IMPORTANT NOTICE

Please note that as from 30 April 2012 Solitaire's service station will be closed and will not have any petrol / diesel until further notice.  Please make use of the service station at Sesriem for petrol / diesel fill-ups.

For more information, please contact us at: info@namibiareservations.com

The Canyon now considered unsafe for Hikers

/Ai-/Ais Richtersveldt Transfrontier Park: The Ministry of Environment and Tourism have announced that due to the strong flow of the Fish River, the canyon will not open on 1 May, as is usually the case. The new opening date is anticipated to be the 15^th of May 2012; however this will depend on the level of the water.

The Canyon is now considered unsafe for hikers and because of the serious safety hazard; visitors will not have access to the canyon.

Media Release: Namibia Wildlife Resorts

For more information, please contact us at info@namibiareservations.com

Swakopmund Airstrip Closed

The Swakopmund Airstrip will be closed from 05 April 2012 to 31 July 2012, and air traffic will be rerouted to and from Walvis Bay.

When more information becomes available, an update will be published on Tour Brief.

‘World’s Best’ title for Three Ships

For the first time ever a South African whisky has taken the title of World’s Best Blended Whisky at the annual Whisky Magazine’s World Whisky Awards.
The Three Ships 5-year-old impressed the judges to such an extent that they awarded it the overall award in the Blended Whisky category at the annual selection of the very best whiskies internationally.
More than 300 whiskies were tasted blind in three intensive rounds by an independent panel of judges that included some of the foremost whisky palates internationally.
Three Ships master distiller Andy Watts said that for the Three Ships Premium Select 5-year-old to be named as the World’s Best Blended Whisky was by far the biggest achievement to date by any South African whisky.
“We have always believed that the whiskies produced here in South Africa were of a quality that placed them among the best, and the large number of awards we have garnered during the past few years have justified our confidence. And now it has been confirmed: South Africa doesn’t have to stand back when it comes to the production of exceptional whiskies.
“By consistently giving attention to our quality and taste profile, we can now celebrate the dedication and passion of the team at the distillery with a world title. This is both a humbling and incredibly rewarding achievement.”

The chairman of the judges, Rob Allanson, commented that the “competition featured some eye-opening whiskies and the judging panel had a hard time separating the good from the very good. The judges’ exacting standards mean that the winners are truly the greatest whiskies in the world.”
The Three Ships 5-year-old Premium Select is a blend of selected South African and Scotch whiskies that have been aged for a minimum of five years. Robust, aromatic and unpretentious, the whisky holds a full peaty character, ending in a lingering, warm finish.
Blended and matured in a distillery in Wellington near Cape Town, The Three Ships 5-year-old Premium Select retails for about R115 per bottle – significantly less than the price of comparable blended Scotch whiskies it beat in the competition.

By: hotelandrestaurant.co.za

Waterberg Area Heavy Rains

Namibia Wildlife Resorts sent us an update on the heavy rains received in the Waterberg Plateau area. It has been raining almost every day, and the roads in this area are not in a good condition. 
We advise clients to drive with 4x4 vehicles and not sedan cars. At this stage the river is still flowing heavily.
We will keep you updated on any changes.

For more information, please send us an email to: info@namibiareservations.com or visit our website: www.namibiareservations.com

Skeleton Coast Camp - Important Update

Closure of the Wilderness Skeleton Coast Camp & opening of Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp

As you may already be aware, our operation of Skeleton Coast Main and Research camps have been subject to annual concession continuity for the last few years, with the latest extension expiring at the end of May this year. An unexpected fire at the end of 2011 damaged the main area at Skeleton Coast Main Camp and prompted us to make an earlier firm decision on our continued operation in this area. As we have a very short term remaining on our lease, and it would not make economic sense to re-build the camp for this period, we have made the decision to close the camp.

That said, we have for some time been in negotiation with the Namibian government and communities to establish a new Skeleton Coast Camp south of the existing concession on Namibia’s most productive ephemeral river system, the Hoanib.  We are pleased to advise that as of last week, we have now secured tenure in an area which will be able to provide a new Skeleton Coast offering that in many ways we believe will surpass that of our former camp.

This does of course mean that a new camp has to be built and as a result, we are unable to offer a Skeleton Coast experience for the period 1 March to 31 July 2012.  Where available, we have provisionally booked all guests currently staying in Skeleton Coast Camp into Serra Cafema Camp as an alternative. While not identical to Skeleton Coast, Serra Cafema does offer a similar experience in terms of its absolute remoteness, the vastness of its scenery, a great variety of Namib desert along a river system, and interaction with authentic Himba communities. If Serra Cafema is full on the dates required, your Journey Consultant will liaise with you directly on any affected bookings in order to make suitable alternative arrangements for your clients.  

We are hopeful that the new camp will open by 1 August 2012. Confirmation of this is expected within the next week, at which time all existing Skeleton Coast bookings from that date onwards will be moved to the new camp.

Tentatively named Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, it will be located adjacent to the magnificent Hoanib River in the northern reaches of the Palmwag Concession. Activities (game drives and walking) will access the game rich riverbed (elephant, giraffe, lion, oryx), the plains, river valleys and hillsides to the south (black rhino, oryx, mountain zebra, springbok) and most importantly the downstream reaches of the Hoanib River in the Skeleton Coast National Park. This last area has a very important seep and water system that is frequented by many different game species, as it cuts through a spectacular dune field and accesses the Atlantic Ocean coastline. We expect that the new camp will be a 9-roomed Classic camp, with 8 twins and 1 family room.  Confirmation of this and additional information on the camp, the offering, access and pricing will follow shortly.

We would also like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience, frustration and possible disappointment experienced as a result of this closure. Circumstances beyond our control have made it a more difficult process than we would have intended.  We are however really excited about the new camp and believe that this will become an integral part of the northern Namibian ecotourism circuit.

News received from Wilderness Safaris

For more information, please email us at:
info@namibiareservations.com or visit our website: http://www.namibiareservations.com/

Naukluft 4x4 Route still closed

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has confirmed that the 4 X4 route in Naukluft is still closed until further notice. 

An update will be given as soon as the route is open again.

For accommodation in Namibia please visit our website at http://www.namibiareservations.com/ or email to info@namibiareservations.com