NAMIBIA WITH HEART AND SOUL
Namibia How often do you need to visit this extraordinary country before you know it? How long does it take to become one with its culture, to take in its soul, to grasp its grand natural wonders? Some say it takes a lifetime. We say it takes just fourteen times. Fourteen lodges have been carefully and individually constructed by Gondwana over the last two decades. Hopscotch from lodge to lodge or take a long, slow journey, relishing the different character of each. Built on spectacular pieces of land, in close proximity to main attractions, each lodge has its own identity and charm. They are managed in accordance with sound environmental principles and embrace Namibia’s rich cultural diversity. From the south where the Fish River Canyon opens into a vast smile of ancient chasms carved by the patient hands of eternity, to the soft sienna sand dunes, the Kalahari, Etosha National Park and the wild waterways of the Zambezi, the lodges provide a friendly home from which to explore. Return after a day of wonderful adventure to indulge in true Namibian hospitality. A dream in fourteen parts – and a fifteenth, marvellous! This is the Gondwana feeling: Namibia with heart and soul.
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PHILOSOPHY
Honouring the past Dreams were discovered and history unravelled when the first Gondwana lodge was built on the farm Karios. Retaining the quaint century-old German farmhouse as the reception area, Canyon Lodge exudes the warmth and passion felt by its creators, the Schanderl brothers. Deported after WW1, they tried in vain to return to their beloved home. A bedstead, fitted by the brothers in observance of Bavarian tradition, still stands on the roof of the building to inform ladies that a bachelor is in residence.
These tales and others - the stories of the Namibian people, their struggles and triumphs over the years and their fascinating traditions, have been collected and recorded in the treasure-house of history, adding to the geological masterpieces that enrich the land.
Over the years, Gondwana acquired adjacent sheep farms to establish the expansive 130 000 hectare / 1300 square-kilometre nature reserve, the Gondwana Canyon Park. As fences were dismantled, the wildlife began to recover and as the land healed, the remnants of the people who once lived on the farms were discovered: old shepherd shelters, engravings, implements, graves and buildings that had been taken over by nesting birds. Stories were recounted under trees, in huts and farmhouses over time, and the tales of old were woven together to provide a clearer image of life in the arid Karas region.
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PHILOSOPHY
Honouring Nature A seed was planted when the first piece of land was investigated near the Fish River Canyon nearly twenty years ago. This was a vision of a large conservation area. It would take many years to come to fruition.
As sheep farmers put up their land for sale, discouraged by drought and the unfeasibility of farming in the inhospitable south, farm after farm was acquired. Fences were dismantled, waterholes established and wildlife reintroduced. The area evolved into the professionally-run Gondwana Canyon Park, one of the largest protected areas in Africa, administered full-time by park wardens and monitored through annual game counts. Slowly, animal numbers increased and the flora regenerated as the land was ‘rewilded’ and brought back into balance. Gondwana’s dedication didn’t stop there. As the Collection grew, three more reserves were created in other parts of the country, totalling 1 970 square kilometres of protected area.
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This attention to conservation and sustainability, and determination to tread lightly on the Earth has extended to our lodges, where water-recycling plants enable this precious resource to be used to water gardens, solar panels harness natural energy, recycling minimises waste and a SelfSufficiency Centre grows fresh produce for our guests. Four of the lodges have recently received top honours in the Eco Awards - the environmental seal of quality.
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PHILOSOPHY
Honouring people An important pillar of the Gondwana Philosophy, and one that stands sturdily with that of Conservation, is our commitment to the Namibian people. Our 600 staff members mirror the cultural diversity of the country and are an integral part of the company. Acknowledging their value, we invest heavily in staff training offering avenues of advancement. The training department provides a comprehensive programme including computer and language courses, service training, HIV education and provides awareness of the need for family planning, old-age provision and health-care.
Visitors to the Gondwana lodges immediately experience the feeling of self-assurance and well-being radiating from the staff, stemming from their awareness of being part of a greater whole. Welcome to Gondwana. We greet you with a smile and a warm handshake.
The Gondwana staff complement includes service, guiding and managerial staff at the fourteen lodges; administration, marketing, managerial, human resources and technical staff in Windhoek; Self-Sufficiency Centre staff who grow produce for the lodges, run the butchery and the cheese-making facility in Stampriet; and the well-qualified team of park rangers who monitor the fauna and flora, conduct anti-poaching patrols and support research projects.
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Place of wonders
FEELINGS
Isn’t it remarkable - that Namibia is named after the vast and ancient Namib Desert, yet its dune fields have been acknowledged as a World Heritage site not only for their beauty but for the myriad life forms which make the desert their home? That Etosha National Park covers 22 912 square kilometres and is home to an abundance of African animals? That the dunes of Sossusvlei, a medley of burnished colours, rise to a height of up to 325 metres? That the Tsauchab River hurtles through the Sesriem Canyon and through the waterless desert to curl up like a sleepy snake in the arms of the gigantic star dunes? That the striking and picturesque vestiges of camelthorn trees at Dead Vlei are 500 years old? That the Okavango River placidly makes its way through the Kavango region before draining into the thirsty Kalahari basin? And that the Fish River Canyon, which is 550 metres deep and 150 kilometres long, had its beginnings 1500 million years ago, when humanity was just a breath of star-dust – and a dream. Full of wonders, this place of marvels, the land of the great Namib Desert.
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FEELINGS
Where animals roam wild and free Somewhere in a rugged ravine, a leopard pads through a riverbed, its muscles rippling restlessly below its dappled pelt; somewhere on a sandy Kalahari dune a gemsbok proudly defies the soaring summer temperatures; and somewhere on a grassy plain, a young springbok pronks into the air with all the vitality he can muster showing the world that he is alive. Gondwana celebrates the natural world in its four nature reserves: The Gondwana Canyon Park, Gondwana Kalahari Park, Gondwana Namib Park and Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park. The professionally-run Gondwana Canyon Park is one of the largest private nature reserves in Africa. Wildlife from the Park is beginning to migrate onto the adjacent state land, repopulating the vast Fish River Complex, an area where the wildlife was once hunted to near-extinction. Join us for this life-affirming experience of undisturbed nature.
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Hello neighbour
FEELINGS
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors left their prayers to the gods engraved in the sandstone rocks of Twyfelfontein thousands of years ago. Their shamans tapped out pleas for water, protection and luck for the hunt, merging the spiritual and physical worlds. They left us with cathedrals of prayer, reminding us that we are all one and our needs are essentially the same. It is this heritage that unites the diverse groups of Namibians who have come to call this corner of Africa home: the earliest-known inhabitants, the San, and those who travelled over the centuries from the great lakes of East Africa, arrived by ship from colder climes and journeyed by horse and ox-wagon from the Cape, crossing the Great River. All the various languages, dialects and the clicks that confound the western tongue combine and transform into one language and two words: Hello neighbour.
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FEELINGS
Linking hands After the intrepid Portuguese sailors planted their cross on the rocky coast in 1488, the forbidding desert coastline was shunned for hundreds of years in favour of greener shores. Eventually, when the Scramble for Africa reached south-western Africa, Europe and Africa met and mixed. This was sometimes in battle for supremacy and sometimes in friendship and peace. German South West Africa was short-lived and in its stead, South Africa planted its flag. It too couldn’t stop the march of time and in 1990, the first democratic elections were held. Namibia became an independent country with one people and a rich and diverse cultural heritage. Today, you can pop into a supermarket and buy a brÜtchen, join a braaivleis or sit down in a shebeen for a glass of local brew. This melting pot of cultures is best seen in Windhoek where amongst the throng wearing jeans and t-shirts, a Herero woman may proudly glide down the street in her many-layered dress and a Himba woman sit selling her wares. We salute this wonderful and colourful blend of cultures that have comfortably merged into one: Namibian.
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Fourteen lodges, different every time
Each Gondwana lodge warms the heart, delights and inspires. Built in locations with spectacular landscapes, they are in close proximity to epic natural wonders, geological marvels, World Heritage sites, places steeped in history and animal sanctuaries. As individual as their locations, they offer intrigue, amusement, awe, entertainment, comfort, friendliness and rest. Whether our guests are watching the red orb of the sun sink into the mopane trees from the deck at Etosha Safari Lodge, listening to the sounds of the Zambezi waterworld at Namushasha, laughing with friends at the Roadhouse, watching the dunes turn gold at Namib Desert Lodge or looking out onto Gondwana Canyon Park from Canyon Lodge, the special beauty of each reaches out and makes itself felt. Fourteen times Gondwana, but different every time. Except, that is, for the parting comment, which is the same throughout: “See you again.�
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Hakusembe River Lodge
Namushasha River Lodge
Kalahari Farmhouse
Etosha Safari Camp
Damara Mopane Lodge
Kalahari Anib Lodge
A lush green oasis on the banks of the Okavango River. Absorb river peace from one of the twenty chalets, hop aboard the Hakusembe River Queen, stroll to the cultural village or just relax on the deck listening to the soft symphony of feathered friends.
Experience this Zambezi kingdom from 24 chalets dotted along the leafy river bank. Join the Caprivians in song and dance at the traditional heritage centre, salute wizened elephant giants in the Bwabwata National Park and glide through wild waterways. Revel in Namushasha gold.
A lush secret-garden in the arid Kalahari. This intimate lodge has 11 chalets finished with colourful quilts, fireplaces and cosy farmhouse charm. Visit the adjacent Self-Sufficiency Centre, join a trip into the Gondwana Kalahari Park to watch the sunset over the fiery red dunes, and rest.
Tap toes to an African beat in the novel Oshebeena Bar and relax at this friendly Camp, ten kilometres from Etosha National Park. 50 chalets, shaded by mopane trees, and a grassy campsite provide a comfortable home from which to explore the abundant animal kingdom. Legendary.
Built in a labyrinth design, this innovative lodge has 55 chalets, each with its own vegetable garden. Savour the charm from your stoep where sunflowers peep over walls, refresh in the pool, visit the Twyfelfontein rock engravings 100 km away and watch the sun sink into mopane woodland.
Savour the Kalahari Desert at this easily accessible lodge. 36 rooms flank a shady courtyard, with another 19 overlooking Kalahari savannah. Stretch legs on the walks and join the afternoon drive to experience the red Kalahari sands aglow with an inner fire.
Namib Dune Star Camp
Etosha Safari Lodge Sip on a drink while watching the ruby sun dip into the mopane woodland. Perched on a hill with expansive views, this stylish lodge offers 65 chalets that provide a peaceful base from which to explore the animal bounty of Etosha National Park.
Escape from the world. A short guided hike or drive leads you into a vast desert wilderness and to nine wooden cabins. After the dunes have transformed to gold and the distant mountains glow purple, it’s time to wheel beds onto balconies for a night under the glittering sky of the Namib.
Canyon Lodge
Canyon Village
Canyon Roadhouse
Namib Desert Lodge
Desert Horse Inn
Eagle’s Nest Chalets
A gem in the rugged environment, Canyon Lodge is a fusion of farmhouse flavour and natural splendour. Walkways lead to 25 natural stone chalets nestled amongst granite boulders. Celebrate dawn amongst th e quiver trees and the awe-inspiring adventure of life from the rim of the Fish River Canyon.
Suitable for a striking film set, Canyon Village lies at the foot of a sweeping rock face. Exhibiting authentic canyon character, the sprawling lodge explores the story of the south in murals, traditional Nama dress and even a donkey cart to convey baggage to rooms.
Fill up with smiles at this innovative lodge that celebrates the good old days of the automobile. It offers peaceful slumber in 24 spacious rooms and boasts a pool, a campsite, a fuel station, an inviting terrace and the most extraordinary restaurant in southern Namibia.
Set below striking fossilised dunes, the comfortable lodge provides a spectacular experience of ancient desert. 65 rooms, two swimming pools and a waterhole are surrounded by sandy splendour. Breathe in the grandeur on a sunset drive and feel the earth underfoot. Relax in the arms of the Namib.
Where the subtle colours of the grassy Pro-Namib merge with Namib sands in a lovers’ embrace, you’ll find Klein-Aus Vista. Surrounded by the rocky Aus hills, Desert Horse Inn is an attractive base for a sojourn in south-western Namibia en route to the famed dunes of Sossusvlei.
Forever landscapes, solitude, silence and sunsets. KleinAus Vista’s Eagle’s Nest is a self-catering getaway with 8 individually-built rock chalets. Keep to yourself or drive to Desert Horse Inn’s restaurant for delicious fare and congenial company. Return to dream of peace and wake to magnificent sunrise scenery.
Time well spent
Your time with Gondwana can be pure relaxation, total fascination or boundless adventure. Whether on a tour or a self-drive holiday, our collection of lodges dotted through the exciting country, provide easy passage for an unforgettable journey. Join our guided excursions into places of great wonder: the Fish River Canyon, Etosha and Bwabwata National Park. Partake in trails radiating out from the lodges to gain a feeling for the land, and sunset drives to toast and celebrate life on Namibian soil. And tick off a bucket-list adventure on a guided trail through the meandering gorges of the Fish River Canyon where hardy mules carry gear leaving you free to frolic. Specially chosen camps nestle along the river bank and on the plateaus, offering eagles’ views. Overnight on soft beds in bungalows or in tented camps, enjoy three-course meals cooked on the fire and the luxury of open-walled hot showers. Swim in the river, read tracks in the sand and sleep under the starry sky, at peace and deeply connected with the Earth. Exceptional. Extraordinary. Outstanding.
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EXPERIENCES
The Okavango Experience Balancing the semi-arid stretches and deserts of Namibia are the refreshing water worlds of north-eastern Namibia. Rising in the BiĂŠ Plateau in central Angola, the Okavango River has its own agenda. Lured by African magic, it has no intention of rushing to the sea but meanders into the southern interior. Flowing in a southeasterly direction, it enters Namibia in the Kavango region, forming the border between the countries, before widening into the fanlike channels of the Okavango Delta where it ebbs into desert sands.
Perfectly positioned on the southern bank of the Okavango River, Hakusembe River Lodge radiates peace. A lush river oasis, it lies 16km from the bustle of Rundu. The thatched chalets provide ideal retreats and the verdant garden, a paradise to relish. An enchanted destination in the Kavango, Hakusembe is a convenient place to pause and rest en-route to the Zambezi and the rushing waters of the Victoria Falls.
This vein of life blesses us with a serene ribbon of green along its journey. Fish eagles fly from the trees affirming their African spirit and sluggish crocodiles laze on sandy banks. Rural Africa and the river world merge and play melodic harmonies here. The sounds of cows mooing, children laughing and dug-out canoes gliding through the river fuse with the chiming of reed frogs, bird calls and the gentle lapping of water.
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The Zambezi Experience
EXPERIENCES
The lure of wild Africa is felt as you drive into the northeastern corner of Namibia. Once called the Caprivi strip and later the Caprivi region before claiming its full African heritage, the Zambezi region is a step into the heart of the continent. A tree-filled expanse dotted with villages and elephant caution signs welcome you. Unusually, this corridor containing the Bwabwata National Park is a protected home to both wildlife and people, ushering in a concept of coexistence, stewardship and synergy. Two smaller national parks, the Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara, lie along the Kwando waterway that becomes the Linyanti and Chobe rivers as it flows eastwards.
Every part of the day has its own magic here, whether strolling to the traditional heritage centre to laugh with the Mafwe and learn about the Caprivian way of life, taking a midday siesta or joining a boat cruise along the waterways and a drive into Bwabwata National Park. Return to Namushasha to be welcomed with smiles and sweet sherry. Savour the last streaks of sunset from the deck before darkness descends and the delicious supper aromas can no longer be ignored.
This is also where you’ll find Namushasha River Lodge, a thatchroofed Zambezi kingdom elegantly positioned under trees, looking out onto reeds and the Kwando River. It is a wilderness haven where the lethargic sound of hippos grunting floats through the air intermingling with birdsong.
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EXPERIENCES
The Etosha Experience At sunrise the gates open to the ‘Great White Place’ or ‘Place of Dry Water’, as the Owambo people have called the heart of the country since time immemorial. Unlike its name, however, the 22 912-square-kilometre national park is a place of sanctuary and abundance. With a variety of vegetation types, from thorn bush and woodland savannah, stands of makalani palms and the ‘phantom’ moringa trees (sprokiesbome) to the chalky white pan, Etosha National Park is home to myriad species of wildlife. 114 mammal species are found in the park including the antisocial black rhino and the endemic black-faced impala. Waterholes are dotted along the southern section of the pan providing effortless viewing. Unequalled Earthly experiences can be garnered here: watching a family of elephants silently appear and hurry excitedly towards the water, lions lazing contentedly in the shade of a bush, elegant giraffe loping across the road and a herd of handsome zebra nuzzling each other affectionately.
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At the end of a full Etosha day, while some are still racing the sun, others are lounging on the sundowner deck of Etosha Safari Lodge or enjoying a drink at the Oshebeena Bar at Etosha Safari Camp, contemplating Etosha marvels and the thrill of being in the African wilderness. Anticipation is already mounting for the new day. Here, at Gondwana’s lodges, just ten kilometres from Andersson Gate, a new adventure begins with every dawn.
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The Damaraland Experience
EXPERIENCES
Home to the Damara people, Damaraland is a large stretch of African savannah with rounded granite domes, table-top mountains and ephemeral rivers that thunder down their ancient courses after heavy summer rainfall to be quickly absorbed into underground aquifers for safe storage. These veins of life are wildlife havens and highways where wild rhino and desert elephants roam. The landscape intensifies into red stone in dry summers and bleached grassy stretches in more abundant seasons, but at the end of the day it always softens into dramatic pastel beauty. This is the place where huntergatherer groups congregated at Twyfelfontein, the ‘doubtful spring’, in the dry season and where their shamans chiselled prayers into the sandstone rock. It is where ancient forests rested after tumultuous journeys down rivers, fossilising over the aeons, and where rock was fashioned into organ-like structures as if attempting to play a fusion of divine and earthy music to the endless blue sky.
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It is also where Damara Mopane Lodge is found, nestled in a green forest of heart-shaped leaves; an island of bliss on the doorstep of spectacular sights. Relax on your stoep at this enchanting lodge, between sunflowers and passion fruit, cool off in the gigantic pool and watch the sun sink into the mopane woodland at the end of the day. Above the world, everything falls into perspective. Life is indeed good.
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EXPERIENCES
The Kalahari Experience Colours run riot in the Kalahari Desert where yellow grass and dark green acacias are accentuated against burnt-orange sand and the blue of an infinite sky. And when the sun prepares its farewell for the day, it draws on all the hues of the celestial prism. This is the time between day and dream when magic hovers and the fiery colours of sand dunes brighten and deepen. Life pauses catching its breath. And so does everyone else, standing atop a dune, watching this earthly show in vibrant colour. The magnificent landscape is home to hardy desert-adapted gemsbok, springbok, ostrich, black-backed jackal, the massive kori bustard and the rambling nests of social weavers that have skilfully mastered thermodynamic principles and life in the desert. It is also home to the Kalahari Anib Lodge and Kalahari Farmhouse - and luckily, their guests.
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Experience the beauty of the Kalahari on a sunset drive at Kalahari Anib and appreciate abundance of a different sort at the Farmhouse where artesian water blesses the desert, creating a lush secret garden and nurturing the salad greens on Gondwana’s own farm. The Kalahari; it dances to a different beat. Feel the magic.
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The Canyon Experience
EXPERIENCES
The Fish River begins its journey in the Naukluft Mountains, seeking its lover, the Gariep or Orange River in the south. It flows steadily at first, dropping over two waterfalls before reaching the Löwen River and plunging into the canyon on its serpentine route to the end of the gorge at Ai-Ais. Sometimes, the Fish River is calm and quiet, and at other times it hurtles through the canyon walls in a rush of water. In this way it makes its rendezvous with the Gariep and carves out the canyon’s chasms, as it has done for over a hundred million years. Not far from where the blue-green river of the Fish River meanders through the canyon gorges are Canyon Lodge, nestled gracefully amongst the granite boulders, and Canyon Village, set against a sweeping backdrop of rock. Slightly nearer to the main viewpoints is the Canyon Roadhouse, a ‘must-do’ stop to fill up on smiles and pay tribute to the good old days of the automobile.
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Feel the magnitude of Earth-time in relation to the fleeting brush of human life on the canyon rim. And take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hike through its pristine depths on the canyon mule trail, overnighting in specially chosen camps. Away from civilisation, the canyon grandeur is yours alone. This unique privilege is offered by the Gondwana Collection, nature and time.
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EXPERIENCES
The Namib Experience This ancient desert tried to call attention to itself for 50 to 80 million years. It grew to 2000 kilometres long and nearly 200 kilometres wide, assembled lofty sand dunes and sculpted a range of artistically designed dunes in various shapes. It harboured flora and fauna in its sands and called the soft mist from the ocean to sustain them. It even welcomed the diamonds that had washed down the Orange River and into the Atlantic into its generous arms. And, no-one gave it a second thought. Finally, we are willing to receive the magnificence of the Namib Desert. Diamonds were discovered in the early 1900s, the Namib Sand Sea was proclaimed a World Heritage site in 2013 and thousands of visitors annually pay homage to the magnificence of Sossusvlei and Dead Vlei.
Experience the luminosity of the landscape on an afternoon drive when the sun anoints the land and join the trail to Namib Dune Star to overnight in desert wilderness far from the world. Yes, ancient Namib. We are ready.
The Namib Desert achieved one more astounding feat, it transformed piles of sand into fossilised dunes. This is where Namib Desert Lodge lies, sheltered by a striking red sand formation.
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The Aus Mountain Experience
EXPERIENCES
There is something extraordinarily special about the landscape around Klein-Aus Vista. It’s where streaks of Namib sand merge with the bleached grasses of the Pro-Namib in a sensuous slow dance of splendour. The lodge, nestled in the rocky Aus Mountains, is famed for its extensive and lovely vistas, best seen from one of the mountain bike or hiking trails, a viewpoint above the campsite or from the secluded Eagle’s Nest chalets. Contributing to the scenery, the Wild Horses of the Namib remind us of untethered freedom and appeal to our soul to embrace the wonderful adventure of life in its entirety. Desert Horse Inn is imbued with the energy of the horses, adding a spirited component to the warmth of the family-owned lodge.
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As the pastel landscape transforms into desert en route to Lüderitz and the coast, there is the abandoned diamond mining town of Kolmanskop to visit where disintegrating houses are a photographer’s playground, a desert town to discover and fascinating promontories to explore. Set your GPSs for Klein-Aus Vista. Indulge in a dream of freedom.
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NAMIBIA Namushasha River Lodge Hakusembe River Lodge
Etosha National Park Etosha Safari Camp & Lodge Damara Mopane Lodge
Windhoek
Gondwana Namib Park Namib Desert Lodge & Namib Dune Star Camp
Gondwana Kalahari Park Kalahari Farmhouse Kalahari Anib Lodge
Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park Klein-Aus Vista
Gondwana Canyon Park Canyon Roadhouse Canyon Lodge & Village
+264 61 230 066 | info@gondwana-collection.com info@klein-aus-vista.com www.gondwana-collection.com Gondwana Collection Namibia
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