Travel News Namibia Summer 2022/23

LISTEN TO NATURE.

Photo Stefan Redecker

“There are times when solitude is better than society and silence is wiser than speech.”

Charles Spurgeon

Namibia Travel News

is published by Venture Media in Windhoek, Namibia www.travelnewsnamibia.com

Tel: +264 61 383 450, Hypermotor City Unit 44, Maxwell street PO Box 21593, Windhoek, Namibia

EDITOR Elzanne McCulloch elzanne@venture.com.na

PRODUCTION & CONTENT MANAGER Le Roux van Schalkwyk leroux@venture.com.na

PUBLIC RELATIONS Elzanne McCulloch elzanne@venture.com.na

LAYOUT & DESIGN Liza de Klerk liza@venture.com.na

CUSTOMER SERVICE Bonn Nortjé bonn@venture.com.na

TEXT CONTRIBUTORS

Pompie Burger, Le Roux van Schalkwyk, Lee Tindall, Rièth van Schalkwyk, Dirk Heinrich, Charene Labuschagne, Linda de Jager, Elzanne McCulloch, Robbie Stammers, Ailsing Knight, Helga Burger, Piet van Rooyen, Harmen Piekema

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Elzanne McCulloch, Pompie Burger, Le Roux van Schalkwyk, Lee Tindall, Dirk Heinrich, Charene Labuschagne, Nina van Schalkwyk, Paul van Schalkwyk, Evan Naude, Naturally Namibia, Ailsing Knight, Piet van Rooyen, Ross Garret, Liza de Klerk, Harmen Piekema

Travel News Namibia is published quarterly, distributed worldwide via Zinio digital newsstand and in physical format in southern Africa. The editorial content of TNN is contributed by the Venture Media team, freelance writers and journalists. It is the sole property of the publisher and no part of the magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

All information and travel details are correct at the time of going to press. Due to uncertain circumstances, this may have changed after the date of publication. Please check businesses' individual websites for up-to-date details.

To advertise in Travel News Namibia or any of our other publications, contact Elzanne McCulloch +264 81 367 3583 | elzanne@venture.com.na | www.venture.com.na

Industry partners:

Summer 2022/23

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SOULFUL

2021, we're focussing on telling and s our various magazines and digital platf stories with audiences that understan Why ethical business, conservation, tou

Venture Media is the pioneer of Namibia tourism promotion. We are the leader in spreading the tourism word around the world. We distribute accurate, credible, up to date and regular tourism-related information on paper, in social media, on the World Wide Web, and on mobile apps. We have reached hundreds of thousands over almost three decades. Be part of our community and let’s do it together.

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Why ethical business, conservation, tourism, people and communities matter. How these elements interrelate and how we can bring about change, contribute to the world and support each other. Whether for an entire nation, an industry, a community, or even just an individual.

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Campsite | Hobatere Lodge | Shipwreck Lodge

Plenty to explore and adore this summer

How will you remember 2022? For us it was a year of plenty. Perhaps the plenty came on the coat tails of a decidedly empty two years before. There was plenty of work to do in our Windhoek offices, and there were plenty of adventures across Namibia’s vast open landscapes. Our tourism partners had plenty to reveal and reopen, and above all, we saw plenty of tourists return. That is what I will remember from 2022. Once again seeing foreign visitors explore our cities and towns, our national parks and wild corners. They came back, like we hoped they would, and we’re so excited to have them.

Our year at Travel News started off with visits to a wet Etosha National Park, always an adventure! Then we were off to the country’s endless south. Lüderitz, enigmatic and a hidden gem, and the unexplored Tsau //Khaeb, the ‘Forbidden Territory’. We spent our winter hiking the Naukluft, visiting the wilderness of Ongava Game Reserve and mountainbiking for rhinos in the northwest. Summer is a season that many seem to think is not the ideal time to visit Namibia. We’ve got news for you! Summer in Namibia is bright and beautiful. Just like our year 2022, summer is a time of plenty. Plenty of wildlife as young ones arrive and Etosha’s plains are dotted with tiny versions of everything. Dramatic skies with long-awaited thunder clouds. These make for incredible photographs and our bursts of rain are brief and incredible to witness. The smell of petrichor in the air as those fervently prayed-for drops hit dusty soil. In this summer issue of Travel News we take you to the wet and wild Chobe-Zambezi floodplains. We explore the where to stay, play and eat at the coast. We paddle along the Orange River with acclaimed Namibian author Piet van Rooyen and rediscover the country’s capital. I delve into the excitement of introducing Namibia to tiny humans and Charene learns about rhino genetics and landscape-level conservation at the Ongava Research Centre. All in all, we have a ball of a time. Because in Namibia there is plenty to see, do, taste, experience, smell and explore.

In 2023, we celebrate 30 years of Travel News Namibia. What an incredible milestone! Three decades of sharing extraordinary, special and unique Namibian travel, tourism, conservation and people stories with the world. Travel News has certainly played an enormous part in putting Namibia on the map and we want to thank all the partners and supporters who helped make it Namibia's most loved tourism and destination marketing brand.

There are enough things to be sceptical about out there in the world at large. Let travel be a balm to the spirit. I hope you get caught in rainstorms and learn new things. I hope you meet new people and listen to their stories. Get to know them. Appreciate them and the wilderness all around. I hope you look at the world around you through the innocent eyes of a child. Full of wonder and amazement.

Happy summer travels!

With love from Namibia,

McCulloch @elzanne_mcculloch

Elzanne

A hippo in the Chobe River peeks at us as we pass by during our visit to Serondela Lodge in Namibia's Zambezi Region. - Le Roux van Schalkwyk

My new travel buddy and I at Spreetshoogte. Bring the little ones along, you’ll rediscover the wonders of the world through their curious eyes.

CONTENTS

In this issue

THE REAL MAGIC KINGDOM p12

Bring the kids along and discover the wonders of Namibia through curious eyes

ON THE TURF OF SAILORS, SURFERS AND ANGLERS p32 Charene Labuschagne explores Namibia's coast

SAFARI WITH A PURPOSE p60

Ongava Research Centre at the forefront of Namibia's conservation efforts

THE MOST INTERESTING BIKES IN THE WORLD p72 Building world-class steel-framed bikes on a dusty farm in Namibia

20

PHOTOGRAPHY

Discover the very best of Namibia

DAILY hop on hop off shuttle flights to Namibia’s top destinations... at the price of a self-drive. Spend less time travelling and more time discovering the wonders of Namibia.

BUSH TELEGRAPH

News from the tourism industry

GREETING A LEGEND

Namibia has lost one of its great legends and pioneers of the tourism industry to cancer. Dusty Rodgers was lovingly known as Captain Caprivi because of the many years he has been active in the Zambezi Region. Among the lodges he built in the region since the 90s are Kalizo, Impalila Island, Susuwe Island and Ntwala Island, and more recently Nambwa and Kazile Island which form part of the African Monarch Lodges portfolio, founded by Dusty. His positive and meaningful contribution as well as his commitment to developments for the people of the Zambezi Region will forever be remembered and will be dearly missed by everyone whose lives he touched.

FLYNAMIBIA PARTNERS WITH AIRLINK

FlyNamibia has partnered with southern Africa’s largest private airline, Airlink. The partnership was sealed in September. Through operational collaboration, FlyNamibia and Airlink will be servicing more regional routes, including Windhoek to Johannesburg, and an increased frequency of flights to Cape Town. New routes are to be added to other southern African destinations.

FlyNamibia’s shareholding continues to be majority-owned by Namibian private investors, with a minority shareholding now being held by Airlink.

This partnership gives FlyNamibia access to routes operated by Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, United airlines and most of the major international carriers, giving customers more options and services for their travelling needs.

FLYNAMIBIA OPENS EROS TO WALVIS BAY ROUTE

October saw the inaugural flight of the new route between Eros Airport and Walvis Bay International Airport. “FlyNamibia, with this new direct flight to Walvis Bay and its combined regional network and schedule, will unlock efficiencies for Namibia’s business, trade, travel, and tourism sectors,” said the Mayor of Walvis Bay, Trevino Forbes, at the inaugural event. The route will be serviced on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

NAMIBIANS HONOURED AT ANNUAL PYNE AWARDS

At the annual Pyne Awards held in Lagos, Nigeria, much-loved member of the Namibian tourism industry and CEO of the Hospitality Association of Namibia, Gitta Paetzold, received the Icon of the Year (Hospitality) award, while Ivan Kasozi, General Manager of O&L Leisure Hotels & Lodges’ Strand Hotel Swakopmund, won the title Hotel General Manager of the Year. The Pyne Awards celebrate excellence in African tourism, travel and hospitality as well as the hard work of stakeholders operating in the industry throughout the continent.

WILDERNESS SAFARIS REBRANDS

EES ENTERS TOURISM INDUSTRY

Popular Namibian-born musician and entrepreneur EES has launched his own travel booking platform. Nam Flava Camping offers an all-in-one website where pre-planned tours of differing lengths can be booked. Basic information about Namibia is also provided, and there is an online shop for purchasing anything from the EES signature braai salt to branded enamel cups and charcoal. Find out more at www.namflavacamping.com.

Wilderness, previously known as Wilderness Safaris, announced its drastic and dramatic rebrand in November 2022. This icon of the African safari experience has been a cornerstone of tourism in Namibia. Their rebrand moves away from their well-known logo featuring two African Skimmers in the shape of a W. It also involves a name change, dropping the Safaris.

Wilderness shares:

"Forty years ago our journey began in Botswana with a few rustic tents, a single Land Rover, two dedicated safari guides, and a dream of showcasing Africa’s iconic wild places. From those humble beginnings sprang Africa’s leading conservation and hospitality company. We’ve changed, evolved, and grown hugely over the years, but our biggest change is finally here.

Conservation remains our core purpose – that will never change. It's that purpose that has always driven us, but now – more than ever – we are determined to have an even bigger impact on the world’s wildlife, wilderness, and local communities. We aim to double the amount of land we help conserve in the next few years. Unique scenery, wildlife, and cultures are waiting to be explored, and we can’t wait to share them with you.

As we grow to expand our conservation footprint, we’ve also made a few other changes."

All in all the rebrand comes at a time when the tourism industry is shaking off the dust of COVID and the intense impact it had on travel. With a new name, a new logo and identity and a new website, we're excited to see what this next level will look like. We look forward to the new Wilderness experience! TNN

The real magic

kingdom

Experiencing Namibia with tiny humans

Text Elzanne McCulloch

I

embarked on a new adventure this year. Probably my most daunting and most exciting to date. Raising a tiny human.

Every step of the journey has not only been eye-opening, but a game of comparison between how I used to see the world and what it looks like now. Through slightly blurry eyes and highly heightened senses (hormones), the world around me seems to glow with a new sense of awe and wonder.

And there is this intense excitement brewing inside in the knowledge that I get to share this place I love with such a fiery passion with my tiny human. He will see, hear, taste, smell, experience, wonder and get to know Namibia (and the world) from scratch. What an incredible adventure that must be!

The first thing I learned was that raising a tiny human is an incredibly humbling experience. The equivalent to standing at the bottom of a towering red ochre sand dune in Sossusvlei and looking up, up, up. Am I ready for the climb? Will I make it? I hear the view from above is indescribable.

The second thing you learn is that tiny humans are a species unto themselves. They have their own way of operating as they figure out the world around them. I kept comparing it to the awesome sight of a giraffe calf getting up on extremely wobbly legs after it had dropped into the world with a decidedly dramatic entrance. A few minutes after such a traumatic introduction to the universe it slowly and shakily gets up and sets off after its mother, starting a beautiful life of nibbling on nebrownii bushes and their beautiful yellow flowers and meandering across Etosha’s vast white expanse.

Third on the list is that moment you realise that this tiny human is in fact… a human. A person with thoughts and ideas, likes and dislikes. They seem strange to you because they are so very different from you (even though you created them). Isn’t it wonderful to meet new people? To get to know them, their interests and idiosyncrasies? Namibia’s diverse cultures

are a melting pot of faces, ideas, creativity and delightful personalities. Something they all seem to have in common is a welcoming spirit. But their lives differ vastly and it is one of my absolutely favourite experiences to get to sit around a dinner table, a campfire or anywhere else for that matter and have chats. Listen to stories. The beauty of oral tradition and getting to know new people. Looking beyond yourself and your own views of the world and truly attempting to understand and appreciate those of others.

Curiosity, that eager desire to learn, is such an enriching trait. Above all, tiny humans are inherently curious. That curiosity will serve them so well in a wondrous place such as Namibia. With new trees, new birds, new animals to discover around each bend. Rocks, bugs, geckos, grasses, mountains, anthills, holes, leaves, clouds, flowers. I could go on forever. Can you imagine the excitement and joy of being young and curious and having this plethora of discoveries at your fingertips. If for no other reason, fuelling the fire of youthful curiosity, discovery and learning is the best gift you can ever give your tiny humans. Experiences linger in the heart, mind and soul long after physical things have lost their shine.

Africa, and Namibia, has long been seen as not being a particularly “child-friendly” holiday destination. Fed by old tales of wildlife and danger around every bush, Africa is no longer the ‘dark continent’ of Wilbur Smith novels. Tourism operators and lodges have also become more welcoming and encouraging of little guests. Though some of the higher-end establishments still have a minimum age limit (understably), there are many options for families looking to discover Namibia’s wilderness and freedom together.

So bring your tiny humans along on your adventure through Namibia. They will learn about the importance and wonders of nature, and in the process they will teach you to look at the world with glittering eyes. There’s definitely more magic to be found in the wilderness than in any other kingdom... TNN

And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.

- Roald Dahl

Meet Namibians with their welcoming spirit

New experiences are the best gift

Adventures abound across Namibia

WINDHOEK

on every budget

& Photographs Charene Labuschagne

Windhoek has long been overlooked by visitors and been seen merely as the departure point of a splendid Namibian holiday. Regional flights depart from the city’s airports, the majority of vehicle hire companies are based here, and tour operators decamp from Windhoek onwards to the far corners of this vast country. While our natural splendour is surely the greatest magnet for international guests, there is a lot more to be said about this comparatively small capital city than simply a stopover.

The capital is a concentration of our eleven ethnic groups, of arts and crafts from our fourteen regions and a healthy mix of culture, creativity and cuisine. Because Windhoek is the playground of people from all walks of life, there are plenty of options for every kind of pocket.

THE BUDGET TRAVELLER

STAY:

Urban Camp

For fuss-free accommodation I cannot recommend Urban Camp enough. They have camping options for the equipped traveller, as well as glamping for those in search of an authentic experience, but without setting up a tent themselves. Nowhere else can you get a true camping experience in the centre of a capital city. Urban Camp is cost-effective, neat as a pin and has a beergarden and pool on the premises.

EAT:

Kapana – Namibian street food Eating local gives you way more bang for your buck, plus no visit to Windhoek is complete without a taste of kapana. Imagine slivers of beef, flame grilled and topped with or dipped into a burnt orange-coloured spice mix – the perfect blend of sweet, spicy and umami. Kapana goes down best with fat cakes (deep fried bread balls) and tomato and onion relish prepared on site. Locals say the hub for the best kapana in town is the Single Quarters market in Windhoek’s Katutura suburb.

EXPERIENCE:

Self-guided walking tour Windhoek’s high street, Independence Avenue, and surrounds are lined by historic buildings, art galleries, informal and curio shops, plus plenty of places to sit down for a refuel. Obviously the iconic Christuskirche is a must-visit. Just down the road you will find the National Art Gallery and the Namibia Arts Association. Buying art may be expensive, but looking is free.

Walking down Independence Avenue allows you to take it all in and photograph at your leisure. The idiosyncratic juxtaposition of large bank buildings and the old German-style architecture is characteristic of Windhoek. Curio shops and the Namibia Craft Centre are great places to get a sense of the abundant art and craft practices in the country. I would gesture to the informal sellers, whose prices are somewhat negotiable, and the interaction with these female stall owners is priceless.

Text

FEELING SPLASHY

STAY:

Arebbusch Travel Lodge

The Arebbusch complex gives visitors to Windhoek a glimpse into the lodge lifestyle that defines a trip through the country. Their rooms are neat and spacious, but the surrounding space makes Arebbusch special. Surrounded by nature, with a large pool and à la carte menu restaurant, this lodge is a welcoming home away from home after a day of exploring the capital.

EAT: Goodfellas

Tucked away under lofty tree canopies in Windhoek’s lively Liliencron street, this pizza-pub-combo harbours crowds craving an al fresco dining experience. The Goodfellas menu goes uncontested as utterly versatile. It will please just about every palate in the group and can be summarised as “American-style indulgence”. From their carpaccio to the generous salads, burgers and the much loved pizzas, the grub is delicious and the atmosphere is always pleasant, especially on weekends with live music. Goodfellas is part of the backbone of the capital’s social scene, and unsurprisingly doubles well as a family lunch spot.

EXPERIENCE:

City and township tour

There are many different city and township tours on offer judging by entries on TripAdvisor. Chameleon Safaris operates a tour starting at the landmarks in central Windhoek, continuing to Katutura for kapana, and ending at the Penduka women’s project. For an authentic experience, I would recommend trying a local guide. Anchor Adventures is a small-scale tour operator that does a Katutura Classic Township tour, guided by Lubowski, a passionate local resident who shares first-hand insight into the eclectic township.

FOR THE UPPITY

STAY:

Ti Melen Boutique

Guesthouse

Situated on a hilltop in one of Windhoek’s quiet suburbs, only a 10-minute drive from the centre of town, Ti Melen makes a massive impression as soon as you arrive. The guesthouse’s castle-like architecture is reminiscent of the German colonial era. Rooms are classically decorated, there are wooden decks, lots of greenery and a brilliant observation deck for panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and Avis Dam. Ti Melen is the perfect mix of old-world charm and understated luxury.

EAT:

Leo’s Garden Restaurant

You will soon notice that the best dining in Windhoek is outdoors. With our great weather in mind, Leo’s Garden Restaurant is the perfect pozzie for lunch or dinner. The surrounding courtyard is tranquil, with the babbling of a water feature nearby. Daily specials mean there is always something different and exciting to try, like stuffed lamb shoulder, saltimbocca, game steaks served with croquettes or pan-seared kabeljou. We love sustainable seasonal menus, plus Leo’s Garden Restaurant has one of the best wine selections in Windhoek.

EXPERIENCE: Namibian Gemstones

One of Namibia’s greatest riches are our beautiful precious and semi-precious gemstones. If you have read up a little before your trip, you will surely know about our diamond mining industry, which is noteworthy. However, Namibia’s coloured gemstones are even more alluring than the white rock. Tourmaline, topaz, aquamarine, garnet, jasper, pietersite, quartz crystal, and amethyst make for the most beautiful high-end jewellery pieces. Goldsmiths and jewellers specialising in championing Namibian gemstones are dotted across town. Luxury, fashionable pieces like pendants and rings featuring a brilliant green tourmaline mined near Usakos will make for a great gift to a loved one, or your own forever memory of the multifaceted beauty of Namibia.

Before embarking on the journey of a lifetime through Namibia, I encourage you to give Windhoek more than 24 hours to wow you. Sleep, shop, eat and socialise like a local, and perhaps spend some more time in the city before returning home. TNN

An immature Pale Chanting Goshawk looks very different to an adult, has pale yellow eyes and an overall brown plumage, while adults have dark eyes and pale bluish-grey plumage. This youngster had a mouse, but instead of feeding he kept calling his parents, one of them perching above him.

Pale Chanting Goshawks take a wide variety of prey, from mammals to reptiles, birds, invertebrates and carrion. This one in Etosha National Park had caught a Black-lined plated lizard.

The Pale Chanting Goshawk, with a ring on his left leg, perching on top of a small tree next to the dirt road between Namutoni and Tweepalm.

Pale Chanting Goshawk

spotted after 15 years

Text & Photographs Dirk Heinrich

While driving from Tweepalm waterhole towards Namutoni in Etosha National Park in April 2020 looking for Blue Cranes in the vast open grass plains next to Fischer´s Pan and recording all kinds of raptors for the Global Raptor Impact Network (GRIN), I spotted an adult Pale Chanting Goshawk next to the dirt road on top of a small tree.

Pale Chanting Goshawks are the most common raptors in Etosha National Park and can be seen next to the roads all over Namibia. These chicken size raptors sit on bushes, small trees, large trees, anthills, on the ground and telephone poles scanning the area for any kind of food. They feed on anything, mainly mammals (rodents), reptiles and birds but also insects and carrion.

This Pale Chanting Goshawk had a metal ring on his left leg. I managed to take a few photos before the bird flew onto another bush further away. I was able to make out the letter K (prefix) and numbers 228. I hoped that the Goshawk would come closer again and my patience was rewarded when the bird went down on the ground, caught a small lizard and perched on a low tree a bit further down and next to the road again. Since the raptors and other animals in Etosha National Park are used to vehicles, I was able to park next to the small tree he was perching on. This time I managed to photograph the rest of the ring number: 97 (K22897).

Back in camp I had a look on my computer and my ringing data revealed that in fact I had ringed the bird in the park as an immature, in the presence of nature conservation officials on 20 February 2007, just a little more than 15 years ago. I had spotted the bird 4,08 km from the site where I had ringed it. It is amazing that the raptor had stayed in the area.

It is not the oldest Pale Chanting Goshawk in Namibia. Some of these raptors have been recaptured or recovered more than 20 years after being ringed. It is not yet known how old they get in the wild. I have ringed 312 Pale Chanting Goshawks, recaptured five and recovered one. This is my first re-sighting of one of “my” PCGs. TNN

The map shows the sites where the Pale Chanting Goshawk was ringed and re-sighted 15 years later.

A series of photos had to be taken to be able to read the whole number on the metal ring and eventually identify the bird. The number K228 alone would not have helped since 99 rings with that number were used, some of them on Pale Chanting Goshawks and some in Etosha.

Standing alone in the desert with only a camera is humbling and introspective.

A RARE PRIVILEGE

Photography feature: Evan Naude

Evan Naudé is a travel journalist and photographer from Cape Town. Over the last decade he has travelled extensively in southern Africa in search of stories to tell, interesting events to witness and beautiful landscapes and unique people to capture. He has spent more time visiting Namibia than any other of his neighbouring countries, usually once a year but often multiple times. “South Africans definitely have a love affair with Namibia. It was something I didn’t understand until I first visited the country,” he says.

That first visit was an unforgettable experience. “I got picked up from the airport in Windhoek and drove straight to Kaokoland for a two-week overland trip. We only skipped through urban areas, so my experience of Namibia was the vast unspoiled, sublime wilderness of Kaokoland. I was blown away by the beauty and instantly became hooked on this place!”

Evan’s favourite photographic destinations in Namibia are the country’s most inhospitable locations. “Not only are the landscapes incredible in places like the Namib Desert, the Skeleton Coast, Damaraland and Hartmann’s Valley, but you are also reminded of your own humanity. You absolutely cannot survive in these wildernesses and that’s what makes it so special to photograph them. My photographs from these places are not just images, but intimate memories that bring back the senses, feelings and even thoughts I experienced in those environments. Standing alone in the desert with only a camera is humbling and introspective. A rare privilege.”

Evan is the owner and tour leader of Black Jackal, a travel company that creates tailor-made itineraries and experiences. He also regularly guides photographic tours. Contact him at evan@blackjackaltravel or follow his adventures on Instagram at @evannaude TNN

Only 18 mountain bikers, across Namibia's most incredible landscape for 4 days

In aid of the world's largest population of free-roaming black rhinos

RIDE FOR RHINOS

THE HERERO

Text Linda de Jager Photographs Le Roux van Schalkwyk

Omumborombonga. I recall that I stood barefoot and wide-eyed at one of the cattle posts on the farm when I first heard the enchanting Herero word. I was listening with childlike wonder to my beloved Onkel Lothar speaking in the language of the farmworkers at the borehole that was fondly named Omumborombonga.

Iwas about seven years old at the time: years measured in seconds by the audible ticks of the old-fashioned clock in the farmhouse – punctuated by an hourly chime: a ghostly gong, gong

On the farm Kanambo, close to Otjiwarongo in central Namibia, Lothar Wilhelm farmed with cattle. He shared the Herero people’s love of these animals. It is common knowledge in Namibia that the Herero once were nomadic pastoralists with large herds of cattle – and that they are drawn to farming to this day.

The Herero are one of roughly nine cultural groups in Namibia: the other eight are the Basters, the San, the Caprivians, the Damara, the Kavango, the Nama and the Aawambo plus those loosely grouped as people of European origin.

Visitors are fascinated by the stately Herero women in traditional late 19th century type of dresses – a style introduced by the wives of German missionaries. But few know that the shape of the headdress mimics the horns of cattle, the ultimate symbol of wealth in the Herero culture.

Much of this culture was lost in the devastating Herero rebellion between 1904 and 1905 against German colonial rule. This tragic chapter in our history gave rise to what is known as a Truppenspieler movement. It explains the uniforms which some of the Herero men still wear in what is now known as the Red Band Movement. Elements of German uniforms in the colonial era were incorporated in the traditional wear of the men. Every year on 26 August deceased leaders are commemorated in a mass gathering of Herero people wearing “traditional” clothes.

This is where you will find many words stemming from the experience with German culture. The word omunavihako vivari (the one with two stripes) speaks to the fact that corporals and sergeants were named according to the number of stripes.

Onkel Lothar spoke Otjiherero fluently – and thereby opened a wonderland of words for me. But I did not

have to fall (like Alice) down a rabbit hole to explore the origin of the word Omumborombonga.

The answer lies in a large tree trunk. This is what the large Namibian leadwood tree (Combretum imberbe) is called in Otjiherero. The tree forms the centre of the Herero culture’s creation myth.

The Herero elders recount the legend that the first man and woman, as well as oxyn, came forth from this sacred tree at the beginning of time. Lesser animals, like sheep and goats, however, emerged from underneath a flat stone. The first ancestor was known as Mukuru – and the first woman as Kamungundu. Some say the tribal name Herero is derived from ova-erero (the people of yesterday).

In addition to worshiping the supreme being Mukuru, or Ndjambi, for his kindness, the Herero traditionally worship their ancestors.

While I am aware that respect for ancestors prevails in modern-day Namibia, I asked a translator and Otjiherero-speaker, Richard Tjitua, which traditions were still alive today. There used to be a time when the elders still bowed reverently with the words Tate Mukuru u Zera (Father thou art holy) whenever they passed the Omumborombonga tree.

Says Richard: “Many Hereros adopted the Christian faith, and they learned from the Bible that the dead are conscious of nothing and do not exist somewhere else. Thus they cannot harm or help the living. This understanding has caused many to strongly reject customs and rituals that promote ancestor worship. Other Hereros who believe in God know that he condemns anything to do with the appeasing of their dead ancestors. Yet, they still practise ancestor worship out of fear of the dead, and because of peer and family pressure.”

According to Richard, an uncle is viewed as a very important person. “The uncle is the brother of my mother. We don’t refer to my father’s brother as uncle, as in the Western culture. Rather, he is another father, be it a younger or elder father. He helps with

the decisions in marriage negotiations, funeral arrangements and other family matters.”

Richard continues: “They wouldn’t give the bride to the in-laws without the groom’s uncle. And the bride’s uncles are the ones involved in deciding who the bride will be. The only exception is when the bride’s mother is married and the bride lives with her mother’s husband (be it her own father or step father). Even so, they would still want the uncle to be present. A younger brother is not allowed to marry before his older brother, or else he must pay with one head of cattle. This could also be converted into monetary value.” Richard says this tradition is gradually becoming obsolete.

“Another custom that is still practiced in some Herero communities is the brother-in-law marriage. When a husband dies, his wife is offered to one of her brother-in-laws. Of course, she can choose whether to marry one of them or not. This practice has its origin in the Bible. It was practiced among ancient Israelites.”

In 2017, the old clock in the farmhouse chimed my beloved Onkel’s final hour. Gone were the days of carefree school holidays on the farm, horse riding, swimming in the Bassin and sharing funny stories around the square kitchen table.

We gathered under the welcoming shade of the trees in the family cemetery at Kalkfeld – also the last resting place of my ancestors. My German-born grandfather, Hans Paul Friedrich Wilhelm, came to Namibia by ship in 1938 with nothing but a bunch of dried flowers for his Namibian bride-to-be. The cemetery also turned out to be her last resting place. The wild and willful Gertrud Wilhelm finally had to make her peace with his artistic temperament – so unfit for toiling as a farmer on African soil. She was buried right next to him, a stone’s throw from her own father, Otto Kleiber, who came to Namibia from Germany with one of the first Schutztruppe contingents before the First World War. Since then, the Herero people’s own history and stories – some of tragedy, others of joy – became intertwined with those of my family. Like the twisted roots of the leadwood tree. They became part of the web of the day-to-day lives of my German forebears, branching into the big tree of the flawed history that shaped us all.

They were already waiting at the cemetery’s fence to pay their last respects by the time I arrived for the funeral ceremony. Upright. Proud. Stoic. Many of them were wearing suits dusted off and repurposed for the special occasion – out of my uncle’s very own wardrobe. Some of the neckties were so old-fashioned that they looked vaguely familiar. I swallowed the tears and felt a deep gratitude to these people whose culture enriched my own. During his last days on the farm, Lothar frequently lost his balance, it therefore became the norm that his workers, Itchi, Festus, Reinhard and Esay, became his watchful shadows and always walked on his left, right and back in an unspoken truce to keep him upright if need be – and to keep up appearances as to who was really in charge of the farming.

Since then, the Herero people’s own history and stories – some of tragedy, others of joy – became intertwined with those of my family. Like the twisted roots of the leadwood tree. They became part of the web of the day-to-day lives of my German forebears, branching into the big tree of the flawed history that shaped us all.

I somehow saw my larger-than-life Onkel turn grey overnight, as if cued by a ghostly gong-gong of a clock and set into fastforward mode by a magic word in a foreign language spoken by a wizard in a children’s tale.

When it was time to say goodbye the farm workers stepped forward, one by one (like the rest of the family), and paid their respects with a simple fistful of sand strewn onto the coffin. As the coffin was placed into the grave we were all thrown off balance by the realisation that the solid earth beneath our feet was made up of mere sand too – and can unexpectedly crumble during times of grief.

When it was my turn to open my fist and let go of so much more than a handful of dust, I recalled the Herero prayer to

their supreme Mukuru as a fitting tribute (in the presence of my ancestors) to a very kind man:

Place thy hand across my eyes so that I may see only good. Breathe thy breath upon my lips so that I may speak no wickedness. Whisper thy name in my ears so that what I hear will soothe my soul. For when my soul is called by thee it must come as clean and fresh as the rain thou sendest in the spring of the year. TNN

Paul van Schalkwyk

On the turf of

sailors, surfers

and anglers

Text & Photographs Charene Labuschagne

The Namibian coast – particularly the middle section – has always been synonymous with holidays for me. Growing up, I spent every Christmas, Easter and most long weekends in the tiny town of Henties Bay. We would load the car so full it looked like we were emigrating every time, stop only once for a bathroom and biltong-buying break, and finally take the dirt road past Spitzkoppe. My sister and I would stare out of the window in anticipation, knowing that as soon as the mist bank appeared above the horizon and the terrain levelled out to a long, flat stretch, the holiday had begun.

Le Roux van Schalkwyk

The Namibian coast – particularly the middle section, which boasts the country’s youngest National Park – has always been synonymous with holidays for me. Growing up, I spent every Christmas, Easter and most long weekends in the tiny town of Henties Bay. We would load the car so full it looked like we were emigrating every time, stop only once for a bathroom and biltong-buying break, and finally take the dirt road past Spitzkoppe. My sister and I would stare out of the window in anticipation, knowing that as soon as the mist bank appeared above the horizon and the terrain levelled out to a long, flat stretch, the holiday had begun.

The most important thing to note about this area is that, although it includes beaches, the ocean and a spectacular dune belt of the Namib desert, it is often overcast and misty. Yet, that forms part of the appeal of its three quaint towns, namely Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Henties Bay.

Each town has a distinct vibe. Walvis has the charm of an old sailor’s town, with a world-class harbour, fish factories and a lagoon dotted with pink flamingos stretching as far as the eye can see. Swakopmund has an artsy, alternative vibe to it. Naturally the surfers congregate here and so do foodies, hippies, and everyone keen on the soft life. Henties Bay is the angler’s hub and has morphed over the decades to be the perfect little beach town for Namibians to retire. If you had to pick just one, I would recommend Swakopmund. But if you have the time, spend it on a few lazy days on the Namibian coast, hopping from one slow town to the next.

WALVIS BAY

Supposedly the world’s longest palm-tree-lined avenue welcomes you to the sailor’s town of Walvis Bay. Here, industry, food and the social scene revolves around the ocean. The harbour is ranked one of the best in Southern Africa and services our land-locked neighbouring countries. On the outskirts of Walvis Bay is the largest producer of solar sea salt in sub-Saharan Africa. It is also one of four Ramsar sites in the country, a birding paradise of international importance and a great attraction for birders and just about everyone else.

The Walvis Bay Yacht Club, an old, charming and uncertified national monument, is the home of local water activity. If ever you fret about sailors being a dying breed, or mollycoddling your own children, spend a Saturday on the deck at the yacht club. Kids of all ages venture out onto the water, some in two-person training boats, others on bigger catamarans. Did I mention the adults sit at bay and supervise from afar? It’s ridiculously refreshing, both the food and drinks served by the restaurant, and witnessing a fraction of this generation being so brave, disciplined and simply outdoors.

While catamaran tours are widely available in Walvis Bay, an extra special experience is kayaking at Pelican Point. The peninsula stretching around the lagoon is home to a large colony of cape fur seals. Kayaking tours transport guests from Walvis Bay to Pelican Point, from where you will paddle out amongst the mammals, which will likely swim and splash in the water around you, or lazily lie on the beach. Catamarans cannot possibly get you this close to the animals. However tempting it may be, please do not touch the seals.

SWAKOPMUND

This slow town at the mouth of the Swakop River is a favourite for locals and visitors alike. Its centre is filled to the brim with unique shops and restaurants, from antique stores to boutiques, Brauhauses to bustling coffee shops. The best way to explore the heart of Swakopmund is by foot. This way you can stroll through pedestrian-friendly arcades, find a few hidden gems, photograph the historical architecture and stop for ice cream, all at a leisurely pace.

The best way to embrace the surfer lifestyle associated with Swakopmund, other than zipping up a wetsuit and paddling out into the Atlantic, is spending time by the sea. It is easy to get lost in all the artsy, edgy and historical establishments, but this town is truly about taking it slow. People-watching is one of my favourite sports, and the beach by The Mole is the perfect place to do so. Alternatively, you can people-watch some surfers on the town’s northern beaches. Big groups paddle out in front of The Wreck Restaurant, meaning you can have a drink under their umbrellas while passively partaking in Swakopmunders’ favourite activity. Salty Jackal offers lessons for those brave enough to get acquainted with the icy Benguela Current.

From afar, the desert may appear inhospitable to any living creature. Yet, many beings, including what we call “the small 5”, call this enigmatic place home. Living desert tours are therefore a brilliant activity to engage with the environment surrounding Swakopmund. Practise patience, as these creatures are sparsely scattered, making for a fun challenge to find them amongst the endless sea of sand. Alternatively, Segway tours will let you zip around the historical and other noteworthy landmarks in the centre of the surfer’s town.

HENTIES BAY

The pace and patience of anglers define this town’s vibe. On any given day you will find the misty bay dotted with men and women in windbreakers, shorts, and fishing rods precariously balanced in waist belts. Arguably the best seafood on the coast is served at Fishy Corner, Henties Bay’s longest-standing restaurant. But I am totally biased, so go try it for yourself on a stopover to the Cape Cross seal colony, 46 kilometres north of the small town.

Henties is sleepy at the best of times, and therefore a holidaymaker’s dream. LukZet Stables offers horseback riding on the beach. Imagine majestic Friesian specimens galloping on white sand, and a refreshing drink at their restaurant afterwards. In the centre of town, a nine-hole golf course cascades down to the main beach. At the end of the course is a mini water park that is most active during festive holidays.

Angler or not, a fishing excursion is essential to immerse yourself in the culture of Henties Bay. A handful of tours are offered by locals who have perfected the craft of bait, cast … and wait. Those lucky enough to reel in a Steenbras, Kob or Galjoen can expect to braai the rewarding catch on an open fire.

This cluster of cute coastal towns in the Dorob National Park is the very definition of Hygge, the Danish philosophy of complete and utter cosiness. Breathe in the cool, damp air, slow down a little and support the locals – they always know best! TNN

Namibia awaits you

Untamed. Unrivalled.

Unforgettable.

This is not my first rodeo. Over the last 20-odd years, I have been blessed to travel far and wide to some of the most luxurious destinations, both abroad and especially across Africa. I admit to being spoiled rotten – much to the annoyance of my family and friends – to experience places that in “normal life” I would not be able to visit or afford.

So when I was offered the opportunity to spend 18 nights, visiting and experiencing all that Naturally Namibia offers, it took me less than a second to respond in the positive.

The ideas behind Naturally Namibia are simple. Whilst the individual lodges, safaris and activities are as diverse as the beautiful regions in which they are hidden, when combined they provide a perfectly encompassing trip to Namibia. The partners at Naturally Namibia are also often your hosts on these journeys and I was excited about getting to meet all the “family members” at each unique destination.

What I did not expect was to be completely enamoured and overwhelmed by the impact all of these people behind their brands would have on me. Suffice it to say that I would have stayed for another 18 days (or forever) if that had been an option. (Sadly, not in my case. I even asked, but my South African passport would scupper this dream.)

There is a saying that the greatest asset any company has is its people, which rings true for all the special maestros involved in Naturally Namibia. If one is measured by the company one keeps, this group of owners and hosts can hold their heads high above the African sunset.

As one would expect, my journey began in Windhoek, where I was to lay my hat for the first night at the Windhoek Luxury Suites – the ideal venue to start or finish any Namibian adventure – before embarking on my road trip. I had the pleasure of being hosted by well-known Namibian personality, Andrè Compion, one of the men behind the Windhoek Luxury Suites, the Stellenbosch Wine Bar and Tasting Room

restaurants directly across the road from the Luxury Suites, and FlyNamibia’s managing director to boot.

We were joined by other members of the Naturally Namibia group and what a great place to wine and dine to start my Namibian adventure. Not only is the steak exceptional and the wine choice splendid but the Tasting Room restaurant itself is magical with an interior garden that oozes tranquillity.

Early the next morning, I headed off with Rob Moffett and Desiree le Roux for the 4-hour trip to Ongava Tented Camp. Buried beautifully in the African Mopane bush, Ongava Tented Camp is a sight for sore eyes. The classic safari-style camp is tucked in a hidden valley at the foot of a dolomite hill in Ongava Game Reserve bordering Etosha National Park. We were greeted by an elephant drinking out of the pool directly in front of the camp. Above and beyond the tented camp are an exquisite lodge, the very bespoke Little Ongava retreat and an elegant safari camp called Anderssons at Ongava.

Spending time over two glorious days across the prolific 30,000-hectare private game reserve that is now a haven to large concentrations of wildlife in the company of Stéphanie Périquet, a resident scientist at the Ongava Research Centre (ORC), Cameron Peace, voted the overall winner of Safari Guide of the Year 2022, and Professor John Mendelsohn, one of Namibia's top scientists, was not only enlightening but an absolute pleasure.

From Ongava, it was off through Etosha to The Mushara Collection, situated approximately 8 km from the Von Lindequist Gate. Driving through Etosha accompanied by Cameron and Stéphanie meant I had my own private consortium of the most incredible wildlife knowledge imaginable.

We arrived late at Mushara, following a late leopard sighting. The Mushara Collection offers everything: from the childfriendly Bush Camp to the supreme luxury of the Mushara

Robbie Stammers, spends a spectacular 18-day road trip across the length and breadth of Namibia, to experience all that the Naturally Namibia group has to offer.

Villas. The variety of accommodation and the quality of the finishes make The Mushara Collection unique.

I had the rare privilege of staying in one of the Villas (as everywhere else was full, which you can imagine was not a problem for me!). Here I was hosted by Mika Shapwanale, who is the general manager at The Mushara Collection. Mika has infused his passion for an excellent guest experience with the very highest standards of service.

All of the above offerings would not be possible were it not for what is referred to as “The Spirit of Mushara”, which refers to the staff who work there. The Mushara staff are at the forefront of The Collection’s success, going above and beyond any expectations from them and guests alike.

I was treated to an incredible game drive in Etosha with Mushara’s game guide, Emela. Emela was very knowledgeable, passionate and oozed enthusiasm. She even found a mating pair of lions for us to witness, which was fascinating.

Saying a sad farewell to the friends I had made at Ongava and Mushara, I was back on the road heading to Okonjima, a place I had the pleasure of visiting in 2013 just after a certain famous couple had stayed in the exclusive Villa.

Okonjima Nature Reserve is world-renowned for sightings of abundant leopard, brown hyena and the rare pangolin, and to top it off there is the acclaimed AfriCat Foundation that contributes to the survival of Namibia’s predators in their natural habitat. Okonjima has a vast spectrum of accommodation options, ranging from well-appointed private campsites to breathtaking safari lodges. Okonjima Nature Reserve is recognised as one of the premier places to witness carnivores and to be educated about conservation, doing so in absolutely majestic surroundings.

Here I was reunited with Tristan Boehme, who heads up Okonjima’s marketing and is a shareholder in Okonjima Lodge. I stayed at Okonjima’s Luxury Bush Camp, which is spectacular. We witnessed an amazing viewing of a leopard munching away on a springbok kill in a tree, with brown hyenas sitting below it, waiting for any scraps to fall. The highlight, however, was going on the pangolin safari. I have been blessed to have spent many fruitful years in the bush but this was my first pangolin experience, and I was amazed. Following it on foot, I felt like I had transferred across to a Star Wars meets Jurassic Park film skit.

The next day I spent time with Tristan and Karen Codling, who heads up the AfriCat Foundation. Here I got to learn about all the excellent work they do for the endangered species of Namibia.

From Okonjima, I headed back to Windhoek, where I met up with Henk Schoeman from Skeleton Coast Safaris. I had already heard loads about the legend of the Schoeman family and their love and knowledge about the Skeleton Coast, but nothing quite prepares you for just how incredible this experience is.

Skeleton Coast Safaris is one of the most fascinating ways to explore Namibia’s wild northwest. Here you experience bird’s-eye views of shipwreck remains along the coast, diverse and ever-changing geological formations, and the refuges of desert-dwelling animals such as the endangered black rhino and desert-adapted elephant. Guests are taken on excursions by Land Rover to be introduced to the scenic and ecological aspects of the environment with its wide diversity of flora and fauna.

Henk is an expert with decades of collective experience and a wonderfully dry sense of humour. I frankly felt like I found my mojo flying above the desert. Who knew it had been sitting there all this time in Covid! Accommodation consists of three tented desert camps that nestle into the natural environment. The first of these is in the lower reaches of the Huab River, the second on top of a beautiful ridge overlooking the Hoarusib Valley in Kaokoland, and the third on the north-western Namibian border overlooking the Kunene River. I never knew this was on my bucket list until I did it and was enthralled.

After a sad farewell to Henk, I was met by Roger Fussell from Big Sky Lodges upon landing in Swakopmund and we headed off to a lovely lunch in Walvis Bay and then on to Villa Margherita for the evening. This charming boutique hotel for the connoisseur is in the heart of historic Swakopmund, where the fusion of contemporary art and colonial history becomes an eclectic luxury.

Swakopmund is not just a beautiful historic town, but also a hub for a whole host of activities from boat cruises, sandboarding, and quad biking to fat bikes, desert tours, and more. At Villa Margherita, we had an impeccable dinner and woke up early the next day to watch the Springbok rugby game (we lost!) before heading off on a five-and-a-half-hour journey to Etendeka in the Kaokoveld. The greatest pleasure of driving through Namibia is that any journey flits by so quickly, as each different valley or turn reveals an incredible new vista or flora. It is like a film director shouting “Change Set!” to go from one setting to another.

Set in the foothills of the Grootberg Massif, Etendeka Mountain Camp appeals to the traveller who is prepared to step outside of their comfort zone and experience this remote wilderness with its harsh beauty in an authentic way. Here one is reminded that we are all guests of Mother Nature. A rich and diverse environment to be explored on foot or with a scenic drive.

Here Roger and I met up with Dennis Liebenberg, who has been here for more than two decades and is a legend in the area. Etendeka Mountain Camp was one of Namibia’s first safari camps, and has been known since 1993 as a gem by aficionados (the crystals on the walk alone will leave you gobsmacked).

Etendeka offers both the Mountain Camp as well as incredible walking trail options. We planned to do one day of the two- or three-day walking trail as a “taster” and spent the night at Hill Camp, where we slept under the stars (literally under the stars as we had open-roofed tents on the foothills of the mountain).

The Windhoek Luxury Suites

Skeleton Coast

Ongava Game Reserve

Villa Margherita

Okonjima

Etendeka

Ai Aiba

Namib Sky Balloon Safaris

Villa Mushara

The next morning we were treated to an incredible 14-km walk through the beautiful surroundings, witnessing loads of animals as we walked with our guide. Our next night was spent at the Mountain Camp, where Dennis amazed us with a stargazing and telescope treat of everything planetary.

With no rest for the wicked, Roger and I headed off to the Erongo Mountain range to our next destination, Ai Aiba. The Rock Painting Lodge is famous for its myriad of rock painting sites (over 200 in fact and counting!) and is a mystical exploration of nature.

If the energy of the granite mountains inspires, guests can join a nature drive with one of the experienced guides, learn about San rock art, explore the beautiful granite landscape by foot, or visit the San Living Museum. Ai Aiba has developed a network of mountain biking trails that will blow mountain bikers’ minds and allow them to explore this spectacular landscape at their own pace. These trails range from “slow-coach whilst watching giraffe” to proper hardcore trails at your discretion. And then Roger and I were off for another epic road trip – thankfully enjoying the same music and each other’s company – as we headed south for a seven-hour journey to Sossusvlei.

Last, but by no means least, was my bucket list item – Namib Sky Balloon Safaris. As the sun came up over the world’s oldest desert, I was mesmerised as I watched the spectacular hot air balloon inflation, followed by the flight of a lifetime. Soaring with the winds for an hour, over the oceans of sand and mountains, whilst watching the shadow of the balloon rise and fall below me. Whether it’s the Sossusvlei dunes or the splendour of the desert, your heart will skip a beat. Back down to earth we were treated to an “Out Of Africa”style champagne breakfast set up in the middle of the desert. It is an experience like no other.

Founded in 1991 by Eric and Nancy, Namib Sky has now been carried on to the second generation, Denis and Andreia. Ten years ago Namib Sky created a trust to help the community in the Sossusvlei area and founded Little Bugs, the first early childhood development and primary school in the area. Beginning with four local children, along with Denis and Andreia’s young daughter, Little Bugs now hosts up to 50 kids, fetching them by bus every day and driving them back after school, doing over 100 km within the area to ensure all children have access to education and nutrition.

And with a bang, not unlike the hot air balloon hitting the ground, ended my incredible time in Namibia. What an absolute pleasure and an experience to treasure. New friends and memories forever banked. During this trip, we decided to come up with a slogan for the Naturally Namibia group and it took only a few seconds for me to come up with: Untamed. Unrivalled. Unforgettable. It sums it all up perfectly. TNN

Namibia

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Fairy Circles Shining new light on

Type “fairy circles” into any search engine and amongst the hundreds of headings containing the word “mysterious”, you will also find loads of headings boldly announcing “mystery solved”. Yet, the theories of these sensationalist articles never hold up, as time and again they are proved wrong. New research, however, might have given us the answer to understanding this phenomenon.

Some people can enjoy looking at fairy circles and the mystery surrounding these round grassless shapes in the Namib Desert, taking delight in the fact that there is no definite solution and nature still holds some mysteries unsolved. But others, being human in nature and having a constant thirst for knowledge, spend years trying to solve this unique riddle.

Multiple theories exist, ranging from meteor showers, termites that feed on the roots of grasses, and noxious underground gas vents to euphorbia graves that poison the soil. Fairy circles have even been monetised, allowing people to adopt a fairy circle – the money going to conservation and research.

Occurring 80 –140 km inland from the coast, millions of these circular barren spots dot the environment from northern South Africa to southern Angola. Found in extremely arid zones, one of the leading theories is that because of the regular patterns in which they are organised, and their relative permanence, it points to the grass self-organising in circles as a way of utilising and recycling the limited resources, most notably water. It is on this theory that Dr Stephan Getzin, an ecologist at the University of Göttingen in Germany, based his research on.

Dr Getzin is no newcomer to fairy circle research and has published more than a dozen papers over the last decade supporting the hypothesis that they are caused as a result of plant water stress. His latest study took place from 2020 to 2022. The timing was perfect, as 2020 was the last year of a long drought cycle, with the latter two years being exceptionally good rain years. Relative, of course, to the few drops of rain

this area receives annually – if anything at all. The different moisture states were ideal to compare the different conditions and put the water stress theory to the test.

The death of grasses in fairy circles was studied across four different regions along the Namib. One of the plots, located in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, was fitted with data loggers which continuously recorded soil moisture over time.

Investigating areas that had rain showed that grass germinated both inside and outside fairy circles but that the young shoots inside the circles would be dead and dried out within 19 or 20 days. The grasses outside the circles would still be green and soft over the same period of time. It was also discovered that the top layer of the soil within the circles quickly dried out, pointing to the surrounding grasses actively drawing the moisture from these barren patches.

Dr Getzin concludes that the grasses surrounding fairy circles actively modify the moisture of the soil within a fairy circle, effectively acting as ecosystem engineers. By preventing any grass to be established in the fairy circle, the surrounding grasses are able to benefit from the additional water source provided by the fairy circles. As the Namib Desert is an extremely resource-poor environment with limited to no rain, the regular pattern formed by fairy circles allows for the highest density of vegetation gaps and ensures survival.

Furthermore, Dr Getzin’s research disproved the theory that termites cause fairy circles. Inspection of excavated grassroots inside and outside of the circles showed no sign of termite damage, nor were any termites or nests found nearby.

The latest theory on fairy circles carries a lot of weight and once again shows the remarkable adaptations done by plants to survive in harsh environments like the Namib Desert. The only question to be asked now is whether the fairy circle riddle has been solved? Only time will tell. TNN

New research claims to have solved the riddle surrounding the Namib’s mystifying fairy circles. Le Roux van Schalkwyk explores.

Paul van Schalkwyk

Living wild in the land of Sand and Freedom:

Back in time

Text & Photographs Lee Tindall

Very recently we had the privilege of taking part in the central Namib Bioblitz – an international affair, started in Australia, which reached the Central Namib through Gobabeb. This was a triple treat in terms of things we love – meeting likeminded people and reaching out to conservationists and scientists, exploring and being outdoors, and of course there was some camping to be done.

We set off to Gobabeb armed with a guidebook (yes, just the one for some reason), an app to register sightings, some snacks and an abundance of enthusiasm.

We met with the folks at Gobabeb, had some great conversations and were then dispatched – with a permit for the National Park – to go forth and log all the things. The researchers had a clear plan of where our enthusiasm could be best used. Much to my surprise and delight, we were sent to the Ganab area for a night. This is significant because it is the duty station my parents were based at in the late 1980s, and where for a brief time I lived as a baby. A place where my father’s love of the South was nurtured, a place my parents explored and grew in.

I told the kids and explained to them the significance of this place to my life and my history. I was so excited to return, to see it and know some of it. I cannot find the word for “that feeling when you return to a place of familial significance, a place your heart remembers but you have no living memory of”.

Upon arrival, we followed some signs, got a little lost and the peanut gallery – a.k.a. the kids – had a lot to say about the fact I had lived here and did not know my way around. After some comparing of maps (we had a couple and they were both pretty unclear as to where exactly we were heading) and some driving up one road, down another and then discovering yet another, we found it: the duty station headquarters for Ganab. There was more than we had expected – a small settlement of houses divided by a large rock, an office and a government-issued green grader.

Our campsite was slightly tucked away, around a corner with some glorious rocks, wonderful scenery and great plants to log. Choosing whether or not to set up a tent versus sleeping under the stars was a debate that we eventually settled.

The kids and Murray set up pitfall traps and baited some Sherman traps to see what we might discover and the anticipation of what may make its way into them was simply enormous. An undiscovered beetle? A black hairy thick-tailed scorpion? Some red grains of sand kicked up by a breeze?

Once night fell, we went for a short scorpion walk with our UV torches (a little different to the UV lights in the clubs from my youth – a fantastic trade, though). The UV lights make the scorpions glow yellow, if you can find them. On this particular night we did not find any glowing scorpions or shining eyes.

The weather on this trip surprised us and caught us unawares – the days were mild and the evenings were much colder than expected. The kids were prepared with long pants, long sleeves and socks to go under their sandals, but the adults were woefully underdressed – a reminder that the desert cools down at night no matter what we think should happen. The next morning, we spent some time packing up and then ventured into the little outcrop nearby. Enormous quiver trees and euphorbias stand tall against the elements, some thriving despite the harsh surroundings with others simply decaying.

While we had a destination of sorts for this trip, with a vague plan, it reminded me of the fact that so much is about the journey, about where we are and how we see it. There was a magic in those hills and rocks, an awe of the test of time and a calm in my little family’s togetherness where part of my bigger family would have ventured many years before. TNN

Lee Tindall was born in Namibia. She grew up in some of the remotest parts of the country, living with her parents who were employed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, in some of Namibia’s most beautiful protected areas. It is here where her love and enthusiasm for nature developed, a passion that she promotes to this day. After spending a magical and memorable time living and working on NamibRand Nature Reserve, Lee and her family moved to the ProNamib Nature Reserve. A new chapter, that will be filled with adventure, growth and conservation. Alongside her position at ProNamib, she is the coordinator for the Greater Sossusvlei Namib Landscape - a NGO focused on large landscape conservation and upliftment. Her 'Living Wild' series for Travel News Namibia shares stories about a life lived differently.

Before you can become a bird watcher you need the following: a bird book, binoculars and a cellphone (imagine that!). Later you will realise that you also need a bit of patience. A good wife or loving partner will of course be beneficial – ideally one who is also an avid birder or, at the very least, extremely patient with your birding efforts. Knowing someone who is a bird expert and willing to guide you through the process will be a massive bonus.

The first question would be where to start? In each and every birding manual they will tell you to start in your own backyard. Yes, that might be the cheapest option, or the lazy option, sitting on the stoep with your sundowner, be it at six in the morning (a.k.a. the regmaker) or six in the evening, smoking your first (or last) cigarette of the day. From here you can call your wife to bring your binoculars and bird book. (If you are female you’ll likely have to fetch it yourself.) Unfortunately you might be staying in Aus where there are only about 20 bird species. Chances are, after a few days you will get bored seeing a Gray’s Lark for the hundredth time. So, if you can save a few Nam dollars on your drinking and smoking money, the next option is to read this article.

My infamous career as a bird watcher started when I was 24 years old. A very dear and kind friend invited me to go with him and his wife to Ndumo Game Reserve in Northern KwaZulu-Natal. If they told me beforehand that this will end up in a birding trip, I would have refused point blank. At that stage there were way more important activities that seemed more attractive and enjoyable. His wife was indeed married to him, which means that option was out of the question. So what was left for me to do? What I did was to see my first African Fish Eagle, at that stage the most spectacular, beautiful and arrogant bird I have ever seen. Hearing its spectacular call was the full

Beginner’s Luck

Text & Photographs Pompie Burger

Marico Sunbird doing his rounds in our garden

Pearl-spotted Owlets are often habituated and they will stay over for the night in your garden

After all is said and done, there were two important lessons to be learnt from this expedition: there is no age restriction for birding and, even more important, always start with the impressive and beautiful ones.

If you stay in Katima you will have Schalow's Turaco visiting you in your garden

Carp's Tit

Damara Hornbill

African Fish Eagle

White Stork - Namibian visitor (migrant) known to be one of the highest flyers in the world

Southern Carmine Bee-eater

catastrophe. I took a whole film (36 pictures) of this beautiful bird. Looking back at the pictures (yes, I do have a memory example of that picture) is indeed mind boggling. I could barely make out what it is in retrospect, because of the size of my million-dollar bird picture, but it certainly changed my life forever. Around the campfire I learnt that the White Stork we saw that afternoon is one of the highest-flying birds in the world, so if you can see one flying overhead, you can lay claim to having seen it (if you can look that high). After all is said and done, there were two important lessons to be learnt from this expedition: there is no age restriction for birding and, even more important, always start with the impressive and beautiful ones. You do not fall in love with the first woman you see; you only fall in love once you see a beautiful woman. That’s life.

Go to a place where you can see a lot of good-looking and impressive birds, where there is variety (the more the merrier). Start with the Southern Carmine Bee-eater colony at Mubala. If you return from your first birding journey and you have ticked off 50 to 80 new birds, you will never stop ticking. Being Namibian, I cannot think of any better place to start than in the Zambezi region. There might be birders that will tell you Etosha is the ultimate place, others will tell you Walvis Bay is even better. You can get as many opinions as there are destinations in Namibia to start.

The Kavango and Zambezi Region will offer more than 400 of the more than 670 possible birds to see in Namibia, so to give your list a boost you know where to go. Walvis Bay might offer a lot of new birds, but remember, over 50% of the birds you will see you will not be able to identify. You might identify a few new species that have never been identified before, but remember this novelty will continue for a very long time. After more than 30 years of bird watching I still manage to find new birds never seen before.

The hilarity of mentioning a cellphone as part of your paraphernalia for bird watching might sound like a teenager not being able to let go of his cellphone. Yes, I hate cellphones. Youngsters are able to do and see everything possible on

this little gadget in the palm of their hand. But admittedly, you can have your bird book on your phone, you have all the different bird calls at hand and you can take a picture of all your sightings to prove that you have indeed seen a bird never seen before. Apparently you can even record their call and play it back to an ornithologist.

The second important item is a bird book, even if you have a cellphone. Which and how many bird books do you need? There is a very easy answer: as many as possible. I can promise you there are indeed hundreds. Which one to start with is also not a problem, but according to the editor I am not allowed to do any advertising of books in articles for Travel News. The good news for Elzanne is that my first five bird books are all sold out and are now among the most wanted books in the world. So that is sorted, I cannot be blamed for advertising books that are not available anymore. Even better news is that the next five books are still available and the best news ever is that the ultimate field guide book, specifically for Namibia, is to hit the shelves within the next year. (If these last few sentences are not in the article, just phone the editor.)

Where not to start? Do not start in the dune belt in the desert. Birds need food and water. If there is no vegetation, it is unlikely that you will find any birds. Water is a bit more complicated, because most birds can fly, so they might occur in an area where there is no water as they can fly to a water body to fetch water, like a Sandgrouse carrying its water supply between its feathers. The birds that you will encounter in the desert are indeed some of the most interesting and special birds in Namibia. The Dune Lark occurring between the dunes is in fact our only true endemic. I have to mention that the term “endemic” only became a reality for me once I started my bird watching career. Namibia has 13 endemics, meaning they only occur in our country. Unfortunately, one or two of the other 12 species have slipped over the border to one of our neighbouring countries, so they are no longer true endemics, but who cares. If you want to impress a foreigner with your birding knowledge, you can mention one of these endemics as an afterthought. TNN

At Walvis Bay you can see quantity like these Sandwich and Swift Tern

The south Namibia’s best kept secret:

Along flight from London ends with a sunrise descent into Windhoek. The tiny window struggling to fully reveal the scope of what Namibia offers. The light, the curvature of the earth and the space, as if infinite within the world.

Straight onto the road and I spot a family of baboons perched on fence poles while they have breakfast, less amazed by me than I am by them. I get excited like a child and instantly feel guilty for every time I have admired them on my way around a zoo. Rows of gigantic mountains line the road, and when we stop I notice the variety of succulent plants, which brings so much joy, then the birds start to entertain and I can’t help but laugh out loud. This simple act of just watching and observing is a far cry from the London hustle.

It’s not long before more wildlife appears: first the odd springbok and gemsbok, but when we take a stop at Spreetshoogte Pass I marvel at the huge armoured crickets. From up here you can see wide open landscapes that I imagine look similar to Mars with its endless horizon and dusty haze. It is the most peaceful place I have found myself in, so when rush hour strikes in the form of blue wildebeest, I’m OK with it. As these brilliant creatures slowly cross the road in front, it’s clear

they have all the authority here – animals controlling the traffic flow, nature’s hierarchy as it should be.

A little while later I am teased with the promise of world famous apple pie in Solitaire, and my list of reasons to love this country just got a little bit longer!

Darkness comes with an exciting sense of mystery as we arrive at Dune Camp Lodge, set atop a sand dune in the middle of the desert. The evening brings just enough service, no WiFi, only peace, and I vow to get up early to greet the sun at dawn.

As I stand on a sandy hill dipped in bronze, the sun presents its colours for the day and I could cry. It’s perfection and I am reminded of the saying that simple things can be the best. Nature, light and Namibian coffee.

Our next stay is at Desert Hills Lodge. We nip off to a neighbouring lodge for a game drive – a mysterious activity. When we arrive I am loaded onto a bakkie and given cold beers… so I’m thinking it's going to be pretty fantastic. Before we even pull away there are wildebeest drinking from the waterhole. The sightings of gemsbok and zebra are a wonderful warm-up act for the white rhinos that follow, a family of them with a baby grazing on the hill. Seeing

an endangered species so happy and protected in its natural habitat is something I will never forget. When I think that was it for today, the rhino family catches up with us back at the waterhole. The baby shuffles between the legs of the adults and the gigantic male gets curious and strides towards the lodge, right until he reaches the edge of our deck. Demonstrating complete ownership, he scratches his horn on the wood and I am left utterly speechless.

When our wheels start turning again we are off to Sossusvlei. Scaling the burnt red dunes is no easy feat but for a location relatively barren, it amazes me how much there is to see. Every peak gives a new perspective, and underfoot the plants and insect-life are too plentiful to fully appreciate. Our hike takes us to Deadvlei, where the 3000-year-old petrified trees stand lonely in a flat plain, reminiscent of a Salvador Dali painting. As we continue south, nature constantly entertains – Secretary birds and a bounding ostrich or two.

Another sunrise you say? Why not. As I dreamily stand on a rock I realise I have never seen this many sunrises in my life, and certainly not in a row. The colours of the African skies live up to their reputation. Some little birds join us for breakfast at the lodge, cheekily dipping in

Text & Photographs Ailsing Knight

and out of the lounge to steal leftovers. It is very obvious that the harmony of nature and tourism has been perfected here.

Next up, the coastal town of Lüderitz. The Namibian coast is quite literally where desert meets the ocean and that brilliant juxtaposition is evident right here, where the only thing separating the two is this solitary town. The only neighbour is the ghost town of Kolmanskop, a photographer’s dream with its washed-out colours and sandy derelicts, a physical work of art.

Exploring Lüderitz started with a boat trip along the coast, as so much of the town’s appeal is off-shore. I spot seal pups resting on a rock while some hot chocolate is carefully handed out to us on the boat (nice touch!). Then there are dolphins, dancing in our boat’s slipstream. Around the corner a waddle of penguins prepare to dive in. The sunlight beams through the clouds in the most magnificent way, as if to spotlight main attractions.

Bogenfels then beckons us. This great wonder is a huge arch in the cliff as if the rock itself has frozen mid-wave on its way out to sea. It is easy enough to see why so many people long to visit this remote feature of Namibia: it is insanely impressive and mother nature should be very proud. I scale the enormous formation and am rewarded with the most breathtaking views of the Namibian coastline. A spiritual moment for me, of marvel and gratitude.

The diamond mining town of Oranjemund is a huge surprise. Surrounded by desert but full of greenery, it is a welcome sight after all the sand we have seen the last week. The next thing that surprises me are the gemsbok that casually stroll around. Elsewhere, these majestic antelopes are skittish and timid, but here they go about their business like any other local.

I could never get bored of sand dunes, I think, as I jump on a quad and surf the surrounding hills. From up there you get the best views of the Orange River and towards South Africa. The sun descends and the colours of the burnt sands glow on the

horizon while I am introduced to another Namibian favourite – a sundowner. Huddled atop a dune with beautiful food, amazing wine, blazing fire and the golden hour of light is truly what dreams are made of. I think I died and went to heaven in those moments.

As the end of our quick adventure gets closer I feel a longing for more time. It’s gone too fast and there is so much to see, even in the small town of Oranjemund. From history-inspired wall murals to the Sands Hotel (where we let off some steam and danced with the locals. Aweh).

Our final stay is at Canyon Lodge, another beautiful place with a maze of footpaths to the rooms, through crowds of rock hyraxes (I am 32 years and have never seen or heard of these rabbitsized guinea-pig creatures, cute but definitely not cuddly). As I head to the restaurant for dinner I get distracted by the sunset. Knowing full well this might be the last African sunset I see for a while means my hungry stomach can wait. The sound of the bats swooping down and nipping at the pool is so sweet and gentle. The last light hits the surrounding rocks and the plains in the distance. It’s magic.

The drive back to Windhoek completes our tour and I don’t want to say goodbye. The truth is, sometimes in life things just align –the time, the place, the people. When you are young you maybe don’t recognise these moments, but as I have had more of them, rare as they may be, I have learnt to recognise their specialness, destined to be just a memory but so full in the present.

Namibia is truly special: warm, clean, vibrant, majestic. It taught me to wake up before the sun, gaze at the moon, look at the stones, birds, stars, and search in the sand. To close my eyes, only to feel the desert wind on my face and take constant, deep breaths of gratitude.

They say home is where your heart is and Namibia stole a big fat piece of mine. Namibia, you can keep it. TNN

Meet the Fever Berry

Getting to know the trees of the northeast

In this series we explore the beauty of trees with our beloved local nature-enthusiasts and authors, Helga and Pompie Burger. Each with a unique voice and opinions on how best to identify the trees of the Kavango and Zambezi, Helga and Pompie help us through the tricky trials of identifying northeastern Namibia’s most iconic flora.

The lush undergrowth with elliptic leaves that welcomes visitors at the entrance to the Nambwa campsite is the fever berry. Although most often a shrub or small tree, the fever berry can grow into a tall tree as high as 15 metres. In summer an abundance of round fruit the size and colour of apricots decorate these small trees. There are orchards of them on the dunes in Nkasa Rupara National Park – but beware, the fruit is forbidden (toxic)!

- Helga Burger

My one and only encounter with this large shrub was seeing a whole forest of them leafless in Bwabwata National Park. The worms which enjoyed the leaves were all very fat and in very good condition. To a large extent I knew that these were fever-berry trees because I remembered where they stood and what they look like without leaves. Indeed, when you see a shrub with no leaves but with fat worms on it, it must be a Croton megalobotrys

- Pompie Burger

Flowers are small and yellowish green on long spikes (male) A shrub or tree of up to 4 metres high Fruit is initially green and hairy turning woody and orange

AN EASY GUIDE TO IDENTIFYING THE FEVER BERRY

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Croton megalobotrys

AFRIKAANS: Koorsbessie

LOZI: Mutuatua

MAP GUIDE Main road

Tree density in various areas

STRIKING FEATURES OF THE FEVER BERRY

• A shrub with long lax branches hanging down

• Worms love the leaves devouring the green of the entire tree in no time

• Apricot like fruit large leaved differs from any other shrub in the region

Where to find Fever Berry Trees in the northeast

SEASONS OF THE MOBOLA-PLUM TREE

ICON GUIDE Fruit season Flower season Leaf season

DRINK & DRIVE

• A shrub or tree of up to 4 metres high

• Lax leaves drooping down to ground

• Ripe fruit is visible from a distance

STOP & STARE

• Leaves are large spirally arranged elliptic but tapering towards apex

• Leaves are dark green on top dull green below covered with stellate hairs

• Margin of leaves is irregular leaves are coarsely toothed

TOUCH & TASTE

• Flowers are small and yellowish green on long spikes (male)

• Multiple stamens with swollen tips

• Flowers are packed on long spikes

DOWN UNDER

• Fruit is initially green and hairy turning woody and orange

• Fruit is an ovoid three lobed woody capsule (20-35 mm)

Note: TOXIC

This article is an extract from The unbearable beauty of trees: 56 magnificent trees of Kavango and Zambezi written by Helga Burger, published in 2020.

To order The unbearable beauty of trees , contact Bonn at bonn@venture.com.na

A journey of a lifetime…

Text & Photographs Harmen Piekema

This is the story of our journey through Namibia. With our 4-year-old daughter and a friend, who was 31 weeks pregnant, we ventured into the unknown. Exploring the country with a map, some guidebooks and a Toyota Hilux with a family-size rooftop tent. We were curious and ready for adventure!

Buzzing with excitement, we are waiting at Asco to meet our companion for the trip: a Toyota Hilux pickup with a rooftop tent. As the car rolls in, we smile: "It is fi nally happening!"

After a thorough introduction we are ready to hit the road. Our first destination: Quivertree Forest. At first I am somewhat nervous about driving on the left side, but luckily this fades after a while. The road is long and straight. Around sunset, we marvel at the colours of the landscape – pastel and gold!

The next morning starts early. Because I am a landscape photographer, I have to wake up before sunrise. The sky looks promising. Lots of clouds but not in the east, where the sun rises. It is still pitchblack when I enter the ‘forest’. I fully enjoy the stillness and take in the dark surroundings. I follow my senses and not before long, I find my first image. Meanwhile the sky starts to turn a dramatic orange colour.

The landscape is so pretty and I feel blessed to be here.

We stay at this place for two days, hiking, photographing and enjoying the beautiful scenery of both the Quivertree Forest and the Giant's Playground, before we continue south towards the Fish River Canyon – the second largest canyon in the world. At Canyon Farmyard (highly recommended) we eat strudel, marvel at the curiosities and continue on our way to the edge of the canyon. The view is spectacular, the landscape immense. And in contrast to Europe, we are alone! There is nobody else around.

Our campsite is at Ai-Ais National Park where we immerse ourselves in the healing hot springs. Revitalised, we follow the Orange River towards the ocean. We are heading to Lüderitz. There is a much faster route, but for part of the way we take this detour along the natural border with South Africa and via Rosh Pinah.

A sign tells us the road is closed, but locals tell us it is not. Therefore we take the gamble and continue on our path. The Orange River is wide, green and beautiful. We come across several troops of baboons.

We are still a bit anxious about the road being closed, but even at a road maintenance site we are allowed to pass. The friendly worker tells us, "The road is not closed, we just make it nice." Fantastic, we love Africa!

Before we drive into Lüderitz, we spot the famous wild horses from the road. There are quite a few and we call ourselves lucky, because they are rare and often hard to find.

Lüderitz lies tucked in between the ocean and the desert and feels really remote. For a change we stay in a lovely guesthouse because this place can be extremely windy, which is not ideal in a rooftop tent.

We visit the famous Kolmanskuppe of course and take a guided tour, which we highly recommend.

But the peninsula, with its rugged coastline, has so much more to offer. On our way to Diaz Point, we spot our first flamingos, and follow many of the really fun 4x4 roads to explore the coast. Every turn ends in a gem!

For sunset we pick Kleiner Bogenfels to watch the sun sink into the ocean. As we leave Lüderitz I feel somewhat nervous. We are going to Sossusvlei, a Mecca for landscape photographers. We follow the D707, a beautiful gravel and sand road through varying landscapes. From the car we spot several groups of gemsbok, zebra and springbok.

The next morning we pass the gate into Namib-Naukluft Park. The last 5 km are the most fun: off-road, through loose sand. At the parking lot we meet a friendly jackal scavenging for food. After a short hike we get our first glimpse of Deadvlei and we are blown away! We had seen photos, but that is nothing compared to seeing it for real. The vastness of the landscape is mindblowing. The dead trees are spectacular. They seem to tell a story.

We see people on top of the Big Daddy dune, and of course Joke says we have to go too. She is probably one of very few ladies who have stood on top of that dune at over 31 weeks pregnant. The view is spectacular. The shapes, patterns and colours are amazing. The beauty of this landscape is beyond imagination.

The next day, as we set off to Swakopmund, the weather changes and rain clouds roll in – a rare sight in the desert. In Walvis Bay it rains and our first glimpse of this urban area gives us a culture shock. We have to acclimatise to being in a city after the days spent in nature.

Swakopmund is easy to fall in love with. There is a lot to do, too. We stroll along streets with romantic buildings, take tours

Because we are so far from light pollution, the night seems particularly dark and the Milky Way bright. With a nice fire, some food and a drink we watch the many stars in awe.

and go kayaking with seals. There is so much to do, we could easily spend weeks here, but we have to continue our journey.

While driving into the campsite at Spitzkoppe, one cannot help but feel small. The landscape is incredibly picturesque and rough. This is where we will camp. Fantastic!

Because we are so far from light pollution, the night seems particularly dark and the Milky Way bright. With a nice fire, some food and a drink we watch the many stars in awe.

We continue to Etosha where we have an incredible encounter with a huge elephant bull on our first day. Out of nowhere, he walks straight to a waterhole and starts to drink.

There are a lot of other animals, but all of a sudden they all back off. In the rearview mirror I see a lioness walking towards the waterhole, her face still covered in blood from the kill made during the night.

We cannot believe our eyes. Now we really know we are in Africa! All these animals, which we only know from documentaries, are right in front of us. During our time in Etosha we have many more incredible encounters with elephants, rhinos, zebras and lots of other animals.

I could write a whole story on Etosha alone.

So many cool animals and we still want more! Therefore, we visit Okonjima Nature Reserve. Again, we find ourselves at a beautiful campsite. During the night we spot two genet cats and five zebras grazing next to the tent.

The next day, we take a guided tour at the AfriCat Foundation. We learn a lot about conservation in Namibia, and Africa in general. And to top it off, our guide takes us to the cheetahs. The low sunlight makes it hard to see them, but also makes for fantastic photographic opportunities. When we finally find a female, we are struck by her beauty.

With the final two days spent at the Waterberg Plateau National Park, our journey is coming to an end. On our hike to the top of the plateau we are surprised by the number of trees growing on the slopes of the mountain. Some parts even remind us of a jungle. We spot numerous birds, butter flies, baboons and klipdassies. A perfect way to end our journey.

Namibia is made for camping, and we cannot think of a better way to explore the country. Driving on the many gravel roads is fun and most of them are in a really good condition. The people we met were very friendly and made us feel welcome. Three weeks is way too short to see the whole of Namibia, but our trip made us feel eager to return and see more of this beautiful country. TNN

with a purpose Safari

Text & Photographs Charene Labuschagne

Learn more at orc.eco

Research assistant Josephine (Jo) Amwaalwa demonstrating scat sample processing.

Madeline (Maddie) Melton preparing camera traps

Since its inception in 1991, Ongava Private Game Reserve has been rooted in conservation principles. Bordering Etosha National Park, the 30,000 hectare reserve plays an important role as a buffer area for migratory patterns, humanwildlife conflict as well as Ongava’s personal commitment to Namibia’s vulnerable and endangered species. Four unproductive cattle ranches were transformed into the now unfenced, vast wilderness – seeking to understand, with the purpose to conserve, the greater Ongava and Etosha area.

After spending two days with the researchers (residents, students and assistants) at Ongava’s on-site Research Centre, one thing I have learned is that in order to understand the reserve and surrounding ecosystem, we need to understand Namibia holistically. The team at Ongava Research Centre is doing prolific work to find answers we should know, but don’t, simultaneously grooming the next generation of conservationists and scientists who put nature first.

Established in 2005 by Ken Stratford, the Ongava Research Centre initially embarked on smaller-scale projects related to the reserve. Construction work on a visitors centre, laboratory, offices and accommodation was completed in mid-2019, solidifying ORC’s presence on Ongava and announcing its commitment to understanding our natural environment a whole lot better. These state-of-the art spaces are conducive to ongoing research in spatial ecology, genetics, human-wildlife conflict, animal behaviour, frequency and migration and several thesis projects conducted by visiting student researchers.

Resident researchers Stéphanie Périquet (PhD) and William Versfeld (MSc) lead the team at ORC. Stéphanie calls herself a “carnivore person” since her work largely contributes to the Etosha Carnivore Program alongside the Etosha Ecological Institute and other collaborators. Her research seeks to understand the complexity of species interactions, both negative and positive, and their coexistence. Relying heavily on direct behavioural observations in the field, GPS tracking devices and

camera trapping, you will find Stéphanie behind the steering wheel of the ORC vehicle, on a quest to unearth the intricacies of carnivores – the big, furry and charismatic ones as well as the lesser studied species like serval, genet and honey badger.

Having grown up in Etosha, William is deeply passionate about the area and strives to demystify the genetic connectivity between wildlife populations in Namibia. As Chief Technician of ORC, you can expect to find William in the laboratory curating biological specimens, landscape genetics and research methods. Through collecting and processing DNA samples, William’s research contributes greatly to the understanding of natural connectivity within a species, with a focus on the ever growing human influences and pressures on our environment.

Other key players at the Ongava Research Centre are research assistant Josephine Amwaalwa and associate scientist Dipanjan Naha, who is researching human-wildlife conflict in the area with the goal to compile a solutions model for the greater Etosha area. Elizabeth Shangano coordinates administration, Hileni Mupopiwa is the campus and hospitality coordinator, Simeon Naholo acts as technician and all-round handyman, and Albertu Alfeus manages the garden and infrastructure maintenance.

At large, the Ongava Research Centre is facilitating a groundbreaking scientific examination of the flora, fauna and ecology of the greater Etosha area, wholeheartedly working towards solutions-based outcomes. Moreover, ORC invites visitors to the reserve to engage with Ongava’s conservation efforts through the visitors centre, the meeting point for science and tourism, to learn about the precious ecosystem and what Ongava is doing to protect it. With frequent updates on their website’s blog, consistent publication of their research, and open calls to student and visiting researchers, ORC is synonymous with the future of scientific-centric conservation. The future of the Ongava Research Centre depends entirely on the next generation of nature lovers, conservation enthusiasts and scientists willing to play their part in saving our natural world. TNN

Acting Executive Director and Resident Scientist Stéphanie Périquet at the Anderssons at Ongava waterhole.

DOWN THE ORANGE

FROM DRIFT TO DRIFT

Text & Photographs Piet van Rooyen

“T

his one is too big for any of us. We will have to do a portage.” We all agree. We have been coming fine all along the Orange River over the last five days, no use messing up so near the finish line.

The previous five days were a magnificent experience. It is midApril. We are doing a canoe trip down the Orange River from Vioolsdrift to Sendelingsdrift by courtesy of Umkulu Safaris, based at The Growcery (spelling correct) on the southern bank of the river. Our guide is Josias Servaas Fick (Sas for short), accompanied by his Australian blue heeler cattle dog bitch (Kyla for short). The river was at dangerously high levels just the previous week, but was quite manageable by now. We are a group of six canoeists, doing the new experimental run down-river on six brand new sit-on-top plastic kayaks. The boats have been performing exquisitely well from the start and took most rapids with elegance and speed. The few times we got spilled, it was the quick reaction of Sas that saved the day, and the paddler.

We were one each per kayak and carried two dry bags with our food and sleeping gear – one secured at the stern of the kayak, another one in the bow. We managed to paddle about 40 kilometres each day, greatly assisted by the strong current carrying us downstream.

Umkulu Safaris is a Namibian-owned company operating not only kayak trips down the Orange River but also photographic safaris into Namibia and Botswana. They provide all meals on the river, although the paddlers have to help with the transport of foodstuffs and cooking gear. Each paddler also has to transport their own sleeping bag, inflatable mattress and pillow. The kayaks are sturdy and stable enough to allow quite a few extra kilograms of personal luxuries. For our cameras we had double zip-lock bags to keep them dry.

At night we camped on a sandbank, hoping to be far enough from the big-tailed scorpions that are so abundant in these areas in summertime. Kyla, the cattle dog, made sure that we socially integrated as a group. Before the first day was over all of us were good friends. That shows you what a shared experience of nature can do. Kyla accepted each of us as part of her pack. Every morning she came to wake us one by one by pressing her wet nose against our foreheads, where we lay in our sleeping bags. This waking-up ritual preceded the slow dawn. We got up to help Sas prepare the food. We got our tummies filled. Soon afterwards the next stretch of paddling started. Hour after hour the river scenery rolls by. Water monitors in the reeds, vervet monkeys in the

wait-a-bit trees lining the banks, Fish Eagles calling from the high branches.

Here, the Orange runs through one of the driest regions in the whole of southern Africa. It is strange to realise that this river drains masses of water from the Free State and Gauteng provinces in South Africa on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. The origin of all the water is the Indian Ocean, from where it rose to form rain clouds. The banks are lined with tamarisks, karee, sweet-thorn and wait-a-bit thorn trees, all getting their water directly from the river, and not from rain, because there is none of that luxury down here. This is the Richtersveld, a true desert in all respects.

In spite of the arid surroundings, the birdlife along the river is abundant, with plenty of geese, ducks, spoonbills, cormorants, buzzards, hawks and eagles. They did not see us as intruders but kept calmly glancing at the kayaks as we drifted past. There were many opportunities for taking good photographs.

Towards the end of our trip we found several abandoned diamond mines along the river. Dilapidated and rusting machinery was evidence of failure and loss of fortunes. Sas told us stories of some fortune-seekers losing their lives trying to cross the river with a pocket full of diamonds illegally taken from the gravel heaps of these abandoned mines. We were careful not to drown in the rapids ourselves.

The rapids needed a specific approach. We were fortunate to progress step by step as the difficulty grading steadily increased the further we went. The first rapids were only a slight acceleration in the speed of the water with a ripple on the surface. The next ones and the ones thereafter became progressively more challenging. The ideal was to get through them without getting spilled. But even when spilled, all was not lost. A quick flip could turn the kayak back up the right way, with the dry bags protecting our gear and groceries. We steadily gained confidence in ourselves and our guide. With daytime temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius, and a full moon up, we even started paddling at night, the river a broad and pale presence around us and into the unknown in front of us.

The rapid just before Sendelingsdrift is man-made, and therefore more dangerous than the natural ones. Here, a weir dams up the water in a wide reservoir, for extraction by the nearby mines and settlements. We carried the kayaks over the sharp stones. We never realised our boats were so heavy until we had to lift them from the water!

The final stretch was flat and slow. We reached the punt at Sendelingsdrift just before lunch. This was an experience not to be forgotten soon. The next one could take us even further, right down to the ocean this time. It is only two days more, in any case. TNN

Wildlife Wonders on the

Banks of Chobe

Text Charene Labuschagne

Photographs Le Roux van Schalkwyk

eavy clouds hang above the boat like an umbrella. Dark blue as far as the eye can see, promises to break at any instant. This is the place where African rainstorms found their thunder. This is Chobe, in the furthest north-eastern corner of Namibia, and arguably the wildest wonderland in the country.

The waterway leads us to Serondela, a classic safari lodge accessible only by boat. En route to our luxury destination from Kasane the river is buzzing with houseboats, tourists on cruises, fishermen and service vessels. Around every bend, the further we glide over the water, boats and people become increasingly scarce, replaced by numerous African Fish Eagles and hippos. The densely lodge-dotted banks near Kasane are now a distant memory as we slack the boat’s speed. Serondela comes into view. Silence falls. Across the stream is a resident lion pride of six stunning specimens, lazing in the drizzle from the clouds above, welcoming our arrival. It’s going to be one magnificent sunset, as can be expected from the awe-inspiring scenery and rain clouds withering on the horizon.

Serondela’s story starts with the quest to test a new houseboat. Co-founder Simone Micheletti set up camp here, and fell in love with the view, sheer silence and secluded nature of the island. A houseboat simply wouldn’t do it justice. Instead, seven luxury chalets, one family bungalow and an open-plan communal area were built with unobstructed and exclusive views of this bend in the Chobe River.

When the mighty Chobe is in flood, Sedondela’s spaces are a stone-throw from the water. In the dryer season, it’s a short stroll. Either way, the wilderness is at arm's length, the city sounds are unheard, and guests can truly immerse themselves in the environment rich with plants, mammals, reptiles and birdlife.

A morning boat cruise takes us upstream. Peering attentively into the trees for a highly anticipated leopard encounter we find a Giant Kingfisher instead, no less exciting as this is my first sighting of the beautiful orange-breasted bird. More wildlife wonder unfolds. Young crocodiles bask in the sun, unbothered by our presence. A Cape Cormorant, perched atop the skeleton of a fallen tree, gulps down a sizable fish breakfast. Upon returning to Serondela’s boat bay, a large herd of elephants come to drink, little ones clumsily weave between the older females, who stop drinking only to form a huddle guarding their precious offspring. Caught up in the manoeuvres of the largest land mammal, we almost missed the full-grown water monitor at the hull of our boat, surveying the bank. With a split tongue slithering through its dinosaur-

Hlike snout, and a tail the length of its body swaying through the low grass, the water monitor is sensing its surroundings, searching ceaselessly for an avian egg to munch on.

Returning to the lodge for a scrumptious breakfast overlooking the Chobe River, the guests eat and sip coffee in silence, taking in the ever-increasing herds of elephants moving through the panoramic view. When we retreat to our suite to escape the heat, a large group of impalas graze on the floodplain visible from the fairytale bed and mosquito canopy. Serondela’s rooms are classically decorated and utterly comfortable. The bathroom features double-basins, a circular shower and traditionally woven laundry basket.

After spending a warm day by the splash pool, dozing off with a book and returning to the main area for an afternoon gin and tonic, we embark on another cruise, this time venturing downstream. The dense rain clouds drive a big group of hippo out of the water – a rare treat to see them on the banks, as they usually only emerge at night-time to graze. With Oxpecker birds on their back, the curvy creatures wade slowly through the bits of green at their fat feet. More elephants, waterbuck, a Marabou, a Yellow-billed Stork and Fish Eagles show off by the water, making for brilliant pictures and a proximity unheard of on a game viewer vehicle.

Serondela is special, not only because of its unique lodge design, superb staff and delicious food, but also because of the wildlife wonderland that surrounds it. The best part being: it’s almost all yours, away from the humdrum of the massive hotels and car parking competition to get the best view of an animal. Serondela and its surroundings are the wildlife wonderland worthy of long-haul flights, boat rides and border controls. It is Chobe at its very finest! TNN

BOOK YOUR STAY: serondelalodge.com

HOW TO GET THERE:

Grab a flight with FlyNamibia from Eros Airport in Windhoek to Katima Mulilo, three days a week.

Caprivi Adventures offers transfers from Katima Mulilo across the border to Kasane in Botswana, from where Serondela Lodge picks up guests by boat. Caprivi Adventures is a one-stop adventure and activities hub in Katima Mulilo. They offer vehicle rentals, boat cruises, fishing trips, birding excursions, game drives and cultural tours as well as day trips to the Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park and the Sioma Falls as well as safaris in the greater KAZA region.

Contact them at info@capriviadventures.com

THE JOYS OF SUMMER

under a yellow sun and a blue sky

Take to the road on a summer day. Choose any direction and be welcomed by blue skies and a yellow sun, not to mention glorious sunsets and crisp red sunrise mornings. Rièth van Schalkwyk explores Summer in Namibia.

Summer in Namibia is the festive and holiday season. It is the time of a great trek northwards from the capital, on the central highland, to traditional homes and families or westward to the cool Atlantic coast and social gatherings, big sporting events and lazy beach days.

Since it is summer, our tours will all start at the coast – at Swakopmund. Fly to the coast with FlyNamibia, drive there on the B1 or be brave and take to the road on your bicycle. One of the famous cycle events in the world, the Nedbank Desert Dash, kicks off at the start of the festive season and holiday fun with a 24-hour, 397 km mountain bike challenge crossing the Namib Desert from the central highland to the coast.

All along the coast between Walvis Bay, Langstrand, Swakopmund and Henties Bay and northwards to the Skeleton Coast you may be at the right spot at the right time to join beach angling competitions, a gymkhana event, an open water swimming challenge, a sailing regatta and touch rugby on the beach, or just stroll through a Christmas market or join the locals at a beer fest with live music and bratwurst.

That stretch of activity is just a small speck on the Namibian map. When the energy and the crowds get the better of you, be on the road again to where sights and adventures will take your

breath away. There are three options in three directions from that speck on the 1,700 km long coastline:

ROUTE ONE leads north to Cape Cross where hundreds of Cape fur seals converge on the beach – the only place on earth where they don’t breed on islands. Then on to Terrace Bay in the Skeleton Coast National Park, even if you are no avid angler, for the scenery is worth the trip. Another reason why visitors go to Terrace is to meet up with a transfer taking them deep into the Skeleton Coast for a night or two at Shipwreck Lodge.

Leave Skeleton Coast National Park the same way you came, but turn inland at the Ugab Gate. That will take you into the heart of Damaraland. From here it is gravel all the way to the Brandberg, the Ugab River, Twyfelfontein and its famous rock art sites. It is also easy to reach Etosha National Park this way. Take the tar road from Khorixas to Outjo. Enter and leave the park through the Andersson Gate after as many days as you can spare. Before the summer rains start in all earnest, activity at the waterholes is something to behold. Make sure to start early, take a break at the swimming pool at Okaukuejo or Halali in the middle of the day and start out again in the late afternoon. The drive back to catch a flight from Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport is on a beautifully tarred road.

ROUTE TWO goes east from the starting point at Swakopmund along the main road past the Rössing Mountain to where the gravel road turns left to the Spitzkoppe. Stop at the junction to look at and buy precious stones from the wives and families of small miners who find the stones in the mountains. Be settled at your camping site in time to watch the sunset and see how the granite rocks turn pink. Full moon will be magical in this setting, and dark moon nights and millions of stars even more so.

Be up early in the morning to climb at least one outcrop. This is where mountain climbers come to test their skills. But that is for another trip and another time.

Back to the main road and eastwards with the Erongo Mountains on your left. At Karibib take the turn-off to Omaruru, then Otjiwarongo and finally to Tsumeb, entering Etosha at the Von Lindequist Gate. Namutoni is the camp closest to this entrance to the park. After as many days as possible in the park an interesting detour would be to exit the park at the King Nehale Gate in the north to spend a night or two at the lodge with the same name situated in the land of the Ovambo people. The drive past Omuthiya to Tsumeb takes you back to the B1 and on to Windhoek. Except if you add another ten days to the itinerary to drive east through the Zambezi Region with its many parks and conservation areas, crossing the Okavango and Kwando rivers. Follow the Zambezi to the easternmost tip of Namibia for an extraordinary experience. Then fly back to Hosea Kutako from Katima Mulilo on a scheduled flight. That will save you two days.

ROUTE THREE

Take the scenic route south from Swakopmund to Walvis Bay between high sand dunes and the ocean. Make a stop at the lagoon to watch flamingos and join a catamaran tour before leaving the coast behind for a few hours drive on the C14 through the Namib Sand Sea, a World Heritage Site. Solitaire is the perfect place for a coffee break if you want to reach Sossusvlei in time for sunset, but a camping overnight stop at Mirabib will be a memorable experience. Explore the outcrop where ancient peoples looked at the same starlit nights and watched the sun rise over the same flat gravel desert landscape. They did not have the pleasure of breakfast at Solitaire, a scenic flight in a fixed-wing aircraft or an early morning hot air balloon flight for a bird’s-eye view of the vlei and the graphic lines of the red dunes surrounding it. A very early rise for a drive through the valley between high dunes from Sesriem to Sossusvlei is a must. Climb the dunes before it gets too hot and walk to Dead Vlei to take a photograph of the black trees on the white pan against the terracotta dunes.

From Sossus the C26 leads through mountains and grassy plains with fairy circles, springbok, zebra and gemsbok to the deep south. Along the way there are lodges and camping sites in private nature reserves, and even a historic “castle”, small villages with hotels of the traditional type and at the end of the road, Lüderitz – the place which put Namibia on the map because of a diamond.

It need not be the end of the story, because there is still the Fish River Canyon to hike and the Orange River to raft. But that is for another trip in another season. TNN

“The most interesting bikes in the world”

Photographs by Ross Garrett

Dan Craven, the retired two-time Olympic road cyclist and Namibia’s only professional cyclist to ride a Grand Tour, shares the story of ONGUZA – steel-framed bicycles built entirely by hand in Omaruru.

“Ihave spent the last 15 years of my life chasing the professional cyclist dream in Europe but as my first career has come to an end I’ve been asking myself, what was the point of becoming a pro in the first place? Did it matter? What can I do now? What must I do now?

It would be easy for me not to use my privilege, influence, and visibility for good. But if I don’t, why did I gain these things?

Back in 2010 I had an idea. It has taken 12 years to realise, but it is finally happening and it’s time to share it with you.

With the help of Robin Mather, Matthew Sowter, David Mercer, Andres Arregui Velazquez, Tom Sturdy, Columbus, The Bicycles Academy and countless others, we have created a frame-building workshop in my hometown, Omaruru, where Namibians are now building world-class, steel-framed bikes. I was meant to ride one of our bikes at the Tokyo Olympics. We would launch with a bang to a global audience. But COVID didn’t let that happen, so we went back to the drawing board.

Does the world really need another bicycle brand? No. But my hometown, Omaruru, does.

Namibia is a country of talented makers stuck in low-value jobs. Many of them struggle to find work aside from farm labour. Building world-class steel bicycles is a high-value trade that matches the quality of their workmanship.

ONGUZA’s story is about celebrating Namibian people and culture. The easy thing would have been to talk about nature and wildlife the way most people think about Namibia, but it is far more important and interesting to find inspiration right on the side of the road: Namibia has many beautiful fashion traditions, the food, the cows, goats and chickens, the general stores and even the design of shebeens that are truly the lifeblood of so many small communities here – but also for cyclists passing through.

Our first builders, Petrus Mufenge and Sakaria Nkolo, are building world-class steel-framed bikes on a dusty farm in Namibia. It’s maybe the last place you’d expect something extraordinary to come from. But we’re doing it. The business is really putting its money where its mouth is and have made Nkolo and Mufenge shareholders in the company. We have already had orders from customers as diverse as New York City and Malawi.

What we are doing is not just assembly. We get specialist steel tubing and machined parts from Italy and California specifically for this kind of bicycle, but then the work starts. Designing geometry, further bending of tubes, hand-mitering and handfiling all parts for a perfect fit before brazing the parts using brass and silver and working with temperatures of up to 900 degrees, before continuing with the very tricky task of attaining perfect alignment and beautifully clean welds. It takes a full week to build every single frame, even with four sets of hands in the workshop. All to create bicycle frames good enough for racing at the highest level – or to ride across the continent.

What do you picture when you hear “African bikes”? There is a good chance you are not thinking of a luxury, world-class bike. And you are not alone. We need to change the way people think about goods made in Namibia – and in Africa as a whole. Name a luxury brand from the African continent…? We have our work cut out for us.” TNN

Launched in 2022 by Dan and his partner (and wife) Collyn Ahart, ONGUZA has already made international headlines across the cycling and sport industry with features on CyclingTips, BikeRadar, UK Sport, Cyclist.co.uk, GearPatrol and many others. ONGUZA has been dubbed “the most interesting bike in the world” by Bicycling Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Bill Strickland.

Learn more at www.onguza.com

By mandate of the directors and shareholders of the Haremub Group (Pty) Ltd (“the Company”), we o er the shareholders’ loan accounts and total issued share capital of the Company for sale.

The Company is the registered owner of the following adjacent farms (waiver available):

Farm Klein Haremub, No 1 Lüderitz District: 13 007.4850 ha

Portion 3, Farm Ginas, No 20 Bethanie District: 1 280.4376 ha

Total ha adjacent: 14 288 ha

The farms are situated between the foothills of the Rooi Rante and the Tiras Mountains, 70 km north of Helmeringhausen on the C27. Farm vehicles, tools, implements and remaining stock of the farm shop are included in the sale. All furniture, linen, curtains and ttings in the chalets are included as well as most of the furniture, linen, curtains, Swakara (karakul) rugs, cutlery and crockery in the homestead.

The buildings comprise the following:

• Homestead with two en-suite bedrooms, dining room with large dining table and sixteen chairs. Living room with replace and high-quality furniture.

• Three chalets, comprising a total of six en-suite bedrooms.

• Swimming pool with solar pump and outdoor shower.

The farms’ water infrastructure comprises of 9 boreholes and 2 wells with 5 windmills, 5 solar pumps and 12,16 km pipelines that supply water to the buildings, garden and 15 water troughs.

If loan account claims and shares are acquired, NO TRANSFER DUTY IS PAYABLE. Alternatively, at the purchaser’s preference, the Company will sell and transfer the farms to the purchaser.

The nancial record-keeping, compliant with the Companies Act of 2004, and all taxation compliance by the Company is up-to-date and in order. The Company’s auditors are SGA Chartered Accountants & Auditors in Windhoek.

ALL OFFERS WILL BE CONSIDERED

Maans Dreyer (Aqua Real Estate) by e-mail: aquam@iway.na | Simon Steyn, by e-mail: simon.steyn@lbcommserv.com

For further detailed information, photographs and arrangement of viewing

An ecosystem for change

Text & Photographs Le Roux van Schalkwyk

An exciting pilot project is being run on the outskirts of Windhoek. It aims to develop a new way to produce building material, create food security, agricultural jobs and dignified low-cost housing all at once.

MycoHAB is a fascinating initiative implemented by Standard Bank Namibia in cooperation with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Centre for Bits and Atoms and US architecture firm redhouse studio. The relatively simple process has the potential to solve complex problems that our country is presently facing.

Situated at Brakwater, MycoHAB uses encroacher bush species like Acacia mellifera as a substrate to grow gourmet mushrooms. The waste is turned into bricks which at the same time traps the carbon dioxide accumulated in these plants through their lifetime.

The process starts with encroacher bush that is run through a wood chipper. The small wood bits form the substrate for oyster mushrooms to be grown on. Once they have the right moisture content, the wood chips are placed in cultivation bags and pasteurised to kill off any other organisms that might be present and to ensure a sterile environment for the mycelium to be introduced into. Mycelium is a mass of interwoven fungal threads called hyphen. It is the vegetative portion of a fungus which is often submerged in another body such as soil or another substrate.

After cooling overnight, a little bit of the mycelium spawn is added to each cultivation bag in the on-site lab and transferred to a growing room where the mycelium will multiply and

fully colonise the cultivation bags containing the wood chip substrate. When it starts fruiting mushrooms through pre-cut slits, the bag is moved to a fruiting room – where the humidity is higher and the temperature lower for the best mushroom growing conditions.

When fully grown the oyster mushrooms are harvested and sent to various supermarkets in Windhoek. The profits of the sales go to Buy-a-Brick, a Standard Bank Namibia project that aims to enable disadvantaged Namibians living in shacks to build a brick house that is safe and healthy to live in.

What is left over after harvesting the mushrooms is a cultivation bag filled with mycelium composite. This composite is placed in a metal brick template and pressed by a 150-tonne press to fully compact the material before it is burned in a kiln. The result is a brick that has the density of wood but the strength of concrete. These bricks are fire-resistant, excellent insulators – keeping the house cool in summer and warm in winter – and they are sound attenuating.

If implemented on a large scale, the MycoHAB project can have a massive impact on people’s lives as well as on the conservation of the environment. Removing encroacher species frees up land for grass which improves the carrying capacity for livestock and wildlife. The mushrooms grown on the wood chips are not only a source of income and subsistence but also the food item which compared to other commercial crops uses the least amount of water, land and energy per kg of protein. The waste from this process is turned into a sustainable type of building material that is stronger than concrete and can lock away carbon for hundreds of years. TNN