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this is namibia IS A DESTINATION BRAND CAMPAIGN AIMED AT PROMOTING NAMIBIA TO THE WORLD. This may well be considered one of the most extraordinary years in recent history. The world is on lockdown and everyone is confused as to what will happen next. Where will we go from here? Namibia’s tourism sector has been especially hard hit by travel restrictions and the decimation of an entire industry.
Not because it is the cheapest, but because it will be memorable, invoke change, make a difference to the people of the country and its conservation initiatives, and because they understand that what they need after (or during) all this confusion and fear is... freedom.
Nobody in the world can claim to know how to save tourism in the post COVID reality. Will anything ever be the same as before?
And to feel safe.
The most important thing we can do for the industry right now, is to ensure that the world knows that Namibia will be waiting when the time to visit is right. To inform and inspire them with stories that will touch their hearts and make them realise why Namibia is the travel destination for them.
web tv series. • • • • • • • •
And to be able to absorb the vastness and beauty of what has always made Namibia special - “rugged, natural, soulful and liberating.” We will continue to share Namibia’s story with the world, in the right way and with the right voice.
Destinations & Experiences Travel tips Travel Gadgets Tourism Talks Conservation success stories Featured stays Wild Cooking Local Travel Specials
View our Web TV series at: www.thisisnamibia.com
LAYOUT & DESIGN Liza de Klerk CUSTOMER SERVICE Bonn Nortjé Published by Venture Media in Windhoek, Namibia Tel: +264 61 383 450, Hyper City Unit 44, Maxwell street, Southern Industrial PO Box 21593, Windhoek, Namibia EDITORS Rièth van Schalkwyk & Elzanne McCulloch PUBLIC RELATIONS Janine van der Merwe & Elmarie van Rensburg
ONLINE MANAGER Ruairí Hammond PRINTERS John Meinert Printing, Windhoek WRITERS Elzanne McCulloch (12, 62), Le Roux van Schalkwyk (38), Rièth van Schalkwyk (88) PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul van Schalkwyk (5, 10, 20, 38, 54, 72, 74, 80, 86, 91, 94, 96, 98, 100, 102, 104), Elzanne McCulloch (15, 28, 30, 36, 40, 44, 46, 60, 78, 88), Le Roux van Schalkwyk (cover, 24, 42, 50, 52, 62, 68), Danie Fereirra (7, 66), Anja
www.thisisnamibia.com
Denker (3, 18), Helga Burger (13), Pompie Burger (16), Louis Wessels (22), African Monarch Lodges (26), Stephan Brückner (48), Oliver Halsey (64), Jandre Germishuizen (70), Gerhard Thirion (76), Nifty Studios (92) This is Namibia is distributed worldwide and produced solely on Apple Macintosh equipment. The editorial content of This is Namibia 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.
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WHEN LUXURY IS THE DESTINATION Your journey to the far reaches of Namibia should be as comfortably indulgent as your breathtaking destination.
t +264 839378247 w westair.com.na e reservations@westair.com.na PO Box 407, Aviation Road, Eros Airport, Windhoek, Namibia
We will recover and flourish again
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ourism is an incredibly important sector for Namibia. Our country is home to a range of unique natural attractions that have made us a global destination of choice over recent years. The variety of scenery and landscapes, the healthy and growing populations of wildlife, the community-based approach to conservation and Namibia’s many different cultures are at the core of a sector that has grown to provide employment for an estimated 100,000 people in a country with a total population of about 2.4 million and a surface area of 824,268 km2. Namibia has all the ingredients for tourism to recover and reach its full potential again soon. But we need travellers from all over the world to have the confidence to start travelling again, visit Namibia and feel safe. A quick glance at the beautiful content of this publication will convince any potential visitor that Namibia should be the first destination to visit when the new normal allows pandemic-weary people all over the world to board a plane again. It was therefore no surprise that Namibia was the first stop when the Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation paid his first official visit to Africa during the COVID pandemic. When Mr Zurab Pololikashvili arrived in November at a critical time for the tourism sector it sent a clear message to the world that Namibia had managed the pandemic well. As the United Nations agency promotes responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism, we continue to look for guidance and solutions going forward. Tourism has proved to be highly resilient to the global economic downturn faced in the aftermath of the previous financial crisis and Namibia has seen increasing numbers of tourist arrivals year on year since independence.
But the sector has been brought to the brink of collapse by the COVID-19 pandemic. The year 2020 has turned the previous positive trends completely upside-down. Occupancy rates at hotels and other establishments have dropped by an estimated 90%. Comparing the number of visitors to our top attractions, i.e. Etosha National Park and Sossusvlei, during the period March-August 2020 with the previous year, showed a decline of 83% and 92% respectively. President Hage Geingob launched the International Tourism Revival Initiative in June 2020 and we have been implementing this initiative since 1 September with agreed protocols to ensure the safety and health of Namibians and tourists alike. This initiative has laid a foundation for us to regrow and rebuild the sector in the context of the new normal and the ongoing pandemic. We are making plans to guide the sector going forward and have developed a National Strategy on Sustainable Heritage Tourism Development and Employment Creation Opportunities at Community Level for the period 2020-2030. This will be launched soon and is envisaged to strengthen the contribution of our unique cultural and heritage resources to the tourism sector going forward. We are also in the process of developing a Tourism Spatial Development Master Plan for the sector. However, the most important part of tourism recovery is to convince travellers that Namibia is a destination worth their time and money. There are few places left on earth with so much space, where wild animals roam freely, protected by people who coexist with them on the same land and use the same resources. Namibia’s track record is worth your attention and your visit. We look forward to welcoming you soon. Pohamba Shifeta Namibian Minister of Environment, Forestry & Tourism
www.thisisnamibia.com
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KINGJAMESJHB 3377
The best time money can buy.
Namibia is ready to host you safely
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very year NTB reports on the positive growth of our tourism sector and the positive impact on Namibia’s GDP, our success in maintaining strong conservation policies and the constructive effect of tourism on job creation in rural areas where Namibians live with wildlife and protect wilderness areas crucial to our tourism product. I do not want to reflect on what lies behind us, except to say that Namibia’s tourism sector has borne the direct, devastating impact of the pandemic financially and socially. However, we are not the only country in the world to suffer and we are not the only destination that will need to be innovative and dedicated to pull through. We are ready to host visitors in the post-pandemic world. With the support and collaboration of international organisations such as the UNWTO we have introduced health protocols as soon as it became evident that this will be the only way to ensure that prospective international visitors would feel safe to travel to Namibia. We soon realised that these international protocols had to be adapted and improved as new global procedures came into play. The entire world is in this together and we depend on one another to keep our populations safe. Namibia depends on visitors from the countries in the northern hemisphere that were hardest hit. All our collective efforts in Namibia and with our tourism partners in source countries are aimed at making sure that when guests from these countries feel safe to travel again, they will choose Namibia because of our proven safety record in all respects.
Warm weather, lack of pollution, a small population and a tourism product that is geared to take visitors to remote, natural places where social distancing is a pleasure, not an obligation. Namibia is a country that has everything to offer discerning visitors. We have been the trailblazers for eco tourism and had the product ready long before sustainable tourism became the buzz. We have unspoilt nature and abundant wildlife, which people in rural Namibia share and protect. Visitors have the freedom and opportunity to travel safely and independently at their own pace and the route of their choice on a well-developed road network. Namibia is a photographer’s and an adventure tourist’s heaven – just page through this publication. The variety of landscape is astounding and the abundance of wildlife and wild places is breathtaking. Our national parks are situated in contrasting geological landscapes, with different plants, trees and wildlife. Even the facilities vary from high-end lodges and hotels to camping sites and affordable options in and around these parks, in towns and in communal areas. As you will realise when you have read through this publication, This is Namibia, and also clicked on the link to the web TV series, there is no other place on earth where you can have experiences that will touch your soul. Namibia is ready for you.
www.thisisnamibia.com
Digu //Naobeb CEO of Namibia Tourism Board
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THE
WINDHOEK COLLECTION
The Windhoek Collection comprises Windhoek’s most popular eateries: The Stellenbosch Wine Bar & Bistro, The Stellenbosch Tasting Room and The Stellenbosch Market, as well as the self-catering Hillside Executive Accommodation apartments and the newest addition to the high-end accommodation market in the capital - The Windhoek Luxury Suites.
Suites www.thewindhoek.com | www.hillsidewindhoek.com | www.thestellenboschwinebar.com | www.tastingroom.com.na
“Namibia is an experience rather than a place”
M
any years ago, when Namibia was still the best kept secret in the fast developing world of tourism, the newly created Namibian Tourism Board undertook a journey of discovery to establish what that special ingredient was that made Namibia so distinctive and exceptional that people who have been here once, return again and again. That is easier said than done. How do you go about finding that “something extraordinary”? And once discovered and identified, how do you put that something into words that would become a message sent into the world? You need an emotive message that resonates with potential visitors globally and evokes the very feeling that Namibia lovers experience when they think about Namibia and describe Namibia. We cannot compete with countries which allocate marketing budgets that equal our GDP and have the influence and resources to counter small countries’ efforts to gain market share. Which meant that in order to grow our tourism we had to be smarter. Experts in primary markets were tasked to consult visitors and stakeholders to identify what it is about Namibia that appeals to them most. These consultations and the outcome of focus groups engaged over months provided the result we were looking for. The powerful conclusion was that Namibia is an experience and not a place. Namibia is not Etosha or Sossusvlei or the Fish River Canyon or the Brandberg or any single place. Namibia is an experience that touches your heart and your soul. At the end of the process Namibia’s distinctive memorable identity became recognisable. From all the research the experts extracted the qualities which distinguish us from our competitors. At last the core brand values that would guide every marketing effort were identified.
The essence of the Experience Namibia was distilled in four words: Namibia is RUGGED, NATURAL, SOULFUL and LIBERATING. And after almost two decades the essence of what Namibia offers has not changed. 46% of our land is under some form of conservation management – one of the highest percentages in the world. 17% is protected as national parks, which includes the entire coastline except for the towns. Environmental management also includes communal conservancies, nature reserves and private land. With our small population spread out across 824,268 km2 of land we have less people per square kilometre than any other country in the world (although Mongolia challenges us on that). But nobody can deny that we have the largest number of endangered black rhino roaming free. Nor can we deny that we have been so successful in developing a wonderfully thriving tourism sector supported by good policies for the protection of the environment and the inclusion of communities in the benefit of this development, that when it all came to a grinding halt it left us staggering. At Venture Media we had only one option and that was to do what we have done successfully for three decades – spreading the message of our country with words and images, evoking the emotions encapsulated in the core brand values. Ours has always been a team effort of writers, photographers, artists, sales people, corporate and tourism partners, our Ministry of Tourism, the NTB, NGOs and… We thank you all. This is Namibia – a collective project to tell the world who we are, and that we are ready and waiting for you. Venture Team
www.thisisnamibia.com
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EPUPA FALLS
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Ondangwa
KAOKOLAND
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Namibia is home to the ETOSHA PAN & largest cheetah ETOSHA NATIONAL population in the PARK world
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CONTENTS
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18
HARDY AND RUGGED FLORA OF THE REGION
Geology and desert-adapted wildlife
RUGGED 60
76
Grootfontein
80
THE SKELETON COAST
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Big cat conservation and human-wildlife conflict
Community conservation and living with wildlife
BRANDBERG
Swakopmund
Windhoek
Walvis Bay
LIBERATING 46 98
WALVIS BAY LAGOON 94 AND SANDWICH DESERT92 HARBOUR THE NAMIB ADAPTED FLORA DESERT
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ATLANTIC COASTLINE
100
DESERT FAUNA
96/104
SOSSUSVLEI & DEADVLEI
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SOULFUL 36
NAMIBRAND NATURE RESERVE
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Keetmanshoop
Lüderitz
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/Ai-/Ais-Richtersveld Tsau//Khaeb Transfrontier Park National Park, formerly known as the ''Sperrgebiet'' OLD DIAMOND or Forbidden TOWNS Territory FISH RIVER
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BOGENFELS Oranjemund
CANYON
THE QUIVER TREE FOREST
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THE NORTHEASTERN PERENNIAL RIVER SYSTEMS
NATURAL 10
Tsumeb
The largest population of free-roaming black rhino in the world
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Rundu
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Katima Mulilo
16 The wetlands and floodplains of the Carmine BeeZambezi Region eater colony on the Zambezi River
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The heart of 24 KAZA - the THE world's largest NORTHEASTERN transfrontier NATIONAL PARKS conservation area
N A M I B I A 2nd
least densley populated country in the world
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SURFACE AREA:
824,268 km² INDEPENDENCE:
21 March 1990 CAPITAL:
Windhoek
DIVISION OF POWER BETWEEN executive, legislature and judiciary
90% CHRISTIAN
2.2 people/km2
MILLION
ADULT LITERACY RATE:
14 400 000 13 16 2.6%
85%
LANGUAGES & DIALECTS
(15% of total)
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
POPULATION GROWTH RATE
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS: OVER 1,700 SCHOOLS, VARIOUS VOCATIONAL AND TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS
English
STATE
PARLIAMENT CURRENT PRESIDENT:
Hage Geingob
Democratic
CONSTITUTION FREEDOM OF
RELIGION FREEDOM OF THE
press/media
species of trees
ETHNIC CULTURES
inhabitants in Windhoek
Secular
Multiparty
14 120 200
vegetation zones
REGIONS
NATURE RESERVES: OF SURFACE AREA
17%
HIGHEST MOUNTAIN:
Brandberg
OTHER PROMINENT Spitzkoppe, Moltkeblick, MOUNTAINS: Gamsberg PERENNIAL RIVERS: Orange Kunene Okavango Zambezi Kwando Linyanti/Chobe
EPHEMERAL RIVERS: Numerous including Fish Kuiseb Swakop Ugab
www.thisisnamibia.com
100+ SPECIES OF LICHEN
endemic plant species
LIVING FOSSIL PLANT:
Welwitschia mirabilis
BIG GAME: ELEPHANT, LION, RHINO, BUFFALO, CHEETAH, LEOPARD, GIRAFFE
20 240 250 50 676
ANTELOPE SPECIES MAMMAL SPECIES (14 ENDEMIC) REPTILE SPECIES FROG SPECIES BIRD SPECIES
ENDEMIC BIRDS including Herero Chat, Rockrunner, Damara Tern, Monteiro’s Hornbill and Dune Lark
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NATURAL Beyond the harsh terrains, forlorn desertscapes and awe-inspiring vistas, life blooms in often unlikely places. Undisturbed and unimpeded, nature has a strong foothold in the nooks and crannies, across the savannahs and among the acacia bushlands. Endemic, migratory, small numbers or large herds. This is where wild things roam. Game, plants and birds thrive in Namibia’s wilderness. A story of life flourishing at its most natural.
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A mosaic of wild things in wild places.
he terrain may shift like the changing of the winds, but one thing that remains constant is that Namibia is home to incredibly healthy populations of wildlife. Lions, elephant, rhino, leopard, cheetah, giraffe, plains game – they can all be spotted with backgrounds of either dunes, salt pans, acacia bushland or riverine woodlands. From our world-famous national park, a radiant jewel and our country’s crowning glory, to the lesser-known yet equally vibrant north-eastern reaches: Namibia is a haven for wildlife, birds and plants, on par with our peers or even far surpassing them. Bouncing back from a period where the emphasis was placed more on what you could take from the natural world than what you could learn from it, this young land has since become a beacon of success in terms of conservation. “The greatest wildlife recovery story ever told,” has been splashed across headlines the world over. It is part of the identity of a nation. A drawcard and trophy. Namibia is a pure, unblemished and beautifully preserved symbol of the natural world. The shimmering mirage of Etosha Pan seems unreal. The vast white pan stretches out to infinity. Their low bass rumble is heard first. And then, as if appearing from nowhere, a dark silhouette interrupts the landscape of nothingness. Behind her, the matriarch, follows a family of lumbering giants. Elephants thrive here. And even more so in the northeast. They trek through forest, across floodplains and wetlands. Traversing rivers, our human-made borders are nothing to them. Renegade gypsy wanderers across five nations. What does nature look like? Nature is green. That’s the global collective thinking, right? And sure enough, despite the image you may have developed of Namibia’s desert status, nature is green here, too. After summer showers, fresh neon green springs from the earth and the ends of acacia branches. Even pushing through desert sands toward the light to coat dunes in grassy blankets. Etosha in the summer is so green it’s a shock to the system. And our north-eastern wilderness areas, the Mangetti and Khaudum, are encompassed in thickly packed green swathes of bushland. From there, shades of green become the predominant colour scope. In the north-eastern
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wetlands the green is dark and rich. A splendid juxtaposition to the rest of Namibia. The shades stretch upwards into towering Mangosteen and Leadwood trees. Reflected by the light green, reed-lined rivers below. The dappled sunlight in the lofty textured canopy of a tall Jackalberry overhead. What does nature sound like? It is a joyful chorus of laughter. All around. The fun, busy chatter of the babblers and scimitarbills in the trees. The giggle of a zebra. The deep belly grunt of a hippo. Huh huh huh. The chuckling of a troupe of baboons in the canopies above. The rumbling tambour of one hundred elephants at the water’s edge. The iconic guffaw and cackle of a hyena in the darkness. A growl or roaring call of a lioness that resounds across the landscape from kilometres away. A fish eagle’s cry to the east. Wind rustles through the grassy floodplains. A beautiful natural chime. The song of nature that never falls silent. What does nature taste like? Like morning mist on waterways, and afternoon breezes across dry plains. Like dusty plumes as herds of mammals disrupt the earth. Petrichor after the first rains. What does nature feel like? Like absolute freedom. Like wonder and a constant sense of rebirth. New beginnings and bittersweet cycles of life. It feels familiar and wonderfully fresh all at the same time, and each sunrise or sunset, each herd of pronking springbok, each flap of a bee-eater wing, each ancient tree or flowering acacia bush feels like a memory you’ve had with you all along or one that you’ve just captured to keep in your soul. Life happens here at the pace of the rivers. Okavango. Kwando. Zambezi. Chobe. Linyanti. At the pace of the bright red sun as its sinks into the horizon clogged by dust and smoke. At the sauntering gait of a massive elephant as it swaggers across a vast pan. The sleek prowl of a powerful cat. The meander of a stately gemsbok as he grazes across the land. That is the rhythm of nature here. Let that sense of calm wash over you and allow your heart to slow down to the pace of life here. Wild. Untamed. A natural mosaic of wild things in wild places. A population recovery story like no other. Here, nature is king and we are her humble subjects. Our people call wildlife their
neighbours and friends. They live among them and abide by nature’s rules as far as possible. It’s not an easy way of life, but the value of nature is understood and celebrated. Nature is life. Today the world is a strange place. Everything has come to a sort of standstill. But here the Okavango River is still flowing. The wind still rustles through the leaves of the camel thorn tree and the elephant still comes down to the water's edge to quench his thirst. To him the world spins on the same axis and nothing much has changed. It is only our realities that have shifted. Our perception of the universe altered. Where we react through artificial face coverings and our moods are determined by the ebb and flow of ‘positive or negative’ statistics on a human-made list. Nature goes on and nothing much has changed. There are fewer engines that disrupt the gentle rhythmic pulse of mother earth. There are less tyres on gravel roads, and spews of gas from flying tin cans and less feet on the ground that leave behind a carbon footprint we could never erase no matter how many extra trees we plant. But there are moments still that leave you in awe of a world so beautiful and precious that it is worth fighting for. That it is worth learning from and preserving for a generation that will maybe know or maybe not know what it was like to live in fear of not seeing a spectacular sunrise in the morning... with an elephant silhouette to reiterate the sound knowledge that today I get to start and hopefully end my day in the majesty of Namibia’s version of nature…
The north-eastern riverine wetlands of Namibia are home to a vast variety of iconic trees. Leadwood, Mangosteen, Baobab, Sausage Trees, Apple-leaf, Knob-thorn and the Jackalberry (pictured) are just a few of them.
BUILDING A BETTER WORKING WORLD
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nd the only way that is possible is to make business work better. You may wonder why a global auditing company such as EY with a history dating back 150 years, has a voice in a magazine which portrays Namibia in all its beautiful natural splendour. The reason is that we have an opinion on what makes a better working world and that is in line with how Namibia aims to build a better future for its people. We are part of the local community and we support local initiatives with a wider impact. We can only build a better world if we start with the world that matters most to us. And in this point in time to us that world is Namibia and the local business community who suffers the after effects of the global pandemic. The tourism sector in particular needs our support. Because of its diversity on all levels of the sector, it creates opportunities for Namibians of all ethnic groups, all levels of education, all parts of the country and diverse professions. Tourism can affect change on many levels and we are part of that. Business is not an island and does not operate on its own. For us collaboration is the new innovation. We appreciate sustainability, diversity, teamwork and the courage to lead. We value trust and emphasise social values and accountability. The building blocks that we apply in our company are the same as what we need to get this sector of the economy back on its feet. Now is the time for change Now is the time for a future-back approach to transformation Now is the time to reveal and realise unseen opportunities Now is the time to have the courage to lead We invite you to be inspired by the country with its wide open spaces and endless horizons. Come and enjoy the perfect post Covid destination where it is still possible to feel that you are the first person to step on the earth. Cameron Kotze Country Leader EY Namibia
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www.thisisnamibia.com
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With well over 400 of the country’s bird species occurring in Namibia’s Kavango and Zambezi regions, the northeast is among the most popular destinations for avid birders. Notable species include raptors such as the iconic African Fish Eagle, waterbirds like the Slaty Egret, Goliath Heron, African Darter, African Skimmer, Greater Swamp-warbler, and Swamp Boubou. Among other noteworthy species are black, coppery-tailed and Senegal coucals, the Wattled Crane and Rosy-throated Longclaw, as well as a variety of kingfishers and bee-eaters. In the backwaters and swamps, the African Pygmy-goose and Comb Duck, Allen’s Gallinule, and the African and the Lesser Jacana can be found. The largest known colony of Carmine Bee-eaters (pictured above) in Africa nest on the banks of the Zambezi River from August each year. Their colourful display will leave you in awe.
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The Etosha Pan was born from a drying lake that filled up with sediment and was shaped by the scouring effects of wind erosion. Wind is the pan’s creative force, boosted by the absence of protective vegetation. A series of waterholes along the southern edge of the pan draws herds of plains game, elephant, rhino, giraffe, predators and birds, making it one of the most varied and prolific wildlife experiences in Africa. The park is also a pivotal part of Namibia’s incredible wildlife recovery story. In its more than a century of existence, Etosha has always been a wildlife haven. Other than the Big Four (elephant, rhino, lion and leopard), Etosha is home to 642 species of terrestrial vertebrates.
www.thisisnamibia.com
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From the eastern bank of the Okavango River, the Kavango East and the Zambezi Region stretch out like a finger all the way to Impalila Island where Namibia borders Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. These northeastern regions contain five perennial rivers and are known for large populations of elephant and buffalo which congregate along these waterways during the dry winter months. The northeast is rich in other wildlife as well, thanks to the varied habitats which include broadleafed and acacia woodlands, mopane forests, riverine forests, grasslands and floodplains.
www.thisisnamibia.com
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One of Namibia’s claims to fame is the fact that it is home to the largest cheetah population in the world. An estimated 1,500 of southern Africa’s approximately 4,000 free-ranging cheetahs live in Namibia. The distribution of the fastest land animal has been reduced to just 9% of its historical range across Africa. It is thought that cheetahs are currently found in only 29 countries, often in small, fragmented populations. Namibia thus remains a stronghold of these sleek felines, probably accounting for around 20% of the remaining global population.
www.thisisnamibia.com
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There are five national parks in the Kavango West, Kavango East and Zambezi regions. Mangetti and Khaudum are wild and unexplored – home to wildlife such as elephant, roan and sable antelope and notably healthy populations of African wild dog. Bwabwata straddles the Okavango River with its Mahangu and Buffalo Core Areas, and then continues for more than 150 km until it reaches the Kwando River. Mudumu is further south, on the eastern bank of the Kwando, and is popular due to the riverine habitat created by the channels of the river. Namibia’s largest wetland area with conservation status is Nkasa Rupara National Park. It is an important corridor for elephants moving from Botswana to Angola and Zambia and it houses the largest concentration of buffaloes in the country.
www.thisisnamibia.com
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The Zambezi Region lies in the heart of KAZA, the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, which is the largest conservation area of its kind worldwide. The region is known for its massive herds of migratory elephants. The total elephant population is estimated to be almost 50 000. KAZA is not Namibia’s only transfrontier park: there is also /Ai-/Ais-Richtersveld in the soulful south, and in the far north-western reaches we share the rugged Iona Skeleton Coast with Angola.
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Formerly referred to as the Caprivi, the Kavango and Zambezi regions are a fertile wilderness of riverine forests, flood plains, swamps and open woodlands created by a complex network of rivers and relatively high summer rainfall. Starting with the Okavango River in the western part of the ‘strip’, the Kwando, Linyanti, Chobe and Zambezi rivers to the east are sources of life that result in a surprisingly wet and lush juxtaposition to the otherwise semi-arid and arid landscapes in the rest of Namibia. Interestingly, the Chobe River is one of the few rivers in the world that can flow in both directions, depending on water levels.
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Namibia is fortunate to have extraordinarily healthy populations of big cats. Lions, which were virtually hunted to extinction 100 years ago, have made a tremendous comeback. According to the AfriCat Foundation, there are between 500 to 800 wild lions left in Namibia today, found in the Kunene Region, in Etosha and in the north-eastern parts of Khaudum, the Nyae-Nyae Conservancy and along the rivers bordering Botswana. A national leopard census completed in 2019 showed a “best guess� population of around 11 700 leopards, based on combined sources. However, human-wildlife conflict continues as a result of these predator populations. Lions on communal farmland in the northwest and northeast, and leopards on commercial farmland are causing problems for livestock. Mitigation and conservation practices are in place throughout the country to help ensure the future success of these carnivores, and to support the people who choose to live with wildlife on a daily basis.
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How do you know which way to turn when the future is far from clear? In uncertain times the choices you make matter. The EY Enterprise Resilience Framework helps you act with precision and agility, now, next and beyond. ey.com/enterpriseresilience #Better Questions
Contact details – EY Namibia EYNamibia@na.ey.com Windhoek office: +264 61 289 1100 Walvis Bay office: +264 64 205 847 Country Leader: Cameron Kotzé cameron.kotze@na.ey.com
Zambezi Region
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SOULFUL With its almost limitless gravel plains, rolling dunes, ancient rivers and extremely low population, travelling to Namibia’s south transports you to a magical place where existence is unhurried and time is relative. Our mind is able to be idle and free itself from its daily burden of over-stimulation. We can reconnect with what makes us human: our soul.
The ever-changing desert scenery makes for a spiritual journey
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he wonders of this region come in many shapes and forms. In the furthest reaches of the south is an immense canyon formed over hundreds of millions of years through tectonic movement and perpetual erosion. This geological wonder is so vast that it induces a strange but comforting feeling of insignificance. It provides a new perspective on our lives and daily routines when considering the time it took to create this massive crack in the earth. The southern border of Namibia is an ancient river. One of the longest in Africa, the Orange River winds its way through a desolate and forbidding landscape where an amazing array of fauna and flora survives in harsh conditions. Perfectly adapted to find sustenance in an unwelcoming land where very few humans have had the courage to make a permanent home. The only perennial river in the area, it cuts its way through inhospitable and mountainous terrain before eventually emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. At the river mouth is one of Namibia’s most important wetlands, surrounded by a sea of sand. A miniature paradise that attracts a wide variety of birds, mammals and fish.
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The Orange River not only creates a nutrient-rich environment for wildlife to thrive but over the millennia has transported riches of material value. It carried diamonds over hundreds of kilometres before finally depositing them in the ocean, from where they were spread northward by strong currents and washed ashore. These gemstones brought extraordinary opulence to a tiny settlement that only existed thanks to the natural harbour it overlooked. The short-lived diamond rush caused small mining towns to pop up in an unforgiving desert. They were abandoned as soon as the mineral riches had been exhausted. The desert reclaimed its territory leaving only ghost towns and the remains of large contraptions once used to sift for diamonds. A stark reminder of the power of the desert and human greed for worldly wealth. The perception of what might seem like a featureless landscape quickly changes as the hidden gems, treasures and secrets of the southern landscape are gradually revealed. From boulders stacked on top of each other almost like cairns placed there by some giant, as a not so subtle hint that these mythical creatures roamed the earth before us, to a ‘forest’ of quiver trees, the only known site where these alien-like aloes
grow together in such close proximity. Gross Brukkaros, the inselberg which looks like a volcanic crater, towers above its utterly flat surroundings of the central-south, another of the many fascinating geological features in a land that time forgot. The south-western Namib Desert, which may seem like a wasteland to some, has become synonymous with conservation. It only took one visionary to see the potential in failing and struggling commercial sheep farms bordering Namib-Naukluft National Park, an area where unreliable rain made farming unsustainable. The vision has blossomed into one of the largest private nature reserves in southern Africa, characterised by distinct habitats of dunes, sandy plains, inselbergs, mountains and gravel plains. Devoid of fences, wildlife like gemsbok, springbok and other hardy desert dwellers are able to freely follow seasonal migratory routes. As it was before human intervention. The infinite space of the south-western Namib evokes an almost indescribable sense of place and is the reason why thousands of tourists make the pilgrimage to this region every year. Travelling on endless gravel roads surrounded by vast
expanses of ever-changing desert scenery make for a spiritual journey in itself. Feet buried in the crest of a sand dune while watching the sunrise with no one else, no buildings or other signs of civilisation in sight, allows for the connection to mother nature that as humans we long for. The far horizons and ancient landscape somehow help us to make sense of the often confusing and complicated world we live in. The true essence of the south is not only its striking landscape but also the opportunity to disconnect from daily life and get fully immersed in the experience of every sensation. What you see, smell, feel, hear and touch. Run your fingers over ancient rock formations. Listen to the chorus of barking geckos as the sun sets. Allow the mind to be carried away on the wave of overwhelming silence that the desert night brings. Stare into a fire and relax after a long day’s exploring, and marvel at the glittering night sky above. Feel an inner peace that you’ll find nowhere else. Clear the mind, slow down, let the south evoke the deep emotions you forgot about and rediscover your soulful side.
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A TRANSFORMATIONAL JOURNEY TO CREATE ORANJEMUND’S FUTURE
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fter 81 years the last of the diamond towns in Namibia is now open and with it some of the most pristine desert wilderness areas that have been hidden in the Sperrgebiet for more than a century.
For the first time since 1936, Oranjemund unlocked its gates in 2017 to let visitors in. This strange little place in the middle of the biggest sandpit in Namibia, where for decades one had to be screened and apply for a permit to enter, became the object of a transformational journey to a new future. All to ensure that the town will not be dealt the same fate as the rest of the diamond ghost towns along the coast of the southern Namib. And for the first time ever, the Tsau //Khaeb National Park will also be accessible to visitors. For almost a century Oranjemund was a mining settlement created to house workers and their families employed by Consolidated Diamond Mines (CDM) for extensive diamond mining operations along the Orange River and the Atlantic Ocean. After independence the Namibian government became a 50% shareholder in the company, which then became NAMDEB. Since mines have a limited lifespan, NAMDEB realised that for the town to survive without diamonds, economic diversification was essential. But first, the settlement had to become a proclaimed and normalised town. The process already started in 1990, but only culminated in the formal ‘opening of the gate’ in 2017. But that was just the beginning. Realising the challenges, and with enough examples of towns that failed to realise their potential after mining activities ceased, NAMDEB chose a different route. Economic transformation was essential to create a future for the people who live there. All stakeholders – civil society (the inhabitants), the public sector (national and regional government) and the private sector (NAMDEB and investors) – have to play a role in creating and unlocking opportunities for the economy to be transformed and to attract investment. And so OMDis was formed. A Section 21 company tasked to stimulate economic development and diversification through growing and supporting SME development, as well as facilitating the establishment of other large industries such as agriculture, renewable energy and tourism. OMDis aims to attract investment which will unlock the potential of the town. This includes making full use of the formidable infrastructure, the natural attributes such as the beautiful 300 km shoreline, the Orange River and its abundant water supply, lots of arable land, the proximity to the Tsau //Khaeb National Park, as well as the optimal location of an existing international airport halfway between Windhoek and Cape Town. “We are in a unique position to write a different story for this diamond town. We have the opportunity to show the positive legacy of the role diamonds have played in building a future for Namibia and Oranjemund,” says Tony Bessinger, longstanding proud citizen of Oranjemund.
Tony Bessinger General Manager OMDis
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/Ai/Ais - Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (ARTFP) is a joint initiative by Namibia and South Africa to conserve an extensive part of the Succulent Karoo biome. Although seemingly desolate and devoid of life, it is an international biodiversity hotspot. One-third of the world’s 10 000 succulent species are found within the borders of the 5 920 km² park, with new species still being discovered. The transfrontier park includes /Ai-/Ais hot springs, the Fish River Canyon, and part of the Orange River and the Richtersveld World Heritage Site in South Africa. Furthermore, 56 species of mammals and at least 194 species of birds occur in the ARTFP.
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Diamonds were discovered near LĂźderitz in 1908 and quickly attracted fortune seekers from across the globe. The rich alluvial deposits caused various small mining towns to pop up in the desert, the most famous and opulent being Kolmanskop some 10 km east of LĂźderitz. In the first six years of mining, an incredible five million carats of diamonds were extracted. The onset of the First World War brought an end to the great diamond rush. Mining operations still continued at some of the settlements but they were all abandoned by the mid-1940s, leaving only ghost towns to be slowly reclaimed by the desert sands.
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Bogenfels is an imposing rock arch that stretches into the ocean at a seemingly impossible angle. At 55 metres high, the dramatic limestone arch standing with one leg in the sea and one on land, is much larger than it appears in photographs.
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With a size of 200 000 hectares, NamibRand is one of the largest private nature reserves in southern Africa. It consists of a number of former sheep farms and shares a 100 km border with NamibNaukluft National Park in the west. The nature reserve was created to protect and conserve the sensitive biodiversity on the eastern fringe of the Namib Desert. All the fences were removed in order to facilitate seasonal wildlife migration of mainly gemsbok and springbok. Apart from practising low-impact sustainable tourism NamibRand has been designated a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Reserve by the International Dark Sky Association and houses the NamibRand Desert Research and Awareness Centre as well as the Namib Desert Environmental Education Trust.
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The quiver tree (Aloidendron dichotomum) in fact is not a tree but an aloe and mainly grows on rocky slopes and hilltops in the central-west and in the south of Namibia. Its name originates from the San culture. San hunters used its branches as quivers for their arrows. The Quiver Tree Forest, situated on a farm 13 km northeast of Keetmanshoop, is a national monument. Normally growing some distance apart, there a large number of quiver trees stand in uncharacteristically close proximity, reminiscent of a forest.
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Tsau //Khaeb National Park was proclaimed in 2008. Previously it was known as the Sperrgebiet, German for restricted area. When diamonds were discovered in the area more than a century ago, the German colonial authorities of the time decreed a no-go zone to control exploitation of the mineral wealth. Although access is still restricted and most of the park is underdeveloped, its dormant state created a sanctuary for plants and animals to thrive in the sensitive desert landscape. Concessions to areas like Bogenfels and some of the ghost towns allow visitors to experience the untouched beauty of the park.
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The Fish River Canyon, the world’s second largest natural canyon, is part of /Ai/Ais - Richtersveld Transfrontier Park. Formed as a result of tectonic movement and hundreds of millions of years of erosion, the canyon today measures 550 metres at its deepest point and is up to 27 km wide. Hiking the 160 km length of the canyon takes five to six days and is rated one of the best hikes in southern Africa. The hike, and the Fish River Canyon, end at the sulphurous hot springs of /Ai-/Ais.
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Your partner in sustainable development OMDis Town Transform Agency “OMDis” was established in 2019 with the sole purpose of proactively accelerating the diversification of Oranjemund’s economy alongside the efforts of other town stakeholders. The goal of the agency is to safeguard the Town’s economic future alongside mining by establishing a new large industry, and by growing entrepreneurs and spin off industries. Tourism is seen as one of the untapped large industries the town could thrive on. Oranjemund is nestled between the Namib desert, the Orange River and Atlantic Ocean, and as such is a little known gem of Namibia. The town is most well known for its “forbidden” nature, for over 80 years only employees of the diamond mine were allowed in the town. Now it is an open town for tourists and other businesses alike. Oranjemund offers you rich diamond mining history, sweeping landscapes, river and coast environments as well as rich biodiversity. Oranjemund also offers a safe and secure environment, set in an idyllic oasis landscape, where gemsbok and other hoofed, pawed and feathered friends roam the town freely.
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and Wolwedans exists to inspire a new way. Our purpose is the pursuit of happiness, and Wolwedans exists to inspire a new way. Our purpose is the pursuit of happiness, and Wolwedans exists to inspire a new way.
We also used the recent pause and Wolwedans feels confident that this tenSituated in the heart of the NamibRand our Jubilee year to bring a fresh look year plan, guided by the 5C’s, has what it Nature Reserve south of Sossusvlei, to the entire Wolwedans Collection, takes to become a blueprint for more Wolwedans is more than a Collection WeDune also used the recent pause and Wolwedans feels confident that this tenSituated in the heart of the NamibRand with Camp, Boulders Camp and sustainable, resilient and inclusive of Camps. It’s a collection of dreams. our Jubilee year to bring a fresh look year plan, guided by the 5C’s, has what it Nature Reserve south of Sossusvlei, the Dune Lodge undergoing extensive conservation/tourism economies - both Out here in the Namib Desert we are to the entire Wolwedans Collection, takes to become a blueprint for more Wolwedans is more than a Collection renovations. When you experience in Namibia and globally. As we all know, tweaking the rules of ‘business as with Dunetoday, Camp,it’s Boulders and sustainable, resilienttalk andhas inclusive of Camps. It’s a collection of dreams. Wolwedans hard toCamp imagine the time to walk never usual’, aiming inspire a new way. We also used the recent pause and Wolwedans feelsthe confident that thisbeen tenSituated in theto heart of the NamibRand the Dune Lodge undergoing conservation/tourism - both Out here in the south NamibofDesert we are where it all year began 1995, withextensive just more relevant andbypressing our Jubilee toin bring a fresh look year plan, guided theeconomies 5C’s,than hasnow. what it Nature Reserve Sossusvlei, We used the recent months of forced renovations. When you experience in Namibia and globally. As we all know, tweaking the rules of ‘business as four tents pitched on elevated to theigloo entire Wolwedans Collection, takes to become a blueprint for more Wolwedans is more than a Collection Inthe addition driving positive reflection to actively prepare forway. the Wolwedans today, hard imagine time totoresilient walk theand talkinclusive haschange never been with usual’, aiming inspire aof new wooden decks onBoulders theit’s crest of atodune. Dune Camp, Camp and sustainable, of Camps. It’s atocollection dreams. and building a sustainable enterprise, future and properly reboot. Shifting where it all began in 1995, with just more relevant and pressing than now. the Dune Lodge undergoing extensive conservation/tourism economies - both Out here in Namib Desertof we are We thethe recent months by adding a new ‘C’forced into Asfour we have been challenging ourselves Wolwedans is also about the Pursuit of intoused 5th gear igloo tents pitched on elevated renovations. When you experience inInNamibia globally.positive As we all know, tweaking the rules of ‘business as the additionand to driving change reflection to actively for our sustainability mix,prepare all our actions towooden achieve decks new heights, one thing has Happiness. Happy people – including onit’s thehard crest a dune. Wolwedans today, toof imagine the time to walk the talk has never been usual’, aiming to inspire a new way. and building a sustainable enterprise, future and properly reboot.by Shifting going ahead, will be guided the not changed: this land of endless guests, team and stakeholders alike – where it all began in 1995, with just more relevant and pressing than now. adding a newof‘C’ into As we have been challenging is also about the Pursuit into 5th gear interconnectedness of Conservation, horizons and striking blue skies,ourselves where aWolwedans happy and healthy environment and of We used the by recent months forced four igloo tents pitched on elevated our sustainability mix, allCulture our for actions to achieve heights, one thing has Happiness. – including Commerce, and, travelers findnew beauty to feed their importantly, adriving happypeople bottom line. In addition toHappy positive change reflection toCommunity, actively prepare the wooden decks on the crest of a dune. going ahead, will bereboot. guided Shifting by the nottranquility changed: this landtheir of endless guests, team and stakeholders alike – now, Consciousness. soul, to clear mind and building a sustainable enterprise, future and properly Wolwedans invites youenvironment to go slow, and interconnectedness of Conservation, horizons and striking blue skies, a happy and healthy and th andwe space their imagination to where ‘C’ into As havefor been challenging ourselves Wolwedans is also about the Pursuit of into 5 gear by adding a new th Jubilee. To Mid 2020 marked our 25 disconnect to reconnect. With yourself, Commerce, Community, Culture and, travelers find heights, beauty feed their importantly, a happy bottom line. soar. Wolwedans looks to forward tohas our sustainability mix, all our actions to achieve new one thing Happiness. Happy people – including honorConsciousness. this historic occasion, we quietly with nature, and with humankind. Going now, soul, tranquility to clear their mind welcoming guests back in March going ahead, will be guided by the not changed: this land of endless 2021. guests, team and stakeholders alike – launched the ambitious Wolwedans forward, we endeavour awayand Wolwedans invites youtotosteer go slow, and space theirblue imagination to interconnectedness of Conservation, horizons andfor striking skies, where a happy and healthy environment and Vision 2030, themed from the passively consumptive Jubilee. To Mid 2020 marked our“The 25thAridEden disconnect to reconnect. With tourism yourself, soar. Wolwedans forward Commerce, Community, Culture and, travelers find beautylooks to feed their to importantly, a happy bottom line. Project”. by a philosophy paradigm of the rather strive honor thisUnderpinned historic occasion, we quietly with nature, andpast, withand humankind. Going soul, welcoming guests backtheir in March now, Consciousness. tranquility to clear mind 2021. launched thepeople, ambitious Wolwedans forward,a we endeavour steer away of balancing planet and profit towards more engaged, active and Wolwedans invites you toto go slow, and and space for their imagination to Vision 2030, themed “The AridEdenTo from the passively tourism in everything we do, participative of consumptive travelWith - crafted by a Jubilee. Mid 2020 marked ourThe 25thAridEden disconnect toway reconnect. yourself, soar. Wolwedans looks forward to Projectthis provides the framework and wide rangeof ofand experiences activities Project”. Underpinned by a philosophy paradigm the past,humankind. andand rather strive honor historic occasion, we quietly with nature, with Going welcoming guests back in March 2021. identity for journey ahead. which nurture theengaged, head,tohand and heart. launched theour ambitious Wolwedans forward, we endeavour steer away of balancing people, planet and profit towards a more active and Vision 2030, themed AridEden from the passively tourism in everything we do, “The The AridEden participative way consumptive of travel - crafted by a Project”. Underpinned by a philosophy paradigm of the past, and rather strive Project provides the framework and wide range of experiences and activities of balancing people, planet and profit identity for our journey ahead. towards a more the engaged, andheart. which nurture head, active hand and WOLWEDANS COLLECTION | +264 -61 – 230 616 | MAIL: INFO@WOLWEDANS.COM | WWW.WOLWEDANS.COM in everything we do, The AridEden participative way of travel - crafted by a Project provides the framework and wide range of experiences and activities
Namibia Wildlife Resorts
Still conserving Namibia’s natural heritage!
Namibia Wildlife Resorts has become part and parcel of the Namibian experience, even for those as far afield as America or China. As a state-owned enterprise, we manage resorts and camps in Namibia’s vast and diverse protected areas – the only hospitality provider that can do so. This provides you with a chance to explore and relax at your own pace. With more than 20 different destinations across Namibia, we have a smorgasbord of experiences for you, so whether you are a traveller that demands luxury at your fingertips or you are looking for an adventure, we have a spot where you can get your groove back. From the world-renowned Etosha National Park where, by the way, you can enjoy camping to five-star luxury, all the way through to the magnificent horizons of the south, the humid forest-lined banks of the Okavango, or even a
BOOK ONLINE OR CONTACT US! +264 61 285 7200 reservations@nwr.com.na www.nwr.com.na
castle… we show you Namibia as she is. Beautiful, natural, harsh, and unspoiled. Your holiday, breakaway or business trip will also contribute to community development and the sustainable use of Namibia’s natural resources. With your exclusive NamLeisure card, you are not only assured of great discounts for your Namibian adventure, but you also know that you are contributing to the Enviro-Kidz programme. Whether you need a weekend or month away, or your team needs building, or, you have something to celebrate, Namibia Wildlife Resorts is your partner to discover Namibia and make memories to last a lifetime! Log on to nwr.com.na and unlock your Namibian adventure… you have no idea what’s waiting for you
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RUGGED The northwestern stretches of Namibia, comprising what was previously known as Damaraland and Kaokoland, now the Erongo and Kunene regions, have been described in countless ways. Most lean toward the extremes. A harsh land. A visit to another world. Not of this earth. More like Mars. Uninhabitable. Unimaginable. The word, however, that will forever best describe it – the landscape, the fauna, the flora, the people – is rugged.
Solitude, silence and contrast call to the adventurous spirit
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s you travel from the central highlands covered in acacia bush, or from the desert wonderland of the coast, into this rough-hewn northwest, you will notice the stark change in scenery almost immediately. It is not a gentle shift or subtle slope. One minute there is either bush or sand and within a short turn of the earth on its axis you find yourself surrounded by red rocky ranges. The real adventure starts where the tar road ends. The smell of dust. The bumpy rhythm of tyres on gravel. To many, the first introduction to the region are the protruding peaks of the Spitzkoppe, an inselberg in the middle of vast flat plains. Not unlike a gothic cathedral, it towers over the surrounding landscape, a fitting prelude to the dramatic displays yet to come. Here, everything is few and far between. Gravel roads connect conservancy areas where humanity lives in the most wonderfully simplistic of ways, right alongside the wilderness. Encased in it. More often than not, surrounded by nothing... There is magic in the “nothingness”. The remoteness. Can you conceive a place where with little over-exaggeration you may wonder if there is indeed another human within a 100 km radius? How do things survive here? Among the rocks and sand. Through wind and drought and harsh heat beating down on the ravished yet utterly beautiful earth. The enormous clear sky above. Yet, despite all logic, no rhyme or reason, on the hills and mountainsides, across gravel plains and in dry ephemeral rivers, you will find so much life. Hardy plants flourishing in a world of
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extremes – commiphora, sterculia, welwitschia, albitrunca – and wild creatures so well-adapted that they thrive in number and astonish anyone lucky enough to come across them in this hinterland. Perhaps most confounding of all – the people. Humans who have made the craggy slopes their home, and the wildlife their neighbours. Who share their meagre water with giants. And who stand up with a vehement passion to those who threaten the survival of species they have claimed as kin. One in four Namibians choose to live with wildlife. Here, in the north-western parts they are the Damara, Herero, Riemvasmakers and Himba. Each with an enthralling story of how they got here, how they ended up in this corner of the world. Where did their ancestors’ pasts take such a dramatic turn? Millennia ago, the earliest inhabitants of southern Africa, the San, left their marks and told their stories on the rock faces of outcrops in the region. Today, connoisseurs and the curious travel from far-away continents to view, ponder and interpret the messages they left behind. Their rock art and engravings the subject of legend. From the granite boulder-strewn plains northward you will cross the Ugab, Huab, Uniab, Hoanib, Hoarusib, Khumib. All of them rivers, technically, yet they run dry. Far off from almost any direction the bulk of Namibia’s highest mountain, the Brandberg, lay in view. On clear days it seems like you can see it from a world away. Along the dry rivers, wildlife meanders – slow and steady like the changing of the seasons. Hustling to survive. Allowing visitors a glimpse at life where it flourishes in an unyielding, weathertarnished landscape. Special species, adapted to life in this harsh terrain. On the rare occasions when enough rain has fallen
inland, water inundates the river systems and drenches the land, kick-starting life. Giraffe, springbok, gemsbok, steenbok, jackal and many more creatures thrive here. The most iconic of them all: desert-adapted elephants, lions and black rhino. For the black rhino this region is a sanctuary. They are the largest free-roaming population on the globe. Modern day dinosaurs, millions of years in the making, so perfectly in sync with the ancient geological marvels of the terrain. A land before, or perhaps beyond, time. To the far north, with the Kunene River and Angola beyond, gaze down into the Hartman’s Valley from the surrounding heights, the Marienfluss to the east. Nothing will prepare you for the sight. Sweeping landscapes. Fairy circles scattered across the valley floor. A moment of absolute awe at the magnitude of space, and the mystery of how it all came to be. A valley from where the horizon-bending vantage stretches to infinity. A lone Himba traversing the vast land like a mirage in heat and dust. Take a moment as you stare across the mighty expanse. This quietly wondrous desertscape. A moment that might help you realise how small we and our problems are in the grand scheme of things. These ancient terrains have stood the test of time. Weather, volcanoes, earthquakes and floods bigger than our minds can fathom, beyond the realm of our understanding, have shaped this dramatic vista. We are here to marvel at the wonders of nature, appreciate not intrude. Absorb, not take.
A day in the Kunene is akin to floating inside a kaleidoscope. A colour wheel. A Pantone performance. The mornings start soft and subtle. Pastels with a watercolour wash of mist and fog. Then the acute rays of the sun morph the world into piercing contrast. A glittering reflection of bright and beautiful life casting the textured ochre landscape into sharp relief. At the golden hour the rugged hues of orange turn a dramatic molten lava red and the world around you is set ablaze. As the pink sun sinks toward the horizon, the dark blues of faroff mountainscapes offset the cerise skyline. A multi-layered visage. Like cardboard cut-outs. An artwork of depth. Further and further away the mountains lie, navy protrusions, another adventure on the horizon. And when the darkness of night finally descends, the sky is once again set alight. Either by the brightest of moons, seemingly so close you can reach out and stroke its cratered surface, or by the inconceivable grandeur of Namibia’s evening sky. Fireflies stuck on a midnight blue canopy. Shooting embers sparking across the vast nothingness overhead. And it is in that moment, with days spent in the harsh beauty of this rugged corner of Namibia, that you can absorb and appreciate the fact that few places such as this still exist in the world. Damaraland. Kaokoland. Hinterland. No matter the name, the north-western wilderness of Namibia – enigmatic, forlorn, dramatic and rugged – will always have the most authentic atmosphere and character. Untouched beauty. The solitude and silence of this land of contrasts will forever call to the adventurous spirit.
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CONNECTORS OF POSITIVE CHANGE
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rom the beginning of time the stars have filled Africans with wonder. Our ancestors did not just admire their beauty as they gazed at the night sky.
They used the constellations of stars for measuring time, the seasons, cycles and direction. One such constellation is Capricornus, called by ancient people “the southern gate of the sun”. It is from this constellation that the Tropic of Capricorn got its name many centuries ago, when the sun was in the Capricornus constellation at the time of the southern solstice. All lines of latitude have geographical relevance, but to the people of southern Africa the Tropic of Capricorn is more. Spanning across the centre of Namibia, it receives the brightest rays of sun on the day of the summer solstice. It signals the time of abundance with generous offerings from nature. We took our inspiration from the Tropic of Capricorn, the band that symbolised abundance and created positive change for people. Creating positive change is what every member of our organisation strives to achieve every day. To find innovative ways in which to bring together our customers and their aspirations. We passionately believe that by connecting the people of this region to opportunity and prosperity, we can help with taking the region closer to realising its greatest self. Our humble beginnings in Windhoek were born out of a tenacious spirit of entrepreneurship. Since then our journey has led us on a path of achievements, growing us beyond Windhoek and Namibia. Rooted in the pillars of “W” for Windhoek, where it all began, the three lines of our logo represent our values of being open, dedicated and inspired. We are proud of our logo: it reflects our legacy and how we got to where we are now. And as before we will always achieve our successes by holding true to our values. Along with this we will continue to reach for the stars. Only, that now we seek them in the eyes of the ones whose lives we have made better. Not only are we inspired by the dreams of those who call this beautiful part of Africa home, but we want to make these dreams a reality for them. The future shines brightly, and we will journey towards it as one. This is Capricorn, and we are proud to support the “This is Namibia” initiative and play a role in creating positive change for the Namibian tourism industry. We hope to welcome you to this beautiful part of Africa soon! Thinus Prinsloo Group CEO
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Kaokoland extends from the Kunene River southwards across a sparsely populated and harsh environment down to the ephemeral Hoanib River. The area holds a special allure for those who love remote and wild places, to negotiate the challenging and rugged terrain in four-wheel-drive vehicles. Attractions include the famous desert-adapted elephants, scattered Himba settlements, the impressive Epupa Falls, off-thebeaten-track destinations such as the expansive Marienfluss and Hartmann valleys, the wild and beautiful Khowarib Schlucht as well as Swartbooisdrift, site of a Dorslandtrekker monument.
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It’s hard to believe that plants can flourish in a harsh arid landscape such as this. Hardy and rugged plants grow among the rockstrewn plains and on eroded slopes. A wide variety of species such as commiphora, euphorbia and other desert plants are found there. Namibia’s national plant, the Welwitschia mirabilis, is a wonder in itself. Endemic to the Namib, it occurs in the desert’s central and north-western parts, up into Angola. These plants can live up to 2000 years. The dry ephemeral river systems are often lined by tall trees. Ana trees, lead wood and camel thorn are a source of food for elephants that roam the area. Some of the trees are as ancient as the land around them – like this old and gnarly camel thorn in the Aba Huab River.
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The geology of a landscape is such an innate aspect of it that it is easily overlooked. The complexity and beauty of how this rugged terrain was formed is something that should not be overlooked. The fauna and flora of the region is certainly to be admired, but appreciating the fundamental force with which the landscape was shaped is just as intriguing. It is a story of collisions and accretion that resulted in the formation of the supercontinent of Gondwana 550 million years ago. When Gondwana started to break apart 180 million years ago, extensive volcanic activity created vast fields of lava that covered much of what is northwestern Namibia today. In many places, tectonics lifted the margins of the new continent and entire mountain ranges formed. Erosion smoothed the landscape and further shaped it over the ages. Left for us to marvel at is one of the most interesting and intricate patchworks of geology in Namibia, known as the Damara Sequence in the greater area of the Erongo, Brandberg and Doros Crater. Both fauna and flora have adapted to the harsh terrains. In the ephemeral river systems, biodiversity thrives.
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Namibia’s acclaimed Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) programme was a gamechanger in conservation in Africa. Through the inception of this programme in the mid-90s, the Namibian government gave local communities ownership rights to the natural resources that they live with. Communities set up legal entities, known as conservancies, which have an internal governing system and management plans to derive financial benefits for their members through the utilisation of natural resources. Examples of such use include tourism enterprises (e.g. joint venture lodges with private companies or tourism operations in their own right) and conservation hunting. With income generated by activities such as rhino tracking, the conservancy is able to appoint more game guards and thereby simultaneously creates more jobs and protects wildlife. This sense of ownership of wildlife encourages communities to preserve and protect what is now their asset. The CBNRM programme has been tremendously successful. Here, a Himba woman harvests myrr from a Commiphora wildii. This sustainable practice is a much-needed source of income for these remote communities.
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The Brandberg is Namibia’s highest mountain. Rising from the flat landscape around it, the mass of rock can be seen from far and wide on clear days. The Brandberg massif covers an area of 760 km² and has a mean height of 2 500 metres. The highest peak is the Königsstein at 2 573 metres above sea level. Numerous rock paintings are found in the Brandberg area. The most famous is the White Lady, discovered in 1917 by Reinhard Maack. Originally the painting was interpreted as that of a woman of European descent. Now scientists are convinced that it depicts a San warrior or shaman. Nevertheless, the name White Lady remains.
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Perhaps Namibia’s greatest conservation success story is that of the black rhinoceros. The largest free-roaming population on the globe can be found in the northwest. After a shocking decline of 98% between 1960 and 1995, the population stabilised, with a resurgence in poaching in the years 2012 to 2017. It is estimated that there are fewer than 5 600 black rhinos left in the wild today. Namibia is thought to be home to 95% of them. Since the peak of poaching in 2013, the collective effort of government, police, NGOs and most notably the communities that live in the area, has resulted in poaching operations dropping by 80%.
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With its scenic surroundings, the Epupa Falls are one of Namibia’s most pristine tourist destinations. The ‘falls’ are a series of cascades where the Kunene River drops a total of 60 metres over a distance of about 1.5 km, forming a multitude of channels and a myriad of rock pools.
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Namibia’s coastline extends over more than 1500 km from the Orange River in the south to the Kunene in the north. Scattered along these tumultuous shores are over 1000 wrecks of ships and crafts that never reached their destination. The northern section of the coastline and the adjoining desert landscapes form the Skeleton Coast National Park. From the Ugab River northward to the Kunene River, and up to 70 km inland in certain places, this conservation area protects some of the most pristine arid landscapes in the world. This wilderness is home to desert-adapted wildlife and ancient flora. Dramatic vistas are mostly untouched by the destructive human hand.
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We are more prosperous supporting one another. Sometimes what’s needed to discover success is not competition but collaboration. When you are connected you have more support, more resources and more opportunity. At Capricorn, we believe in being Connectors of Positive Change. Through our diversified portfolio and reach, we bring our clients closer to their goals so they can realise their dreams.
To learn more about the Capricorn Group visit Capricorn.com.na
OFFERING
Q UI N T E S S E N T I A L
A DV E N T U R E S
+264 61 228 104 | reservations@journeysnamibia.com | www.journeysnamibia.com Fish River Lodge | Little Forest Garden Retreat Guesthouse | Grootberg Lodge | Hoada Campsite | Hobatere Lodge | Shipwreck Lodge
Start your journey of reconnecting with NATURE PEOPLE WILDLIFE Reconnect with NAMIBIA
ENINGU CLAYHOUSE LODGE
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here are few places in the world where one has the joy of waking up to no other sound than guinea fowl and francolins scurrying about. With coffee in hand, taking a few steps on bare feet in the softest red Kalahari sand to the edge of the garden. Faint pink sky announces the rising sun and thorn trees decorated in the most delicate spring blossoms like soft yellow cotton balls abound for as far as the eye can see. Isn’t that why we need to escape? For our senses to be soothed by the subtle beauty of natural colours and sounds? To be in a place where we can turn our backs just for a little while on everything man-made and walk into the bush? Walk along a sandy path and imagine oneself being the only person on earth? And just when you get worried that now you really are lost, there is a fork in the road and an arrow directing you back to the breakfast room. The very essence of Eningu Clayhouse Lodge is being grounded in the earth from which it is constructed. You are welcomed into the family without infringing on the sense of freedom and of being undisturbed. Enjoy your last or first days in this country of wide open spaces in the quiet comfort of creatively designed interiors and quirky details, complemented by fusion cuisine and an excellent wine collection – all set in the middle of the bush. To make your stay at Eningu a truly unforgettable experience, visit the art studio and gallery of Namibia’s globally acclaimed sculptor, Dörte Berner. Her sculptures are part of collections on four continents where she has had more than 40 exhibitions in the course of 50 years. The artwork in the garden of Eningu is a mere introduction to what lies ahead when you drive through the gate of Pepperkorrel Farm. An experience which truly cannot be replicated anywhere on earth.
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Tel +264 64 46 4144 info@eningulodge.com www.eningulodge.com
a i b i m a N f o t s e The Very B
Take home rich memories of adventure and luxury in the African wilderness from two lodges, on private reserves spanning 27,500 hectares, just two hours’ drive southeast of Windhoek. This is the spirit of Aru Game Lodges—a family-run company with an impressive commitment to proven wildlife and habitat conservation efforts, stellar customer service and attention to every detail. Aru offers two unique, well-appointed lodges — Kalakwa Lodge and Veronica Lodge — both a short drive from Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Veronica Game Lodge is set in a Kalahari savannah landscape with red dunes and towering camelthorn trees. Kalakwa Game Lodge offers terrains ranging from savannah grasslands to bushveld and rocky hills. These picturesque properties offer Aru’s guests a perfect mix of the very best wild country and endemic game species in Namibia, including both black and white rhino, and a healthy array of predators. After unforgettable days afield, guests are treated to luxury, elegance and privacy. Five-star cuisine. Star-filled skies. Relaxing campfires and tales of the day’s adventures. The unique ambiance that only Africa can offer abounds at Aru. And with world-class birding, photo safaris and game drives, horseback rides and quad biking, sundowner excursions and sightseeing and a relaxing sauna, there’s truly something for every taste, pace and passion. Yours truly, Danene & Gysbert van der Westhuyzen
+264 (0)81 129 5536 | info@arugamelodges.com | arusafaris.com/eco | Instagram: @aru_safaris
LIBERATING There is magic in every sunrise, in every setting sun and in every full moon rising. Nothing can match the feeling of total awe when waking up at the first light of dawn, just before sunrise, in time to see the moon drop through a layer of pink as it sinks behind an endless western horizon. The moon, the stars, the sun, the wind, the sand, the heat, the dust. Our living desert bestows upon a visitor all of these as moments to feel the solitude. To experience an exhilarating sense of total freedom. To be the first human making a footprint in the sand. Liberating.
The Namib – our living desert that liberates your soul
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eaching the Namib Desert from the interior, the journey starts with all roads leading into the sunset. To the countless variations of an ancient land formed over millennia into spectacular vistas.
The central highland with its undulating landscape of mountains and valleys ends on an escarpment from where it drops down to the desert plains which eventually meet the ocean. That breathtaking moment when you reach the top of Spreetshoogte Pass on the escarpment, not expecting what lies ahead and below, is awe inspiring. Beyond, as far as the eye can see, lies the oldest desert in the world. No matter how many times you already have been granted this visual privilege, regardless of season, weather or time of day, it always lifts the spirit and makes you wish to soar like the two resident eagles. Some vistas will always be unforgettable, an everlasting imprint on the eye and the soul. Whichever the route leading from the central plateau to the desert and the sea, the overwhelming sense of space and the expanse of the land and sky is overpowering. A single gravel path meanders down and into the distance where it disappears into the horizon.
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Remhoogte Pass past the Blässkranz tufa, or Gamsberg Pass before crossing the Kuiseb River which separates the sand from the rock and gravel – at the end is endless desert space. Further north the Us Pass and the Bosua, with its multitude of goldenstemmed Cyphostemma trees, lead to over 3 million hectares of vastness: the Namib Sand Sea, a World Heritage Site. Buried within this living desert are the treasures of millennia of geological processes and more recently the cultural remnants of ancient people who moved across the plains a few hundred years ago. They briefly settled in and around the rocky outcrops and inselbergs dotted on the gravel plains. Their stone circles also survived the passing of time where the ocean meets the land and where to this day large colonies of seals are found, where jackal and hyena have a symbiotic relationship to stay alive. Where hundreds of thousands of migratory birds breed in the wetlands, pelicans survive on offshore islands, where whales and dolphins came back from near extinction and are sighted every so often in the cold, nutrient-rich waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Namibia’s 1,570 km of coast, from the northern to the southern border, is lined by this desert. And all of it, except the towns, is protected in national parks.
The Namib has the highest dunes and the deepest gorges, flat gravel plains, and wetlands full of birds and other life. Ephemeral rivers have left spectacular traces of flash floods over the ages. Following heavy seasonal inland rains they still rush westward unexpectedly. The dreamlike sensation of misty beaches and foggy mornings are in stark contrast to sun scorched moon-like landscapes and rock formations sculpted by the elements into otherworldly shapes further inland.
Plants, animals and countless other living species have survived, evolved and thrived in the harsh desert conditions for millennia. Because of its extraordinary climate the living desert is the only place on earth where a multitude of these species occur and where they survive because the desert protects them.
Nothing can prepare the uninitiated for the wonderment of a moonless night under the stars. Watching the constellations of the southern hemisphere move slowly across its celestial path it becomes evident why the Milky Way is named such. There is no light pollution to spoil the spectacle. The canopy of stars seems so close that tumbling into it feels like a surreal possibility.
Desert-adapted animals have the freedom to follow ancient migratory routes from the mountains to the plains in search of grazing and water. The ephemeral rivers which cut through the desert and then disappear in the sand, are a life-giving food source for gemsbok, springbok, zebra, giraffe, ostrich, elephant, jackal, duiker, steenbok, lion, leopard, hyena, warthog, baboon, badger and mongoose. This list of desert inhabitants is not nearly complete and the wonder of each of these creatures’ unique mechanism of survival makes for a journey of discovery.
To sleep under the full moon is an equally profound experience. Or not sleeping is closer to the truth when the desert is cloaked in monotone while every geographical feature is visible. It is night but it’s not. It is dark but it’s not. There is light but only a reflection of it. It is as if the animals on the plains and the insects, geckos and birds are just as mesmerised. Even the silence of the night has a different sound in moonlit nights.
Evidence of failed human development attempts in earlier years is still visible in places along the coast. Before the desert took back its own, or riches were found elsewhere. The remnants of such follies and endeavours have become sentimental relics worth visiting. If only to show that we humans still need to learn how to tread lightly. To utilise natural resources but maintain the ecological balance and preserve that which cannot ever be replaced.
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WE ARE THE BACKBONE OF CONNECTIVITY
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amibia is a vast, sparsely populated country with a human density of only two people per square kilometre, wide open spaces and a warm, dry climate. What better place to visit when that is exactly what the new normal requires for safe travel? Namibia is the tourism destination of the future. Effective global connectivity is a prerequisite for hosting international tourists.
That is what Telecom Namibia has accomplished. In a country of less than three million people on 824,268 km2 of land, Telecom Namibia provides 13,000 km of fibre optic cable across all regions, equipped with a total of 850 Gb/s capacity, over 500 ethernet and IP Points of Presence, allowing IP connectivity across most parts of the country. Telecom has a network of 296 mobile base stations; several sites are equipped with 3G and 4G technology for mobile broadband. We are the backbone of telecommunication infrastructure in Namibia and the leading provider of broadband solutions. We keep individuals and businesses digitally connected through a variety of modern global communication technologies. Our 100% digital transmission network provides a comprehensive portfolio of communication services and solutions in broadband, data and voice-over fixed, fixed-wireless and mobile platforms. We provide integrated communication solutions and have products and solutions tailored for everyone: wholesalers, corporates, government, large, medium and small enterprises, small and home offices as well as residential users. With our investment in some of the world's most sophisticated submarine cable systems such as SAT3, Seacom and WACS, we enhanced the reliability of Namibia’s connectivity to the global submarine cable network and access to international destinations for voice, data and internet communication. We are committed to bringing the best communication solutions to customers in Namibia and beyond. With our state-of-the-art telecommunications network infrastructure and extensive global connectivity we are positioned as a regional Internet hub and digital gateway to the SADC region. We provide direct connections from Namibia to more than 240 destinations around the world. To improve service delivery to our customers we emphasise quality customer service enhancements and innovations. Telecom Namibia is evolving into a Next Generation Network service provider, which enables the company to enhance its efficiency and productivity while providing enriched products and services to its customers. Telecom Namibia Limited is incorporated under the Post and Telecommunications Act of 1992 and is a subsidiary of Namibia Post and Telecom Holdings Limited (NPTH). Since the commercialisation of Telecom Namibia in 1992, the company has grown into a multi-facetted telecommunications service provider and has invested billions of Namibia dollars in infrastructure development across the country and at strategic international locations in southern Africa and Europe.
Nomvula Kondombolo-Kambinda Head: Corporate Communication & PR
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The Namib is the oldest desert on earth: 43 million years, and at least 2 million in its present form. It stretches along the entire Namibian coast from the border with South Africa in the south to Angola in the north. At its narrowest it is 25 km in the Skeleton Coast section and at its widest 180 km in Namib-Naukluft National Park. The 3 million hectares in the heart of the Namib were proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012 because it is a “place on Earth with outstanding universal value to humanity to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.� 84% of this site is a sea of sand that protects 300 endemic desert-adapted species of animals, insects and plants. There is no place like this anywhere else on the planet.
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boom PvS moringa
Trees are not abundant in the Namib, except along ephemeral rivers and on the gravel plains where they persevere against all odds in such arid conditions. Moringa trees (in this photograph), their trunks gnarled by the harsh environment, grow in picturesque settings on the gravel plains and in the mountains of NamibNaukluft National Park. Camel thorn trees endure the heat and drought thanks to their deep roots and often serve as nesting sites for lappet-faced vultures. Plants in the desert have adapted to cope with the scorching heat of summer and long periods of time with little or no rain. Each precious tree provides small eco-systems where many creatures survive.
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It is almost unthinkable that this beautiful place was discovered little more than a hundred years ago, and became a popular tourist attraction only a few decades ago. There is something about the freedom to climb the high dunes, slide down the slip-face or wander about in the sand knowing that your footprint will probably be wiped away in no time as soon as the wind picks up, leaving the sand smooth and the area seeming like an undiscovered place again. Now one of the most visited natural attractions in Namibia, Sossusvlei is seldom deserted, but the overwhelming sense of space remains.
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Namibia has 676 bird species. Some are endemic or near-endemic. To make the most of the sheer abundance of birds in different biomes, and to have the best chance to identify the endemics, join a tour with a well-versed birding expert. It will be no challenge to recognise flamingos, the graceful ballerinas along the Namibian coast. Watch them fly past in beautiful flocks or see tens of thousands of them feed in the wetlands of international importance – at the Walvis Bay Lagoon and Sandwich Harbour, two of Namibia’s Ramsar Sites. Flamingos breed in Etosha, also a Ramsar Site, the Nyae Nyae Pans in Khaudum and on the Sua Pans in Botswana when these pans have water. How they know when that happens is another miracle of nature. Just south of the Walvis Bay salt pans (on this photograph) is Sandwich Harbour. The natural lagoon, once a harbour for whalers because of the fresh water spring that feeds one part of the wetland, forms part of Namibia’s Marine Reserve. Imagine a place that supports between 75 000 to 400 000 water birds, protects more than 50 species of birds and provides a perfect hide-away for fish to spawn. Take a day-trip from Walvis Bay, climb the highest dune and look down on a sanctuary for migratory sea and shore birds. Even better, take a scenic flight to see the beauty and magnitude of this natural phenomenon.
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With golden grass on the gravel plains, growing against red dunes and at the foot of rocky outcrops, the Namib looks like golden maize fields after exceptional rains during so-called wet cycles in the desert. Animals that normally migrate further inland into the mountains to find better grazing and water sources stay in the desert in those times of plenty. Large herds of zebra, springbok and gemsbok move across the wide expanse of the Namib between the gravel plains and the sand, through the dry riverbeds and into the valleys below the escarpment.
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Namibia is the first African country to have its entire coastline of 1,570 km protected in national parks. Combined, these parks would be the biggest park in Africa and the 6th largest in the world. The marine protected area along the coast covers one million hectares of the Atlantic Ocean, including small islands, islets and rocks. The Namib is a living desert thanks to the cold (14-20°C) nutrient-rich Benguela Current, which flows northward from Cape Point, and the fog that produces five times more moisture than rain in the central parts of the desert. Rain is less than 20 mm per year or nothing at all, but the fog moves in from the coast and deposits its life-giving moisture up to 50 kilometres inland.
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The most photographed place in Namibia. Theatrical, dramatic, atmospheric, photogenic with red ochre dunes against blue skies, and skeletons of dead trees graphicly etched on the dry white clay of the pan. It is estimated that these trees grew there about 800 years ago and survived for three centuries before the climate changed, the desert became warmer and the water table dropped so low that all the trees died. What is left is the perfect backdrop for visitors to immortalise them in photos.
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Satlink
Experience high-speed
Internet access nationwide
Satlink delivers high-speed Internet and voice services to homes, farmers and businesses, as well as customers in extreme, remote areas. For more information, call us Toll Free on 11000 or email contactus@telecom.na Terms and Conditions apply. www.telecom.na
STARTUP NAMIBIA WITH INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
"T
he startup ecosystem for any developing economy is extremely important. Because startups bring innovation and growth to any economy and Namibia is no different." From nurturing the seeds of an idea, to supporting growth and stimulating the entrepreneurial journey – StartUp Namibia is geared at getting Namibia's innovators and entrepreneurs going. Building a strong startup culture that will enable the creation of new jobs and have an impact on the overall economy of Namibia.
StartUp Namibia is a technical cooperation project implemented by GIZ together with the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade, the City of Windhoek and the Ministry of Higher Education, Innovation and Technology, funded by the German Government. The project’s aim is to improve conditions for establishing and growing startups in selected regions of Namibia. The vibe is quick, fast and energetic. A one-stop shop for startup programmes ranging from idea stage to growth stage, tools, networks and resources for the formalisation of businesses with potential to grow.
www.thisisnamibia.com
“We want Namibia to be the launchpad for startups in the entire region. Our aim is to develop a culture of disruptive entrepreneurship, working together and collaborating. We want to grow a thriving startup ecosystem.” Basecamp is the StartUp Incubation and Innovation Centre of the StartUp Namibia project, currently located in Windhoek at the corner of John Meinert and Frans Indongo street. Basecamp is destined to become the new home for Namibian startups and provide them with a space where new, innovative ideas flourish and grow into sustainable businesses. StartUp Namibia’s Digital Centre will focus strongly on developing digital entrepreneurship.
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T H E L U X U R Y O F S PA C E
OUR JOURNEYS CHANGE LIVES Dedicated to conserving and restoring Namibia’s wilderness and wildlife by creating life-changing journeys and inspiring positive action www.wilderness-safaris.com
PACK FOR CONSERVATION and support the people who protect rhinos
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YMOT is involved in various aspects of tourism and conservation. CYMOT supports rhino conservation through “Save the Rhino Trust” and the annual RMB Ride for Rhinos Cycle Safari. CYMOT as partner of the “Pack for Conservation” initiative entice visitors to actively and directly contribute in a tangible way.
CYMOT recently launched one of the largest e-commerce platforms in Southern Africa. Visitors travelling to Namibia can purchase field uniforms and gear for rhino rangers online at www.cymot.com. Choosing from various packages available. The kits are delivered to the Conservation Travel Foundation in Windhoek. Guests have the opportunity to meet and personally deliver the kits to the rangers. Remember, even if a small percentage of visitors to Namibia or fellow Namibians support this initiative, it makes a huge difference to the dedicated rangers out in the field. Every contribution is appreciated, big or small.
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Our tested and approved 4x4 fleet Is designed for namibian off road terrain, Ensuring a comfortable And hassle-free Adventure.
We offer you top-of-the-range vehicles ranging from SUV’s, 8- & 14-seater Buses (with or without driver) to all-terrain 4X4s, with or without camping gear.
info@namibiacarrental.com Office: +264 61 249239 | Mobile: +264 81 122 2500
Discover Namibia at its best! www.thisisnamibia.com
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CONSERVATION IS KEY TO TOURISM
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eisure and tourism have become part of world culture and international economies. In Africa, and Namibia in particular, tourism is a strong contributor to GDP and has been on a positive trajectory for a number of years. It is also a key enabler for many communities and homes in Namibia. However, as this much needed sector of the economy continues to soar, if it is not managed and well-supported it could be destructive to the host communities and wider ecosystem. We at RMB with our solutionist thinking approach to business have therefore chosen to support a key challenge that threatens the very existence of the sector: Poaching, especially rhino poaching.
PURPOSE THROUGH PARTNERSHIP
RMB's purpose to develop Namibia’s capital markets has led us to support the Save the Rhino Trust through sponsoring the Ride for Rhinos initiative. We believe that this initiative embodies our purpose. We have found that our actions together with our partners activate sustainable conservation of the Damaraland ecosystem and support the protection of rhinos that are under threat to poaching.
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After five years of sponsoring the Ride for Rhinos initiative with our partners – Wilderness Safaris, CYMOT and Venture Media – we learnt that doing what is right through joint actions has unlocked numerous possibilities which we deem to be sustainable in wildlife conservation.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
The Save the Rhino mission, which we back through Ride for Rhinos, boosts the demand for tourism to Namibia across the globe as tourists come and experience a rhino species that almost became extinct due to poaching. Accommodation facilities for tourists provide sustainable employment for locally recruited staff, which in turn supports their homes and dependents and creates multiple benefits in the communities.
SAVE THE RHINO TRUST
We contribute to the challenges faced by the men who dedicate their lives to keeping the rhinos safe. With our funding we ensure that they can carry out their work and call of duty in the long term. The more partnerships we have the more sustainable the mission becomes.
IMPACT ON TOURISM
We understand that when demand for tourism to Namibia increases, further opportunities and economies of scale are unlocked. For example, Air Namibia which employs many people and creates many indirect jobs as tourists are ushered into the country, like the ripple effect on the tourism establishments that create employment for many people in the communities in which they operate. RMB's support for Save the Rhino through the Ride for Rhinos initiative creates sustainable solutions with our clients (now partners in the Ride for Rhinos initiative). Further, by supporting the Save the Rhino campaigns we also aid government efforts to curb poaching and market our unique Namibia tourism offering. Our small contributions that form part of the greater impact on Namibians who serve the tourism industry directly and indirectly ultimately affect the broader society. And therefore, that’s why I Ride for Rhinos. Neville Ntema Head FXPH
IT’S TIME FOR THE PERFECT BEER IT’S TIME FOR THE PERFECT BEER
OUR PERFECT BEER IS AVAILABLE IN 16PERFECT COUNTRIES WORLD WIDE. OUR BEER IS AVAILABLE FOR INFORMATION IN 16MORE COUNTRIES WORLD WIDE. CONTACT NBLEXPORT@OL.NA FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT NBLEXPORT@OL.NA
Not for Persons Under the Age of 18. Not for Persons Under the Age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly. Enjoy Responsibly.
See the big picture. And then closely examine the details. Our Solutionist Thinking sees things from every angle. It broadens the horizon for our clients, opening up possibilities and unlocking opportunity. It's the magic that inspires what we do.
