News

A new project has recently been launched in the Erongo Region. Valuable organic oil is obtained from the nuts of the evergreen jojoba plant: good for the cosmetics industry and a livelihood for rural residents near the Omaruru River. The first jojoba festival took place at the end of 2019 in the vicinity of the Omdel Dam east of Henties Bay - right in the middle of the desert!

Gondwana Collection Namibia wants to invite senior citizens in Southern Africa to take full advantage of our special offer for the young-at-heart! All Gondwana card holders over the age of fifty (50) have the opportunity to book two nights at any Gondwana Collection property, and receive a consecutive third night for free!

The Bank of Namibia kept its repo rate unchanged at 6.5 percent this month. Namibia’s Inflation stood at 2.5 percent at the end of November (October: 3.0%), the national statistics authority announced just before the summer break. Local economists called on the BoN to lower its repo rate in early 2020 due to the low inflation rates. The ancestral land commission submitted its interim report to President Hage Geingob this month. The report has not been made public. The final report must be submitted end of March 2020.

Pour water into the coffee machine, open the bag, spoon coffee into the filter and switch on the machine – it’s that simple. But: "It's about much more than a cup of coffee," says Mark Stanton of Two Beards Coffee Roasters in Swakopmund. Together with his father he runs the roastery and supplies many Namibian cafés with Two Beards products. He also conducts "cupping", which (for the uninitiated) is coffee tasting.

At the end of November 2019 there is hardly any green left in Etosha National Park in northern Namibia. Only the mopane trees are green, not a single blade of grass is left. Most bushes and shrubs look almost dead. The condition of the herbivores is anything but good. The animals have to walk long distances to find food and then have to make the long way back to the waterholes. The park’s birdlife also suffers under the drought, among them Blue Cranes, a rare and endangered species in Namibia. 

The Delight Swakopmund not only impresses with its warm hospitality and modern design, but also with its excellent environmental compatibility. Eco Awards Namibia bestowed the highest environmental seal of quality to this charming hotel under  the Gondwana group at the coast: 5 green flowers. The special distinction was created in 2018 to honour tourism companies that have invested primarily in the "green" environmental areas, namely conservation, water, energy and waste management.

Driving on the gravel road from Bitterwasser past Hoachanas to Stampriet east of Mariental travellers encounter a dry riverbed parallel to the road. The riverbed is full of green trees, a pleasing sight in this dry and barren part of Namibia. This green belt in the Auob River is treacherous however, as it consists mainly of Prosopis trees, an alien invasive species threatening indigenous flora since it also competes for underground water.

Gondwana Collection Namibia enters into its first marketing partnership with a European hotel group. The Romantik brand includes 200 hotels and 250 restaurants in nine European countries. Each region’s unique characteristics are highlighted with excellent cuisine and an experience of its past. The personally managed hotels form an exclusive collection to meet the highest demands.

It is a tough mountain bike challenge that takes cyclists from about ten different countries from Namibia’s capital Windhoek through the oldest desert in the world to the coastal town of Swakopmund. More than 1000 cyclists have registered for the 2019 Nedbank Desert Dash. Gondwana Collection Namibia entered five teams this year. 

The first Black Friday bargain hunters arrived on Thursday at 16:30 in front of Gondwana House in Windhoek. With fold-up chairs and cool boxes they were prepared for a long night, because the vouchers for a super special price were only available at 6 o'clock in the morning. 10,000 vouchers in five price categories, starting at N$199 per person per night at a Gondwana property.