve excellent farm style “Boerekos”. Real Namibian hospitality will enfold each guest arriving at Roy’s. Furthermore enjoy an unforgettable experience with the San people in a community nearby. Other activities include bird and game viewing and walking trails. Also available is a “Bush internet-café”.

Tel: +264 (0)67 240302 • Fax: +264 (0)67 240264P.O. Box 755 • Grootfontein • Namibia • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.roysrestcamp.com

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Grootfontein Surrounds

Grootfontein Surrounds

Hornbill


Cell: +264 (81) 127 4103 • 2nd Cell: +264 (81) 200 3049 Email Fax: 088614602 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.aloegrove.com

Aloegrove offers true Namibian Hospitality and unparalleled service. Enjoy our superb cuisine in our excellent dining facilities with open fireplace, or lounge and enjoy a fireside chat by die outdoor braai. We offer 6 en-suite bungalows, each with its own balcony. We have a 360 view over our vast savanna and the Waterberg Plateau. Watch a spectacular Sunset or Sunrise and during the heat of the day - relax by the sparkling pool. Our activities include: lion, leopard and cheetah feeding, game drives and viewing, bird watching and hiking trails. We offer Dinner, Bed and Breakfast and Self Catering!

Tel: +264 (067) 313 897 • Fax: +264 (0) 886 615 627 • Cell: 081 245 8803 P.O. Box 120, Outjo, Namibia • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.bambatsi.com

Endless horizons, peace and tranquility. You will be welcomed with our traditional “southwest” friendliness. We have a won-derful climate throughout the year and will inspire you to take walks through the surrounding mountains or the mopane forest, where you can watch our indigenous game and birds. You can enjoy a relaxing sun downer on the patio of your bungalow, the pool or our bar, while being dazzled by our spectacular and typical Namibian sunsets. Our comfortable bungalows are fitted with a double bed and some contain one or two single beds, electrical fittings, a shower and WC.

Directions: 400 km north of Windhoek, 2 hours away from the Etosha National Park

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Otjiwarongo Surrounds

Outjo

Wild Dogs


This owner managed Lodge offers affordable accommodation, camping and conference facilities for all, including inde-

pendent travelers in the Etosha Region of Namibia. Namibian hospitality, bed and breakfast accommodation and restau-

rant for your leisure. Etotongwe Lodge consist of numerous separated rooms scattered like little houses throughout the 2

ha property. All buildings resemble German colonial architecture within an indigenous garden fused with garden plants,

stone and African art. The abandons of local birds together with the orphaned wild animals in our 50ha game sanctuary,

offers a unique close encounter.

Next to the C38 Northwest from Outjo. GPS Coordinates: S20º06’18.4” E016º08’35.7”

Tel: +264 (0) 67 313333 • Fax: +264 (0)88 619 441 • P.O.Box 312 • Outjo • NamibiaE-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.etotongwelodge.com

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Outjo


Tel/Fax: (067) 313863 • Cell: +264 (0)81 340 2363 P.O. Box 20 • Outjo • [email protected] • www.natron.net/matunda

This small, personal guestfarm lies 45 min drive from Etosha on the junction Okaukuejo/Kamanjab road. It’s green oasis with citrus plantation, organic vegetable garden and a charming farm house. We offer delicious home made food. Enjoy some relaxation at our pool. We are an environmentally friendly guestfarm, making use of solar power and energy.Location: 11kilometres out of Outjo on the junction of Okaukuejo and Kamanjab road (C38 and C40).

GPS: S20º 04’9189 E16º 08’ 9322

Tel: +264 (0)67 313181 • Fax: +264 (0)67 313 478 • P.O.Box 326 • Outjo • Namibia Bookings: [email protected] • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.ombindalodge.com

Ombinda Country Lodge offers 16 thatched twin bungalows, 5 thatched twin built rooms next to each other and 4 twin thatched built rooms for accommodation. All of the bungalows and rooms have en–suite facilities. Enjoy our excellent cuisine such as buffets, or an a la carte menu in the thatched Lapa. Special Barbecues and Lunches can be organized for groups on request. We also offer camping facilities on grass equipped with electrical power points. These sites include ablu-tion blocks.

1 km outside of Outjo

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Outjo Surrounds

Outjo Surrounds

Springbok


24 Thatched rooms stand nestled on a hillside to form an atmosphere of relaxation and tranquility. The spacious and comfort-able bungalows, each with en-suite bathroom and a private verandah, allow you to spread out and feel at home. For family holidays, 5 of the 24 rooms have loft accommodation for two children. We offer two swimming pools, a jacuzzi, various decks and lapas all off course with a spectacular view of the surrounding area and Ugab Terraces. Activities offered are spec-tacular sun downer trips, nature walks and mountain biking. Don’t miss sundowner or dinner at the Eagles Nest Restaurant high on the plateau behind the lodge!

Windhoek: Tel: +264 (0)61 255344 • Lodge: Tel: +264 0(67) 290 319 • Fax: +264 0(67) 290 318P.O.Box 1150 • Windhoek • Namibia • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.vingerklip.com.na

Directions: From Outjo, take the road C39 towards Khorixas until you reach the turnoff D 2749 left to Vingerklip Lodge.

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Outjo Surrounds

This beautiful and stylish lodge has a total of 11 en-suite double rooms: • Two luxury family units • Two units consisting of two standard rooms each with a shared living room in between • Three luxury rooms with an excellent view on our waterhole of which two has an extra room • Two standard rooms situated close to the restaurant. • Okutala Etosha Lodge offers a warm welcome, a relaxing atmosphere, a cool refreshing pool, a spectacular view on our large waterhole that can be viewed from the Lapa Deck, a restaurant with a bar as well as a bar at the Lapa, a Kiosk that sells Okutala merchandise, a laundry service and Internet at the Restaurant and Lapa areas. Big Cat feeding Tours. Elephant Experience and Educational. Guided Tours to Etosha. Many more surprises awaits you at Okutala !!!!

Tel/Bookings: +264 61 234 728 • Cell: +264 81 126 4324 • 8 Sinclairstreet, Windhoek, [email protected] • www.okutala.com

Directions: About 25km from (Etosha) the Anderson’s gate turn off on D2695. After 6km on the D2695, turn left at the Okutala Etosha entrance gate.

B1 - 25 km before Etosha Gate104

Etosha National Park & Surrounds


The hotel has a warm and friendly atmosphere. It is situated in the centre of town, walking distance to travel agencies, financial institutions and the museum. An Ideal place for travelers on their way to Otjikoto, which is 20km away and the Etosha National Park, 100km away. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning, satellite television, direct dial telephone and coffee/tea facilities. Secure parking on premises with 24 hour security. Other facilities include a la carte restaurant and bar, gambling house, swimming pool and beer garden. Two separate conference rooms available with modern facilities.

Tel: +264 (0)67 221051 • Fax: +264 (0)67 221575 • P.O. Box 24, Ndilimani Cultural Troupe Street, Tsumeb Email: [email protected] •Web: www.makalanihotel.com

Directions: Enter on B1 from Whk into Hage Geingob Drive, into Sam Nujoma Drive, turn left at Ndilimani street.

Tel: +264 (0)67 221 071 • Fax: +264 (0)67 221 750P.O. Box: 244 • Tsumeb • Namibia • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.minen-hotel.com

The Minen Hotel, a well situated garden hotel in the heart of Tsumeb. We are famous around the country and even further afield for our natural atmosphere, our wild garden, traditional German cuisine and excellent hospitality. Our 100 year-old oasis in the north of Namibia is the perfect stop-over for travellers to Namibia’s famous Etosha National Park and the Caprivi, or simply just for a few quiet days away from home. All our rooms are comfortably furnished with en suite bathrooms, TV, telephone and air-conditioning and we also boast luxury suites. Our facilities include a conference centre, a ladies’ bar, a separate pub, our pleasant lush beer garden or enjoy a refreshing swimming pool. Don’t be surprised when you are welcomed with a smile and personal attention. We strive to make your stay a pleasant one.

Directions: In centre of town, follow the road signs.

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Tsumeb

Tsumeb


Affordable: 6 P Dorm @ 120N$ p.P., Camping 90N$ p.P. Beautiful garden with birds and lustrous lawn for camping and playing. Kids welcome. Self-catering possible, fully equipped kitchen, braai facility, hot water, laundry service available. Central situated, Bicycles to rent, walking distance from museum, banks and shopping center, en route to Etosha Na- tional Park only 120km.

Tel: +264 (0)67 221 777 • Cell: +254 678 512 81628 • Cnr of Pendukeni Iivula-Itana street & Joel Kapenda street P.O. Box 1712 • Tsumeb • Namibia • [email protected]

GPS Coordinates: S19º 14.793’ E017º 43.051’

Tel: +264 (0)67 220 631 •Fax: +264 (0)67 220 520 • P.O. Box 871 •Tsumeb •NamibiaEmail: [email protected]

Guesthouse O.M.E.G Allee is a friendly and neat establishment with 9 rooms (in the process of building 8 more rooms), all equipped with en-suite bathroom, DSTV, air-conditioning, fridge, kettle, small built-in safe and secure parking. We offer a full English breakfast and braai (BBQ) facilities. We are situated in Dr Sam Nuyoma Drive and are in walking distance from the town centre. For golfers and squash players there’s a possibility to use the local facilities in town. We are a 3x bronze and 1x silver award winner. It is approximately 75mins drive to Etosha. Visit our famous and well known beyond our borders Tsumeb Museum.

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Tsumeb

Tsumeb


Travel North Guesthouse offers comfortable single, double and family rooms. All rooms have dstv, air-cons, coffee/tea mak-ing facilities, mini fridge, shower/toilet and laundry services, WIFI available. We also have available on the premises a Coffee shop, Hair Salon, Europcar Agency, Travel North Shuttle Services, which makes Travel North a convenient Travellers stop. Child friendly environment with well trained staff that will make your stay a pleasant one.

Tel: +264 67 220728 • Fax: +264 67 220916 • Cell: +26481 299 4214

P.O. Box 505 Tsumeb, Namibia • E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.travelnorthguesthouse.com

Directions: Dr Sam Nujoma Drive (Opposite Telecom)GPS Coordinates: S19.14.866 E17.42.873

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Tsumeb

The majestic Waterberg - viewed from Waterberg Guest Farm


Tel: +264 (0)67 306633 • Fax: +264 (0)67 302396 • Cell: +264 (0)81 249 7927 • P/Bag 2101, Otjiwarongo, Namibia S20º36’433 • E17º20’780 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.hamakari.com

With its origins embedded in the history of Namibia, Hamakari is a place of paradise at the Waterberg. Not only because of its exquisitely run guest house but also because of its variety of species of African Wildlife coupled with sound ecologi-cal farming operations. We have 6 comfortable rooms, an extensive library and a large swimming pool. Our activities include game drives, sun downer drives, birdwatching and hiking. Hamakari offers you a unique holiday adventure and an atmosphere that revives the original feeling of Africa.

At the foot of the majestic Waterberg Plateau lies “Waterberg Guest Farm”, a 42 000 ha paradise of natural African savannah. The ranch is habitat for a great variety of animals and birds, which makes it a wonderland for flora and fauna lovers. Accom-modation is comfortable with 4 rooms and 4 bush bungalows, all with en suite facilities, while the kitchen offers traditional South African-Namibian cuisine. Relax in our “lapa”, enjoy the exceptional view of the Waterberg, embark on game drives (Cheetah Conservation Fund, “Little Serengeti”), set off for nature hikes.

Situated close to the tarred road C22, 30 km after the turn-off from road B1.

Tel: +264 (0)61 237 294 • Fax: +264 (0)61 237 295 • After hours: +264 (0)81 681 3072P/Bag 2208 • Otjiwarongo • Namibia • E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.waterbergnamibia.com

We offer camping, bungalows with en-suit bathrooms surrounded with magical views, as well as bush chalets providing the real African bush feeling: Delicious buffet breakfasts and a set dinner menu. Guests are requested to book meals and activities/ treat-ments prior to arrival; wildlife and bird watching at the waterhole, hiking trails onto the mountain or natural lake, a sparking pool, game drives and a wellness salon. Centrally situated on a hill top with magnificent views and sunsets. A great rejuvenating holiday getaway that is accessible easily from Windhoek and is near to Otjiwarongo/ Etosha/ Waterberg and Cheetah viewing facilities.

Tel/ Fax: +264 67 304885 • P.O. Box 1091 • Otjiwarongo, NamibiaE-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.weaversrock.com

From the B1 turnoff onto the C22 (Okakarara)5km on your right, 25 Minutes from Otjiwarongo

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Waterberg and Surrounds



94 NORTH-EASTERN ACCOMMODATION www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Harry the Hippo

95NORTH-EASTERN ACCOMMODATIONwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com NNor

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NORTH-EASTERN INTRO

The north-eastern region of Na-mibia stretches from the Kavango region right through to the end of the Caprivi (Zambezi) strip. This region is typically African, with scattered rural settlements, lush tropical veg-etation, expansive floodplains and an abundance of birds and game.

Near Tsumkwe, the Nyae-Nyae area represents the homeland of the Bushman/San people. This area was formerly known as Eastern Bushmanland and is a little off-the-beaten track, thus a 4x4 vehicle is advisable.

Similarly, the Khaudum National Park, which lies further north of Tsumkwe, is also only accessible by four-wheel drive. The Baobab tree is a distinctive species found in this area, recognizable by the enormous diameter of its trunk.

The main town of the Kavango re-gion is Rundu which is situated on

the banks of the Okavango River. This region is particularly known for its woodcarvers. This ancient craft has been handed down over generations and is a flourishing industry.

When heading further eastwards, the Caprivi Game Park extends into the Mudumu and Mamili Na-tional Parks. Herds of elephant are particularly abundant in this area and are best observed around the Chobe and Kwando rivers when they come down for their drink be-fore sundown. Katima Mulilo is the main town of the Caprivi region and is considered the gateway to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe/Zam-bia and the Chobe National Park in Botswana.

North-East is well known for its fishing (especially the sought-after Tiger Fish), game viewing and bird watching (over 400 bird species are found in this area).


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97NORTH-EASTERN ACCOMMODATIONwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com

KAVANGO Rundu46 Kaisosi River Lodge - KOAR 9947 Omashare Hotel - KOAR 9948 Tambuti Lodge - KOAR 100

Rundu Surrounds49 Shamvura Camp - KOAR 10150 Taranga Safari Lodge 102

Divundu Surrounds51 Mahangu Safari Lodge - KOAR 10352 Ngepi Camp - KOAR 10453 Nunda River Lodge - KOAR 104

CAPRIVI (Zambezi) Kongola Surrounds54 Camp Kwando 10655 Mazambala Island Lodge 106

Katima Mulilo surrounds 56 Camp Chobe 10757 Ichingo Chobe River Lodge 10757 Ichobezi Safari Boat 107

( KOAR = Kavango Open Africa Route)

NORTH-EASTERN REGION LISTINGHutno.

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Named after the people who re-

side there, Namibia’s Kavango

region is home to incredible

wildlife, natural beauty and an

abundance of fresh water from the

Okavango River.

The Kavango region is also a pop-

ular destination for fly-fishermen

due to the abundance of fish,

particularly Tiger fish, Bream and

African pike. More than 150 spe-

cies of fish have been recorded so

far in the Kavango River and even

if you don’t hook ‘the big one’,

the river itself is enchanting and

competes with all the other great

African rivers. Locals travel up

and down the river on ‘makoros’,

typical dugout canoes used in the

Kavango region that are made

from hollowed out tree trunks.

Birders will be in their element

as the Kavango region is home

to more than 400 species of bird,

such as the rarely-sighted Souza’s

Shrike, Grey-headed Parrot and

Sharp-tailed Starling amongst

many more other species like Af-

rican Skimmer and Carmine Bea-

eater. There are plenty of well-

maintained lodges along the river

with hides erected specifically for

bird-lovers to view these exquisite

animals around waterholes.

Intrepid 4x4 enthusiasts can head

south to the wild and unspoilt

Khaudum Game Park for an ex-

perience they won’t soon forget.

The road to the park from from

Katare, in the north, is extremely

difficult and only experienced

4x4 travellers should attempt this.

Home to some of Namibia’s most

magnificent wildlife, the park is

known for its predators including

lion, cheetah, hyena and the elu-

sive wild dog. The remoteness of

the park means it’s hard to reach

without a 4x4 and as there are no

luxury camps within the park’s

confines, brave visitors will sleep

in unsecured camps next to their

wild African neighbours.

For the less adventurous, Mahango

Game Reserve, on the border of

Botswana is one of Namibia’s

undiscovered gems. This pocket

sized park provides fantastic op-

portunities for game viewing and

it is not uncommon to see over

10 different species in less than

an hour. The reserve is home to a

variety of wildlife including Roan,

Sable and Sitatunga.KKAVANGO INTRO


Tel: +264 (0)66 267 125 • Emergency no: +264 81 249 5090Email: [email protected] • Web: www.kaisosiriverlodge.com

Kaisosi River Lodge is situated 7 km’s East of Rundu, in the North East of Namibia on the banks of the perennial Okavango River. We offer you complete relaxation and a true African experience. This peaceful oasis, which can be reached in a normal sedan vehicle, is an ideal place for nature lovers and bird watchers. Spectacular sunsets, friendly people, comfortable accommodation and fine cuisine make the Kaisosi River Lodge a must for all travellers. Great spots for fishing and birds watching are available along the river. Magnificent river cruises on the river border between Namibia and Angola can be arranged.

Directions: 7km east of Rundu on the banks of the Okavango RiverGPS Coordinates: S17°52’28.74” E19°49’57.63”

Tel: +264 (0)66 266 600 • Fax: +264 (0)66 256 111 •P.O. Box 617 • Rundu • [email protected] • [email protected] • www.omasharehotel.com

Omashare Hotel offers a spacious, comfortable lounge area for you to relax in while you plan the rest of your exciting journey, or relax on the veranda which overlooks the azure waters of the Kavango river and the neighboring village of Calais. There are 20 en-suite rooms, each capable of double occupancy and equipped with a small veranda opening onto lush gardens and sparkling pool with a perfect sun rise view from our eastern side. Enjoy a sunset cruise or guided fishing trip on the Kavango River, revealing the region’s natural beauty. Alternatively, relax with a drink at Back Stage, where you can enjoy a game of pool or do some gambling. Our fine restaurant will suit every mood, taste and schedule. Enjoy a light breakfast, satisfy midday hunger, and dinner is simply heavenly.

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Rundu

Rundu


Tambuti is a small Lodge beautifully perched above the Kavango River overlooking the floodplain. We are one of the rare lodges looking at the river without getting wet feet, thus we are also open during the flood season. Conveniently located on the small road leading down to the river from the center of Rundu town (400m). Bungalows include, telephone, TV and sat-ellite channels, wireless internet hotspot, fridge, en-suite showers, double queensize beds, mosquito net and mosquito tight screens at windows. We are trying to have the smallest carbon foot print as possible and have installed solar water heating and solar electricity powered lights. We have a Small restaurant specializing in local traditional “African cuisine” and drinks sourcing local ingredients. This gives the lodge guests the opportunity to explore local flavors, add value to local products, and support the local communities providing the ingredients while considerably reducing the food miles.

Tel. +264 (0) 66-255 711 • Fax. +264 (0) 66-255 131 • Cell. +264 081 483 4113P.O. Box 1826 • Rundu • Namibia • [email protected] • www.tambuti.com.na

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Rundu


The unique location of Shamvura Camp offers a spectacular view of the Angolan floodplains created by the Okavango and Cuito river confluence. Shamvura Camp is accessible by sedan cars all year round. The activities include fishing or birding boat trips, birding or community basket craft-making excursions and Game Park visits. With over 430 bird species and over 90 fish species it is a birder and anglers paradise. Privately placed accommodation units nestled discretely in the forested areas include a comfortable well-equipped tree-top Cottage, large Cabin Tents and campsites. All units have braai areas with firewood provided, hot/cold ablution/bathroom facilities, electricity and solar lighting and full/partial kitchens, Meals provided by prior arrangement. The main complex offers a privatized bar/lounge/DStv/ with internet, a viewing deck and swimming pool. We strive to offer friendly personalized service.

Tel :+264 66 264 007 •Fax : +264 66 258 297 •Cell: Charlie: +264 81 241 7473Mark: +264 81 314 2713 •P.O. Box 183 •Rundu •Namibia •E-mail : [email protected]

Web: www.shamvura.com •Facebook: Shamvura Camp Namibia

Midway between Rundu andDivundu. We are well signpostedoff the B8 main tar road from Rundu to Katima

49

Rundu Surrounds


Tel: +264 (0)66 257 236 • Fax: +264 (0)88 633 554 • Halali Village, 35km West of Rundu on the Okavango RiverEmail: [email protected] • Web: www.taranganamibia.com

Taranga Safari Lodge is one of a very few luxury bush camp lodges in the Rundu-Kavango region. Everything at the lodge focuses on relaxation and enjoying the African wilderness at your own pace. The large wooden decks offer a private and idyllic location for those wishing to unwind. You’ll find a swimming pool at the main deck to keep everyone cool or allow you to just relax and enjoy the African sun. We have 8 camping sites equipped with power, ablution blocks and hot water. There are daily guided river safaris taking you out for an adventure; an early sunrise cruise through the rising early morning river mist or a late afternoon sundowner or fly fishing. You may plan to go on a bushwalk, traditional village tour or celebrate the end of a lazy day by spending time at night around the fire pit stargazing.

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Rudu Surrounds

Impalila Island


Tel: ++264 (0)66 259 037 • Fax: ++264 (0)66 259 115P.O. Box 5200 • Divundu • Okavango • [email protected] • www.mahangu.com.na

Direct Reservation: +264 (0)66 259 037 Fax: +264 (0)66 259 115Agent: +264 (0)61 234 342 Fax: +264 (0)61 233 872

Mahangu Lodge is located on the Kavango River. We offer bungalows, family units and standard safari tents, units are air-conditioned. Beautiful campsite fitted with power points next to the river. Activities include boat cruises, fishing trips and birdwatching. Game drives offered into Mahango and Babwata Park. The Lodge has a huge wooden deck, overlooking the river, where we normally serve our meals and we offer a very cold Draught Beer (vom Fass ). We also over a floating pool in the river as well as a sparkling swimming pool. A highlight at Mahangu is our early morning breakfast cruises that are not to be missed !

Airstrip at Bagani S18°07’23” / E21°37’07” & Shakakwe S18°22’24” / E021°48’18”Mohembo Border Road - D3403

51

Divundu Surrounds

Jacana


Now run entirely with solar power, environmentally committed Ngepi Camp offers amazing en-suite tree houses built on the river, grassed private campsites with all facilities, funky ablutions, a unique “floating” swimming pool, mokoro trips, a Namibian delta experience, sunset & sunrise boat cruises, day/overnight Dragon River Rafting, fishing, guided bird/village walks, game drives, lawn & shade. Meet fellow explorers in the Bush Bar, share stories, enjoy excellent music, cold beer & tasty meals. Come and get a life.

Tel: +264 66 259 903 • Fax: +264 66 259 906 • P.O. Box 5140, Divundu, Namibia

E-mail : [email protected] • Web : www.ngepicamp.com

Tel: +264 (0)66 259093 • Fax: +264 (0)66 259094 • Cell: +264 (0)81 310 1730P.O.Box 5271 • Divindu • Namibia • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.nundaonline.com

Nunda Safari lodge is situated on the banks of the Okavango River. All luxury units has its own private deck overlooking the river from where the abundant bird life, exquisite African sunsets and resident hippo population can be taken in at leisure. The main complex has a lounge, restaurant, bar and the largest swimming pool in the area. Nine grassed, shaded and electri-fied campsites with beautiful ablutions are aso available. Nunda Safaris also offers guided game drives and adventure fishing expeditions on the Okavango River.

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Divundu Surrounds

Divundu Surrounds

Young Impala

105NORTH-EASTERN ACCOMMODATION

CAPRIVI (ZAMBEZI) REGION

A Tropical Riverine Paradise With its scattered huts and sprawling rural population, the

Caprivi is closer to the idea most people have of Africa

than any other part of Namibia. It consists of a complex

network of perennial rivers, riverine forests and fertile

floodplains, an unusually flat area where no piece of land

is more than 47 metres higher than the rest. The region

is populated by over 80 000 people, most of whom are

subsistence farmers making their living on the banks of the

Zambezi, Kwando, Linyanti and Chobe rivers. In addition

to fishing and hunting, they keep cattle and cultivate the

land. When the Chobe and Zambezi rivers come down in

flood, over half the land can become inundated with wa-

ter. At this time of the year the Caprivians use their mekoro

(dug-out canoes) to traverse the routes usually utilised by

cars, trucks and pedestrians.

Seen on the map, the Caprivi appears to be a strange ap-

pendage rather than part of the country, extending east-

wards as a panhandle into Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe

and Botswana. It is a classic example of how colonial

powers shaped the boundaries of modern Africa. At the

Berlin Conference in 1890, Germany acquired the strip of

land to add to the then German South West Africa, nam-

ing it after the German Chancellor General Count Georg

Leo von Caprivi.

The regional centre is Katima Mulilo, which has become

a busy tourist hub, as it is the gateway to the Victoria Falls

in Zimbabwe and the Chobe National Park in Botswana.

The proximity of Caprivi to countries with active art and

craft industries has had a positive influence on Caprivian

artists and craftspeople, known for the sculptural beauty

and symmetry of their pots and baskets.

Caprivi is home to over 400 birds species, making it a

sought-after destination for birders and bird photogra-

phers. Game abounds here, with buffalo, roan and sable

antelope and large herds of elephant and red lechwe

criss-crossing the floodplains. The riverine vegetation in

the backwaters hosts rare species such as reedbuck and

sitatunga, as well as hippos and crocodiles.

The top tourism activities in the region are game view-

ing by boat, 4x4 vehicle or on foot; white-river rafting on

the turbulent waters of the Zambezi; peaceful sunset river

cruises on pontoons; bird-watching by boat, vehicle or on

foot; and fishing, the top challenge being the sought-after

tiger fish. At the Lizauli Traditional Village a programme

of traditional music and dance, complete with witchdoc-

tor, gives visitors an insight into Caprivian culture. A wide

variety of accommodation options ranging from luxury

lodges on riverbanks and islands to basic camping sites,

makes the Caprivi a destination that suits many different

pockets.



Camp Kwando is situated on the Kwando river, eastern Caprivi in the far north east of Namibia. The lodge is halfway between the two major gems of Southern Africa, the Okavango Delta and the Victoria Falls, making it an ideal stopover to unwind during your journey. Both the tented chalets and the luxury chalets have breathtaking views over the river and Botswana, with the chance of seeing hippos and crocodiles. The campsites are situated under shady trees on well-maintained lawns with a well-equipped ablution block and hot water. Relax with a sundowner on our wooden deck or take part in any of our activities which include island nature walks, kids entertainments, boat cruises, fishing trips, game drives into Mudumu National park and a visit to a traditional village.

Tel: +264 (0)66 686021 • Fax: +264 (0)66 686023 • P.O. Box 8016, Kongola, Namibia Bookings : [email protected] - General enquiries : [email protected] - www.campkwando.com

Known among local tribes as “Island of Abundance”, Mazambala offers an abundance of unspoiled beauty, an abun-dance of animal and bird life and an abundance of hospitality. Situated on an island in the flood plain of the Kwando River amidst palms and towering “sausage trees”, this lush tropical paradise offers comfortable accommodation in tra-ditional thatched bungalows with en suite facilities. Enjoy game drives, river cruises, bird watching, nature walks and fishing under the expert guidance of Mazambala’s local guides. Come to Mazambala where even the “bul buls” sing “we are special” and experience Africa untouched.

Tel: +264 (0)66 686 041 • Fax: +264 (0)66 686 042P.O. Box 1935, Katima Mulilo, Namibia

[email protected] • www.mazambala.com

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Kongola Surrounds

Kongola Surrounds


Camp Chobe enjoys luxurious solitude on the banks of the Chobe river, with 12 Tented suites and a camp site that are sprawled along the banks of the Chobe river in the Eastern Caprivi, where the lodge flawlessly combines the best of this unique inland flood plain. Here you can enjoy activities that take you closer to nature than you could imagine. Breath- taking scenery and abundant wildlife awaits on our boat cruise, guided walks or canoeing safari’s, including more than 500 bird species. At Camp Chobe you can live out the adventure of a lifetime as close to nature as you can get.

Cell: +264 (0)81 800 0762 • P.O.Box 1150 • Ausspannplatz • NamibiaEmail: [email protected] • Web: www.campchobe.com

• ICHOBEZI SAFARIBOAT - Luxury cruising accommodation in the heart of the Chobe area provides clients with a fantastic game viewing and birding experience. • ICHINGO CHOBE RIVER LODGE - A private, secluded lodge set on Impalila Island on the banks of the Chobe River.

We are on the Namibian side of the Chobe River based at the confluence of the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers, where Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe meet, with unlimited access to the Caprivi wetlands and Chobe National Park. We are owner operated with a 20 year track record and we offer personal attention and bespoke excursions. We are only 90 minutes from Victoria Falls and a short 90 minute flight from OR Tambo International. Activities: Game Viewing – by boat / Birding – Over 400 species / Photographic Safaris – specialised photographic boat / Fishing –Tiger fishing: conventional and fly. All equipment provided. Guided Walks –explore Impalila Island & Caprivi floodplains.

RESERVATION CONTACT DETAILS:Tel: +27 79 871 7603 •Email: [email protected] • www.ichobezi.co.za

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Kongola Surrounds

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. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NORTH-WESTERN INTRO

The north-west of Namibia, also

named the Kunene region, stretches

from the Kunene river in the north

right down to the Ugab River near

Twyfelfontein. It is a rugged terrain

with rock-strewn hillsides, rugged

mountains and sandy plains.

It is advisable to explore this wild

and isolated region in four-wheel

drive, since most destinations are

off-the-beaten track, especially

along the Kunene, with its splen-

did Epupa Falls.

Kaokoland is the ancestral home-

land of the nomadic Himba tribe.

The Himba are tall, slender and

photogenic people of Herero ori-

gin. Especially the women are ad-

mired for their unusual scultptural

features, their intricate hairstyles

and traditional adornments. Fur-

thermore, the Kaokoland is home

to the famous “Desert Elephants”

that migrate along river valleys in

search for water and food.

The Skeleton Coast Park borders

on the cold Atlantic Ocean in the

west. It is often referred to as the

“world’s shipping graveyard” and

its attraction lies in its solitude

as well as its formidable angling

spots. Photographers have ample

opportunity to practice their skills

with the ever changing light and dune formations, against the back-drop of salt pans, gravel plains and hills.

Further down, to the west of Khorixas lies Twyfelfontein (mean-ing “doubtful mountain”), with its open air art-gallery of 2400 rock engravings which has World Heri-tage Status since 2007. Close by are also the Petrified Forest, the Burnt Mountain as well as the famous Organ Pipes, a series of angular dolerite columns exposed in a dry riverbed. Furthermore, this area of-fers more geological phenomena such as the 80 km long Ugab ter-races, as well as the Vingerklip, a

35m high monolith which towers

over the Ugab valley.

NORTH-WESTERN ACCOMMODATION 109www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Elephant

110 NORTH-WESTERN ACCOMMODATION www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

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Epupa 58 Omarunga Lodge 117

Kamanjab Surounds59 Grootberg Lodge 118

Khorixas Surrounds60 Visions of Africa: Camp Kipwe 11961 Visions of Africa: Mowani 119

Opuwo

62 Opuwo Country Lodge 120

63 Uukwaluudhi Safari Lodge 121

Palmwag

64 Palmwag Lodge 122

NORTH-WESTERN REGION LISTINGHutno.

Hutno.

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Damaraland

112 NORTH-WESTERN ACCOMMODATION

TWYFELFONTEIN

TwyfelfonteinIn 2007 the Twyfelfontein rock-engraving site in the

Huab Valley west of Khorixas was awarded World Heri-

tage status at a meeting of the World Heritage Commit-

tee in Christchurch, New Zealand. The 2 000-plus rock

engravings represent one of Africa’s largest and most

important rock-art concentrations.

Here great Etjo sandstone formations provided the can-

vases used by the rock artists who created the gigantic

open-air gallery some 2 000 to 6 000 years ago. Many

stone artefacts, tools, ostrich eggshell beads and pottery

typical of hunter-gatherers of the past 10 000 years have

been excavated at Twyfelfontein, an Afrikaans word that

means ‘doubtful fountain’.

The engravings mostly depict animals and geometric

designs, although human figures are sometimes por-

trayed in the newer ones. An interesting aspect of the

rock engravings is that many depict animals as seen in a

trans or supernatural state, while the abstract and geo-

metric patterns are entopic images, patterns or flashes

seen through the eyes of the shaman as he enters the

state of trance and the spiritual world. The supernatural

creature would often take on the appearance of a famil-

iar animal like a giraffe, elephant or lion with special

powers to heal the sick or bring rain rather than being

depicted because the animal is abundant in the area.

It is highly likely that the sites of the specific engravings

were chosen deliberately at significant points in the

rocks. Some are in cracks and fissures, which may have

served as doorways to the supernatural world, while

others may have been engraved in areas to concentrate

the energy for a journey into the spiritual world. The

engravings are believed to have been produced in the

dry season when the shortage of water made people

congregate near the spring.

The Visitors’ Interpretive Rock Art Centre at Twyfel-

fontein is an innovative building with an architectural

design based on the three stages of trance, providing

visitors with a comprehensive background of the rock

engravings and origin of the site. There are several good

lodges in the surroundings, and many interesting geo-

logical and other features to view.


113NORTH-WESTERN ACCOMMODATION

SKELETON COAST

Skeleton CoastRenowned for its extraordinary scenic beauty, the Skel-

eton Coast remains one of Namibia’s most enduring and

mysterious places. Its attraction lies essentially in the

colour, vastness, changing moods and untouched quality

of its landscape. Once an area for seafarers to fear and

shun because of its treacherous coastline flanked by bone-

strewn desert wastes, today it is prized as a place of splen-

dour and tranquility.

Situated in the remote north-western corner of Namibia,

the Skeleton Coast Park is a narrow tract of coastal des-

ert about 40 to 50 kilometres wide and 500 kilometres

long. Extending between the Ugab River in the south and

the Kunene River in the north, it was proclaimed a nature

reserve in 1971. Because of its ecological sensitivity the

nature conservation authorities manage it as a wilderness

area insofar as developement of infrastractures is kept to

a minimum and the number of visitors is restricted, with

facilities and accommodation kept simple and basic. It

has accordingly become a haven for discerning visitors

interested in the specific qualities of the area.

The skeletons scattered along this inhospitable coastline

are not only those of hapless sailors whose vessels came

to grief on the rocks. The bleached bones of countless

whales, exploited in the heyday of the whaling fleets,

and the sand and windblasted remains of tugs, liners and

trawlers lie strewn untidily for endless miles of desolate

beach. At the river mouths, lying in tangled heaps, are the

skeletons of a myriad trees, washed down from the interior

in good rain years.

The landscape varies from vast desert plains often coloured

green when the coastal fog has brought the lichen fields to

life; sweeping vistas of windswept dunes, their ivory-white

backs often coated maroon with fine garnet sand, or black

with magnetite and ilmenite; rugged canyons with walls

of richly cloured volcanic rock; and extensive variety of

animals and birds are found in the remote desert realm.

On the plains are jackal, gemsbok, springbok, brown hy-

aena and ostrich, while lion, giraffe and desert-adapted

elephant and black rhino roam up and down the dry river

courses, in effect linear oases with vegetation and the oc-

casional spring-fed waterhole.

The northern section of the park is a tourism concession

area and restricted to fly-in safaris only. The southern sec-

tion between the Ugab and Hoanib rivers is accessible to

the general public, who can stay at the Terrace Bay resort

or camp at Torra Bay, or drive through via the Ugab and

Springbokwasser gates.



BURNT MOUNTAIN

Burnt MountainThere are three other legendary sites worth visiting when

in Damaraland, all of ancient geological origin. Visible

from the road to Twyfelfontein is the so-called Burnt

Mountain, a brilliantly coloured hill of dark maroon, black

and charcoal rock. About 200 million years ago the Karoo

limestones that formed the mountain were deposited, and

about 120 million years ago volcanic lava intruded the

limestone as a large sheet, metamorphosing into black,

carbonaceous shales. The high temperatures baked the

shale, leaving a black, charred mass with brown, red and

yellow patches produced by the oxidation of iron-bearing

minerals.

Another curious sight in close proximity is an outcrop of

volcanic rock called the Organ Pipes, formed in much the

same way. Here the intrusive basalt, in this case dolomite,

is still visible, forming a mass of perpendicular slabs, con-

sidered to be between 130 and 250 million years old.

When basalt has been forced into a confined space, it

crystallises into pillar basalt, presenting interesting geo-

metric shapes. The best time to view and photograph the

Organ Pipes is in the late afternoon, when the fading sun-light brings out the colour of the rock, giving it a rich golden glow.

Further away, in the vicinity of Khorixas, is the Petrified Forest, a site of recum-bent fossilised tree trunks that was declared a national monu-ment in the early 1950s and is a National Heritage Site today. These fossilised tree trunks date back between 240 and 300 million years and are actually driftwood logs that were taken down by a westward-flowing river and deposited in sandbanks or shoals. Remnants of at least 50 trees can be seen at this site. They are so well preserved that they are often mistaken for logs. An interesting feature of the Petrified For-est is the Namib’s living fossil plant, Welwitschia mirabilis,

which grows among the prostrate fossilised trunks.


115NORTH-WESTERN ACCOMMODATION

KAOKOLAND

KaokolandAt one time thought to be a separate or sub-species of the African elephant, Loxodonta africana, due to its longer legs, bigger feet and ability to withstand drought, the so-called desert elephants of Kaokoland are now regarded as ‘desert-adapted’ rather than a different species. However, they belong to a separate population – a hardier version that has adapted successfully to life in arid areas – and merely appear to have longer legs and bigger feet because they are thinner than their better-fed relatives.

Their home range in Kaokoland extends over 3 000 square kilometres, with animals trekking up to 200 kilometres in search of water. Whereas adult elephants in Etosha drink between 100–200 litres of water a day, in Kaokoland they drink only once every three or four days. When feeding, desert-adapted elephants are far more economical than their counterparts living in more lush habitats. They hardly ever fell trees, break fewer branches and debark less de-structively than regular elephants.

Their main source of water and nutrition is in the dry river courses of the westward-flowing rivers such as the Huab, Hoanib, Hoarusib and Khumib where they feed on mo-

pane bark, tamarisk, reeds and rushes, and the nutritious pods, bark and leaves of the ana tree. These elephants range widely, travelling up to 60 kilometres a day over rugged terrain between the different springs. In periods of drought they dig holes, referred to as gorras, in the dry riverbeds, into which water seeps from below, at the same time providing a source of water for other animals of the desert.

Tourists travel-ling in Kaokoland in search of the desert elephants are requested to avoid enclosed areas where the animals might feel trapped; not

to camp at water-holes but to use existing camping sites; not to stop their vehicles in the middle of el-

ephant migration routes; not to feed or throw objects at the animals; to keep to existing roads and tracks; and not to leave their vehicle when encountering the elephants.



EPUPA FALLS

Epupa Falls This deep chasm of a waterfall with its richly coloured

rock walls and classic variety of tree species including

baobabs, wild figs and makalani palms, is one of Na-

mibia’s most idyllic and peaceful spots. This is where you

can sit quietly for many hours entertained by the twitter

of birds, becoming mesmerised as they circle endlessly in

the spray above the vortex below, while you wait for the

sun to set in a vivid blaze of red.

Epupa was one of Namibia’s best-kept secrets until the

rapid development of tourism in the nineties following

Namibia’s coming of age. Since then it has become one of

the prime destinations for intrepid four-wheel-drive enthu-

siasts who brave the rugged wastes of Kaokoland, and for

tourists who visit the area in light aircraft. When flying in,

they have the added opportunity of viewing the falls from

the air, an adrenalin rush in its own right.

In the west the Kunene River forms the northern border

of Namibia with Angola. It winds through a slender forest

of makalani palms, a landscape that gradually changes to

one of arid hills and rugged mountains as it extends further

west towards the Atlantic Ocean. About 145 kilometres

west of Ruacana, where the river wends its way through

the Baynes Mountains and widens to accommodate a few

islands, it plunges down a deep chasm caused by a geo-

logical fault. This is the Epupa Falls, a series of cascades

formed by the river dropping a total of 60 metres over a

distance of about 1.5 kilometres, dividing into many chan-

nels and forming a multitude of rock pools.

Bird-watching at Epupa is especially rewarding, as you

have a good chance of spotting the rare rufous-tailed palm

thrush, rosy-faced lovebirds, paradise flycatchers, African

fish-eagles, kingfishers ranging from the giant to the tiny

malachite kingfisher, several species of bee-eaters, bul-

buls, hornbills and rollers. This is also a place from where

you can visit a settlement of the legendary Himba, a semi-

nomadic people who still live and dress according to an-

cient customs and traditions.



The Omarunga Lodge and Campsite is situated under huge makalani palm trees on the banks of the Kunene River, just 100 metres above the spectacular Epupa Falls. The lodge offers fourteen luxury en suite chalets, all separately situated on the banks of the river. Furthermore does Omarunga offer nine campsites, each with own grill facilities and a light, an under thatch ablution facility with hot showers as well as a scullery and laundry. Other services include a swimming pool, a poolbar and TV on the premises. Guided tours are offered to the nomadic living Ovahimba who still live in a traditional way in the area. Sundowner drives overlooking the falls are one of the many highlights.

Tel: + 264 (0)64 403096 • Fax: + 264 (0)64 402097E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.natron.net/omarunga-camp

58

Epupa


Tel: +264 (0)61 228 104 • Fax: +264 (0)88 625 902 • P.O. Box 91045, Klein Windhoek, NamibiaLodge: Tel: +264 (0)67 333 212 • Fax: +264 (0)67 687 044www.grootberg.com • E-mail: [email protected]

Lodge co-ordinates - 19.850686, 14.133396 / -19° 51’ 2.47”

Perched on the rim of the Etendeka Plateau, the Grootberg Lodge stands sentinel over the Klip River Valley. Sixteen rock and thatch chalets gaze out over the gorge, where Black Eagles hunt just below your private deck. 12 000 hectares have been set aside by the #Khoadi // Hoas Conservancy for conservation and tourism and it is through this pristine wilderness that you meander either on foot or by car to encounter the inhabitants of this remote biosphere. Activities on offer include tracking the elusive Desert elephant, visits to a nearby Himba village, following the endangered Black Rhino on foot, as well as educa-tional guided walks to discover the myriad of smaller mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and plants that exist here. This Lodge provides the ideal midway stopover, whilst allowing guests to experience the true wilderness that is Damaraland!

59

Kamanjab Surrounds


‘Kipwe’, meaning blessed in Swahili, is nestled in the boulders, facing out onto superb scenery. The nine rooms are round in shape, with outside decks to admire the view. The outside, open bathrooms adjoining the bedrooms have boulder, cement and rock walls, and roofs of rough mopane branches. An additional suite provides luxury accommodation for discerning travellers. The central area of the camp is raised and comprises four thatched domes; the reception area and curio shop, dining room, lounge, bar and guest toilets. A small swimming pool built into the rocks and a viewpoint with 360 degrees of breathtaking beauty, are two attractive outdoor features. Activities at the camp include nature drives with the possibility of seeing the desert-adapted elephants, Twyfelfontein excursions to the rock engravings and guided walks with Kipwe’s experienced guides.

Reservations: Tel: +264 (0)61 232 009 •Fax: +264 (0)61 222 [email protected] •www.kipwe.com

Between the Ugab and the Huab Rivers in southern Damaraland lies a vast and unspoilt wilderness area, here you’ll find Mowani Mountain Camp. The word M’wane means “Place of God”, and here you’ll find the true meaning of the words – peace and tranquility. The 13 luxury thatched rooms and two suites, each with a deck, are elegantly decorated with furnishings especially designed for convenience and comfort. Guests can relax around a rock pool that has been skillfully carved out of the local stone, blending in perfectly with the natural surroundings. Daytime activities include guided nature drives in search of the elusive desert elephant, guided nature walks and excursions to the Twyfelfontein rock engravings.

Reservations: Tel: +264 (0)61 232 009 •Fax: +264 (0)61 222 [email protected] •www.mowani.com

60

61

Khorixas Surrounds

Khorixas Surrounds


The lodge is situated on a hilltop with breathtaking views overlooking a valley with magnificent sunsets and offering 360° view of the surrounding area. The lodge offers 21 luxury twins rooms, 1 luxury double room, 3 sets of twin inter leading rooms (6 rooms) and 12 standard twin rooms. Rooms have en-suite bathrooms and are fitted with air conditioners. The lodge have an excellent bar and restaurant where guests can enjoy mouth watering meals, a private lounge next to the wine cellar offers a relaxed atmosphere and place to enjoy an evening with friends. Opuwo Country lodge offers 12 large camping sites. All the camping sites have 220v electricity, ablution facilities with hot and cold water, barbeque area and wash up facilities.

Reservations Tel: +264 64 418 661 • Reservations Fax: +264 64 405 596 Lodge Tel: +264 65 273 461 • Lodge Fax: +264 65 273051 • [email protected] • www.opuwolodge.com

GPS: 18° 2’ 40.2” Latitude, 13° 49’ 59.9” Longitude.

62

Opuwo


Uukwaluudhi Safari Lodge is situated on a reserve that forms part of the core wildlife area of the conservancy, approxi-mately 100km North from Etosha. Instead of walls around the main area the large thatch roof rests on sturdy timber pillars that allow for the open veranda-like atmosphere that accentuates the impressive panoramic vista from the hill it is built on. Accommodation… include eight well-appointed Meru tented units, all en-suite with views over the Uuk-waluudhi plains, accommodation includes breakfast and dinner. Activities... the lodge offers early morning sunrise game drives, guided hikes, afternoon sundowner game drives and hot air balloon flights at sunrise over the beautiful Uukwaluudhi reserve. Facilities... restaurant with individual tables, bar, lounge, small curio shop and swimming pool, all in perfect harmony with the natural surroundings.

Reservations: Tel: +264 64 418661 • Fax: +264 64 405596 • Lodge: Tel: +264 065 273 504 or 273Cell: + 264 81 319 6585 • [email protected] • www.uukwaluudhi-safarilodge.com

GPS Co-ordinates Lodge: S 18º 07’ 00 E 14º 25’ 00

GPS Co-ordinates Airfield:S 18º 06’ 508 E 014º 24’ 248

63

Opuwo


A paradise on the Uniab River in northwest Damaraland – a vacation opportunity with a difference. Waving palms whisper-ing in the wind, spectacular surroundings which harbour the famous desert elephant, the rara black rhino, giraffe, zebra, gemsbok and many other wild animal species, sunsets to dream of - this is Palmwag Lodge, one of Namibia’s oldest and most popular tourist rendezvous. Our Services includes the following: Game drives, sightseeing tours, Ovahimba tours fully licenced bar, swimming pool and guided walks. We also boast a very cozy “pool bar” and lapa. Morning and afternoon game drives are offered daily. The well laid-out hiking trails let you enjoy and discover the neighbouring nature. Light meals and drinks are served under the palm trees at the swimming pool, from mid morning until approximately 22h00.

Tel: +264 (0)64 403 096 •Cell: +264 (0)81 124 2468 •P.O.Box 2528 •Swakopmund •NamibiaE-mail: [email protected] •Web: www.palmwaglodge.com

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Palmwag


Near the Kunene River

124 SOUTHERN ACCOMMODATION

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The south of Namibia is dry - a land of wide-open spaces and soli-tude, bordered in the west by the Atlantic Ocean as well as the spec-tacular Namib Naukluft Park.

This area is worth one entire trip on its own, as it offers so many unique attractions and phenomena, ranging from ghost towns, to historical buildings, quiver tree forests and canyons, not to forget the highest dunes in the world.

The town of Lüderitz was built amongst rocky outcrops on the southern Namibian coast and owes its existence to the discovery of diamonds in 1908. It has become a sought-after tourist attraction and holiday resort with its German co-lonial buildings, the mining ghost towns of Kolmanskop, Elizabeth Bay and Pomona, who seemed to have survived time and the ele-ments.

The Sossusvlei clay pan, which was formed when shifting sand dunes of the Namib smothered the course of the Tsauchab River, is one of the main attractions of the southern region. The dunes are at their most breathtaking in the early morning and their formations and colour variations are a scenic ha-

ven for photographers.

The rugged Naukluft mountains are home to many Hartmann’s moun-tain zebra, as well as klipspringer, gemsbok, ostrich, springbok and kudu. This area offers various hi-king trails, either on foot or by 4x4.

Sesriem is a 30 m deep canyon or gorge of about 1km in length which lies at the entrance to Sos-susvlei. Its rock pools fill up with water after good rains and serve as wonderful, refreshing dip pools to hikers.

The spectacular Fish River Can-yon is one of the largest canyons in the world, reaching a depth of about 550 m. The adjoining Ai-Ais National Park and Richtersveld National Park on the South Afri-can side have been designated a transfrontier conservation area, separated by the Orange River which forms the natural boundary between the two countries.

Around Keetmanshoop a forest of quiver trees has pride of place and just north of Mariental the Hardap Dam, which is Namibia’s larg-est dam, offers a resort and water sports such as water skiing, body boarding and the like.

SOUTHERN INTRO

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125SOUTHERN ACCOMMODATIONwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Springbok




127SOUTHERN ACCOMMODATION

Lüderitz 65 Lüderitz Nest Hotel 137

Kalkrand Surrounds Ondili Lodges 140-14167 Kalahari Red Dunes Lodge 14268 Teufelskrallen Tented Lodge 143

Mariental 69 River Chalets 144

Keetmanshoop 70 Birds Accommodation 14471 Central Lodge 14572 Schützenhaus Guesthouse 146

Grünau 73 Grünau Chalets 14774 Grünau Country House 148

Karasburg Surrounds75 Kleinbegin Lodge 149

Aus 76 Bahnhof Hotel Aus 149

Fish River Canyon77 Fish River Lodge 150

Solitaire & Surrounds 78 Agama River Camp 15179 Solitaire Country Lodge 15280 Solitaire Guest Farm Desert Ranch 15381 Weltevrede Guest Farm 154

Sossusvlei Surrounds82 Betesda Lodge & Camping 15583 Desert Homestead 157

Page Page PageHutno.

Hutno.

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SOUTHERN REGION LISTINGDirt road near Sesriem


128 SOUTHERN ACCOMMODATION www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

FISH RIVER CANYON

Fish River CanyonThe longest river in Namibia, the Fish, flows for more than

800 kilometres from its source in the Naukluft Mountains

to its confluence with the Orange River, 110 kilometres

east of the Atlantic Ocean. Over millennia it has carved

one of the world’s greatest canyons, a 550-metre-deep

chasm that twists for 160 kilometres through eroded cliffs

of ancient sandstone, shale and lava deposited almost two

billion years ago.

Quiver trees and euphorbia species dot the arid desert

plain through which the canyon flows. With the exception

of extremely dry years there is always water in some of the

pools, due to the intermittent flow of the river. They con-

tain small- and largemouth yellowfish, sharptooth catfish,

tilapia and common carp, and sometimes water leguan.

Klipspringer, rock hyrax, ground squirrel and baboon

inhabit the cliffs and niches of the canyon walls, while

tracks at the waterholes bear witness to the leopard and

mountain zebra that also frequent the area. Many birds

are found here, including the olive thrush, Cape robin and

African black duck.

Centrepiece of the Fish River Canyon is an 85-kilometre

nature trail regarded as one of Southern Africa’s major

hiking challenges. In terms of difficulty the trail is com-

pared to the daunting Otter Trail in South Africa and ranks

among the Big Five hiking trails in the Southern African

region. Hemmed in by sheer canyon walls towering

above the meandering river, the trail takes four to five

days to hike, starting at the northernmost viewpoint close

to the Hobas campsite. Chain handholds are provided to

descend to the canyon floor. At the bottom is an enor-

mous pool where hikers can cool off before continuing

further, determining their own pace and choosing where

they want to set up camp. Along the way they can enjoy

rugged scenery, peace, solitude and total wilderness. The

trail ends at the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort, where hikers

can relax in the soothing thermal waters of the hot-water

spring. The hike can be undertaken only from 15 April to

15 September, due to high summer temperatures and the

danger of flash floods during the rainy season.


QUIVER TREE FOREST

Quiver Tree Forest There are few iconic images that beat the quiver tree or

kokerboom, Aloe dichotoma, its stylised shape giving it a

prehistoric appearance, especially when etched against the

deep colours of a Namibian sunset.

Situated on the farm Gariganus, 23 kilometres north-east of

Keetmanshoop, the Quiver Tree Forest is a worthwhile de-

tour, especially for keen photographers. Here several hun-

dred of these curious trees can be seen growing as a dense

stand amongst the rocky outcrops that are so characteristic

of the southern parts of Namibia. The stand was declared

a national monument and fenced for tourist viewing some

fifty years ago.

Reaching heights of up to seven metres, the quiver tree is

one of four Namibian aloes that are classified as trees. One

of these, the bastard quiver tree, Aloe pillansii, is sometimes

confused with the kokerboom, the difference being that A.

pillansii has a taller trunk with fewer, more erect branches

and a sparse crown, and has a much more limited distribu-

tion, being confined to the areas just north and south of the

Orange River. The quiver tree, on the other hand, grows

fairly commonly along Namibia’s western escarpment from

the Orange River northwards into Kaokoland.

In June and July quiver trees are covered in bright yellow

flowers, attracting large numbers of birds and insects to

their copious nectar. Baboons tear the flowers apart to get

at the sweet substance, often stripping a tree of its blos-

soms soon after they have appeared. One of the quiver

tree’s most attractive features is its bark, which is smooth,

often with a pearly grey or golden sheen, sometimes flak-

ing and cracked into diamond shapes, frequently folding

like melting wax.

The Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, Simon van

der Stel, recorded this fascinating and distinctive tree in

1685 where it grew in the northern Cape. He noticed that

Bushmen fashioned quivers for their arrows from the soft

branches, and it was this custom that gave rise to the tree’s

common name.


GARUB AND THE DESERT HORSES

Garub and the desert horsesMankind has always loved and admired horses and been

intrigued by the mystique of the desert. The combination

is undeniably tantalising, stimulating curiosity and inspir-

ing the imagination.

For almost a 100 years the renowned desert horses of the

Namib have been roaming free between Lüderitz and

Aus, centring around Garub, a water point that lies about

100 kilometres east of Lüderitz and is maintained by the

nature conservation authorities. In times of extended

drought, supplementary feed has been put out at Garub

to save them from starvation. It is here that the desert

horses can be observed and photographed as they come

to drink.

The origin of the horses remains a mystery fuelled by

speculation and myth. One theory is that a ship carry-

ing thoroughbred horses from Europe to Australia ran

aground near the mouth of the Orange River, and that

the strongest animals reached the shore and found their

way to the Garub plain. Another is that the horses are di-

rect descendants of 15 000 military mounts brought from

Germany in 1904 to the then German South West Africa.

Yet another is that they are descended from some 6 000

horses belonging to South African soldiers who camped at

the borehole at Garub in 1915. There is also speculation

about the so-called Kubub stud bred at the Kubub Station

under management of Lüderitz mayor Emil Kreplin, who

supplied workhorses for racing and mining purposes. It is

thought that the Kubub horses added to the evolvement of

the desert horses of the Garub plains.

The most popular, romantic and oft-quoted theory is that

they are descendants of the horse stud belonging to the

eccentric German nobleman, Baron Hansheinrich von

Wolf, who built a European-style castle among rolling

red hills 72 kilometres south-west of Maltahöhe for his

American bride, Jayta. The story goes that when Von Wolf

was killed in action in 1916, the Baroness, crazed with

grief, released the 300 horses into the desert. They are

believed to have roamed the veld around Duwisib Castle

until 1950, when some wondered 150 kilometres south-

west to the waterhole at Garub and became the ancestors

of the herd that exists today.

International and local equine experts attribute the surviv-

al of the horses in this harsh, alien environment to unique

adaptations in their physiology and behaviour patterns.

Hopefully these extraordinarily resilient animals will be

around for many years to come to grace the beautiful

stretch of landscape between Lüderitz and Aus.


FARM SANDHOF

Farm Sandhof About 35 kilometres north of Maltahöhe on the farm

Sandhof is an enormous salt pan extending over an area

of a thousand hectares. The pan is normally bone dry and

few people would think of visiting it other than to drive

across it at speed to see how fast their vehicles can go.

However, once every four or five years when there have

been good rains in the surroundings, usually in January

or February, the pan becomes inundated, if the water

reaches a depth of 15 centimetres, it transforms miracu-

lously into a vast field of lilies emerging from a sheet of

sparkling water tinged red by the underlying sand. In next

to no time shoots break through the surface of the shal-

low water and burst into a vivid display of pink and white

for as far as the eye can see. This ephemeral blaze is but

short-lived, because as quickly as the flowers take shape

they wither and thousands of elephant beetles appear as if

from nowhere, devouring the lot within days.

To see the fleeting spectacle, visitors flock to Sandhof from

different parts of the country and even South Africa. They

usually converge on the small town of Maltahöhe, which

has a country hotel and a small number of guesthouses.

The last time the lilies appeared was after the copious

rains of 2006.


SESRIEM CANYON

Sesriem CanyonAbout four kilometres from the Sesriem entry to Sossusvlei,

the meandering Tsauchab River disappears into a narrow

gorge, the Sesriem Canyon, eroded over centuries by flood-

waters deep into the layers of schist and gravel deposited

there millions of years ago. The gorge is up to 30 metres

deep, varies in width from one to two and a half metres at

the top, widening towards the bottom, and is approximate-

ly one and a half kilometres in length, becoming shallower

and wider as it approaches the dunes.

After good rains, the deep pool at the narrow section of the

gorge fills up. Sesriem derives its name from the days when

the early settlers, to scoop water, lowered a bucket into the

ravine by six ox-riems (thongs) tied together. A number of

different tree species grow in the canyon, of which the lau-

rel fig, Ficus ilicina, is one of the more conspicuous ones.

The permanent pools are inhabited by several fish species,

primarily barbel. A track leads into the canyon from where

the conglomerate layers are clearly visible.

A campsite managed by the Ministry of Environment and

Tourism is situated close by under huge camel-thorn trees,

and close by there are several lodges in the surroundings

from where visits to Sossusvlei are undertaken via the en-

trance at Sesriem. Fuel and refreshments are sold at this

point.

SOSSUSVLEI

Sossusvlei Second only to the Etosha National Park, Sossusvlei is one

of Namibia’s top tourism draw cards. The attraction is its

monumental dunes with their magnificent colours, rang-

ing from ivory, yellow-gold and ochre to rose, maroon and

deep brick-red, paling and deepening as the day progress-

es, making the area a visual feast for artists and photog-

raphers.

Sossusvlei is a feature of the Tsauchab River, which rises

towards the north in the Naukluft Mountains. The Tsauchab

River formerly emptied itself into the sea but gradually be-

came blocked by mountainous dunes of windblown sand,

to form the spectacular end vlei as we know it today.

The road to Sossusvlei, which starts at Sesriem, is flanked

by exotic pink, orange and maroon dunes, with the purple

and blue Tsaris Mountains receding at the back and wide

expanses of waving, yellow grass dotted with the occasion-

al ostrich, springbok or gemsbok stretching ahead. About

four kilometres from the farmhouse towards the north is

the picturesque Elim dune, partially covered by vegetation.

Centuries-old camel-thorn trees command the dry Tsauch-

ab River course all the way to the vlei.

Four kilometres before reaching Sossusvlei, the road –

which up to this point can be traversed by two-wheel drive

vehicles – disappears into thick sand. The remaining dis-

tance of just over 300 metres can be completed by four-

wheel-drive vehicle or on foot. The latter is recommended,

as it gives a good idea of the extent, scale and grandeur of

the surroundings.

It takes exceptionally heavy rains in its catchment area for

the Tsauchab River to bring down sufficient floodwaters to

penetrate the dune area and fill the vlei. When it has wa-

ter, the vlei is an impressive sight, attracting flamingos and

other aquatic birds and giving new life to the vegetation of

the area. Other than the imposing camel-thorn trees, Aca-

cia erioloba, of which the older specimens are estimated

to be at least 500 years old, there is a wide occurrence of

brackbush and the sprawling narra plant.

According to pollen research done at the vlei, there was a

much wider spectrum of plant species in former times than

there is today, which implies that it was once a high-rainfall

area sustaining a wide spectrum of fauna. Nowadays main-

ly springbok and gemsbok frequent the Sossus environs,

evident from the occasional spoor and chewed narra fruit.

The magnificent dunes surrounding the vlei, measuring

from their base up to 350 metres high, are reputed to be

of the highest in the world. They are in effect monumental

pile-ups of sand that have formed at the end of longitudinal

dune ridges, bordering the erosional trough of the Tsauch-

ab River. The vlei lies at an altitude of about 570 metres

above sea level, the crests of some of the dunes exceeding

altitudes of 960 metres.

Because of their multi-crested shape, Sossusvlei’s dunes are

referred to as star dunes, a formation that can best be seen

from the air. The four or five sinuous crests, which meet at

the highest point, are the result of multi-directional winds

that play the sand back and forth.

At times exceptionally strong winds blow at the vlei, caus-

ing the dunes to ‘smoke’, forming convoluting blankets of

sand that swirl sinuously upwards on the windward side,

and then break over the crest. A striking feature of the area

is the white deflationary clay-floor pans that occur among

the dunes, starkly set off by the flamboyant red mountains

of sand surrounding them.



SPERRGEBIET

SperrgebietSet aside as a ‘Forbidden Area’ a hundred years ago by

the German government following the discovery of the

first diamond by the railway worker Zacharias Lewala at

Kolmanskop in 1908, the Sperrgebiet Namitional Park is

set to become yet another gem in Namibia’s portfolio of

parks. Once it is proclaimed it will do much to bolster the

economy of southern Namibia, particularly in the towns

of rosh Oinah and Lüderitz.

Known internationally as the source of exclusive dia-

monds, the Sperrgebiet covers some 26 000 square ki-

lometres of dunes and mountains that shelter numerous

biodiversity gems. To date the research conducted in this

area has recorded 776 plant species, including 234 that

are unique to the area. In addition amphibians and rep-

tiles and relatively large populations of gemsbok, spring-

bok and brown hyaena.

A limited form of tourism is currently practised in the

Sperrgebiet. A day tour undertaken from Lüderitz to view

Bogenfels, the 55 metre rock arch that juts into the Atlantic

Ocean, also stops at the old ghost town at Elizabeth Bay,

the seal colony at Atlas Bay, the ghost town of Pomona

and the legendary Märchental (fairy valley) where early

prospectors collected diamonds by moonlight.

Tour operators have been given concessions by the Min-

istry of Environment and Tourism to conduct a limited

number of tours per year along the stretch of coastline

from Sylvia Hill northwards to Sandwich Harbour in the

Namib-Naukluft Park. Points of interest on the itinerary

are Saddle Hill, Koichab Pan, Sylvia Hill, Conception Bay,

the wreck of the Eduard Bohlen, the diamond settlements

Grillenberger, Charlottendal and Holsazia, Fischersbrunn

and Sandwich Harbour. Participants drive in their own

vehicles and are accompanied throughout the trip by a

nature conservator from the Ministry of Environment and

Tourism. There are no facilities along the route, so the

group has to be a hundred percent self-sufficient in terms

of fuel, food supplies and camping equipment.


KOLMANSKOP

Kolmanskop There are few places in Namibia that captivate the imagina-

tion more than the crumbling scattering of buildings that can

be seen from the road 10 kilometres inland from Lüderitz, all

the more so because the former diamond-mining settlement

is gradually becoming engulfed by the ever-shifting sands of

the Namib Desert. At one time the focal point of the diamond

industry in Namibia, it was deserted in 1956 following the dis-

covery of richer diamond fields further south, and the establish-

ment of Oranjemund as the central hub of the diamond-mining

industry.

Kolmanskop is the best-known of several former diamond set-

tlements – Elizabeth Bay, Pomona, Bogenfels and Charlottental

– that today lie abandoned and disintegrating in the restless

sands of the Sperrgebiet, the remote area set aside for mining

and prospecting in German colonial times.

The name Kolmanskop can be traced back to a transport driver

named Johnny Coleman. At the turn of the century Coleman

was a citizen of Aus, a tiny settlement situated 125 kilometres

inland from Lüderitz. Before the railway was built, he transport-

ed goods from Keetmanshoop to Lüderitz by ox wagon. During

a fierce sandstorm he was forced to abandon his ox wagon on

the small incline on the main road from where Kolmanskop

can be seen. It stood there for a while, giving rise to the name

Colemanshuegel, which subsequently became Kolmanskop.

The origin of Kolmanskop lies in the momentous discovery of

the first diamond in April 1908 by the railway worker Zacharias

Lewala amongst the sand he was shovelling away from the rail-

way line near Kolmanskop. His employer, railway supervisor

August Stauch, had instructed him to look for sparkling stones,

and when Lewala showed him the ‘pretty stone’, Stauch was

convinced that it was a diamond. Once this was confirmed,

the news of the discovery spread like wildfire, causing a fre-

netic diamond rush that caused adventurers and fortune hunt-

ers to converge en masse on the newly discovered diamond

fields. Lüderitz emptied virtually overnight and hopeful dia-

mond hunters descended in droves on Kolmanskop, some on

horseback and camels, others in horse carts and ox wagons,

some even on foot. In some areas diamonds lay scattered in

the open on the desert surface. Historical photographs show

miners crawling across the sand on their hands and knees col-

lecting diamonds.

Kolmanskop soon became a bustling little centre, featuring a

bakery, butchery, a soda and lemonade plant, a furniture fac-

tory, a public playground and swimming pool, a fully equipped

gymnasium with skittle alley and a well-equipped hospital that

featured the first X-ray museum in Southern Africa. It also de-

veloped into a lively hub of German culture, offering enter-

tainment and recreation for the affluent mining officials, who

lived in large, elegantly designed houses. Sunday afternoon

strolls through the town were described as follows: “Fashion-

ably attired in well-cut outfits, the better halves of the diamond

kings walked through the deep sand, their left hands, mostly

in cotton gloves, holding their longs trains very stiffly, while

their right hands held their feathered and flowered hats in place

against the pressure of the wind.”

The town reached the pinnacle of its development in the twen-

ties, when it accommodated about 350 German colonialists

and 800 Owambo contract workers. But when richer diamond

fields were found further south and operations moved to Oran-

jemund, the decline of Kolmanskop was rapid. Soon the wind

was whispering through the deserted streets, broken windows

and open doors, as crumbling structures and disintegrating

mining machinery gradually succumbed to the encroaching

desert sands, to become one of Namibia’s most intriguing rel-

ics from the past.

In 1980 the crumbling town was opened for tourist viewing

when the mining company CDM (today’s Namdeb) restored

several of the buildings and established a museum.


LÜDERITZ - PLACE OUT OF TIME

Luderitz- Place out of timeFew other towns in Namibia convey the same sense of be-

ing in a time warp than the quaint harbour town of Lüder-

itz on the southern Namibian coast. With its undeniable

old-world charm and fast-developing tourism infrastruc-

ture it has become a sought-after holiday resort. Typified

by the German-colonial architectural style, the buildings

with their gables, winding stairwells, bay and bow win-

dows, turrets and verandas cling to the rugged black rocks

facing the deep-blue Atlantic waters where fishing boats

ply their trade.

Two of the most striking buildings are Goerkehaus built

in 1909 on the slopes of the Diamond Mountain, and the

Felsenkirche close by, consecrated in 1912. Others are the

old Station Building (1914), the old Post Office (1908), the

Turnhalle (1912–1913) and the Lüderitz Museum, which

houses the Eberlanz collection.

The Lüderitz Peninsula has numerous beaches, bays and

lagoons, including the popular Agate Beach and Grosse-

Bucht frequented by bathers. A replica of the stone cross

or padrão planted by Bartolomeu Dias in the bay of Angra

Pequena (Little Bay) can be seen at Dias Point, and on

Shark Island a plaque commemorates the German mer-

chant, Adolf Lüderitz, after whom the town was named.

The remains of an old Norwegian whaling station can be

seen at Sturmvogelbucht.

There is plenty of interest for bird-watchers and nature

lovers in the Lüderitz surroundings. The shallow lagoon

is frequented by flamingos, cormorants and seagulls, and

while sailing in the bay, seals and dolphins can be seen

playing in the water. The colourful Bushman’s candle and

unusual species of dwarf succulents grow in the area, in-

cluding lithops.

A relatively recent development in the harbour town at

Harbour Square below Hafen Street is the Lüderitz Wa-

terfront, its windows shaped like bull’s-eyes, steel girders

and ropes and triangular sun sails creating a seaside and

harbour atmosphere. On the other side of Hafen Street is

Market Square, a complex of shops, offices and flats in the

same style. The Lüderitz Yacht Club has its headquarters at

the Lüderitz Waterfront.


65

Lüderitz


LLüderitzSo much to do and discover

At first, Lüderitz seems quiet and forlorn, but beneath this appeal of a sleeping beauty lies an offering of the most unusual adventure activities to experience.

The Lüderitz Speed ChallengeEvery year around spring, kite- and windsurfers from

around the globe flock to Lüderitz to compete in the

Lüderitz Speed Challenge. This international, extreme kite- and windsurfing event takes place on a purpose-built canal and has put Lüderitz on the map with thus far 64 national and 11 new world records having been recorded. Because of the good strong winds blowing all year-round, speed junkies can kite- and windsurf on Lüderitz’ second la-goon to their heart’s content. More information on the Speed Challenge can be found on www.luderitz-speed.com

Lüderitz Crayfish FestivalLuderitz is well-known for its delicious lobster, locally

known as crayfish. Every year in May, Lüderitz hosts the

Crayfish Festival which is held at the picturesque Water-

front. Visitors from all over flock to the harbour to taste this delightful delicacy and to watch master chefs battle it out while the local military band entertains the crowd sporting their white uniforms and shining brass instru-ments. It is a day of sunshine, laughter, good food and friendly locals who showcase their own tasty treats, arts and crafts.

Kolmanskop Ghost Town Tour (also see page 135 For more information)About 70 odd years ago, the mining town of Kolmanskop, was once one of the wealthiest towns in Namibia. Its fa-cilities included a hospital with an x-ray room, a gym-nasium hall, a bowling alley, a casino and ballroom, a tram and an ice-cream factory. When the diamond supply ran out, the town became deserted and has today become engulfed by wandering sand dunes, giving this beautiful old dame an enchanted feel and offering brilliant photo-graphic angles.

The Desert Horses (also see page 130 for further information) Only about 100 km east of Lüderitz, the Garub waterhole has become home to a herd of feral desert horses that roam freely. The size of the wild herd fluctuates between 100-300 horses, depending on rainfall conditions. The origin of these desert beauties has not been clearly estab-lished as there are many theories. The article on page 130 will give further insight into this debate.

Koichab Dunes 4x4 Desert TourThis out-of-the-ordinary desert experience is a 4x4 round trip of 280 km – either drive your own vehicle or ride with Namib Offroad Excursions. The route takes you into the spectacular Koichab dune territory which is a 4x4 dune driving challenge for real off road enthusiasts. The Koichab Dunes have been classified as one of the top 34 biodiversity sites of the world.

Lüderitz Peninsula TourThis scenic 4x4 tour takes you to all sights and places of interest in the immediate surrounds of Lüderitz. First you will traverse semi-desert, arid landscapes with beautiful endemic plants, rock pools and interesting rock forma-tions to discover. Then you’ll come upon the lighthouse, an abandoned whaling station, the Eberlanz Cave and then finally you will reach the wild and wonderful Atal-antic coastline. Make it a half or full day tour – there is so much else to discover: see the famous Dias Cross (1487) and watch the Cape fur seals lazing in the sun, spot some African penguins on Halifax Island and if you’re in luck you will also see the odd school of Heaviside dolphins accompanying fishing boats or surfing the waves.

Sperrgebiet/ Tsau//Khaeb National ParkThis park covers 26,000 km2 of semi-desert and sports the famous 59 metre tall Bogenfels (rock arch), the ghost towns of Elizabeth Bay and Pomona, the Rotor Kamm me-teorite crater (the 4th largest of its kind world-wide) and Märchental, or Fairytale Valley, where diamonds could once be scooped up in handfuls, gleaming in the moon-light.

Lüderitz Heritage RouteYou don’t have to go far to explore the history of this magi-cal town. Visit the 95 national heritage structures and Art Nouveau buildings that have more than 100 years of sto-ries to tell. Maps are readily available at the Lüderitz Nest Hotel and Lüderitz Tours and Safaris in town.

Zeepard Catamaran ToursFor those who prefer to travel on water, the 2 hour cata-maran cruise is the way to go. Take a trip to Halifax island, past Diaz Point and observe the abundance of marine life in their hundreds: Cape Fur seals, pelicans and seagulls, dolphins, Southern Right and Humpback whales. Make it a sundowner trip or go deep sea fishing – all can be arranged to suit your needs. [email protected]

Oyster Farm TourThe best-tasting oysters hail from Lüderitz. Visit the local oyster factory to gain insight into how these delicacies are bred, grown and marketed. Crown your day with a tasting of fresh oysters at the on-site Shearwater Oyster Bar.

Lüderitz to Walvis Bay Tour The ultimate 4x4 desert adventure! A guided but self-drive 3-6 day camping trip through dune landscapes, abandoned diamond mining sites, wildlife conservancies , majestically wild seas and infinite beaches will keep you spellbound and in awe of the grandeur of the Namib desert.

Lüderitz Nest HotelThe award-winning four star resort has its own private tid-al beach, walk-on jetty and sheltered swimming pool. End your day with a sundowner at the Crayfish Bar, overlook-ing the bay with undoubtedly the best panoramic views in town. Stay over for a few more days to explore this sleeping beauty with so much adventure to offer. www.nesthotel.com



Ondili is an Ovambo expression meaning: ”I am at home”. The Ondili portfolio comprises 5 lodges in three of the most impressive landscapes of Namibia, the Kala-hari desert, the Namib desert and the Erongo mountains.Experience the vastness and authenticity of Namibia’s bizarre scenery while relaxing in the comfort of modern lodges.

Each lodge offers activities to make your stay a very spe-cial experience. Teufelskrallen Tented Lodge (see page 143 for details) and Kalahari Red Dunes Lodge (see page 142 for details) are set amongst infinite chains of red sand dunes, grassy valleys and camel thorn trees. Large herds of oryx, wildebeest, zebras, springbok, giraffes, impalas and ostriches can be observed from the lodge and on foot. The devil’s claw conservation project is located close to the lodge.

The Desert Homestead Lodge (see page 156 for details), situated about 30 km south-east of Sesriem, is positioned

in the Namib desert which is the world’s oldest desert. The name “Namib” means

“empty place”. This world heritage site under the name of “Namib Sand Sea” (since 2013) is barren but at the same time so breathtaking that it is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular places on this planet.

From Desert Homestead one can visit world-renowned Sossusvlei, or go on a horseback outride/safari, even take a hot air balloon ride – but whatever one chooses to do, this location in the middle of the Namib-Naukluft Na-tional Park, is bound to etch a lasting memory of a most special place.

Hohenstein Lodge (see page 197 for details) and the new-

ly built Etemba Lodge (to be completed in 2015) are set

in the Erongo mountains which constitute an impressive

landscape whose massive formations of granite rocks pro-

trude from the lowlands of the Namib desert adjacent to

the West. They form the habitat of a multitude of endemic

plants and animals. Explore rock paintings and the “Boul-

der Forest”, see the mineral miners and enjoy the most

magnificent views and spectacular sunsets.



Travelling on the B1, at eight kilometers south of Kalkrand, directly turn left into the nature reserve. Hidden behind red Kala-hari dunes the main house with restaurant, pool and lobby is situated in a dry lake (vlei) and can only be approached via a 120-meter-long boardwalk. The spacious lodge offers a lot of privacy. Twelve comfortable houses with grass roof, half tent and half stone, are nestling to the banks of the vlei. The panorama windows offer a great view of the nature and a watering hole in the dry lake where game animals can often be observed. Game drives, sunrise & sunset tours are offered. TRANSKALAHARI WALK - Guided hiking & spending the night in the vastness of the African savanna (3 overnight stays, 1.5 days of activities)Rote Dünen, Giraffen, Zebras, Oryx, luxuriöse Zelthäuser, herzliche Gastfreundschaft- der perfekte erste oder letzte Tag in Namibia. Nur 1 ½ Stunden südlich von Windhoek. Gute Erreichbarkeit über Teer-straße. 8 km südlich von Kalkrand von der B1 nach links auf das Gebiet der Lodge abbiegen.

Phone: +264 (0)63 264 003 • Cell: +264 (0)81 407 9127 • Booking: +264 (0)61 240 020Kalkrand, Namibia • [email protected] • www.redduneslodge.com

67

Kalkrand Surrounds


On the very first, most western dune ridge of the Kalahari desert, the Teufelskrallen Tented Lodge is located. Six comfortably equipped tents on wood decks offer a panoramic view over the endless vastness and the expanding Kalahari dunes. All tents feature a large patio. The tents are large and comfortable, tastefully furnished and possess their own bathrooms that can be reached via a wooden boardwalk. The devil’s claw conservation project is located close to the lodge. Enjoy almost 10,000 acres of pure Kalahari desert during a Game Drive. Climb red dunes that elevate up to 30 meters in our open off-road car and watch the spectacular animals and vegetation. Enter the sunset in our open off-road car with expert guidance. Immerse in this most beautiful hour of the Kalahari desert.

Lodge: +264 (0)63 264 003 • Booking: +264 (0)61 240 020 [email protected] • www.teufelskrallenlodge.com

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Kalkrand Surrounds


Tel: +264 (0)63 240 515 • Fax: +264 (0)63 242 601 • Cell: +264 (0)81 128 2601P.O.Box 262 • Mariental • Namibia • [email protected] • www.riverchalets.com

Situated next to the B1 Main Road in Mariental, we offer 6 luxury, air-conditioned chalets, featuring 3, 5, and 7 bed units with DSTV, private braai facilities, parking and 12 hour security. Chalets are spacious and fully equipped for self-catering, with breakfast options. Camping sites with private and/or shared ablutions with electricity and braai facilities are available, as well as 7 overnight rooms. The ideal stopover for families, hunters, fishermen and business men alike. Reasonable prices, dedicated and friendly staff are our famed assets on our conveniently located and child friendly property.

GPS Coordinates: S 24º 37’ 29,1” E 17º 57’ 20,5”

Bird’s Mansions - Tel: +264 (0)63 221 711 • Fax: +264 (0)63 221 730Bird’s Nest Guesthouse - Tel: +264 (0)63 222 906 • Fax: +264 (0)63 222 261

[email protected]/[email protected] • www.birdsaccommodation.com

Bird’s Mansions:23 en-suite rooms, air-conditioned and beautifully appointed. We offer, a direct dial telephones and 5 channel TV, ample secure parking, lapa, splash pool, fully licensed restaurant, excellent conference facilities and internet cafe.

Bird’s Nest:All the best in home away from home comfort. 10 en-suite bedrooms with direct dial telephones, television and air-condi-tioning. Relaxing garden and secure parking on site. We are proud of our personal service.

Bird’s Mansions: 26° 34’ 37.76’’S 18° 07’ 56.03’’E

Bird’s Nest: 26° 34’ 52.80’’S 18° 08’ 07.14’’E

69

70

Mariental

Keetmanshoop


The Central Lodge is, as the name suggests, ideally situated in 5th Street, right in the historical centre of Keetmanshoop and very close to the old “Kaiserliches Postamt”. Comprising 4 spacious double rooms, 2 single rooms, 14 twin rooms, 4 fam-ily rooms of which one is a self-catering flat consisting of 2 rooms, bathroom, kitchen and lounge. 4 rooms equipped with spa-baths. En suite rooms all equipped with air conditioning, telephone, TV, coffee/tea making facilities, cosy lounge area and plush carpeting. A Fully licensed bar, a la carte restaurant provides guests with exquisite meals. Guest can cool off in the rock feature swimming pool. Secure indoor parking. Conference facilities: • Air-conditioner • Flip Chart • White Board • Projector • Free Wi-Fi

Tel: +264 (0)63 225 850 / 224 982 • Fax: +264 (0)63 264 063 / 225 850P.O. Box 661, 5th Avenue, Keetmanshoop • Namibia • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.central-lodge.com

71

Keetmanshoop


GPS Coordinates: S 26º 34’ 968” E 18º 34’ 922”

The Schützenhaus, established in 1907, is the oldest German Club in Southern Africa. It was privatized after 98 years and is now a prestigious Guest House in Keetmanshoop. Wine, dine and relax in a haven of Namibian and German hospitality like nowhere else. It is not just a stopover, but rather the start of an unforgettable experience in the discovered wonders of the Mesososaurus Fossil Trail, the Giants Playground and the Fish River Canyon. Luxury accommodation in different styled rooms, with appealing affordable price tags, together with a meal which is sure to exceed your wildest expectations in our restaurant “Mutti’s Küche” will make your holiday a treasure trove of memories. We offer secure guarded overnight parking and camping guests will also find a place under our spectacular Acacia trees.

Tel: +264 (0)63 223 400 • Fax: +264 (0)63 225 596 • Cell: +264 (0)81 124 5063 • P.O. Box 47 • Keetmanshoop • NamibiaEmail: [email protected] or [email protected] • Web: www.schuetzenhaus-namibia.com

Keetmanshoop

72

The beautiful, old Schutzenhaus


Grünau Chalets is situated 100km from Ai-Ais Hot Springs and +-100km from the spectacular Fish River Canyon. Our 12 chalets consist of 4 double rooms, 3 triple rooms, 3 family rooms and 2 luxury five bed rooms equipped with a bath and shower. All self-catering with TV, air-con and barbecue facilities. Each campsite with its own ablution facilities, warm water, power point, barbecue facilities and wash up area. We are situated on the B1 National Road next to the 24hour Shell Filling Station where you can find an Expressmark and take aways. The Intercape Mainliner also stops here. Grünau Chalets are open 24hours a day.

Tel: +264 (0)63 262 026 • Fax: +264 (0)63 262 017P.O. Box 3 • Grünau • Namibia • [email protected] • www.grunaunamibia.net

Grunau

73

Quiver trees are popular photographic objects


We have a fully licensed ladies bar, with satellite television and pool table. We also offer a fully licensed a la carte restau-

rant. We are well known for our excellent meals and breakfasts. Groups of six or more can choose a buffet meal as well,

by prior arrangement. 10 en-suite rooms (all air conditioned). Six double en-suite rooms each with 2 single beds. Two

three-bed en-suite rooms with one double bed and one single bed. Two Four- / Five-bed en suite rooms with a double bed

and two or three single beds. Bungalows (all air conditioned): Two two-bed bungalows [outside ablution]. Two four-bed

bungalows [outside ablution]. Campsites with water, electricity points.

We are situated in Grünau, 600m from B1, & 1,3km from B3 (27º44,00S 18º22.69E)

Tel: +264 (0)63 262001 • Fax: 088 614 212 (in Nam) / Fax: 086 519 4223 (in ZA) P.O.Box 2, Grünau, Namibia

Email: [email protected] • Web: www.grunauch.iway.na


Grunau

74


The combination of classic and modern create a simple relaxing environment of charm and style. We offer everything of a hotel in the comfortable and personalized settings of a guest-farm. From the preparation of your room to your breakfast…… our aim is to do things your way. Think of a place, where every effort is made to ensure your comfort and enjoyment. We have 7 double, twin and family en suite self–catering rooms. Children are always welcome and we have a play area to keep them busy.

Tel: +264 (0)63 269 315 • Fax: +264 (0)88 618 913 • Cel: +264 (0) 81 124 9186P.O. Box 25, Karasburg, Namibia • [email protected] • [email protected]

AIRSTRIP: S 27º 58’ E 019º 02’

Tel + 264 (0)63 258 091• Fax + 264 (0)63 258 092 • Cell +264 (0)81 235 6737Bookings only: +264 64 - 461 677 or [email protected] • Box 2 • Aus • Namibia

e-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.hotel-aus.com | www.bahnhofhotelaus.com

GPS Co-ordinates: S 26 39,955; E 16 15,680

Bahnhof Hotel Aus – Jewel of the Sperrgebiet. The historic Bahnhof Hotel presents itself in a modern, elegant format, com-bining rich history and traditional comfort with excellent service and a` la carte cuisine. 21 stylish double rooms with en-suite facilities, including a 4 bed family room and a wheelchair-friendly room. Treat yourself to an unforgettable surprise and visit this remarkable establishment. Conference Centre, Activities offered, HAN Silver Award Winners 2011/2012/2013. Bronze Award Winners 2007/8/9/10. POI: Prisoner of War Camp, Wild Horses of the Namib, Commonwealth Graveyard.

Karasburg Surrounds

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Near the Fish River Canyon


A three hundred million year old geological wonder lies below Fish River Lodge, the only lodge perched on the western rim of the Fish River Canyon. From the comfort of your bed you can enjoy spectacular views as the sun rises and sets over the main canyon. Black eagles enjoy the thermal updrafts and fascinating desert adapted plants thrive in the rocks between the forest of ancient kokerbome. Mountain zebra and elusive klipspringers wonder the remote valleys. Enjoy walks along the rim or to archaeological sites, guided hikes and 4 x 4 trails down into the heart of the canyon or simply relax on the deck of the lodge. 20 comfortable bungalows offer you privacy including indoor and outdoor showers.

A place so quiet, even your thoughts whisper. A tribute to the silence and beauty of the Fish River Canyon.

Lodge - Tel: +264 (0)63 683 005 • Fax: +264 (0)88 625 902Reservations - Tel: +264 (0)61 228 104 • PO Box 91045, Klein Windhoek, Namibia.

E-mail: [email protected] • www.fishriverlodge-namibia.com

Directions: Turn from B4 onto the D463, turn left at the sign that reads “Canyon Nature Park”, continue for 19 km, past 2 farmhouses, to the lodge.

Fish River Canyon

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We are situated on the C19, 34 kms south of Solitaire and 48 kms north of Sesriem - an overnight access point to Sossusvlei and the Namib Naukluft hiking trails. We offer 10 spacious rustic (air-conditioned) chalets, each with a private viewing deck, giving you a chance to sleep under the Namib sky on top of your own chalets. A swimming pool, sunset deck and fully licenced bar are available to all the residents for relaxation. Enjoy a superb 3 course meal in our restaurant. Friendly and excellent service. Agama River Camp - an oasis in the Desert!

Reservations: Tel: +264 (0)61 224 712 | +264 (0)61 250 725 • Direct Tel: +264 (0)63 293 [email protected] • www.agamarivercamp.com

Solitaire Surrounds

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Tropic of Capricorn


Situated in the middle of the Namib Desert, Solitaire Country Lodge is the perfect stop over on route to Sossusvlei, Swakopmund or Windhoek. The Lodge provides spacious en-suite rooms, campsites, swimming pool and a res-taurant and bar with traditional African cuisine for breakfast, light lunch and dinner. A gas station, General dealer shop and the Moose McGregor Bakery with the world famous Apple Pie are all at your doorstep. Basic motor repairs are also available to ensure a safe journey.

Rates: DBB basis N$780.00 pp /sharing | Single N$880.00 | Camping N$100.00

RESERVATIONS: Weavers Tourism & Marketing Services cc • P.O. Box 31392 PioniersparkTel: +264 (0)61 305 176 / 305 173 • Fax: +264 (0)61 306 176

Email: [email protected] • Web: www.travel-weaver.comGENERAL DEALER & LODGE: Tel.: +264 (0)63 293621/2 - Fax: +264 (0)63 293620

E-mail: [email protected]

Solitaire is situated 83km from Seriem, the gateway to Sossusvlei. Directions from Windhoek (+/-230km) – C26 to turn-off D1265 to Nauchas. At Nauchas turn right on D1275 via Spreetshoogte Pass to C14. Turn left +/- 9km to Solitaire. Directions from Swakopmund (+/-230km) – drive to Walvis Bay take the C14 to Solitaire.

Solitaire Surrounds

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Solitaire Guest Farm & Desert Ranch is a great location from which to base your day trips and excursions to the famous Dunes of Sos-susvlei, Sesriem Canyon, the Naukluft Mountains and Spreetshoogte Pass. Accommodation consist of en-suite room, a self-catering house and campsites with own facilities. Enjoy delicious African farm cuisine in our thatch-roofed “lapa” while watching wildlife at our illuminated watering hole. Among the animals on the farm are tame Springbok, Suricates (Meerkats), Dogs, Cats, and numerous Birdlife. Experience our Hiking trails, Nature and Night Drives in which you may see Oryx, Kudu, Springbok, Mountain Zebra, Bat-eared Foxes, Cheetah, Leopard, and smaller animals. Enjoy a Sundowner and an incredible African sunset on the nearby Sunset Hill or just relax by the pool. NAMIB CONSERVATION CENTRE: The Centre host an educational facility that is open to the public and offer display information and seminar talks about our Conservation Research Program. Tourists are able to join a group of elite biologists to assist wildlife activities such as feeding the animals, wildlife-tracking within the purpose-built enclosures, nature walks on and around the farm, and carnivore surveillance in the greater Namib area.

Tel: +264 (0)62 682033 • Fax 2 mail: +264 (0)88635507 • P.O. Box 30729 • Pionierspark • WindhoekReservations: Tel: +264 (0)61 305 173 / 305 176 • Fax: +264 (0)61 306 176

E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.solitaireguestfarm.com

Solitaire Surrounds

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Situated in the heart of the Namib Desert, some 300km south west of Windhoek & bordered on three sides by the Namib Naukluft Park, Weltevrede is the home of abundant wildlife & gateway to the famed Sossusvlei dunes & Sesriem Canyon. Nestled amidst a spectacular mix of rugged mountains, shifting dunes, harsh gravel plains, dusty prehistoric river beds and endless Camel-thorn trees, you’ll find Weltevrede a welcome oasis of friendly hospitality at the end of your adventuresome day. Accommodation consists of 12 separate rooms, each en-suite and air-conditioned, overlooking the Namib dunes and 4 camping sites, each with own private toilet, shower and basin. 1000+ Springbucks, cheetahs, giraffes, jackals, leopards, mountain zebras, ground squirrels, kudus, gemsbok, ostriches, various insect & bird species can be seen.

Tel: +264 (0) 63 293 208 • Fax: +264 (0) 63 293 209 • Cel: +264 (0) 81 685 3433P.O. Box 4119, Walvis Bay • E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.weltevredeguestfarm.com

• Directions: On the C19 between Solitaire & Sesriem

Solitaire Surrounds

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On your way to Sossusvlei - in the heart of the Namib Desert, there is a place where time does not exist. The hand of God paused on these vast plains, touching your sense as never before. A world of colour, awe inspiring plains, surrounded by magnificent mountains, you can experience tranquility, silence and solitude. We offer air conditioned rooms, dinner, Bed and breakfast and the best camping facilities in the area. The activities we offer include : 4x4 Excursions to Sesriem Canyon and Sossusvlei, Quadbike trips, Sundowners, Birdwatching, Scenic and Balloon flights can be arrange.

Tel : +264 63 293 253 / 63 693 253 • Fax : +264 (0)63 293 252 / 63 693 252 / +264 (0)88 631 767 Reservations: Tel : +264 (0)81 208 8331 • P.O. Box 9385, Eros, Windhoek • [email protected] • www.betesdalodge.com

Landing strip available: S24º 37,161” E15º 59,494”

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Typical dirt road with green grass after the rain

When approaching the little settlement of Solitaire at the

edge of the Namib Naukluft Park, it feels like you have

arrived in the middle of nowhere.

Originally established in 1848 by a Mr van Collier, Soli-

taire was intended to be used as a sheep farm. Nowadays

it is the main pitstop for refuelling and stocking up with

fresh water, “padkos”’and tourist info before venturing

into the park to visit some of the highest dunes in the

world at Sossusvlei.

With deteriorating, vintage American cars set amongst

decorative cactus plants, you feel more like being in a

Western movie set than in the heart of the Namib Desert.

This place has character – but that is not all…

Most travellers come to Solitaire to savour the delightful

Apple Pie or “Apfelstrudel” that it has become known for

all over the world. How did that come about, you might

ask?

Here’s the legend… More than 20 years ago a Scottish

adventurer, Percy Cross “Moose” McGregor, a man bigger

than life and a brilliant baker, started selling his cakes and

apple pie made from a tried and tested family recipe.

Weary travellers stopped over at Solitaire just to have a

piece of this delectable pie before carrying on with their

journey through the desert and so Moose became a le-

gend.

Sadly, in January 2014, Moose passed away and left a

big void in the little Solitaire community. His apple pie

will, however, not be forgotten and thus Moose’s legacy

will live on forever as thousands of weary travellers will

come to visit Solitaire for a slice of Moose’s apple pie.


Apple Pie


APPLE PIE IN THE NAMIB DESERT


The twenty thatched chalets ensure our guests a comfortable stay, and needless to say - the little touches that character-

ize Homestead hospitality are still evident everywhere. Meals can be savoured in our romantic indoor dining room

complete with candles and fireplace, or alternately on our traditional wide farm verandah, with lanterns and stars

adding to the ambience. We have become a popular destination for keen horse riders. We also offer sundowner drives,

guided walks, Sossusvlei and Naukluft excursions ... ballooning, scenic flights and quad biking can all be arranged.

Desert Homestead Lodge Tel: +264 (0) 63 683103 • BOOKING Tel:+264 (0) 61 240020 Namibia Travel Consultants E-mail: [email protected] • www.deserthomestead-namibia.com

Sossusvlei Surrounds

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Swakopmund Light Tower

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WESTERN REGION INTRO

Wes

t

The Western Region is centered around the Namib Coastline, which offers a welcome respite from the heat of the interior. The quaint litte town of Swakopmund is Namibia’s premier holiday resort with its wealth of well-preserved German colonial buildings, its palm-lined streets and clean beaches.

Activities abound in and around Swakopmund. From dune boar-ding to sky-diving and ballooning over the desert, township tours and tours into the desert, there is much to do and see in this area.

Walvis Bay is Namibia’s major port and the centre of Namibia’s fishing industry. Most boating activities are launched from Walvis Bay’s waterfront which has become a big tourist attraction. The calm waters of the lagoon attract many water-sport enthusiasts like windsurfers, kiteboarders and sailors.

Pelican Point is also known for its rough beauty, and the newly built eco-lodge at the tip of the penin-sula offers comfort and a rather dif-ferent view of the lagoon and Wal-vis Bay as a whole. Donkey Bay is a well known surfing spot for international surfers from all over the world who come here to share the icy waters with the hundreds of seals around the lighthouse. Many 4x4 excursions to Sandwich Harbour start out in Walvis Bay. Sandwich Harbour lies about 40 km south of Walvis Bay with dunes sweeping down to a pristine la-goon with views and scenery to

die for – a photographer’s dream.

But if it is just fishing that tickles your fancy, the coastline to the north of Swakopmund and Hen-ties Bay offers exciting spots with amusing names such as “Sarah se Gat” and “Bennie se Rooi Lorry”, or Jakkalsputz. From Mile 4 and Wlotzka’s Baken right up to Hen-ties Bay, Torra and Terrace Bay, you’ll find many fishing spots, directly accessible by 4x4 which makes fishing a family affair with camps being built on the beach and family and friends gathering for a fun-filled day on the beach.

Further inland, the Brandberg of-fers the highest peak in Namibia: Koenigstein (2570 m above sea level) . In addition, it offers 44,000 rock paintings, the most popular of which is the White Lady in the Tsi-sab Ravine. The Erongo mountains to the south-west of Omaruru also contain a wealth of rock paintings and the town of Omaruru itself has become somewhat of an art cen-tre, featuring many coffee shops, art and décor, as well as its own chocolate/praline factory.

The Spitzkoppe is considered the “Matterhorn of Namibia” and with its granite rock walls of up to 600m, it is Namibia’s top rock climbing destination.

Many lodges and guestfarms in and around these tourist attrac-tions have exciting game viewing possibilities of all types of game including the big 5.



161WESTERN ACCOMMODATIONwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com

WESTERN REGION LISTING

Cape Cross84 Cape Cross Lodge 167

Swakopmund85 Alte Brucke Holiday Resort 17086 Amanpuri Travellers Lodge 17187 Beach Hotel Swakopmund 17288 Dunedin Star Guesthouse 17389 Eberwein Hotel 17490 Europa Hof Hotel 17491 Rapmund Hotel Pension 17492 Sam’s Giardino 17593 Stay @ Swakopmund 175

Swakopmund Tourism Services Municipality of Swakopmund 169 Batis Birding Safaris 176 Desert Explorers 177 Daredevil Adventures 177

Ground Rush Adventure 178 Kristall Galerie 179 Ocean Adventures 180 Shalom 181 Kückis Pub 182 Swakopmund Brauhaus 183 Crossroads Car Hire 183 African Art Jewellers 184 African Kirikara 185 Namib I 180 Walvis Bay94 Lagoon Chalets & Camping Sites 188

Walvis Bay Tourism Services Catamaran Charters 189 Flying Coffe Pot, The 190 Probst Willi Restaurant/Bakery 191

Arandis Town Council 192-195

Henties Bay & Surrounds95 Huis Klipdrift 196

Karibib Surrounds96 Hohenstein Lodge 197

Omaruru & Surrounds97 Evening Shade and Main Street Café 200-20198 Kashana 20299 River Guesthouse & Camping 202100 Eileen Guest Farm 203101 Immenhof Guest Farm and Safaris 204

Omaruru Tourism Services Immenhof Air Safaris 205

Page Page PageHutno.

Hutno.

Hutno.

Jetty at Pelican Point


WELWITSCHIA PLAINS

Welwitschia PlainsInland from Swakopmund, like huge bundles of tangled

wool, the ancient welwitschias of the central Namib

sprawl randomly across the well-known Welwitschia

Plains in the Namib-Naukluft Park. This intriguing stand

of plants can be viewed when travelling through the pro-

claimed road in the northern section of the park.

The Welwitschia mirabilis is a botanical curiosity endemic

to the Namib Desert. The plants grow in a narrow belt that

lies between 30 to 40 kilometres inland, from the Kuiseb

River in the central Namib more or less all the way up to

Mossamedes in Angola. The best specimens grow amongst

the hills of the Messum Crater south-west of the Brand-

berg. Here, sheltered from the winds, they grow relatively

luxuriantly, with less of the desiccated and wind-shredded

look of the welwitschias of the plains.

The welwitschia is actually a tree that has been dwarfed

by the rigours of the desert, the major portion of its stem

having been driven underground. The fibrous taproot is

quite shallow, with many lateral roots just below the sur-

face. The crown of the stem is flattened and shaped like a

saucer, dark brown, hard and woody. The plant produces

only two leaves throughout its lifetime. They grow oppo-

site each other from the base outwards and are up to three

metres long. The tough and leathery leaf-blades, torn into

long, thong-like shreds by the searing winds, are constant-

ly blackened and worn away by the scorching desert sun.

The welwitschia is dioecious, that is the male and fe-

male flowers are on separate plants. The flowers are often

brightly coloured, the male cones salmon pink and the

female ones much larger and of a greenish-yellow colour,

banded with reddish-brown, sometimes dark pink. A con-

spicuous red beetle with the impressive scientific name of

Probergrothius sexpunctatis inhabits these plants. This in-

sect is associated only with welwitschias and is therefore

also endemic to the Namib.

Welwitschias are not only of ancient origin, but are also

extremely long-lived. The age of one of the larger speci-

mens has been estimated at about 2 000 years, while

carbon-14 dating indicates that average specimens such

as those seen on the Welwitschia Plains are between 500

and 600 years old. A magnificent specimen, known as

the Great Welwitschia and estimated to be 1 500 years

old, can be seen along the Welwitschia Trail, which runs

across the plain.


GOBABEB

GobabebFor the last fifty years scientists, researchers, students,

film-makers, artists and tourists have converged on

Gobabeb, a world-renowned research institution in

the central Namib Desert approximately 85 kilometres

south-east of Walvis Bay. The complex is located on the

northern bank of the ephemeral Kuiseb River that runs

through the Namib-Naukluft Park to Walvis Bay. Over

the years a great deal of detailed research on the geol-

ogy, ecology, landscape and history of the Namib Des-

ert has been carried out at this institution.

Gobabeb was founded in 1962 as the Namib Desert

Research Station by the world’s foremost desert beetle

taxonomist at the time, Dr Charles Koch. The well-

known Dr Mary Seely, who started as a researcher at

the station in 1967, became director in 1970, leading

and expanding the programme for the next 28 years,

consolidating its international reputation and pursuit of

scientific excellence. Today, under the directorship of

Dr Joh Henschel, the Gobabeb Training and Research

Centre continues to host scientists, students, film-

makers, artists and casual visitors interested in finding

out more about the Namib Desert.

The training programme at the Research Centre is aimed

at enhancing understanding of sustainable development

at all levels. School groups visit to learn more about

climate change, biodiversity and the Namibian envi-

ronment, and students from the University of Namibia

and the Polytechnic spend anything from a week to a

month to apply their theoretical training. Tertiary stu-

dents from other parts of the world come to Gobabeb

to pursue MSc and PhD research, often in collaboration

with Namibian students. The research programme pro-

vides a broad framework for individual researchers to

take on challenges such as ephemeral river functioning

and management practices in arid lands.

The Gobabeb Open Day is an annual event that pro-

vides an opportunity for members of the public to make

the trip to the research station and learn more about its

activities. Each year has a different theme and Gobabeb

staff members give presentations of their various re-

search activities, covering the current programmes and

training projects.

164 WESTERN ACCOMMODATION

BRANDBERG - MOUNTAIN OF MYSTERY

Brandberg - Mountain of Mystery

Owing its name to its glowing red appearance at sunset,

the Brandberg massif lies south of the Ugab River about

40 kilometres nort-west of Uis. Around 120 million

years ago the area was a volcano set in a vast plateau of

volcanic rock. Subsequent erosion of the surrounding

lavos gradually exposed the massive chuck of weather-

resistance granite, providing the numerous overhangs

used as shelters by Bushmen.

The Brandberg is the site of Königstein, at 2 574 me-

tres the highest peak in Namibia. It is also the site of

an internationally renowned heritage of rock paintings,

including the famous White Lady, which can be seen on

an overhang in Maack’s Shelter, Maack being the sur-

veyor who discovered it and other paintings in the Tsi-

sab Valley in 1917. However, it was only in 1955 that

the White Lady became known to international rock-art

specialists, when it was copied and described by the

French archaeologist and cleric, Abbé Henri Breuil.

Since then there has been a great deal of controversy

over its meaning and origin, the latest being that the

figure is neither white nor a female, but rather a male

medicine man wearing body paint. There are at least 17

other sites of rock paintings depicting lions, giraffes and

ostriches within a on-mile radius of Maack’s shelter.

The White Lady is surrounded by paintings of animals,

and although the frieze has faded over the years and

has an iron grid in front of it to protext it from vandals,

it is well worth the effort to go and see it. The walk up

the Tsisab Gorge to reach Maack’s Shelter, which takes

about an hour along a well-marked route, should not

be undertaken at midday, due to high temparatures.

The Brandberg paintings are estimated to be between

2 000 and 4 000 years old. About 8 000 were photo-

graphed and documented by the late Harald Pager, a

task which took him many years, and the results were

published in several volumes. A good way to view the

paintings of the Brandberg is on the guided tours [resent-

ed by the local Dâureb Mountain Guides.



SANDWICH HARBOUR

Sandwich Harbour One of Namibia’s most magical places is undoubtedly

Sandwich Harbour, a saltwater lagoon surrounded by ex-

tensive mud flats and reed-lined pools fed by freshwater

springs. Sandwich is one of Southern Africa’s most impor-

tant wetland areas, providing refuge to thousands of birds,

including pelicans and flamingos, at any one given time,

and giving shelter to countless thousands of migrants ev-

ery year. It is also an important breeding ground for sev-

eral fish species.

Situated some 48 kilometres south of Walvis Bay at the

foot of massive ivory-coloured dunes, Sandwich Harbour

is much sought after by photographers and artists for its

singular beauty and grandeur. Its inaccessibility – it can be

reached only by four-wheel-drive vehicle – enhances its

allure and mystique. This is augmented by the legend that

buried in the sands above the high-water mark are the re-

mains of a ship that carried in its hold a rich cargo of gold,

precious stones and ivory. Over the years these treasures

have been sought by fortune hunters and adventurers, but

no traces of the ship or its cargo have ever been found.

Referred to in old texts as Sandfisch Haven, the lagoon

was once an open bay at its northern end, which became

silted up over the years. The changing shoreline of the bay

is indicated on some of the older maps with dots rather

than solid lines. In the past Sandwich served several pur-

poses, for instance as a shelter for whalers during storms.

In the mid-1900s a trading station was established here

for curing fish, producing shark-liver oil and sealskins,

which were transported down the coast to Cape Town and

Mauritius.

Today it’s visited primarily by tourists, anglers and bird

watchers. About 115 species have been recorded here, in-

cluding 18 Palaearctic waders, 20 seabirds, 34 water birds

and 18 land birds. Because it lies in the Namib-Naukluft

Park, permits are required from the Ministry of Environ-

ment and Tourism. These can be obtained at several ser-

vice stations and through tour operators in Swakopmund

and Walvis Bay.

Photo: Courtesy of Sandwich Harbour 4x4


CAPE CROSS

Cape CrossIn 1486, before there were clear maps of the Southern

African coast, the Portuguese navigator, Diego Cão, on

one of his journeys in search of a sea route to the Far

East, landed at Cape Cross, about 130 kilometres north of

Swakopmund. Here he planted a stone cross or padrão, to

mark being the first European of his time to reach this far

down the west coast of Africa. His cross remained in place

until the 1890s, when it was removed and taken to the

Oceanographical Museum in Berlin. In 1974 the whole

area was landscaped and a replica cross was erected.

Today Cape Cross is visited primarily for its seal reserve,

which is one of the easiest to reach along the Namibian

coast. With its surrounding area of 60 square kilometres,

the seal reserve was proclaimed in 1968 to protect the

largest of the 23 colonies of Cape fur seals, Arctocephalus

pusillus pusillus, which breed along the coast of South

Africa and Namibia. At any one time the colony numbers

from 200 000 to as many as 340 000 animals. The large

bull seals arrive in mid- to late October, staking their ter-

ritorial claims and defending them from other males. In

late November or early December the females give birth

to their pups, which remain in and around the colony,

continuing to suckle for the next ten to eleven months. At

any time of the year visitors are greeted with the spectacle

of tens of thousands of heads bobbing on land and in the

water.

Also of interest in the vicinity is the Cape Cross lichen

reserve, where visitors are requested to stay on the exist-

ing roads and to inspect these interesting organisms on

foot. If a little water is sprinkled on them, they come to

life magically, displaying interesting colours and becom-

ing soft and leathery to the touch.


Literally meters from the fertile Atlantic Ocean, Cape Cross Lodge presents a unique and serene stop for travellers along

this vast untamed, seldom explored wilderness on the Skeleton Coast. The large patio, overlooking the beach and ocean,

flows into the lower deck with its warm, welcoming reception area and intriguing museum and curios shop. The Lodge

offers a bar, restaurant, lounge and a quirky wine cellar. The en-suite bathrooms are a statement of elegant simplicity,

while the private balconies glow with the warmth of wooden deckchairs and tables, affording unrestricted seaviews

and an aura of complete respite. Fishing trips can be arranged for guests.

Tel: +264 64 694 012/7 •Fax: +264 64 694 013 • P.O. Box 259, Henties Bay, [email protected]• www.capecross.org

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Cape Cross

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SWAKOPMUND INTRO

When you approach Swakopmund on the tarred road from the interior, its quaint assemblage of towers and turrets rise mysteriously from the mist, creating a mirage of an an-cient city in a faraway land. These atmospheric conditions are gener-ated by the dense bank of coastal fog that hangs over the cold Atlan-tic Ocean on most mornings, dissi-pating as the sun rises higher in the sky. Sometimes the sea is a sleek silver mirror; other times it is grey and stormy, with waves breaking onto the shore in rollers of thick white froth.

Germany’s annexation of the terri-tory of Deutsch-Südwestafrika be-came reality in August 1884 when the German flag and wooden no-tice boards were planted at various points along the south-west Afri-can coast, proclaiming the protec-tion of the Reich, and supplanting, after 400 years, Portugal’s claims to sovereignty over the territory. There was only one really viable natural harbour along the coast, namely Walvis Bay, but it was still in British hands. The new German colony’s need for a port of its own led to the founding of Swakopmund in 1892, and it served as the territory’s main harbour for many years.

Today the coastal town is Namib-ia’s main seaside resort, and locals descend on it from the interior in large numbers to escape the heat of the summer (December/ Janu-ary). The town has a cool and brac-ing climate, and its large number of restaurants, carefully tended public gardens, wide choice of pensions and hotels, coffee shops selling traditional German cakes and pastries make it an enjoyable holiday destination. Many of the old colonial buildings with their distinct German architecture have

been preserved, such as Woer-mann House, built in 1905, which houses the Swakopmund Arts As-sociation and the Public Library; Die Alte Kaserne (1905), today a youth hostel based on the concept of the International Youth Hostel Federation; the privately owned Hohenzollern-Haus (1905); and the Prinzessin Ruprecht Heim, built in 1902 as a hospital, today serving as a pension.

The Old Iron Jetty, originally built in 1911, is a well-known land-mark that was closed for repairs for many years and was re-opened to the public in 2006. The Swa-kopmund Museum is a small but comprehensive institution with displays ranging from natural his-tory, botany and mineralogy to ethnological and historical dis-plays. On the beachfront is the Swakopmund Aquarium, a fa-vourite among children with its transparent oval-shaped tank and glass walk-through tunnel. An in-teresting shop to visit is the Kristall Galerie with its specialist mineral displays, including gigantic quartz crystal clusters. And a visit to Swa-kopmund would not be complete without enjoying coffee and cake at Café Anton, famous for delec-table classics such as Schwarz-wälder Kirschtorte, Florentiner and Apfelstrudel.

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Alte Brücke Holiday Resort offers self catering chalets of different sizes, which can accommodate a maximum of 2,4 or 6 guests. Each chalet is complete with linen, towels, television, mini-bar, telephone and comprise of a fully equipped kit-chenette, living room, private braai and veranda. The bed price includes a scrumptious buffet breakfast and daily cleaning services. Camping guests can look forward to camping on lawned camp sites. Each camp site has its own private bathroom, wash up area, braai area and power point. Our Conference Centre can cater for a variety of events; ranging from weddings and birthday parties to corporate events and year end functions. We are ideally located. Situated within 200m from the beach and within a leisurely walk from popular restaurants, pubs and Town Centre. We look forward to welcome you!

Tel: +264 (0)64 404 918 • Fax: +264 (0)64 400 153P.O. Box 3360 • Swakopmund • Namibia • E-mail: [email protected] • www.altebrucke.com

Directions: Pass the Jetty and the Aquarium, direction Swakop River, turn to your left at the Swakop River, 100m straight.

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Swakopmund


Tel: +264 (0) 64 405 587 / 081 250 3668 • Fax: +264 (0) 64 404 597 • Cnr of Moses Garoeb and Anton Lubowski St. PO Box 8132, Swakopmund • [email protected] • www.amanpurinamibia.com

Amanpuri Travellers Lodge in Swakopmund offers accommodation to satisfy every traveller’s needs. The Lodge is conven-iently located 15 minutes walking distance from the town centre. Amanpuri Travellers Lodge offer single, double, triple and Dorm Rooms. Breakfast is included in all our rates. All our rooms are ensuite with towels and bedding supplied, DSTV* and safes* (* not Dorm Rooms). Free wireless internet. There is secure off street parking and 24 hour security. Enjoy a drink at our bar. Explore and experience! Tours and activities can be booked by us ranging from Skydiving to Desert Trips to Quadbiking and Fishing.

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Swakopmund


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Swakopmund


Tel/Fax: +264 (0)64 403 437 • P.O. Box 949, Swakopmund.Corner of Daniel Tjongarero and Windhoeker Str, Swakopmund • [email protected] • www.dunedinstar.com

The Dunedin Star offers peaceful and relaxed accommodation to suite your budget. Centrally situated and within walking distance from the town’s central business area, shopping centres, banks and other amenities as well as the main beach, the Dunedin Star is convenient, comfortable and homely. We offer single, double and triple rooms, all with en-suite bathrooms. Help yourself to a warm cup of coffee or tea from our breakfast table, then start your day with one of our healthy breakfasts to choose from. Free Wi-Fi Internet access. Laundry Service available. We can assist with your activities bookings from various tour and activity operators in and around Swakopmund. Spa and Sauna available.

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Swakopmund

The Jetty


Tel: +264 (0)64 414450 • Fax: +264 (0)64 414451 • Email: [email protected] • Web: www.eberwein.com.naP.O.Box 2594 • Swakopmund • Namibia • Corner of Otavi and Sam Nujoma ave.

• 16 Double rooms, incl. luxury & honeymoon in Victorian decor • Room heating • Garage & Security • Bar & Lounge • We Speak German and English • Historic Building • Situated in the centre of Swakopmund. Walking distances to all shops and restaurants as well as to the beach. Prices on request.

GPS co-ordinates: S22 40.672 | E14 31.755

Tel: +264 (0)64 405 061/2 •Fax: +264 (0)64 402 391 •P.O. Box 1333, Bismark Street 39, Swakopmund, NamibiaE-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.europahof.com

The Hotel Europa Hof with it’s distinct German architecture and relaxing atmosphere, is ideally located within short walking distance to the main tourist attractions, the beach and city center. It offers safe parking for guests and rooms with telephone, sat-ellite TV and en-suite bathrooms. Free Wi-Fi also available. The hotel’s restaurant has the biggest ‘a la Carte’ menu in town and offers a wide variety of local and European seafood and game dishes making it one of the most popular restaurants in town.

Our hotel has been under family management since 1968, established by the Rapmund-family. We offer 25 standard and 2 luxury en-suite rooms with reasonable prices. Enjoy our well known hearty breakfast with a sea view, in a friendly atmosphere. Our ideal central location, with a 2 minute walk to the beach and town centre, will make your stay easy and relaxing.

Tel: +264 (0)64 402035 • Fax: +264 (0)64 404 524 • P.O. Box 425 • Swakopmund • Namibia E-mail: [email protected] • www.hotelpensionrapmund.com

Directions: Bismarck Street 6-8, Swakopmund

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Swakopmund

Swakopmund

Swakopmund


Tel: +264 (0)64 403210 • Fax: +264 (0)64 403500 • P.O.Box 1401 • Swakopmund • NamibiaEmail: [email protected] • Web: www.giardinonamibia.com

Enjoy the Giardino Experience surrounded by an intimate atmosphere and creative spirit - from the wine cellar filled with the Cape’s finest and candle-light gourmet dinners to libraries of books and travel info. Our tranquil gardens invite you to relax over sundowners, after exhilarating excursions, while our comfort rooms decorated in mostly natural materials ensure that you feel pam-pered even in your sleep. The Giardino is a haven to those who love all the good things in life … and Bernese Mountain Dogs.

Directions: 89 Anton Lubowski Avenue, Swakopmund, Kramersdorf – 10 minutes’ walk to the beaches and CBD.

At Stay@Swakop Guesthouse, we cater for the traveller who appreciates the understated elegance that we have become known for. Our 2 family rooms, 8 twin rooms and 2 single rooms all provide television, wifi, safes, as well as a tea & coffee station. Situated right next to the dunes, we are only a 3 minutes’ drive from town/the beach (2.5 km) and provide a shuttle service for your convenience. Furthermore, we provide 24–hour guarded parking facilities and have the most peaceful, sunny garden and view that Swakopmund has to offer.

Tel: +264 (0)64 403 138 • Fax: +264 (0)64 405 543 • Cell : +264 (0)81 634 [email protected] • www.stay-at-swakop.com

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Swakopmund

Swakopmund

176 WESTERN - SWAKOPMUND ACTIVITIES & ADVENTURES

On the dunes across the Atlantic Ocean

177WESTERN - SWAKOPMUND ACTIVITIES & ADVENTURES





182 WESTERN - SWAKOPMUND WINE & DINE

183WESTERN - SWAKOPMUND CAR HIRE

WESTERN - SWAKOPMUND WINE & DINE

184 WESTERN - SWAKOPMUND WHERE TO BUY

185WESTERN - SWAKOPMUND WHERE TO BUY

186 WESTERN ACCOMMODATION www.namibiatravelcompanion.comWWal

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WALVIS BAY INTRO

Lagoon- Internationally Important Wetland

The Walvis Bay Lagoon is regarded as the most important wetland for coastal birds along the west coast of Southern Africa, not only for the numerous resident species it harbours, but especially for the vast numbers of intra-African and Palaearctic migrants that frequent its tranquil waters. Because of its value nationally and internation-ally as a wetland area, it was de-clared a RAMSAR site, RAMSAR being the convention on wetlands held in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, and is listed as a Natural Heritage Site. The lagoon area is especially known for the large numbers of lesser and greater flamingos it at-tracts to its rich feeding grounds. Black-necked grebes are seen in rafts of up to 800 individuals. Populations of migratory waders supported by the lagoon include curlew sandpipers, sanderlings, red knots, bar-tailed godwits, white-fronted plovers and tens of thousands of Caspian and swift terns. A good time to visit the la-goon is between October and April

when Damara terns and chestnut-banded plovers breed.

Habitats additional to the tidal lagoon are the sewage works wet-land, salt works with extensive evaporation pans, open ocean and shoreline and the Kuiseb River bed and dune area. The Bird Sanctuary is a series of ponds with emergent reed beds formed by the runoff from the sewage works. The Rooi-bank area with the Kuiseb riverbed, narra-vegetated hummock dunes and larger dune area is home to the only true Namibian endemic, the dune lark, which can be seen at the base of the main dunes on the southern bank, between the hummocks and tussocks.

A late afternoon visit to the guano platform about nine kilometres from Walvis Bay can be rewar-ding, as large numbers of Cape cormorant return here to roost. Other birds seen here are black terns, Eurasian and African black oystercatchers and white-breasted and crowned cormorants. This is thought to be the only place in Na-mibia where the great white peli-can breeds.


Surfing near Pelican Point


Situated walking distance from the famous Walvis Bay lagoon, Lagoon chalets is a perfect opportunity for traveling guests to

relax and enjoy the Namibian coast at their own leisure. For almost 20 years our self catering chalets has been the highest

recommended holiday housing at the Namibian coast. We offer lovely bungalows for you and your partner, your family

or even for your staff on a business trip. For traveling schools, sports teams or any large group looking for a cost effective

accommodation, or conference center, we offer the dormitory option. These facilities are fully equiped with bathroom and

washing facilities. With many fun things to do in and outside of Walvis Bay, the chalets also offer lovely braaing facilities,

coffee shop & a playpark for the children.

Tel: +264 (0)64 217 900• Cell: +264 (0)81 128 7151E-mail: [email protected] • www.lagoonchaletswb.com

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Walvis Bay

189WESTERN - WALVIS BAY ACTIVITIES & ADVENTURES

Sailing in the Lagoon

190 WESTERN - WALVIS BAY AMENITIES & SERVICES

Flamingoes on the lagoon

191WESTERN - WALVIS BAY WINE & DINE

At the Lagoon


As one of Namibia’s youngest towns, Arandis offers an ideal environment for investments, manufacturing and other business opportunities. It is is lo-cated close to the country’s port and its temperate weather provides ample opportunities for investment and development. The Arandis economy is mainly derived from mining activities where a larger percentage of residents are em-ployed. This is supplemented by light manufacturing, retail, textile, shebeens, food supply, accommodation and restaurants. While small, the public sector is represented through educational establishments (schools), police and health services.


Approximately 7,000 people live in Arandis. Residents were either working at the Rössing Uranium mine or for contractors contracted by the mine. The Rössing Foundation in Arandis strives to ensure an economically independent and self-sustaining town. It should also be a centre for educational excellence, empowering the town’s inhabitants through capacity-building. With this in mind, the Foundation launched many training and development programmes in part-nership with the community and other organisations.

With the assistance of its partners Arandis has devel-oped a number of programmes and initiatives to cater for the needs of its community.


The Miss Arandis beauty pageant is an annual event, taking place in the Arandis Town Hall at the beginning of each year.

The pageant is organised by the Arandis Town Council and supports the purpose of fighting gender-based violence.

Miss Arandis is also represented at the annual Miss Namibia pageant.


Like Las Vegas, the mining town of Arandis plans to shake off its dusty past and become a shining gem in the middle of the Namib Desert. Formerly a dormitory town for the nearby mines, Arandis is gearing up to attract significant investment for multi-million dollar developments. Entering Arandis from the highway, the signs of activity are obvious with buildings going up on both sides of the main road. Arandis has grown from a mining town into an industrious town that serves the uranium mines in the region. “Arandis is known for its close relation with the mining industry, but has much more to offer,” says the town’s chief executive officer Florida Husselmann. “We see great potential in growing the town into an industrial hub that can serve the Erongo Region and which is centrally located between major industry, the ports and the hinterland. With the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT) having its main campus here the town is also a centre of excellence for the furthering of education,” she notes.

Husselmann says the town’s desert landscape along with the proximity to large open pit mines, also open doors for niche-tourism in mining tours, eco-tourism, and desert adventure safaris. “Arandis is situated out-side the rust belt, in the heartland of the industrial region and sporting an excellent skills base,” says long-time NIMT Director Eckhart Mueller, who is passionate about the town’s development. NIMT is highly rated as a vocational training institution by the mines in the country. The institution has 3 000 students.

Some of the developments currently underway in Arandis include a three-storey hotel, a health centre and a shopping mall. Previously, the town saw the opening of retail facilities, a large petrol station, schools and banking outlets. Offering an alternative to the expensive coastal property markets, residential develop-ers have flocked to the town to build houses. Namibian company Osho Living Park is building 120 low to middle-income houses in the town. Different property developers have also forwarded plans for 600 ad-ditional houses in the town, while there are plans to construct a power plant, a dry fishing plant, a mining museum, various accommodation facilities and an industrial park.


Welcome to Huis Klipdrift - Your holiday or fishing trip in our good hands. Huis klipdrift is within short walking distance of shops and the beach and is protected by security fencing and night patrol service. Our 8 Self-catering units are all fully equipped with cutlery crockery,cookware & bedding. Other services include: Dstv, laundry services and daily cleaning, meals on request, WiFi, alarm systems, security fencing, indoor & outdoor bbq’s and lockable garages.

Tel: +264 64 501 329 • Fax: +264 64 501 330 • Valerie: Cell +264 81 127 3823 P.O. Box 24, Henties Bay • E-mail: [email protected] • www.hentiesbaytourism.com/houseKlipdrif.htm

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Henties Bay

Beach angling near Henties Bay


Situated at the bottom of the highest peak of the Erongo mountain range, Hohenstein Lodge offers its visitors a broad range of activities. Spectacular panoramic views from all rooms, the terrace and the swimming pool are characteristic for this lodge. A close by waterhole attracts game that can be viewed from the terrace. Guided walks to the Boulder Forest and up to the camp where mineral miners are living and working at the steep slopes of the mountain, are unique attractions. Absolute Erongo: A two-day adventure – from a comfortable lodge to a romantic night in the African Wilderness, offered exclusively to the guests of Hohenstein Lodge. Location: D1935 from Usakos - 25 km in northern direction. Airfield GPS-coordinates S 21°46’16“ E15°31’10“

Tel: +264 (0) 64 530900 • Fax: +264 (0) 64 530931 • [email protected] • www.hohensteinlodge.com

BOOKING: Tel: +264 (0) 61 240020 • [email protected]

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Karibib Surrounds

198 WESTERN ACCOMMODATION www.namibiatravelcompanion.comOOma

ruru

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OMARURU INTRO

Beautiful Omaruru has a definite artistic feel to it. It is surrounded by a green belt due to the ephem-eral Omaruru River running through the town, making it look like a little oasis in the heart of the Erongo Region. Even though it only flows after particularly good rains, the riverbed has natural al-luvial aquifers that store and also supply Henties Bay and Swakop-mund with water. The river itself originates from a small perennial well in the Otjozondjupa escarp-ment at an altitude of 1200 m near Kalkfeld. The Omaruru river basin covers 2,4% of Namibia’s land area and includes two major mountain ranges, the Erongo and Spitzkoppe. The river supports a population of more than 55,000 people with a mere rainfall of 50 – 350 mm per annum.

Omaruru is conveniently located

en route to the North of Namibia,

on the C33, only 50 km from Kar-

ibib and 230 km from Windhoek.

The name “Omaruru” is derived

from the Otjiherero “amaere omar-

uru”, which means “bitter curd” and

apparently describes how cow’s

milk tasted after eating a particular

bush which only grows in the area

around the town. The missionary

Hugo Hahn was the first European

to reach the area in 1851. In 1868

the Herero Chief Zeraua settled in

Omaruru, but officially the town

was only founded in 1870 when

another missionary, Gottlieb Viehe

arrived. Swedish big game hun-

ters then arrived and built the first permanent houses in the town. Un-fortunately they also eliminated all big herds of elephant, black rhino, plains game and lion which roamed the Omaruru river at that time.

In 1880 Herero-Nama wars brought Omaruru under attack but finally in 1889 peace was restored. In 1894 the German garrison was stationed at Omaruru and the town subsequently grew to house the biggest number of European settlers in Namibia. During the Herero uprising in 1904, the town was besieged. Captain Franke, the military commander at the time, who was away in the south on a mission, marched 900km in 20 days to break the siege by lead-ing a cavalry charge and defeating the Hereros. Franke’s Tower was built in 1907 to commemorate the event and in 1909 Omaruru re-ceived full municipal status.

Nowadays Omaruru is a peaceful artistic town with about 14,000 in-habitants, many art galleries, cof-fee shops and all amenities you re-quire. Due to private conservation efforts, much of the wildlife has returned to this area with many game farms/lodges in its vicinity. The picturesque setting of Omar-uru, amidst an array of mountains with the most prominent, the Oru-we Mountain, located southeast of the town, makes its appeal all the more intriguing.

Make Omaruru a destination, rath-er than a mere stopover between the Etosha Pan and the coast. There is lots to do and experience in this little gem of a town: - Visit the San community in the Erongo mountains- Browse through the various arts and crafts shops along the Main Road- Visit Omaruru’s own winery and chocolate factory- Have your own aquamarine or tourmaline cut before your eyes- Have German-style Kaffe & Kuchen (coffee and cake)


River Guesthouse camp site on the Omaruru River


Evening Shade is a quiet safe serene oasis in the middle of Historic Omaruru. We have 5 rooms 3 double/singles, 2 family, 17 beds in total, each room is full of character, the owner is an artist, so all are a bit funky yet extremely luxurious. We offer a traditional American style breakfast for all our guests at our Main Street Café just a 20 second walk from your room, Main Street Café will also happily serve you lunch, afternoon tea and dinner with prior arraignments. All of Evening Shades rooms are safe, clean, and comfortable with huge bathrooms, great beds, mosquito nets, linens (all cotton). Free Wifi, satellite TV, fans to stay cool, fully stocked mini bar, laundry service is also available. All rooms have an extremely well equipped kitchenette. There is a 24 hour management presence, so should you have any issues night or day there is someone ready and able to assist you within seconds.

Tel: +264 (0)64 57 0303 • Cell: +264 (0)81 124 6184 • Wilhelm Zeraua Road, Omaruru [email protected] • [email protected] • http://www.evening-shade.com

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Omaruru


When travelling from Etosha back to the coast or vica versa, don’t miss out on the arty, quirky town of Omaruru. Omaruru lies on the C33 between Otjiwarongo and Karibib and lends itself as the perfect stop-over between the coast and the northern region.

You cannot miss the pink and green reed structures outside the Main Street Café, beckoning you to stop and savour their tasty meals and great coffee, not to mention the quick catch up on emails and social media since

wifi is freely available for all patrons. The café adjoins well-known local photographer Chris Johnston’s stu-dio and walls are covered with his beautiful Namibian landscapes and works of art – all for sale. His studio is a work of art in itself and the beau-tiful old colonial building lends itself perfectly as a canvas for Chris’ crea-tive flair.

Evening Shade is the self-catering fa-cility right behind Main Street café. It all forms part of Chris’ concept and

blends in beautifully with the town of Omaruru itself, which has become known for its arty inhabitants and products.

Next time you are in this vi-cinity, make a point of stopping over at Main street Café or even stay the night at Evening Shade, a facility with a difference and plenty of heart.


Embrace the silence of Africa while enjoying a sundowner and the magnificent views of the Erongo Mountains at Kashana Namibia. Explore our arts and crafts centre, tantalize your taste-buds at the Kashana Restaurant or simply relax in our swim-ming pool. We offer comfortable luxury bungalows with en-suite facilities, television, wireless internet, air-conditioning, mini-bar, coffee/tea facilities & veranda. To savour all we have to offer in Omaruru you will need more than one night.

Contact: Tel.+264 64 571 434 • Fax +264 64 571 107www.kashana-namibia.com • [email protected]

Directions:Corner Riverstreet and Dr Ian Scheepers Drive, Omaruru

The River Guesthouse is situated halfway between the coast and Etosha National Park. We offer 6 cosy double rooms with en-suite bathrooms (2 of them can be switched to family rooms). Our restaurant serves home cooking. Enjoy a cool drink at the pool or a sundowner in our boma. Six campsites are available at the riverbed with ablution facilities [hot water], fireplac-es and power points. Enjoy the personal touch in a family friendly atmosphere! We are in the arty little town Omaruru.

Tel/Fax: +264 (0)64 570 274 • Cell: +264 (0)81 1245365P.O. Box 530 • Omaruru • Namibia • Email: [email protected] • www.river-guesthouse.com

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Omaruru

Omaruru


Lodge: Tell: +264 (0)64 570837• Cell: +264 (0)81 394 9319 • Fax: +264 (0)88 643 506P.O. Box 393 • Omaruru • Namibia • Email: [email protected] • Web: http://www.erongo.iway.na

Eileen Guest Farm is situated on the edge of the Erongo Mountains. It is an ideal hiding place for all kinds of wild animals and some already endangered. Meals are served on a half open Lapa or in a small dinning room. Barbeque evenings round the open fire are very popular. In a social atmosphere you can hear all about the way of life in Namibia. Enjoy our fresh saltwater pool in a calm atmosphere or go with us or alone to explore surrounding environment. We also have camping facilities on the farm. Camping contact: Erongo Plateau Camp – [email protected]

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Omaruru

Brandberg Ballooning


Reservations: Tel: +264 (0)61 234 342 • [email protected]: Tel/Fax: +264 67 290 077 / 290 177 • Cell: +264 81 127 7243 / +264 81 128 5858 • GPS: 21º7’20.52”S | 15º53’34.38”E

P.O. Box 250 • Omaruru • Namibia • E-mail: [email protected] •Web: www.immenhofnamibia.com

The unique setting of Immenhof covers a diverse landscape ranging from open plains to thorn bush savannah, along dry

river beds winding through solid granite outcrops. Immenhof is ideally situated between Windhoek or Swakopmund and

the Etosha National Park, in the lovely Omaruru region. We offer comfortable accommodation all with en-suite bath-

rooms. Food specialties include Namibian venison, professionally produced in our very own Farm Butchery, prepared

the typical african-afrikaans-german way. Join a multitude of activities, like farm drives with game viewing, singing rocks

and rock paintings, nature walks and horse riding. Immenhof Air Safaris will take you to exotic and remote places in this

part of Africa. The von Seydlitz family and their team will make your stay a memorable one!

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Omaruru

205WESTERN ACCOMMODATIONwww.namibiatravelcompanion.comWESTERN - SWAKOPMUND ACTIVITIES & ADVENTURES

206 EASTERN ACCOMMODATION www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

EAST - KALAHARI DESERT

Kalahari Desert The Kalahari conjures up visions of ancient red dunes,

Lourens van der Post, the Bushmen (San) and black-maned

lions. It is very different to the Namib, as it is not a desert

in the strict sense of the word. It receives more rain than a

true desert, well over 100 millimetres a year on average,

in some areas as much as 250 millimetres. However, the

sand sheet that covers the Kalahari has virtually no surface

water. Evidence suggests that the region once may have

been much more arid than it is now. A better description

of the Kalahari would therefore be that it is a ‘fossil desert’

rather than a true desert.

The word ‘Kalahari’, meaning ‘a waterless place’, is de-

rived from the Tswana word Kgala, meaning the great

thirst, or the tribal word Khalagari, Kgalagadi or Kalagare.

Vast areas of the Kalahari are covered by red sand, accu-

mulated in longitudinal or linear dunes that trend paral-

lel to the prevailing wind. They are generally straight and

very long, with sharp crests. Formed many centuries ago,

they have become fixed by vegetation of the acacia type

and grass cover, with broad dune ‘streets’ in between. An

outstanding feature of the Kalahari dunes is their extraor-

dinary red colour, which is due to a thin film of red iron

oxide that coats each grain of sand.

Summer temperatures in the Kalahari range from 20–45°C.

When it rains the water drains away into the dry dune val-

leys, but the region has several seasonally inundated pans,

such as the Etosha Pan in northern Namibia and the large

salt pans of the Makgadikgadi Pan in Botswana. Animals

that live in the Kalahari include lion, brown hyaena, meer-

kat, giraffe, warthog, jackal, eland, gemsbok, springbok,

hartebeest, steenbok, kudu and duiker, and many species

of bird and reptiles. Vegetation in the Kalahari consists

mainly of grasses and acacias, but there are over 400

identified plant species present, including the wild water-

melon or tsamma melon.

The San people or Bushmen have lived in the Kalahari

for some 20 000 years as hunter-gatherers, surviving by

hunting game with bows and arrows and gathering edible

plants such as berries, melons and nuts and also insects.

Bushmen rarely drink water, getting most of their water

requirements from plant roots and desert melons found

on or under the desert floor, and storing water in blown-

out ostrich eggshells. They have their own characteristic

language that includes clicking sounds.

There are several excellent guest farms and lodges in the

Kalahari, including the well-known flying centre at Bit-

terwasser, a major attraction for gliding, also referred to as

‘soaring’. Most of these establishments include visits to the

Bushmen, who tell tourists about their lifestyles, including

how they track and hunt, which plants they incorporate in

their diet and the many medicinal uses of plants.

EASTERN ACCOMMODATION 207www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

EASTERN REGION LISTING

East102 Harnas 209

PageHutno.

208 EASTERN ACCOMMODATION www.namibiatravelcompanion.com


EASTERN ACCOMMODATION 209www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

102

210 SUGGESTED ROUTES www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Besides the usual regional maps, the Namibia Travel

Companion also features “Suggested Routes” to as-

sist the self-drive tourist to plan ahead. You will find this

feature on pages 232-251.

Each route highlights accommodation establishments

along that particular route and reference is given to the

page number in the publication on which that particular

establishment is featured.

You will also find an enlarged map for each route, detai-

ling attractions along that particular route and places one

needs to see and incorporate along the way.

Each section in the book also describes relevant attrac-

tions or places to see/things to do when visiting that re-

gion. Once you have thus decided on a route, make sure

to also read about the attractions in each region and thus

allow sufficient time for your visit.

The numbers along each route indicate places to stay.

The hut number corresponds to the establishments listed

next to the map and a page reference is also given to read

about the establishment in the book and to contact them

via the web or telephone to make your reservation.

We hope that this feature will make it easier for you to

plan your trip and that you will experience true

Namibian hospitality and sunshine to make this your

holiday of a lifetime.

Remember: “Life is either a daring adventure or noth-

ing.” – Helen Keller

www.namibiatravelcompanion.com OPEN AFRICA ROUTES 211

Open Africa is a non-profit organisation founded in 1995 under the patronage of Nelson Mandela with a vision to assist rural entrepreneurs to increase their in-come and potential to employ more people, by buil-ding their capacity to trade and connecting them to markets. It does this by using tourism as an economic platform to create and sustain jobs for rural communi-ties throughout Southern Africa.

Open Africa develops self-drive travel routes in rural, off-the-beaten-track places regarded as the real Africa and in which travellers are most interested, but about which no reliable source of authentic information ex-ists. This programme is building up toward becoming the most comprehensive information source in brin-ging what was known as the ‘dark continent’ into the light for aspirant visitors.

Trade is the essential element of human advancement, cooperation, collaboration, discovery and prosperity.

Trading is what makes entrepreneurs, what drives the wheels of society, what creates jobs and gives people a purpose in life. Trade is where people find one another, what connects and liberates them from isolation.

Since its inception Open Africa has created 62 self-drive travel routes in six countries across Southern Africa, supporting 2 454 businesses which employ ap-proximately 28 438 people.

By travelling on Open Africa’s off-the-beaten track self-drive travel routes, travellers will create and sustain much-needed jobs in local communities. Offering life-enriching experiences that at the same time support local people is why Open Africa exists.

For more information about Open Africa, visit www.openafrica.org and plan your next life-enriching journey.

www.namibiatravelcompanion.comOPEN AFRICA ROUTES212

Offering an unexpected, otherworldly experience both in

its landscape and the rewards it brings to travellers, the

Arid Eden Route stretches from Swakopmund in the south

to the Angolan border in the north. The route includes

the previously restricted western area of Etosha National

Park, one of Namibia’s most important tourist destina-

tions with almost all visitors to the country including

the park in their travel plans. The Arid Eden Route also

includes well-known tourist attractions such as Spitzko-

ppe, Brandberg, Twyfelfontein and Epupa Falls. Travellers

can experience the majesty of free-roaming animals, ex-

treme landscapes, rich cultural heritage and breathtaking

geological formations. As one of the last remaining wil-

dernesses, the Arid Eden Route is remote yet accessible.

Windhoek to Galton ExperienceTotal Distance: 520 km

Suggested time period: 1.5 - 2 days

This national road sweeps through well settled farming

country. The landscape includes savannah thorn veld with

numerous game farms and early German settler towns

with well-developed infrastructure. Novelties en-route in-

cludes German delicatessens, coffee shops and locally run

butcheries that source delicious game and beef from sur-

rounding farms. The excellent highway offers glimpses of

families of warthogs foraging on the road verge and quick

views of kudu, giraffe and other game as you pass by.

The route is a gateway to the desert attractions of this arid

eden. Towering mountain peaks, vast vistas, desert adapted

wildlife, rock art, unusual geological features and a spread

of rich local cultures await the adventurous traveller. The

route also gives alternate access to the much less visited,

western part of Etosha National Park via the Galton Gate.

Route Coordinator: Richard Fryer

[email protected]



WContact: Basil Calitz | Tel: +264 (0) 81 128 3775

Email: [email protected]

Welwitschia ExperienceTotal Distance: 860 km (including detours)Suggested time period: 4 - 6 days

This route links Namibia’s premier coastal holiday destina-tion, Swakopmund with the wildlife spectacle of Etosha National Park. The well-maintained gravel road passes by some of the most spectacular landscapes and attractions in Namibia. Dominating the landscape enroute is the tower-ing Sptizkoppe and Erongo mountains.

The mineral rich nature of the area is visible when driving

into Uis. The town offers basic amenities such as fuel and

other supplies, as there are no tar roads and only a handful

of small towns in the region it calls for a degree of self-suf-

ficiency. The Brandberg has at least 2 000 recorded rock

art sites. The best of these can be visited on a walking tour

with well-trained local guides. It is also one of the more

accessible locations to view desert elephants attracted to

the only greenery found in the dry riverbeds. Twyfelfon-

tein is a prime attraction in the north-west and has a wide

range of accommodation from upmarket lodges to com-

munity campsites. The World Heritage site is known to

have the largest concentration of petroglyphs in Africa.

The town of Khorixas is the obvious supply point for in-

dependent travellers before heading into the more remote

northern parts if this region. The simple beauty of the

rocky landscape en-route to Kamanjab allows glimpses

of giraffe, springbok, milkbush shrubs, local villages and

tribesman herding flocks of damara sheep. Spectacular

mountain passes offer endless vistas of the surrounding

landscape until reaching the rural town of Kamanjab, just

short of the new Galton Gate.

ARID EDEN ROUTE



HHimba Cultural ExperienceTotal Distance: 443 km

Suggested time period: 3 - 5 days

This route links oasis settlements and springs through a

unique part of the Himba tribal heartland. Palmwag is a

cluster of ancient palm trees under which small herds of

elephants congregate in the river vegetation. Local tour

operators offer walking tours to find the last free ranging

black rhinos found within the conservancies. Attractions in

the vicinity include the restored German fort dating back

to 1896, the promise of a refreshing swim at the spectacu-

lar Ongogo waterfall and the Khowarib Schlucht (gorge)

that offers shelter from the surrounding desert.

The stretch of road between Sesfontein and Puros skirts the

sparsely vegetated Namib dune fields that support a range

of wildlife such as ostriches, springbok and giraffe. The re-

mote Himba settlement at Puros comes as a surprise in the

harsh desert environment. Cool campsites under huge cam-

elthorn trees offer shelter from the blazing sun with the odd

desert elephant may stroll by. The famous Hoanib elephant

herd can be tracked down by experienced local guides.

Another highlight on the route, albeit insignificant at first

sight is rooidrom (red drum), a junction known by adven-

ture travellers far and wide. This quirky landmark is a ma-

jor intersection in the far north of Kaokoland and those

with a sense of humour have added distance markers tell-

ing you how far you are from Moscow, London and Cape

Town. The Marienfluss valley, dotted with mud covered

Himba huts, can either be covered in waving yellow grass

or be a wind-sept landscape covered by a red sand. The

permanently flowing Kunene River comes as a refreshing

surprise with its clear water and river bank studded with

makalani palms.

ARID EDEN ROUTE



Contact: Hillary Morgan |Tel: +264 (0) 65 685 016Email: [email protected]

NNorth West TrailTotal Distance: 581 km (including detours)


This route links up the western gate of the spectacular

Etosha National Park and its teaming wildlife with an-

other Namibian highlight the two major waterfalls on the

Kunene River. The route traverses Mopani shrubland while

skirting the Etosha Park fence. Opuwo, the main centre in

the Himba heartland, is a necessary refuelling and supply

stop. The town is of great contrast between modern and

ancient tradition. Young people in jeans and t-shirts walk

the dusty roads alongside traditionally dressed Himba

women covered in ochre and wearing copper bangles and

leather adornment.

The good quality gravel road leads the explorer past Him-

ba trudging the remote roads to bring their cattle, goats

and donkeys to the nearest water source. The Epupa water-

fall is one of the truly unspoilt natural wonders of Africa.

The full force of the mighty Kunene River plunges into a

narrow gorge, which sends sheets of spray into the blue

Namibian sky.

The river and its fast flowing water brings life to people

and animals, many of which walk vast distances to seek

the replenishment, shade and shelter. A section of the road

between Swartbooisdrift and Ruacana hugs the Kunene

River and offer glimpses of the river through the thick riv-

erine forest. Keen birders hone in on a small section of the

river which is home to the endemic Cinderella Waxbill. River front campsites and lodges are tucked away among makalani palms on the riverbank.

ARID EDEN ROUTE



Four RiversWith an unusual water ecosystem that gives life to rich

and rare wildlife, birds and culture, the Four Rivers Route

is named after the river systems that flow through the

Zambezi and Kavango regions, namely the Zambezi,

Okavango, Kwando and Chobe Rivers. The unusual water

ecosystem created by the rivers is one of Southern Africa’s

best-kept secrets and is home to over 430 bird species,

free-roaming wildlife and numerous culturally rich vil-

lages and attractions.

This route stretches from Nkurenkuru in the North East

through the Zambezi Region (former Caprivi Strip) to one

of southern Africa’s most spectacular attractions, the Vic-

toria Waterfalls.

Kavango Open Africa RouteTotal Distance: 383 km (See page 222-223)


The Kavango Open Africa Route, is based on the riverine

landscapes of the Kavango, its people, birds and wildlife.

The route roughly stretches 383 km from Nkurunkuru in

the west to Mohembo in the east and also provides ac-

cess to the Mahango and Khaudum National Parks on the

border of Botswana. The beauty of this area was only dis-

covered by explorers in the late nineteenth century and

is still being discovered by tourists today. The route offers

an array of attractions and a diversity of culture and is a

renowned birding hotspot. Other attractions that form part

of the experience include the Mbunza Living Museum,

Khaudum National Park, Nyangana Mssion, Andara Mis-

sion, the Okavango River System and Popa Falls as well as

Mahango National Park.

Route Coordinator: Nadja le [email protected]

C


CCaprivi Wetlands Paradise ExperienceTotal Distance: 430 km (See page 224-225)


The Caprivi Wetlands Paradise epitomises the appeal of

Africa with wildlife and communities living side-by-side.

The area is renowned for its successful Community Based

Natural Resource Management programme that allows

communities specific ownership rights and allows them

to protect and sustainably utilise their wildlife and other

natural resources. This can be seen first-hand when cross-

ing the Okavango River into the Bwabwata National Park.

Travellers will immediately realise this is not a typical park

as approximately 5,000 people live in the park and derive

benefits from its natural resources. It is not until you reach

the Kwando River with its more densely vegetated riverine

woodlands that you are likely to spot herds of elephant.

The area is also known as Namibia’s birding paradise. It

has varied habitats including broad-leafed and acacia

woodlands, mopane forests, riverine forests, grasslands and

floodplains, and therefore boasts more than 400 species of

birds.

Four Corners ExperienceTotal Distance: 132 km


The Four Corners Experience stretches from the Ngoma

border post, through Chobe National Park in Botswana to

the mighty Victoria Falls that are shared by two countries,

Zambia and Zimbabwe. Along the way travellers will

have glimpses of the Zambezi River before reaching the

Chobe River as it merges with the Zambezi at the conflu-

ence. Seeing the abundant wildlife of the area come to

drink at sunset on the banks of the Chobe River is one

of the best experiences southern Africa has to offer. The

final destination on this experience is the famous Vic-

toria Falls, or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the smoke that thunders),

Africa’s biggest spectacle of water and a sight not to be

missed. Anyone with a passion for wildlife, birds and fish-

ing will return home with a thousand pictures and wealth

of memories to share. The main attractions that form part

of this experience include Chobe National Park, Victoria

Falls and the Four Corners Baobab on Impalila Island.


K KOAR - the Kavango Open Africa Route River of LifeNamed after the Region and the people who reside there,

this region is home to incredible wildlife, natural beauty

and an abundance of fresh water from the Okavango River.

With the Okavango river’s landscapes, people and birds,

the Kavango Open Africa Route affords travellers the op-

portunity to venture off the beaten track and explore one

of Namibia’s most pristine destinations to discover what

this little piece of paradise has to offer. The Kavango Open

Africa Route was developed to help attract travellers to the

region in order to sustain livelihoods and create income

among local people.

A popular attraction with those in the know, the route

stretches from Katwitwi in the west to Mohembo in the

east and provides access to the remote Khaudum Game

Park in the South. It’s recommended that travellers take a

good few days exploring, drinking in everything it has to

offer. The Kavango Open Africa Route provides an interest-

ing self-drive route on the gravel road along the banks of

the Okavango River between Rundu and Divindu.

While in Rundu be sure to visit the Khemo Open Mar-

ket, which usually has a well-stocked and wide variety of

famed Kavango woodcarvings while the thriving Rundu

Market, which has been in existence for 20 years, is a

great place to support local businesses touting everything

from fresh fish and local fruits and veg to second-hand

clothing, CDs and other souvenirs.

THE FOUR CORNERS EXPERIENCE


The Kavango region is also a popular destination for fly-fishermen due to the abundance of fish, particularly Tiger fish, African Pike and a variety of Bream species. More

than 100 species of fish have been recorded so far in

the Okavango River system and even if you don’t hook

‘the big one’, the river itself is enchanting and competes

with all the other great African rivers as being one of the

purest. Locals travel up and down the river on “watos”,

typical dugout canoes used in this region made from hol-

lowed out tree trunks.

Birders will be in their element as the Kavango region is

home to almost 450 bird species, such as the rarely-sight-

ed Souza’s Shrike, Grey-headed Parrot, Rufous-bellied Tit

and Sharp-tailed Starling and many more other riverine

species like African Skimmer, Rock Pratincole, Slaty

Egret and Carmine Bee-eater to mention a few. There are

plenty of well-maintained lodges and camps along the

river with activities specifically designed for bird-lovers

to view these exquisite animals and birds.

Intrepid 4x4 enthusiasts can head south to the wild and

unspoilt Khaudum Game Park for an experience they won’t forget. The road to the park from Katare, in the

north, is extremely difficult and only experienced 4x4

travellers should attempt this. Home to some of Namibia’s

most magnificent wildlife, the park is known for its preda-

tors including Lion, Cheetah, Hyena, Side-striped Jackal

and the elusive Wild Dog. The remoteness of the park

makes it hard to reach without a 4x4 and as there are no

luxury camps within the park’s confines yet. Adventurous

visitors will sleep in unsecured camps next to their wild

neighbours

For the less adventurous, Mahango Game Reserve, on

the border of Botswana is one of Namibia’s undiscovered

gems. This pocket sized park provides fantastic opportuni-

ties for game viewing and it is not uncommon to see over

10 different species in less than an hour. The reserve is

home to a variety of wildlife including Roan, Sable, Tsese-

be, Red Lechwe, Sitatunga, Elephant and many plains ani-

mals and predators.

Contact: Mark Paxton | Tel: +264 (0) 81 314 2713Email: [email protected]



CCaprivi Wetlands Paradise ExperienceOwing to its linear shape, which gives Caprivi long inter-

national borders, the region has an interesting ethnic his-

tory with ties to neighbouring Zambia, Botswana and An-

gola. The Caprivi Wetlands Route takes travellers through

the region which boasts three perennial rivers, making it

a wetland paradise in the otherwise arid Namibia. Caprivi

links travellers closely to the world-renowned Okavango

Delta and Chobe National Park of Botswana, Zambia’s

and Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba and the seventh wonder of

the world, Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya). Day trips, trans-

fers, camping and fishing safaris can be arranged from

Namibia, and especially Caprivi, to any of these neigh-

bouring countries. Caprivi is more tropical than the rest

of Namibia, with a higher rainfall and warmer winters.

Rainfall can be very variable and drought years are com-

mon. Most rain falls in summer, peaking in January and

February while the hottest months for travelling through

this region are from September through November. Dur-

ing the dry winter months, large populations of elephant

and buffalo are known to congregate along the Kwando,

Zambezi and Chobe river corridors, making it a great time

of year for game-viewing.

The Caprivi is Namibia’s bird paradise. It has varied habi-

tats including broad-leafed and acacia woodlands, mo-

pane forests, riverine forests, grasslands and floodplains

and therefore boasts more than 400 species of birds. The

eastern floodplains and grassveld are accessible by 4x4

vehicles from May to November.



There are three state-protected game reserves in Caprivi’s

Wetland Paradise, namely Mamili, Mudumu and Caprivi

National Game Parks. Here, the limited road and infra-

structural development adds a sense of adventure and

wilderness. In the dry months from May to November

these parks are home to large herds of migratory buffalo

and elephant. Attractions in the wet months from De-

cember to April include bird-filled pans fringed by water

lilies and inhabited by hippo. Look out for the water-

loving antelope – lechwe, reedbuck and waterbuck – in

the floodplains. Travellers may even see roan and sable

antelope or a glimpse of the rare, semi-aquatic sitatunga

found in the dense papyrus reed beds.

Contact: Nadja le Roux | Tel: +264 (0) 81 339 0233Email: [email protected]



Omulunga PalmA journey through the far north of Namibia where the

desert meets the Angolan woodland and people of all

cultures meet. From bustling markets with unique smells,

colours and sounds to the beauty of the Etosha National

Park, venture off the beaten track to discover the pulse

of Namibia on the Omulunga Palm Route. Named after

the distinctive Makalani palms, known as Omulunga

in the local Ovambo language, that dot the flat land-

scape, the Omulunga Palm Route stretches from Rua-

cana in the west to Nkurenkuru in the east. It is not

only the gateway to Angola but also links the remote

and desolate northwest region (Arid Eden Route) to the

lush water ecosystem of the Four Rivers Route (Kavango

& Zambezi (old Caprivi) regions).

The route is the quintessential oasis for weary travel-

lers and serves as a practical stop-over for to refuel and

restock in the heart of a bustling African community.

Travellers will experience traditional and contemporary

Ovambo culture alongside each other and get a glimpse

of local tribal royalty. The area reveals a strong libera-

tion history, while nature lovers can enjoy the abundant

wildlife and wilderness in the world famous Etosha Na-

tional Park.

Contact: Morne Dowie | Tel: +264 (0) 81 286 1952Email: [email protected]

R


RRoof of Namibia ExperienceTotal Distance: 467 km


The Roof of Namibia Experience links the Kunene River

at Ruacana Falls with the Okavango River along the An-

golan border. The route leads through numerous pans and

flooded channels known as oshanas that move southward

from Angola towards the Etosha salt pan. Travellers will

enjoy the feeling of a rural landscape interspersed with

a bustling urban landscape. Those with a keen interest in

Namibia’s recent history can enjoy attractions such as the

Outapi War Museum, Ombalantu Baobab Museum and

the Eenhana Shrine.

King Nehale ExperienceTotal Distance: 641 km


The King Nehale Experience takes travellers along a jour-

ney through the colourful towns of Oshakati, Ongwediva

and Ondangwa and the starkly contrasting rural villages

that surround it. Travellers will have the opportunity to

visit the Omugulugwombashe National Monument, Uuk-

waluudhi Royal Homestead, Uukwambi Kings Monument,

Oshakati Open Market, Ongula Traditional Homestead,

Nakambale Museum and Lake Oponono and experience

the abundant wildlife of the Etosha National Park.


Nama Padloper Route The Nama Padloper Route has an abundance of natural

attractions with unique landscapes and a diverse range

of fauna and flora. Most of the route falls within the Suc-

culent Karoo Biome whilst the area east of the Fish River

falls in the Nama Karoo Biome. Visitors can view fauna that

is unique and endemic to the area, including an isolated

and near-extinct population of grey rheebok that live in the

Huns Mountains; the Nama padloper tortoise and the des-

ert mountain adder. The Springbok frog can also be spotted

near seeps in the Huns Mountains.

The route is named after the Nama padloper tortoise (Ho-

mopus solus), the only Padloper that is endemic to Namib-

ia. It grows up to 15 cm and has an orange to brown cara-

pace, with dark pigmentation on the scute edges. The name

‘Nama’ comes from the Nama people who inhabit southern

Namibia. The Nama have much in common with the San

(Bushmen), sharing the same linguistic roots, light skin and

small build. The term padloper is an Afrikaans word which

means ‘path walker’, ‘road walker’ or ‘trail walker.’

The route starts at the Vioolsdrift/Noordoewer border post

between South Africa and Namibia and follows the Orange

River to the town of Rosh Pinah before heading north to the

quaint village of Aus, on the edge of the Namib Desert.

The road meanders along the Orange River for about 160

km before reaching Rosh Pinah. This is a truly scenic drive

passing through the Aussenkehr area known for its export

quality table grapes. You will also travel through the Aussen-

kehr Nature Park and can experience the many unique

features of the park by enquiring at the reception desk at

Norotshama River Resort.


The Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park opened the

Sendelingsdrift point that operates across the Orange Riv-

er on 17 October 2007. The trip itself takes less than five

minutes, whereas the alternative route is 485 km extra to

go around. A maximum of two vehicles can go across at a

time, and in heavy windy weather, crossing is stopped.

Reasons to visitThe route provides scenic views of the river and surround-

ing desert mountains, synonymous with Namibia’s south-

ern parts. The Orange River brings life to the surrounding

arid lands and with the water comes a varied birdlife, like

red bishops, African darters and Fish eagles.

Apart from a number of lodges and camps along the

route, points of interest include the Orange River cross-

ing, the abandoned Lorelei Copper Mine where some

dated machinery can still be seen and the Sendelingsdrift

pontoon crossing.

Rosh Pinah is a quaint town with all the basic neces-

sities, surrounded by some of Namibia’s most attractive

landscapes. Apart from being an ideal base from which

to explore the surrounding areas, the village has a few

of its own attractions worth noting. It has a golf and ten-

nis club, and a number of accommodation options for

tourists.

Wayne Handley – MET | Tel: +264 (0) 81 209 1148Email: [email protected]


Four Deserts Route The Four Deserts Route covers the entire southern area of

Namibia, from the Orange River up to the Tropic of Capri-

corn. Namibia boasts four great and very different desert

systems. It comes as a surprise for some that desert land-

scapes are not just endless stretches of sand but may be

rocky and mountainous as well, at times punctuated with

vast gravel plains.

In the east lie the deep, red sands of the Kalahari Desert.

With a total area of 1.6-million km², it is the largest continu-

ous stretch of sand in the world. The long, parallel dunes

were formed about 20 000 years ago and are partly covered

with grasses, punctuated by gnarled old camelthorn trees

and shepherd’s bush. Game manages to survive by means

of special adaptations, and large herds of oryx, springbok

and ostrich are once more moving across the landscape,

followed by increasing numbers of vultures, marabou storks

and other scavengers. The Kalahari is the home of the San

Bushmen, people who have been able to live so frugally

from these resources, perfecting the art of sustainable liv-

ing.

The Nama Karoo covers most of southern central Namibia,

driving a deep wedge northwards of the Orange River (and

South Africa) to about 120 km south of Windhoek, with

a narrow strip along the edge of the Namib reaching up

to Angola. The sedimentary geological formations take on

dramatic proportions in the Fish River Canyon, the second-

largest canyon on Earth, formed during the break-up of

Gondwanaland some 130-million years ago. Various hikes

and drives afford one an opportunity to view the increas-

ing herds of springbok, and also of oryx, kudu, mountain

zebra and ostrich. Much of the Nama Karoo consists of

wide plains, broken only by the dark, enigmatic massif of

Brukkaros Mountain, some 120 km north of Keetmanshoop.

Perhaps it was the tranquillity of this huge desert that in-

spired the construction of a fairytale castle in the midst of

this landscape at Duwisib, to the west, a century ago.


Situated at Aus and extending southwards, the Succulent

Karoo is mainly a winter-rainfall area. Bizarre-looking

shrubs store moisture in their leaves and stems to tide

them over the dry times. The Succulent Karoo is the most

plant-diverse desert in the world and has been listed

as one of the world’s 25 global biodiversity ‘hotspots’.

Although these floral wonders are at their best after the

rains, they are well worth investigating throughout the

year. Lüderitz provides a fascinating breakaway, its harsh,

minimalistic landscape resembling that of an island. In

the vicinity one can hear and see African penguins as

they go about their activities, and on a visit to the ghost

diamond mining town of Kolmanskop one wonders at the

lives of the past inhabitants of this desert settlement.

To the north, the Namib Desert lies in a narrow strip

along the Atlantic Ocean. The scenery ranges from shift-

ing, glowing red dunes in the south to gravel plains with

inselbergs in the central parts, and jagged blue mountains

in the north and east, with deep valleys cut by ephemeral

rivers. Fog supplies the life-giving moisture for plants and

animals. Here, visitors have a wide range of experiences

to choose from: clambering up some of the highest sand

dunes in the world at Sossusvlei at dawn; discovering the

ancient, fossilised red dunes south of Solitaire as they

stand frozen in time; gazing at huge black lappetfaced

vultures as they arch across the sky; or following in the

tracks of a solitary oryx across the gravel plains. One of

the ultimate ways of experiencing this desert is to drift

by balloon over the endless red dunes in the early morn-

ing sun.

Contact: Manni GoldbeckTel: +264 (0) 61 230 066

Cell: +264 (0) 81 129 2424Email: [email protected]


233 SUGGESTED ROUTESwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com











Hornbill



Orange River







252 THE PEOPLE OF NAMIBIA www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

The people of NamibiaNamibians are a melting pot of different population groups

and cultures, united by a turbulent history, a large number

of traditions that permeate the Namibian nation on many

different fronts and the official language, English. The

indigenous peoples have retained their mother tongues,

with the result that bilingualism and even trilingualism is a

common factor among Namibians. While Christianity has

been widely embraced by indigenous Namibians, several

cultural traditions are still cherished and practised, albeit

often in a more contemporary form.

THE PEOPLE OF NAMIBIA

The OwamboThe roaming nature and flexibility of the Owambo, cou-pled with the cycle of the seasonal efundja, very much define their character as a people.

In about 1550 the tribes referred to collectively as the Owambo moved down from the Great Lakes in East Af-rica to settle between the Kunene and Okavango rivers in central-northern Namibia. The Owambo consist of eight tribes, the largest being the Kwanyama. The other tribes are the Ndonga, Kwambi, Mbalantu, Kwaluudhi, Ngan-dyela and the smaller Nkolonkadhi and Unda.

Following Namibia’s independence in 1990, what was traditionally known as Ovamboland or Owambo was di-vided into four regions: Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena and Oshikoto. While these four regions are still where the majority of Owambo people live, large numbers have mi-grated southwards and settled throughout the length and breadth of the country, forming the major part of the work-force in the mining and fishing industries.

During the rainy season life on the vast plains of Owambo depends on the efundja, the floods that feed the flat, shal-low depressions called oshanas. Here a mixed economy of agriculture and farming with livestock is practised. Major crops in the agronomy sector are mahangu (pearl millet) - maize, groundnuts and sorghum, while livestock consists mainly of cattle, goats and chickens, supplement-ed by fishing in the oshanas. Groups of women are in-volved in home industries such as basketry, dressmaking,

pottery and woodcarving. While Owambo women tradi-tionally cultivated the land and raised the children, they are nowadays increasingly entering the labour market as civil servants, nurses, teachers and shop assistants. An in-triguing side to this versatile people is their natural bent for trading, borne out locally in the over 10 000 stalls, cuca shops (where liquor is served and sold) and shopping complexes in the region. One of Namibia’s most success-ful businessmen is multi-millionaire Frans Indongo, who built Frans Indongo Gardens in Windhoek.

A typical Owambo artefact and immensely popular in modern Namibian hand-crafted jewellery is the ekipa, an ornamental button made from ivory or bone. Ekipas were carved into oval, round, square or rectangular shapes with a raised centre, resembling a tiny beehive. They are usu-ally engraved around the outer edge with a border de-picting different geometric patterns. In earlier times ekipas were worn by the women on two leather straps hanging down from the waist at the back, the number of ekipas displayed giving an indication of the wealth and status of the woman’s husband.

More than any other of Namibia’s population groups, the Owambo have consistently played an active role in poli-tics. The South West Africa People’s Organisation, Swapo, has been the ruling party since independence. It started as a non-violent pressure group, the Owambo People’s Organisation, led by Adimba Herman Toivo ya Toivo and Samuel Shafiishuna Nujoma, the man destined to become the first president of an independent Namibia. He was succeeded by fellow countryman and former Cabinet Minister, Hifikepunye Pohamba.

THE OWAMBO

253THE PEOPLE OF NAMIBIAwww.namibiatravelcompanion.com


The Bushmen/SanDescended from the Khoisan peoples, the Bushmen are the earliest known inhabitants of Namibia. These hunter-gatherers roamed the vast plains of Southern Africa for thousands of years before migrants armed with weapons and searching for new land drove them further and further east into the Kalahari and Namib deserts, where some still practise their traditional, nomadic lifestyle. Today there are approximately 35 000 San people living in Namibia, most of them on farms in the eastern parts of the country or in remote communal areas in the Otjozondjupa and Omusati regions in north-eastern and north-eastern Namibia.

The Bushmen’s former habitation in many parts of the country is evidenced by the rich wealth of rock art found in caves and overhangs in mountainous and hilly areas. Two well-known examples are Twyfelfontein with its rock engravings, which was awarded World Heritage status by the World Heritage Committee (UNESCO) during 2007, and the Brandberg, famous for the rock painting known as the White Lady. Twyfelfontein has in excess of 2 000 rock engravings and the Brandberg a recorded number of over 8 000.

A high degree of mysticism is embodied in the San culture, which has endured over thousands of years due to oral tra-ditions. These wanderers of the arid plains are renowned as storytellers, expressing themselves eloquently in prose, mu-sic, mimicry and dance. Moth cocoons filled with seeds or stones attached around their ankles provide rhythm when they dance. One of their instruments consists of a hunter’s bow that has been strung with animal hair and equipped with a sound box in the shape of a hollowed-out melon or, especially nowadays, a tin can.

Like most semi-nomadic people around the world, the Bushmen adorn themselves with beads made from ostrich eggshells and glass. Fashioned into necklaces, bracelets and anklets, these items are worn by both men and women and are often exchanged as gifts. Archaeological evidence suggests that the techniques used today are similar to those used centuries ago. Ostrich eggshells are broken into smaller pieces and then the edges are chipped to shape them into round, flat beads. A hand bow is used to drill the central hole, and the different pieces are assembled, traditionally with raw sinew, nowadays with commercial beading thread.

Production of such items is often shared. Beads, for in-stance, are carved by the men and threaded by the women.

Most of the materials used for body adornments are col-lected in the bush, including seeds, porcupine quills, roots and berries. Functional items such as bags used for collec-ting wild fruit and berries and storing tobacco and matches are made from softened antelope skins.

The Bushmen are divided into three groups – the Hai||omn who inhabit the northern districts of Otavi, Tsumeb and Grootfontein; the !Kung and Ju//Huansi in Bushmanland (Otjozondjupa Region) and the Gobabis district and the Khoé or Mbarakwengo in West Caprivi. The area that com-prises the Etosha National Park today was once the ances-tral home of the Hai||omn Bushmen. Their existence first gained international publicity in 1925 following the Den-ver Expedition, whose members claimed they had ‘found the Missing Link’ in the Hai||omn people. In the 1950s the Hai||omn in Etosha were instructed by the South African administration to leave the park, as they supposedly repre-sented a threat to the wildlife.

When Namibia became independent in 1990 it was gener-ally thought that this hailed a new era for the Bushmen in the country. The new Namibian regime recognised that as a group the Bushmen were by far the country’s most dis-advantaged people. However, by and large their situation has remained unchanged. In 2007, the year the centennial of the Etosha National Park was celebrated, the evacuation of the Hai||omn from their ancestral lands was once again brought to the attention of the general public. In the words of Reinhard Friederich, a farmer who grew up in northern Namibia and was exposed to Bushmen from an early age, “While the proclamation of Etosha as a national park has left not only the Namibian nation but also tourists world-wide a precious jewel, the Hai||omn people need to be recognised and appreciated for the sacrifice they made when forced to leave their ancestral home.”

THE BUSHMEN/SAN



The WhitesEarly pioneers of European descent started settling in south-ern Namibia in the 1800s. They were mainly Afrikaners infiltrating from South Africa, and German and British mis-sionaries.

The major contribution of the English-speaking community to Namibia is undoubtedly the English language. When Na-mibia attained independence in 1990, English was selected as the official language, and today it is the main language of instruction in state-run schools throughout the country. After serving with German as one of three ‘official’ lan-guages, Afrikaans was relegated to a secondary position. Prior to independence, however, it was the main language of instruction in state-run schools, and was the lingua fran-ca spoken by approximately 90 per cent of all Namibians. Nevertheless, it is still a prominent language, as it is the first language spoken by Namibia’s Afrikaners, Rehoboth Basters and Coloureds.

More or less 100 000 Namibians of European descent cur-rently live in the country, most of them in the urban, central and southern areas. They are mainly involved in farming, commerce, manufacturing and professional services. About two-thirds of them speak Afrikaans, one quarter German and the rest, according to the latest population census not more than 8 000, primarily English. The latter don’t all have English ancestry, many being descended from Italians, French and Portuguese people who settled in the country and adopted English as their home language.

The first British presence was established in Namibia in 1807, when the London Missionary Society, which had based itself along the Orange River in 1802, became ac-tive north of the river at Warmbad and Blydeverdacht. They and the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society transferred their rights to the Rhenish Missionary Society in the mid-1800s.

Historically Afrikaner was the name applied to the descen-dants of Dutch and French-Huguenot settlers who emigrat-ed to South Africa at the end of the seventeenth century, en-tering the country by sea and landing at the Cape of Good Hope. The Afrikaans language as it is spoken today evolved from the Dutch dialect spoken by these settlers. According to some sources many Whites in the Cape regarded them-selves as being rooted in Africa, and this concept found expression in the term ‘Afrikaner’. Namibia’s Afrikaners in-filtrated gradually from South Africa during the 1800s. An interesting group was the so-called Dorsland Trekkers, one

of several ‘treks’ of Afrikaners who moved northwards from the Great Marico in South Africa’s northern Transvaal over the Limpopo in search of new land. In the second half of the nineteenth century, after endless wanderings, some of them settled in Angola, where they lived for about 50 years, before moving to Namibia in the 1920s.

In addition to the Afrikaans language, Afrikaans cuisine too has permeated Namibian contemporary lifestyles in the form of biltong, droëwors, melktert, koeksisters, potjiekos and, most of all, the famous braaivleis; meat barbecued by the men over an open fire while the women prepare salads.

Namibia became a German Protectorate in 1884, a rule that lasted until 1915, when the Khorab peace treaty was signed on the farm Khorab near Otavi. While the period of German rule lasted barely thirty years and ended almost a century ago, the German influence on Namibia’s economy, infrastructure and culture has been and still is far-reaching. According to the 1991 census about 26 000 white German-speaking Namibians currently live in the country, many of whom have lived in Namibia for seven to eight genera-tions.

German-managed institutions have contributed substan-tially to Namibian culture, including today’s National Art Gallery of Namibia (evolved from the Arts Association), the Namibia Scientific Society (Namibia Wissenschaftliche Gesellschaft), sports clubs like the SKW, which hosts the annual carnival, WIKA, museums, theatre groups and in-strumental and vocal musical societies.

As a result of the Angolan war in 1974 there was a consid-erable influx of Portuguese settlers in Namibia during the seventies. As Namibian independence drew closer, many of them left for South Africa or Portugal, leaving behind a small number, many of whom are involved in the business sector today.

THE WHITES



The Rehoboth BastersThe Rehoboth Basters regard themselves as a distinct com-munity by virtue of their unique history and the fact that they have been living in their own territory for over a cen-tury. Their origin dates back to 1652 when the first Dutch colonists under Jan van Riebeeck landed at the Cape of Good Hope. European settlers came into contact with the local Khoesan peoples and the children born from this as-sociation were called ‘bastards’ or ‘coloureds’, giving rise to two distinctly separate groups of people, descendants of whom later moved to Namibia.

In the mid-1800s some ninety Baster families moved north-wards from the Cape, first residing at Warmbad, then mi-grating northwards to Berseba and, in 1870, finally settling at the hot-water springs called Rehoboth. This area had formerly been occupied by a Nama tribe, the Swartboois, who had moved to Bokberg or Erongo over Otjimbingwe and Salem, and eventually to Fransfontein. In due course the Rehoboth Gebiet became the fatherland of the Basters, recognised as such by the South African Government in as early as 1915.

The Rehoboth Baster community of today consists of ap-proximately 72 000 people. Their first language is Afri-kaans, and their way of life resonates that of their Afrikaner forebears. In Baster society the family is the most impor-tant socioeconomic unit, functioning independently within the community. At their own request they are registered as Rehoboth Basters, as they regard themselves as a separate community from the Coloureds. While the word ‘Baster’ traditionally denoted ‘of mixed blood’ in a derogatory way, the group calls themselves Rehoboth Basters with pride.

Their surnames reflect that they are of mixed descent, as evidenced in well-known Baster family names such as the

Afrikaans Cloete, Beukes, Diergaardt, Mouton, Maasdorp,

Louw, Coetzee and Van Wyk; the English and Scottish

Wentworth, McNab and Dunn; the German Bayer, Ritt-

mann and Husselmann; the Nama Witbooi; the Damara

Garises and Gowaseb and even the Italian Bertolini. Tra-

ditionally stock and crop farmers, today’s Rehoboth Basters

are involved in many other economic sectors, especially

the building trade. A large number commute to Windhoek

on a weekly or daily basis.

Christianity has greatly influenced Baster communities and

lifestyles, playing an important role in their lives to this day.

There are no less than 40 churches in the small town of Re-

hoboth, mostly Lutheran and Roman Catholic, with many

splinter groups, a number of which are amalgamations of

traditional tribal beliefs with Christianity.

An annual festival that serves to strengthen the national

identity of the Rehoboth Basters is the two-day commemo-

ration of their confrontation with the German colonial

troops at the place called Sam Khubis on 8–9 May, 1915.

A group of Basters had resisted joining up with the Ger-

mans against the South African forces, especially when they

realised that the South Africans were likely to gain the up-

per hand. Fearing for the safety of their families, they left

Rehoboth with their wives and children and took refuge

among the koppies at Sam Khubis. Here, they were am-

bushed by the German forces, and suffered many casual-

ties. Upon hearing that large contingents of South African

troops were advancing from the south, the Germans unex-

pectedly withdrew, and the Basters gained the impression

they had retreated. The Basters have commemorated these

two days every year ever since. In 2000 a monument was

built at the site to honour their kinsmen who had lost their

lives at Sam Khubis.

THE REHOBOTH BASTERS


The ColouredsDuring the nineteenth and twentieth centuries groups of Cape Coloureds – descendants of Caucasians, Malayans, indigenous Khoe people and the hunter-gatherer San – moved to Namibia, where their numbers were further augmented by local intermixing. Namibia’s Coloureds are genetically very similar to the Basters. They also speak Af-rikaans as a home language, albeit with a different accent. In a sense they speak a more pure Afrikaans, one that is closer to the Afrikaans spoken by the Voortrekkers rather than a dialect that has developed its own idiom, as with the Afrikaans spoken by the Rehoboth Basters.

While a small group of Coloureds practise stock farming in southern Namibia, most live in towns, especially Wind-hoek, Keetmanshoop, Lüderitz, Kalkveld and Karasburg. A fairly large community lives in Walvis Bay, where many are employed in the fishing industry.

A significant difference between Namibia’s Rehoboth Basters and Coloureds is that while the Basters have the Rehoboth area with which they can identify, the Coloureds have never inhabited a specific part of the country, and were not allocated a ‘homeland’ as were other non-white popu-lation groups during South African administration of the

country. Consequently Namibia’s over 50 000 Coloureds live almost everywhere in the country, especially in the ur-ban centres. As a rule they are well educated and practise a wide range of professions, including the civil service, edu-cation, the building trade, the service sector, particularly banks, hospitals and the hospitality industry. Like with the Rehoboth Basters, religion and family play a major role in their lives, and their lifestyle, rules of etiquette and moral values can be traced back to their Afrikaner roots.

THE COLOUREDS


The TswanaThe Tswana migrated from East Africa into central South-ern Africa in the 14th century. They are closely related to the Sotho of Lesotho and South Africa and the two groups are bonded in language and customs. They claim a com-mon ancestor, Mogale, and share an agrarian culture, so-cial structures, political organisation, religious and magi-cal beliefs and also a family life. All the Sotho and Tswana languages are inherently intelligible, but for political and historical reasons, they have generally been considered as three.

Traditional Tswana society included men, women, children and ‘badimo’ (ancestors – living dead – who have meta-physical powers). A Tswana doesn’t think in terms of indi-vidual rights, but of responsibilities to his family and tribe. The father is to be obeyed and respected by his wife and children at all times. The Sotho-Tswana are organised by lineages, which developed as the tribe grew. The lineages are organised in sub-units and communities. Every level ex-hibits the same social organisation, such as the Kgotla, the

traditional court, with various officials assigned different

duties in the social structure at each level. In traditional

Tswana religion (tribal animism) Modimo is the great God,

or The Great Spirit.

The Tswana are the smallest cultural group in Namibia and

are quite distinct from the Tswana of Botswana. Their as-

cendants embarked on a thirstland trek through Botswana

to settle in Namibia at the end of the nineteenth century,

considerable numbers succumbing along the way.

Namibia’s Tswana are divided into three groups. The largest

is the Tlharo, who originally came from Kuruman in the

northern Cape. The second-largest group is the Tlhaping,

‘tlhapi’ meaning ‘fish’ in Tswana. The third and smallest

group, the Bangologa, have mixed with the Kalahari Bush-

men to some extent and are lighter in colour. Today they

live in a triangle, with a line between Epukiro and Aminuis

in the east as its base, and extending to Walvis Bay, its ver-

tex, in the west. Most of them, however, live in the east of

the country where they are involved in farming, many hav-

ing bought farms north and south of the town.

THE TSWANA


The HereroIt is believed that in ancient times the Herero lived in a

legendary African marshland of water and reeds known as

Roruu before undertaking their southern migration down

the African continent. While this legendary marshland has

never been traced, according to oral tradition they moved

southwards from the great lakes of East Africa, crossed into

present-day Zambia and southern Angola and arrived at the

Kunene River in about 1550.

After inhabiting Kaokoland (today’s Kunene Region) for

some 200 years, the Herero and the Mbanderu migrated in-

dependently of each other in a southerly direction, leaving

the Himba and Tjimba tribes behind. This brought them into

conflict with the Nama occupying the southern and central

regions of the territory. They reached the Swakop River val-

ley towards the middle of the 18th century, and during the

19th century moved eastwards. Eventually the Herero estab-

lished themselves in the central region, and the Mbanderu

settled east of Windhoek.

The Herero–German wars of 1904–1907 resulted in a dras-

tic decimation of the Herero. A very large number were

killed or succumbed as they fled, according to some es-

timates as much as eighty per cent of the population. The

survivors were left with no land and cattle, and more or

less disintegrated as a group, many fleeing to Botswana (the

former Bechuanaland). When South Africa took over the

administration of South West Africa in 1915 they began to

return and were gradually allocated home areas at Aminuis,

Epukiro, Waterberg East, Otjohorongo and Ovitoto.

Despite the hardships and suppression of their traditional

cultures, they managed to keep their bonds of family life,

tribal solidarity and national consciousness alive, as is evi-

denced by the annual Herero Festival in August on Maha-

rero Day when various units of paramilitary organisations

parade before their leaders in full regalia through the streets

of Okahandja. The Mbanderu and Zeraua tribes honour

their captains in festivals in Gobabis and Omaruru. It was

during the nineteenth century, under the influence of the

wives of missionaries, that Herero women developed the

wide multi-skirted Victorian-style dresses that the more tra-

ditional women still wear today. The distinctive headdress

made from fabric characterised by two points on either side

symbolises cattle horns.

Today there over 130 000 Herero-speaking Namibians in

the country, subdivided into the following groups: The Her-

ero with the traditional chiefdoms of Maharero in the Oka-

handja area, the Zeraua in the Omaruru environs; the Kam-

bazembi of Waterberg; the Ndamuranda; the Mbanderu of

eastern Namibia, especially the Gobabis District and the

reserves of Epukiro, Otjombinde and Aminuis; the Tjimba

Herero of Kaokoland (Kunene) and the Himba of the Kunene

Region, which are discussed below as a separate group.

THE HERERO


The HimbaDue to the extensive interest and wide publicity afforded the

Himba, semi-nomadic people who still live and dress ac-

cording to ancient customs and traditions, they are, next to

the Bushmen, arguably the best known of Namibia’s people.

With the Tjimba and other Herero people who inhabit Ka-

okoland, the traditional name of Namibia’s remote north-

western Kunene Region, they are informally referred to as

the Kaokovelders.

The Himba live in scattered settlements throughout the re-

gion. Their homes are simple cone-shaped structures made

of saplings bound together with palm leaves and plastered

with mud and dung. The men build the structures, while the

women mix the clay and do the plastering. In the headman’s

hut a fire burns day and night, both to keep away insects and

to provide heat and light. Families often have several of these

huts in different locations, moving from home to home a few

times a year in search of grazing for their cattle and goats.

The Himba are tall, slender and statuesque people, renowned

for their beauty and photogenic qualities. They are a digni-

fied yet friendly people and are willing to have their photo-

graphs taken if asked beforehand. The women especially are

admired for their unusual sculptural features, enhanced by

intricate hairstyles and traditional adornments. They rub their

faces and bodies with a mixture of ground red ochre, animal

fat and herbs, which protects their skin against the harshness

of the desert and keeps insects away. Himba women spend

as much as three hours a day to wash and dress. They use a

separate mixture of butterfat, herbs and black coals to rub on

their hair, and ‘steam’ their clothes over the permanent fire.

Himba males wear different hairstyles to the women, such

as the single plait, ondato, worn by young boys down the

back of the head, the ozondato, two plaits, worn by Himba

men when they reach marriageable age and the ombwiya

headdress, a scarf made from fabric covering the hair and

decorated with an ornamental band, worn by married men.

A young girl typically has ozondato (plaits). Once she has

undergone the puberty ceremony, she wears the ekori head-

dress made from tanned goat or sheepskin with three leaf-

shaped points that are usually decorated with iron beads.

Himba women make finely woven baskets with elegant

sculptural shapes, traditionally used to hold milk and butter.

Some have leather handles decorated with iron beads. They

also make a variety of jewellery, mostly with leather, iron

and ostrich eggshell beads, shells and carved makalani nuts

(vegetable ivory). An interesting Himba craft is dolls, made

from fabric and rubbed red with the ochre mixture.

THE HIMBA



The CapriviansThe Caprivi Strip, as it is historically known, was named af-

ter Count Leo von Caprivi, the German negotiator at the Ber-

lin Conference held towards the end of the 1800s between

Germany and other colonial administrators.

The Caprivi has a chequered history of administrative chang-

es. Before 1992 the water-rich pan-handle in Namibia’s far

north-east was administered separately by three countries

– South Africa, Botswana and the former South West Africa

– while prior to independence the Caprivi Region was iso-

lated from the rest of Namibia, as it was used strategically

by the South African Defence force in its fight against Swapo

guerrillas. It remained a centre of conflict throughout the

struggle for independence achieved in 1990, after which

there was further political strife when a group of secession-

ists staged a political uprising in 1998–1999.

The Caprivians share their language with the Lozi of Bar-

otseland, the remnants of the Kololo Kingdom, established

by Chief Sebetwane of the Bafokeng, who crossed the Zam-

bezi River in the 1838. Although Lozi is Caprivi’s current of-

ficial language, it is the mother tongue of only a few people

living in eastern Caprivi. Today the six main ethnic groups

living in the region – the Masubia, Mbukushu, Mbalangwe,

Mafwe, Totela and Mayeyi – speak three other distinct Bantu

languages and many different dialects. The largest groups are

the Masubia and Mafwe, while a small group of Mbukushu

and some San communities live in the more arid western

Caprivi, a long, narrow strip of land that is primarily a nature

reserve, with the Trans-Caprivi Highway running through it.

About 86 000 people live in Eastern Caprivi, which borders

on Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana and has the

bustling town of Katima Mulilo as its capital.

Caprivi’s just over 20 000 square kilometres of land fall ei-

ther under state or communal administration. The state-con-

trolled areas consist primarily of game reserves and national

parks, state forest and agricultural projects administered by

different ministries and the National Development Corpo-

ration (NDC). Subsistence farming is practised within the

communal areas, which are also put to commercial uses via

hunting concessions and tourist lodges and camps.

Most Caprivians make their living on the banks of the Zam-

bezi, Kwando, Linyanti and Chobe rivers. When the Zam-

bezi and Chobe come down in flood, more than half of

Eastern Caprivi becomes inundated and wooden mekoro,

dug-out canoes, become a common means of transport. Be-

ing surrounded by perennial rivers, freshwater fish are an

important resource in Caprivi, providing food and income

for many locals and recreational angling for visitors. Agri-

culture is, however, of greater importance than fishing in

terms of economic and livelihood activities. Stock farming is

dominated by cattle, primarily the indigenous Sanga breed,

an animal steeped in social, religious, economic and mythi-

cal significance. Cattle are highly prized for their value as

tangible resources, and especially for their social value of

giving herd owners security, rights to land and status. Goats

and poultry, on the other hand, are valued only in terms of

food and as a source of income. Crops are primarily the

staple mahangu (pearl millet). A growing source of income

for Caprivian women is pottery and basket-making, ancient

crafts that have been revived in recent years to provide fami-

lies with an income.

THE CAPRIVIANS


The KavangoLike the Owambo, the Kavango people also migrated

southwards from the large lakes of East Africa, first settling

near the Kwando River in Angola, before moving south of

the Okavango River between 1750 and 1800, to the area

now called the Kavango Region. Archaeological evidence

places the arrival of early Kwangali settlers around the

1600s. Historically the Okavango River, which has its origin

in the central highlands of Angola, didn’t form a boundary

of any sort for the Kavangos and they inhabited the area

both south and north of the river, but wars and political

intimidation repeatedly forced them south.

The Okavango River, which forms the border between Na-

mibia and Angola over a distance of some 400 kilometres,

has always been the lifeline of the Kavango people. They

make their living from fishing, cattle farming and cultivating

mahangu (pearl millet), sorghum and maize on the wide

fertile plains bordering the river. While the economy in

Kavango is traditionally based on the combination of hor-

ticulture and animal husbandry, today thousands of young

Kavangos work as migratory labourers on farms, in mines

and in urban centres.

Naturally creative, the Kavangos are renowned for their

skills and artistry at woodcarving and making furniture. An

important local industry is functional items such as bowls,

kitchen utensils and furniture, as well as masks, ornaments

and large carved birds and animals like hippos, giraffes and

crocodiles. These are sold to the passing tourist trade and

are marketed at all major centres, especially Okahandja

where the Kavango woodcarvers have two large, perma-

nent open-air craft markets.

Today the Kavangos consist of five different tribes, all of

which belong to the Bantu-speaking people. These are the

Kwangali, who comprise the largest present-day group, the

Mbunza, Shambyu, Gciriku and the Mbukushu, each inhab-

iting an area of its own along the Okavango. The Kwangali

and Mbunza tribes speak the same language, Rukwangali,

and have similar social practices, such as preparing young

boys for manhood and young girls to take care of a house-

hold.

Numerous immigrants and refugees of the civil war in An-

gola also live in the Kavango Region. They are collectively

known as Nyemba and Chokwe, and all woodcarvings

marketed as Kavango Art originate from these two groups.

THE KAVANGO


The NamaThe Nama people, who call themselves the Red Nation, /

Awakhoen, are the only true descendants of the Khoekhoe

in Namibia. They originally lived in the northern part of the

Cape Province, where they adopted the use of horses from

the European settlers, living as nomads defending their ter-

ritories against invaders seeking pasture. In the nineteenth

century they were already living south and north of the

Orange River when Jager and Jonker (father of Jan Jonker)

crossed it with the Afrikaner tribe.

The Afrikaners and four other Nama tribes represented the

so-called Oorlam group. Pushed continuously northwards

by a rapidly advancing white farming community and led

by the famous Jan Jonker Afrikaner, the Nama settled in the

southern and central areas of the country. Today the differen-

tiation between Nama and the Oorlam is merely of historical

significance.

When Herero migrating from the north intruded into Nama

pasturelands, a fierce and prolonged battle developed be-

tween these two groups. The conflict was brought to an end

by German colonial forces in the late 1800s, and home ar-

eas including Berseba, Gibeon (Krantzplatz), Bondels, Ses-

fontein, Soromas and Warmbad were offered to the Namas.

Today the concept of communal land ownership still prevails

among the Nama tribes, with the exception of the =|Aonin

or Topnaars of the Kuiseb environs, whose !nara fields are

the property of individual lineages. Traditionally, as pastoral

nomads, they had little need for permanent structures, their

beehive-shaped rush-mat huts providing such shelter as they

required.

There are several similarities between the Nama and the San

(Bushmen). The Nama are generally short in stature and com-

paratively light in colour, with certain characteristic features,

such as the small, slender hands and feet of the women. They

also share linguistic roots with the San, speaking with the

distinctive click sounds. The Nama have a substantial oral

tradition. Numerous proverbs, riddles, tales and poems have

been handed down from generation to generation, the po-

ems ranging from love songs and praise of heroic figures,

to songs of the animals and plants in the environment. They

also have a natural talent for music and dance. An example

of a traditional dance is the well-known Nama stap.

Traditionally the Nama people were hunter-gatherers and

also pastoral herders breeding cattle, goats and sheep. It

was the Nama who introduced fat-tailed sheep to Namibia.

Nama women have an inborn talent for creative needlework

and embroidery and several co-operative projects have been

initiated in the south to promote and market their handiwork.

Another craft typical of the Nama people is the kaross or

blanket made from skins sewn together, formerly worn by

Khoesan and other African people, and nowadays used as a

bed or floor covering.

Today the Nama number approximately 117 000, which

consist of 13 tribes or groups. Many work on farms and in

cities.

THE NAMA


The DamaraThe origins of the Damara, who belong to one of the oldest

cultural groups in Namibia, are somewhat of an enigma.

One of several puzzling aspects is that while they differ

completely from the Nama in appearance and lifestyle,

they speak the Nama language. In former years the Damara

had the widest geographic distribution in the country, but

they were gradually ousted from their traditional areas by

advancing Nama and Herero seeking new pasturelands. To-

day they are concentrated in the environs of Outjo, Kama-

njab, Khorixas and Brandberg region, traditionally called

Damaraland, and since independence, delineated as the

Erongo Region. According to the 2001 census, about 107

000 Damaras live in this area.

Before the arrival of the colonialists the Damara way of

life was very similar to that of the nomadic hunter-gatherer

Bushmen. There is also archaeological evidence that for

many centuries they kept small herds of stock, especially

goats. A small family group formed the nucleus of their

socioeconomic activities, with the ‘sacred fire’, associated

mainly with their hunting activities, forming the centre of

their religious beliefs. In addition they practised horticul-

ture on a small scale, growing mainly pumpkins and to-

bacco, mined and traded with smelted copper. They were

also blacksmiths and acted as guides. This versatility helped

them to adapt to changing circumstances when they were

forced by other groups to move to the more inaccessible

areas they inhabit today.

Today rural Damara farm with livestock and cultivate corn

and vegetables. Many work on commercial farms and in

mines, where some eke out a living from small mining,

mainly for tourmaline, in the environs of the Spitzkoppe

and Brandberg West. They are also increasingly becoming

involved in tourism, acting as guides to tourists visiting the

Brandberg and Twyfelfontein to view the rock art and man-

aging and working in tourist camps and lodges.

Some of Namibia’s most influential and eloquent politicians

are Damara, notably former prime minister, Hage Geingob,

and the speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Theo-Ben

Gurirab, also a former prime minister.

THE DAMARA

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AccommodationAgama River Camp 151Alexander Pension Hotel 28Aloegrove Safari Lodge 86Alte Brucke Holiday Resort 170Amanpuri Travellers Lodge 171Babson House 79Bahnhof Hotel Aus 149Bambatsi Guestfarm 86Beach Hotel Swakopmund 172Belvedere Boutique Hotel 28Betesda Lodge & Camping 155Birds Accommodation 144Camp Chobe 107Camp Kwando 106Cape Cross Lodge 167Central Lodge 145Christoph Hotel Pension 28Desert Homestead 157Dunedin Star Guesthouse 173Düsternbrook Guest Farm 62Eberwein Hotel 174Eileen Guest Farm 203Eningu Clay House 63Etotongwe Lodge 87Etuna Guest House 82-83Europa Hof Hotel 174Evening Shade / Main Street Café 200-201Fish River Lodge 150Gocheganas 64Grootberg Lodge 118Grünau Chalets 147Grünau Country House 148Hakos Gästefarm 69

Hamakari Gästefarm 93Harnas 209Hilltop Guesthouse 29Hohenstein Lodge 197Ichingo Chobe River Lodge 107Ichobezi Safari Boat 107Immanuel Wilderness Lodge 65Immenhof Guest Farm and Safaris 204Jordani B & B 30Kaisosi River 99Kalahari Red Dunes Lodge 142Kalahari Sands Hotel & Casino 31Kashana 202Kipwe Camp, Visions of Africa 119Kiripotib Guestfarm 70Kleinbegin Lodge 149Klipdrift Huis 196Lagoon Chalets & Camping Sites 188Luderitz Nest Hotel 137Mahangu Safari Lodge 103Makalani Hotel 90Matunda Guest Farm 88Mazambala Island Lodge 106Minen Hotel 90Mousebird Backpackers 91Mowani Mountain Camp, Visions of Africa 119Naankuse 34-35Ngepi Camp 104Nunda River Lodge 104Okahandja Country Hotel 70Okutala Lodge 89Omarunga Lodge 117Omashare Hotel 99Ombinda Country Lodge 88OMEG Allee Pension 91Ondili Lodges 141Onguma Bush Camp 81Onguma Eosha Aoba 80Onguma Tented Camp 81Onguma The Fort 80

269www.namibiatravelcompanion.com

Onguma Tree Top Camp 81Opuwo Country Lodge 120Palmwag Lodge 122Rapmund Hotel Pension 174River Chalets 144River Crossing 39River Guesthouse & Camping 202Rooiklip Guestfarm 70Roy’s Rest Camp 85Safari Hotel and Safari Court 36Sam’s Giardino 175Schutzenhaus Guesthouse 146Shamvura 101Solitaire Country Lodge 152Solitaire Guest Farm Desert Ranch 153Stay @ Swakopmund Guest House 175Sun Karros 66-67Tamboti Guest House 36Tambuti Lodge 100Taranga Safari Lodge 102Teufelskrallen Tented Lodge 143Toko Lodge & Safaris 84Travel North Guest House 92Uukwaluudhi Safari Lodge 121Villa Moringa , Dunas Safaris 37Vineyard Country B & B 38Vingerklip Lodge 89Waterberg Guest Farm 93Weaver’s Rock Guest Farm 93

Weltevrede Guest Farm 154

Wildacker Guest Farm 85

Windhoek Mountain Lodge 68

Activities & AdventureBatis Birding Safaris 176Catamaran Charters 189Daredevil Adventures 177Desert Air 40Desert Explorers 177Ground Rush Adventure 178Harnas 209Immenhof Air Safari 205Kristall Galerie 179Nabim I 180Ocean Adventures 180

Shalom 181

Amenities & ServicesArandis Town Council 192-195Eden Travel 55

Exclusive Reservation & Marketing 56Flying Coffe Pot, The 190FNB 41H.A.N. 43Magnet Bureau De Change Pty Ltd 2-3, 44-45, 272Municipality of Swakopmund 169

Namibia Wildlife Resorts 32-33

Weavers Tourism Marketing 60-61

Car HireAfrican Sun Car Hire 48Asco Car Hire 49Camping Car Hire 50Caprivi Car Hire 50Crossroads Car Hire 51, 183Namibia Car Rental 52

Odyssey Car & 4 x 4 Hire 53Pegasus Car & Camper Hire 53Savanna Car Hire 54

Tour OperatorDunas Safaris 37Eden Travel 55Exclusive Reservation & Marketing 56Frantic Nauralist Tours & Safaris 57Namibia Reservations 59Nazimbo Camping Safari 57Reservations Africa 11

Where to BuyAfrican Art Jewellers 1, 184African Kirikara FIC, 185Gustav Voigts Centre 46Horst Knop Jeweller 46Leder Chic 47

Wine & DineKückis Pub 182

Probst Willi Restaurant/Bakery 191

Swakopmund Brauhaus 183


African Art Jewellers 1, 184

African Kirikara 185

African Sun Car hire 48

Agama River Camp 151

Alexander Pension Hotel 28

Aloegrove Safari Lodge 86

Alte Brucke Holiday Resort 170

Amanpuri Travellers Lodge 171

Arandis Town Council 192-195

Asco Car Hire 49

Babson House 79

Bahnhof Hotel Aus 149

Bambatsi Guestfarm 86

Batis Birding Safaris 176

Beach Hotel Swakopmund 172

Belvedere Boutique Hotel 28

Betesda Lodge & Camping 155

Birds Accommodation 144

Camp Chobe 107

Camp Kwando 106

Camping Car Hire 50

Cape Cross Lodge 167

Caprivi Car Hire 50

Catamaran Charters 189

Central Lodge 145

Christoph Hotel Pension 28

Crossroads Car Hire 5, 183

Daredevil Adventures 177

Desert Air 40

Desert Explorers 177

Desert Homestead 157

Dunas Safaris 37

Dunedin Star Guesthouse 173

Düsternbrook Guest Farm 62

Eberwein Hotel 174

Eden Travel 55

Eileen Guest Farm 203

Eningu Clay House 63

Etotongwe Lodge 87

Etuna Guest House 82-83

Europa Hof Hotel 174

Evening Shade / Main Street Café 200-201

Exclusive Reservation & Marketing 56

Fish River Lodge 150

Flying Coffe Pot, The 190

FNB 41

Frantic Nauralist Tours & Safaris 57

Gocheganas 64

Grootberg Lodge 118

Ground Rush Adventures 178

Grünau Chalets 147

Grünau Country House 148

Gustav Voigts Centre 46

H.A.N. 43

Hakos Gästefarm 69

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Hamakari Gästefarm 93

Harnas 209

Hilltop Guesthouse 29

Hohenstein Lodge 197

Horst Knop Jeweller 46

Ichingo Chobe River Lodge 107

Ichobezi Safari Boat 107

Immanuel Wilderness Lodge 65

Immenhof Air Safari 205

Immenhof Guest Farm and Safaris 204

Jordani B & B 30

Kaisosi River 99

Kalahari Red Dunes Lodge 142

Kalahari Sands Hotel & Casino 31

Kashana 202

Kipwe Camp, Visions of Africa 119

Kiripotib Guestfarm 70

Kleinbegin Lodge 149

Klipdrift Huis 196

Kristall Galerie 179

Kückis Pub 182

Lagoon Chalets 188

Leder Chic 47

Luderitz Nest Hotel 137

Magnet Bureau De Change 2-3, 44-45, 272

Mahangu Safari Lodge 103

Makalani Hotel 90

Matunda Guest Farm 88

Mazambala Island Lodge 106

Minen Hotel 90

Mousebird Backpackers 91

Mowani Mountain Camp, Visions of Africa 119

Municipality of Swakopmund 169

Naankuse 34-35

Namib I 180

Namibia Car Rental 52

Namibia Reservations 59

Namibia Wildlife Resorts 32, 33

Nazimbo Camping Safari 57

Ngepi Camp 104

Nunda River Lodge 104

Ocean Adventures 180

Odyssey Car & 4 x 4 Hire 53

Okahandja Country Hotel 70

okutala Lodge 89

Omarunga Lodge 117

Omashare Hotel 99

Ombinda Country Lodge 88

OMEG Allee Pension 91

Ondili Lodges 140 - 141

Onguma Bush Camp 81

Onguma Eosha Aoba 80

Onguma Tented Camp 81

Onguma The Fort 80

Onguma Tree Top Camp 81

Opuwo Country Lodge 120

Palmwag Lodge 122

Pegasus Car & Camper Hire 53

Probst Willi Restaurant/Bakery 191

Rapmund Hotel Pension 174

Reservations Africa 11

River Chalets 144

River Crossing 39

River Guesthouse & Camping 202

Rooiklip Guestfarm 70

Roy’s Rest Camp 85

Safari Hotel and Safari Court 36

Sam’s Giardino 175

Savanna Car Hire 54

Schützenhaus Guesthouse 146

Shalom 181

Shamvura 101

Solitaire Country Lodge 152

Solitaire Guest Farm Desert Ranch 153

Stay @ Swakopmund 175

Sun Karros 66-67

Sun Sail Catamarans 189

Swakopmund Brauhaus 183

Tamboti Guest House 36

Tambuti Lodge 100

Taranga Safari Lodge 102

Teufelskrallen Tented Lodge 143

Toko Lodge & Safari 84

Travel North Guest House 92

Uukwaluudhi Safari Lodge 121

Villa Moringa , Dunas Safaris 37

Vineyard Country B & B 38

Vingerklip Lodge 89

Waterberg Guest Farm 93

Weaver’s Rock Guest Farm 93

Weavers Tourism Marketing 60-61

Weltevrede Guest Farm 154

Wildacker Guest Farm 85

Windhoek Mountain Lodge 68


Documents

Namibia Travel Companion 2015