Fish River Canyon

In the far south of Namibia, the Fish River rises in the centre of the country, before flowing south into the Orange River, on Namibia’s border with South Africa. In between, it has formed the great Fish River Canyon – the largest canyon in the southern hemisphere, and probably only second to Arizona’s Grand Canyon in terms of size. Approaching the Fish River Canyon from the north is like driving across Mars. The vast rocky landscape breaks up into a series of spectacular cliffs, formed by the Fish River as it meanders between boulders over half a kilometre below. Its size is impressive: 161km long, up to 27km wide and almost 550m at its deepest. Keep in mind that the river is seasonal and generally only flows in the rainy season from January to April.

Accommodation & Activities in that Area:

Fish river Lodge

They offer hiking trips into the Fish River Canyon. A Five Night Canyon Hike, Scenic Sundowner Drive, Day Drives and Day Hikes. Accommodation  at 20 Chalets - Outdoor decks overlook the canyon, additional outdoor showers, large bathrooms with sufficient storage space, double basins and an outdoor platform allows guests to sleep under the stars.

Ai Ais National Park

The area around the southern part of Fish River Canyon was proclaimed a conservation area in 1969. The land was as poor in potential for agriculture as it is rich in potential for tourism, and this was a way of protecting the area from uncontrolled development. The 345,000ha national park now encompasses Ai-Ais and Hobas. A more recent initiative has seen the park linked with the environmentally similar Richtersveld in South Africa, to form Namibia’s first transfrontier or peace park: Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park.

Ai-Ais Resort

Hobas 

Dik-Dik of Namibia

The Kirk's dik-dik  is a small antelope native to Eastern Africa and one of four species of dik-dik antelope. It is believed to have six subspecies and possibly a seventh existing in southwest Africa. Dik-diks are herbivores, typically of a fawn color that aids in camouflaging themselves in savannah habitats.  They are also capable of reaching speeds of up to 42 kilometers per hour. The lifespan of Kirk's dik-dik in the wild is typically 5 years, but may surpass 10 years.  In captivity males have been known to live up to 16.5 years, while females have lived up to 18.4 years.

Dik-diks are some of the world's smallest antelopes, with the largest, the Kirk's dik-dik, standing between 14 and 18 inches tall and weighing no more than 7.2 kg. Female dik-diks tend to be 1 to 2 pounds heavier than males. Dik-diks are dainty creatures with a pointed, mobile snout, large eyes and ears, prominent preorbital glands, pipestem legs, hare-like hind limbs that are significantly larger than their forelimbs, and a vestigial tail. Their coats, depending upon their habitat, range from grey to gray-brown with tan flanks, limbs, and an erectile head crest and whitish eye rings, ear lining, underparts, and rump".

 

Similar to other dwarf antelopes, Kirk's dik-diks exist in monogamous pairs on territories. Territories are marked with dung and urine that are deposited in a ritual that is performed to help helps maintain pair bonds. During the ritual, the female will excrete, followed by the male, which samples the female's urine stream to check her reproductive capacity. He paws over and then marks his dung and urine over her deposit. Finally, the pair marks nearby twigs with secretions from their pre-orbital glands. Kingon 1982 states that, "The male courts the female by running up behind her with his head and neck stretched and his muzzle pointing out in front. Copulation begins with the male standing on his hind legs behind the female and waving his forelegs at an acute angle to his own body in the air over her back". Copulation typically occurs anywhere between three and five times within a 9-hour period.

Happy International Cheetah Day!

Did you know that today, 4 December, is International Cheetah Day? Namibia's own Cheetah Conservation Fund hopes the day will "increase worldwide awareness about Africa and Iran’s most endangered cat.” Namibia's commitment to conservation has provided a healthy environment for studying about the cheetah population and how to strengthen its numbers. To help you mark International Cheetah Day, here are some FAST facts about the world's FASTEST land animal!

• The cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world. They can achieve speeds of 112 to 120 km/h (70 to 75 mph) in short bursts. 
• Most car dealers would be envious of their acceleration skills - the cheetah can go from 0 to over 100 km/h (62 mph) in just three seconds! 
• So how does the cheetah have to power to sprint so fast? Partly because of its ability to increase circulation of oxygen as a result of its unusually large heart, wide nostrils and increased lung capacity. 
• A cheetah's breath will increase from 60 breaths per minute to 150 when moving at top speed! 
• Other adaptations include a flexible spine and thin, muscular body with long legs - a bit like an olympic athlete! 
• Despite moving at incredible speeds, the cheetah is able to make swift, sharp turns to keep up with its prey - thanks to its tail which it uses as a rudder. 
• The cheetah's characteristic black "tear marks" that run from the inside of its eyes down to its nose help keep the sun's glare out of its eyes - aiding the big cat while it hunts.  

The Famous Ongava Game Reserve..

Ongava Lodge    

     

The well-established Ongava Lodge is situated in the privately owned Ongava Game Reserve along the southern boundary of Etosha National Park. Placed as it is close to the top of a hill in the foothills of the Ondundozonanandana range, the vantage point is beautiful and overlooks a well-frequented waterhole and the plains beyond.

Ongava Lodge offers luxury accommodation in 14 rock-and-thatch en-suite chalets. There are impressive views over the camp’s waterhole from the main lounge and dining areas and there is also an inviting pool to cool off in the heat of the day. Meals are either served in the main dining area under thatch or on the dining deck under the stars.

Activities include game drives into Etosha, spending time in the camp hide, and nature drives and walks on the reserve. Ongava has resident white and black rhino, giving guests staying at Ongava the opportunity to see both species.

Little Ongava

Little Ongava is perched on the crest of a hill commanding magnificent vistas of the plains stretching for miles to the horizon, offering an extraordinary experience as the focal point of an Etosha journey.

This intimate camp has only three spacious suites each with its own plunge pool, en-suite bathroom, “sala”, and outdoor shower. The lounge and dining areas have wonderful views of a productive waterhole below the camp, the open deck allowing for relaxed, stylish dining under the African sky. Guests at Little Ongava share a dedicated guide and vehicle, ensuring the best possible nature experience at one of Africa’s great wildlife destinations. Day and night wildlife-viewing drives, visiting hides overlooking waterholes, walks and rhino tracking with experienced guides can all be enjoyed exclusively on this reserve. Game drives and day trips into nearby Etosha National Park are also offered.

Ongava tented Camp

The classic safari style camp is tucked in a hidden valley at the foot of a dolomite hill in Ongava Game Reserve bordering Etosha National Park.

Eight large comfortable Meru-style tents all have en-suite facilities, open air showers and private verandas; the family unit sleeps four. The main area, built of stone, canvas and thatch, fronts onto a much-frequented waterhole; watching wildlife coming to drink from here or from the swimming pool is a favourite pastime.

Ongava’s proximity to Etosha allows for game drives in the Etosha National Park and on the Ongava Reserve itself. Other possibilities include guided walks, birding and visiting hides. Ongava holds one of the largest rhino custodianships for the Namibian government in the country and is one of the few private game reserves in southern Africa where guests can see both black and white rhino.

Andersson's Camp

Nestled in mopane scrub on white calcrete soils, Andersson’s Camp is situated 4.5 km from Etosha’s Andersson Gate. The camp was named after Swedish explorer Charles Andersson – one of the first Europeans to “discover” Etosha, Africa’s largest saltpan.

The resurrected former farmstead that stands on the site now forms the centre of a charming camp fronting onto a productive waterhole. The 18 tented en-suite units (including two family suites) are raised on decks. The camp is an exciting example of sustainable construction; this model of eco-sensitive lodging provides an authentic, safe and down-to-earth experience for small groups, families and independent travellers to the Etosha region and is easily accessible by either road or air.

Activities include morning and/or afternoon game drives in Etosha National Park, and morning and afternoon/evening drives (on request in camp) and nature walks on Ongava Reserve. The sunken hide at the waterhole in front of camp is an excellent place from which to watch wildlife coming down to drink.

Ongava Wildlife

The Recently Opened Cheetah View Lodge!

Opened June 2017

Featuring air conditioning, Cheetah View Lodge offers accommodation in Otjiwarongo. Frans Indonga Game Drive is 24 km away. Free WiFi is provided .

All units feature a seating area. There is a private bathroom with a shower in each unit. Towels and bed linen are featured.

Cheetah View Lodge also includes a terrace. Guests can enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant.

Frans Indonga Hiking trail is 25 km from Cheetah View Lodge, while Roadside picnic spot (shaded) is 26 km from the property.

The Canyon Nature Park

At 45 000ha, the park is a vast and rugged landscape of flat-topped rocky mountains and dry plains. A myriad of washes and side ravines carve deep furrows down to the main canyon. Fascinating plants and trees adapted to this harsh environment add splashes of green and feed the wildlife that survive against the odds.

This corner of Namibia’s south is largely undeveloped and the spectacular landscape offers guests a true sense of undiscovered wilderness.

There are over 100 endemic succulents including the largest, the Aloe dichotoma, popularly known as the ‘Kokerboom’, or Quiver Tree as well as over 1 600 other plant species. 

The rare and endemic Hartmann’s mountain zebra are a common sighting, as are springbok, gemsbok (oryx), kudu, steenbok and klipspringers.

Though the river runs seasonally in the summer time, permanent rock pools are home to small-and large-mouth yellowfish, sharptooth catfish and water monitors. There are a variety of birds including black eagle, olive thrush, Cape robin-chat and African black duck.

Huab Lodge

Huab Lodge, situated in Damaraland Namibia, began as an idea to generate funds to saveNamibia’s desert–dwelling elephants from being harassed and shot. Since 1992 awareness has increased, as has tourism and the “value” of the elephant is changing. The original farmland is a small, unique area called Monte Carlo which boasts stunning views bisected by the mostly dry Huab River. The former rest camp which accommodated tourists in the 1970s now houses the lodge’s staff.   At a special site just down river from the old rest camp, where the Germans built the so-called German Bath in the late 1800s, Huab Lodge was erected. Despite its size the unique main building blends well into its surroundings. The irregular thatch roof mirrors a mountain on the opposite bank. The lodge’s stone and thatch bungalows spread along the elevated north bank of the river ensuring a private and magnificent view – even from the shower!

Be a VET for a day

Chris Pearson, WildCon Events, says that on a WildCon Safari, travellers are actively encouraged and safely guided to participate ‘hands-on’ in locating animals from the helicopter, monitoring vital signs, taking important measurements; injecting antibiotics and reversal drugs, and fitting tracking collars.

Says Pearson: “The entire conservation procedure is funded by our packages, which are sold to our clients, thus assisting the game reserves or research organisations concerned with the financial burden of these conservation necessities.”

Edith Delalande, Office and Marketing Manager for Brothers Safaris and African Vet Safaris, says travellers can participate in a specialist veterinary safari, which gives them a rare and unique hands-on opportunity to become involved in wildlife conservation.

GocheGanas

Situated a mere 29 kilometres south east from Windhoek on a hilltop overlooking a spectacular landscape, GocheGanas is a luxury lodge offering a unique combination of Wildlife, Nature and Wellness experiences.
   With 25 different wildlife species located on a 6000 hectare Nature Reserve, game drives and walking activities are welcomed as an enriching experience. Wellness facilities and treatments of a world class standard ensure a renewal of mind, body and spirit.

   

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

Elephants in Namibia

Namibia's Approximate elephant population of 100,000 are all Savannah elephants, the largest sub-species of elephant, easily distinguishable by their very large ears and longer front legs. they can be found in the north-eastern parts of Namibia and have the luxury of roaming freely among lush vegetation and riverine countryside, often crossing the border to Botswana in their search for food

 Elephants are known for their long lifespans (similar to humans), intelligence, memory and family structure. After a gestation period of 22 months, a baby elephant requires mother's milk for about two years. They enter puberty around 10 to 12 years of age, when females can become pregnant, are considered adults by age 18, and can live into their 60s.

The youngsters learn all they need to know from their family members: mothers, aunts, sisters and brothers. As males reach puberty, however, they soon leave their family herds and join other males to continue learning proper adult behavior from older and more dominant bulls. A younger one sometimes accompanies an older bull and is called an “askari”.

Females usually remain in their family herds, which are led by a “matriarch”. Matriarchs are usually the largest and oldest female, the one with the richest store of knowledge about water, food resources, escape routes and hiding places in their range area.

 

'They say an elephant never forgets. What they don't tell you is, you never forget an elephant'

Namibia a Scenic Beauty

Namibia derived its name from the Namib Desert, an unique geological feature renowned for the pristine and haunting quality of its landscape. It is this feature that characterises Namibia most, and that is home to several of the countries top tourist destinations, such as Sossusvlei, Sandwich Harbour and the Skeleton Coast Park. Far from being lifeless and barren, the long, narrow strip of moist coastal desert features an unusual variety of desert-adapted flora and fauna, including a large number of endemic plant, bird, reptile and insect species. 

Namibia's bountiful sunshine, abundance of wildlife, scenic beauty and rich diversity of geological phenomena make the country a sought-after tourist destination to which visitors return again and again. Additional plus points are the friendliness and cultural diversity of its people, a well-developed infrastructure and an extensive choice of parks, resorts and accommodation establishments. The latter range from five-star luxury hotels and upmarket guest lodges to simple and rustic accommodation in the quiet seclusion of the bush.