Namibia - Untouched beauty

The Kalahari evokes a picture of never ending red sand dunes, big, blue skies and a scorching sun that shimmers unrelentingly on ancient dry riverbeds, known as omuramba.

The Kalahari is both deceptive and alluring. Deceptive because beneath the surface of apparent desert lies an incredible wealth of iron, manganese and other precious ores, which explains the mining towns, and alluring for visitors because of the many game farms and nature reserves to which the Kalahari is home.

Etosha National Park ranks as one of the world’s great wildlife-viewing venues. Its unique nature is encapsulated by the vast Etosha pan – an immense, flat, saline desert that, for a few days each year, is converted by the rains into a shallow lagoon teeming with flamingos and pelicans. In contrast, the surrounding bush and grasslands provide habitat for Etosha’s diverse wildlife.

 

After the world's oldest desert in the south, the Caprivi wetlands come as a bit of surprise. The finger of land that slices between Botswana and Zambia to touch Zimbabwe is a sub-tropical paradise of perennial rivers, sodden marshes and verdant woodlands at odds with the parched country to the west. 

 

No words can describe Namibia...

It has to be experienced!

 

Preparing for Valentine's Day?

I know I am!  Here are a few scenes in Namibia for those who want ideas on how to treat that special someone!

I'd LOVE to hear what you have in mind this Valentine's Day!

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

Ice cold in Africa: What to drink in Namibia's beer town

Namibian capital Windhoek has a population of just 322,000 but produces more than a dozen beers, Windhoek Lager and the slightly darker Tafel Lager and Hansa Pilsner are among local favorites. 

Most of the beers made in Namibia are for export, fueled by a legendary commitment to the reinheitsgebot.

 

 German Tradition

In winter, NamBrew produces Urbock dark beers, made with Munich barley malt into recipes steeped in Germanic traditions.

Tafel Lager

While most Namibian beers have always been made in the capital of Windhoek, some like Tafel Lager and Hansa Pilsner, originate from the tiny seaside city of Swakopmund. 

  

Beer that tastes like tea

 
On the craftier side is Camelthorn Weizen, on tap when it's available. Also an amber, it's made with ingredients imported from South Africa, Europe and the United States for a slightly different taste. Camelthorn started out as a promising independent brewer, but has been absorbed into the NamBrew empire. It's experimented with different flavors, including rooiboos, the red bush popular for tea in southern Africa.

Really comparing the quality of all Namibia's beers to the imports requires a trip to Joe's Beer House. 

 Joe's Beer House

Serves hearty food to accompany the beers and also has one of the biggest selections of game on any menu, anywhere : kudu loin, zebra steak, oryx schnitzel are a sampling.

'Ice cold in Africa'

Windhoek, Namibias Capital City - Namibiareservations

Windhoek Namibia's Capital City

Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, is located in a basin between the Khomas Highland, Auas and Eros Mountains. Whether due to pure luck or a brilliant stroke of Germanic planning, the city is situated in almost the countries epicenter. This location has obvious benefits when it comes to governing a country the size of Namibia, and also makes it the ideal place to start and plan any Namibian travel.

The majority of tourists visiting Namibia on a fly drive safari start their adventure in the capital as it is the main entry point to the country. There are several large international companies offering rental cars at Windhoek International Airport while numerous smaller companies offer vehicle hire in Windhoek.

The city centre is characterised by a proliferation of German style buildings, a lasting reminder of Namibia's early colonial history. Early buildings such as the Alte Feste (old fort), Christuskirche and Tintenpalast (the parliament buildings) are of particular historical interest. In a wonderful display of irony, the Alte Feste Fort, once the bastion of German colonialism, now houses the National Museum which places particular emphasis on the freedom struggle and Namibian independence.

Windhoek has had several names, many inspired by the hot water springs found in the area, the earliest of which were the Damara /Ais //Gams (/ indicates a click in Nama spelling) which means firewater and the Herero Otjimuise or place of steam. The area was also called Queen Adelaide's Baths for a (mercifully) brief time. Several opinions are offered for the origin of the present name, the most popular of these is that sometime before 1840 Jonker Afrikaner, a Nama leader, named the area Winterhoek, after the farm in South Africa where he was born. Windhoek, or windy corner, is a corruption of this name.

Most importantly Windhoek is home to Namibia's brewing industry, and for the less active Windhoek is a great place to wile away the time while sipping (or gulping) a cold beer. There are also a number of private hospitals, a state run hospital, doctors surgeries, banks, (with 24hr ATM's) pharmacies, supermarkets, bakeries, and clothes shops. There is a large(ish) shopping mall at Maerua Mall, (complete with indoor swimming pool and gymnasium) and a smaller one on Post Street Mall, (Town Square) and at Wernhill Park, all worth a visit, especially if you've had enough of looking at curios. There are also 2 industrial area, Northern and Southern, handy for bulk buying or car parts and repairs.

A place to Explore Nature

Daan Viljoen is a place that nature and wildlife lovers can explore, by means of self-guide, in safety on short game drive, walks and hikes. The 6.5 km game route requires a 4 x 4 vehicle.

The 3 km Wag ‘n Bietjie Trail, leading down to The Stengel Dam, is an easy walk for adults. The more energetic Rooibos Trail takes hikers along The Augeigas Dam to the eastern highlands. The Augeigas Dam, and pools around the Park, are magnets for birds, so Sun Karros Daan Viljoen is highly recommended for birdwatchers. Over 200 species have been sighted. Endemics species include Ruppell’s parrot, White-tailed shrike and Monteiro’s Hornbill, and there is also the possibility of adding a Damara Hornbill to a bird list.

Facilities

Boma Restaurant and Pool - Here guest enjoy a few laps in the almost 20 m pool and or soak up the sun. The grass terrace is perfect for soothing ice cold or comforting warm beverages and sweet treats while the sun sets over the Khomas Hochland. Guests can also enjoy the scrumptious home-style cooking or a light beverage prepared at the Restaurant. 

Weddings- From traditional to bush weddings, they have all you can dream of in one place, enchanting wildlife, exquisite surroundings, stunning sunsets, and breathtaking venues

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'