!Uris Safari Lodge

!Uris Safari Lodge is located 20 kilometres west of the town of Tsumeb - a legacy of being a mineral fascination...

Surrounded by the ancient Lake Otjikoto and the famous wildlife conservation area, Etosha National Park, !Uris Safari Lodge also attracts tourists en-route to the Kunene-, Kaokoland and Southern Angola. For visitors with an interest in gemstones and minerals

!Uris Safari Lodge borders a number of historic German and Artesian mines namely Alt Bobos, Karavatu, Omeg II and Uris. They resemble trails "in the footsteps of the diggers" who, over one hundred and twenty years ago spent their days in the relentless Namibian sunshine exploring the possibilities of mining precious minerals to satisfy the needs of Europe.

As one drives through this raw and unspoiled land one can see the remains of stripped mine headgear and other remnants relating to the old mining operations on lime rock and dolomite formations, established in days gone by. Modern day Bushmen will greet you from their homes, inquisitive of intruders in their quiet lives.

As evident in the Tsumeb history and tribal background, Uris is a Heikom/Bushmen word, meaning, "head lice" and with the addition of the "!" refers to a small white hill containing metal.

Le Sirenetta Boutique

La Sirenetta Boutique Bed and Breakfast, Swakopmund is a “stone throw” away from the long, sandy beach at Vineta.  Fall asleep to the sound of the waves at night.

It is a family business that offer guests lovely decorated, spacious, en-suite rooms with satellite TV, free unlimited Wi-fi, coffee & tea facilities in the rooms, hair dryers, laundry service, secure parking and a delicious breakfast to start your day! (You must try Laura’s  sweet  pancakes !)

La Sirenetta (the little mermaid), has one en-suite family unit, one en-suite triple room and three en-suite double rooms, and was uniquely decorated by the previous owners, Fabio and Christina, an Italian artist couple.

Join the campfire and candlelight in the evenings, while planning all the activities for the next day. Swakopmund is one of the best “adventure areas” in the world with a lot to offer any adrenalin junkie : Tandem skydiving,  hot air ballooning,  scenic air flights, sand boarding from the dunes,  deep sea fishing, onshore fishing,  dolphin and seal cruises by boat, sandwich harbor 4 x 4 trips, horse riding, camel  riding, quad bike driving, birding safaris, desert tours, city tours and, and, and …..

Dinner is served on request. Whether you want traditional Namibian food like assorted barbeque dishes and “pap” or fresh caught fish like cob grilled to perfection, or seafood Paella – You will be spoilt!

Gecko Ridge Guest House

Situated on the outskirts of the beautiful and picturesque little coastal town of Swakopmund, Namibia, Gecko Ridge is a real oasis about 15km from Swakopmund along the Swakop River. The gym, outdoor lapa and a number of bedrooms overlook a partially enclosed large salt water swimming pool making it ideal for private and year end functions. Beautiful wooden sun decks situated over ponds of running water allow for a well deserved sundowner to be enjoyed, while viewing the amazing sunsets over the Namib Desert and moon landscape. Just outside the fog line, Gecko Ridge enjoys beautiful sunny days.

6 Luxury Rooms:  Spacious Luxury Rooms, ultimate in terms of luxury and comfort. For the weary traveler or the most refined connoisseur, every need has been catered for to make your stay a truly memorable experience. High Quality Bedding, Modern and Stylish Decor.

2 Self Catering Chalets (Pet Friendly):  Self Catering chalets are ideal for the family that wants to do their own catering during a weekend or holiday by the sea, but still have a need for style and comfort.

Fully equipped gym, swimming pool, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, barbeque facilities, laundry service, babysitting service, credit card, meal on request and lots more.

Campsite:  Inclusive Camping for small group of travelers who seek more adventurous settings. All campsites are equipped individually with basic facilities.

Contact Namibia Reservations for your holiday!

Namibia Reservations Sticker Competition

THIS IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT:

SEND US AN E-MAIL TO info@namibiareservations.com WITH ALL YOUR CONTACT DETAILS AND HOW MANY STICKERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE. ONCE YOU RECEIVE THE STICKERS, YOU GO AND STICK THEM EVERYWHERE AND ANYWHERE. DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE YOUR CAMERA ALONG, YOU NEED TO SEND US THE PICTURE OF WHERE THE STICKER IS AND THE ONE WHO HAS STUCK IT AT THE MOST AMAZING PLACE WILL RECEIVE A CASH PRIZE OF N$ 5000.00.

THE COMPETITION IS VALID UNTIL THE 31. January 2014.

PLEASE SEND ALL PHOTOS TO travel@namibiareservations.com TO ENTER THE COMPETITION.

TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY

Zabubega

Located in the heart of Namibia, lies the lush and tranquil Zabubega Arabian Stud.

The owners of Zabubega Arabian Stud, Gawie and Carina Viljoen have a heart for Arabian horses. Gawie and his two daughters are members of the Namibia National Endurance team and keen participators in this sport.

Come and share in the beauty of our horses here at Zabubega Arabian Stud. It is a perfect destination for people who love nature, peace and sunny days. Friends from countries with an icy winter will enjoy their stay on our beautiful farm.

Self-catering thatch cottage for a family of 4

·         Fully equipped with double bed, 2 single beds and open-plan living area.

·         High quality linen with down duvets for the winter.

·         Leather lounge suite

·         TV and DVD

·         Coffee and tea facilities

·         The cottage walks out to its own garden and lapa with a fully equipped kitchen with oven, fridge/freezer, kitchen utilities and open-air fireplace.

·         Enjoy the space and outdoors, bush Jacuzzi and cosy Hammock reading nook.

·         Covered parking

·         Children of all ages welcome

Activities in and around the area:

• Walking trails with info boards along the way of indigenous plants, birds and animals
• Picnic place under big Camelthorn Tree near waterhole with rich bird watching
• Scenic drives which include game such as Springbuck, Oryx, Kudu, wild Ostrich and Steen buck.
• Canoeing and paddling in raining season, January – May
• Swimming
• Bicycle paths
• Beautiful photographer opportunities especially sunset in the red Kalahari dunes.

Location:

Zabubega, an Arabian Stud Farm with a heart for horses and nature, is a 160km drive from KEETMANSHOOP, in the south of Namibia.

GPS coordinates: S 26 grade 49,406 E 19 grade 08,996

Dinosaur Tracks...

...Occur on the Guest farm Otjihaenamaparero

The tracks occur in sandstones of the 190 million years old Etjo Formation. The sands formed these sandstones accumulated under increasingly arid conditions as wind blown dunes similar to the Namib Desert today.

Numerous reptiles lived in the interdune areas, but as the climate became drier, these animals were forced to concentrate near waterholes, small lakes and rivers fed by occasional rainfalls and thunderstorms. Inevitably, their feet left imprints in the wet sediment around the water. Later these imprints were covered by other layers of wind blown sand, and were preserved as trace fossils when the sand solidified into rock due to the pressure that built up as they were buried deeper and deeper.

At Otjihaenamaparero, two crossing tracks consist of more than 30 imprints with a size of approximately 45 by 35 cm. The longer tracks can be followed for about 28 meters. There is a distance of some 70 to 90 cm between individual imprints as well as some tracks comprising smaller imprints of about 7 cm length and spaced about 28 to 33 cm apart (Gührich, 1926).

All tracks show the form of a three toed, clawed foot very well, and from their arrangement it can be deducted that they were made by the hind feet of a bipedal animal.

Unfortunately, no body fossils of creatures that could be responsible for the tracks have been found in the area so far, and one can therefore only use comparison with other sites for identification.

Lüderitz Crayfish Festival 2013

The colourful fishing town of Lüderitz is getting ready to hold the annual Crayfish Festival from 30^th May to 1^st June 2013 - don't miss out!

What to do at the festival

Take a walk around the festival stalls, taste-testing the different crayfish recipes and sauces of our local “masterchefs”, watch them battle it out in a crayfish cooking competition and browse the many stalls of Namibian made products. Take in the harbour views, mix with the friendly locals and enjoy a wonderful ambience of fabulous smells, music & sunshine. Watch naval & police band marches and even a music festival at the local stadium.

The history of the festival  

The Lüderitz community decided to host an annual Crayfish Festival to celebrate the town’s unique sea-life, multi-cultural roots, rich maritime history, and of course, superior quality crayfish. The festival brings together people from Lüderitz, Namibia and the world, and the proceeds of the event go to help the various charities that benefit the less advantaged. 

 When: 30^th  May – 1^st  June 2013

Where:  Lüderitz Waterfront, Lüderitz, South West Coast, Namibia

What are crayfish?  

Well, to be specific, what we call “crayfish” here in Namibia are actually "West Coast Rock Lobster" (Jasus lalandii). The Crayfish Festival is a gastronomical feast of lobsters – if you’ve eaten them before, you’ll know why we go crazy for the firm and slightly sweet lobster tails. Steam them with a little lemon butter, or grill them on the braai (barbeque) and eat them fresh off the flames. Delicious! You might also hear the locals talking about “kreef” which is the Afrikaans word for crayfish. 

What makes Lüderitz crayfish special?  

It's not just marketing hype – the extreme conditions in the Atlantic ocean off the coast of Namibia means these Lüderitz crayfish have the upper hand. The strong South Atlantic winds create an upwelling in the ocean that makes for the perfect environment for nutrients and micro-organisms to thrive. In fact, it is estimated that the annual new production of Phytoplankton and Zooplankton in the Benguela system is 30 to 65 times more productive per unit area than the global ocean average.   

Where to eat Lüderitz crayfish  

The festival stalls will be serving up a host of different crayfish delights. But for those looking for a sit-down crayfish meal with fine South African sparkling wine or French Champagne, then try lunch at the Penguin Restaurant at the Lüderitz Nest Hotel.   

  

Where to stay  

The Crayfish Festival is a very busy time for the fishing town, so if you haven’t already organised accommodation, be sure to book as soon as you can. Click here to find accommodation in Lüderitz.

(Bogenfels)

What to do around Lüderitz

Taste some fresh Namibian oysters in between all the crayfish; they’re some of the tastiest in the world!

Take a walk around the town to see the early 20th Century German Art Nouveau buildings.

Get out on the ocean with a Catamaran Marine Tour.

Visit the ghost town of Kolmanskop (only 10kms from Lüderitz) for a date with history and some incredible photo opportunities.

Explore the Sperrgebiet National Park, one of Namibia’s newest National Parks that was closed to the public for nearly a century.

Take a marine cruise from the waterfront to see Dias Point, outlying islands with Namibia’s largest colony of African Penguins (Halifax Island), Heaviside Dolphins, Cape Fur Seals (Seal Island) and sometimes whales. 

Desert adventure activities are available including; 4x4 Guided and 4x4 self-drive tours into the vast Namib Naukluft Park to the north and the Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet National Park) to the south.

Lüderitz is also home to the world’s premier kite and wind surfing speed sailing event, the Lüderitz Speed Challenge, which takes place every year between November to December.     

(Kolmanskop)