News

Many travel writers rave about the Black Forest gateau at Café Anton in Swakopmund and about the amazing fact that the most German of all cakes is available in Africa, on the edge of the Namib Desert in Namibia. Café Anton, just a few hundred metres from the Atlantic Ocean, is well-known beyond Namibia’s borders, but not only for that particular gateau.

At first glance the gravel plains of the Namib Desert seem deserted and empty. However, countless plants, lichens and animals have adapted to the harsh conditions in the oldest desert on earth. It is amazing how many creatures are out on the gravel plains under cover of darkness. The Braine family unveils these secrets to interested visitors on a two-hour night walk.

Having ridden 2120km on his e-bike, Steve Galloway has reached Epupa Falls on the Kunene River, the halfway point of his journey. Steve’s journey to promote e-powering (e-mobility and e-learning) and to celebrate the country’s impressive conservation status of having 47% of its land under protection began three weeks ago on the Orange River.

The feet of the young dancers in their colourful leather shoes move to the tunes and rhythms of the music. The row of girls in brightly coloured patchwork-style dresses and neatly tied headscarves gently move and turn. The youngsters are beaming pride as they receive their well-deserved applause after performing the traditional ‘Nama stap’ dance. It is a special occasion after all: the opening of the annual Nama festival in the town of Keetmanshoop in southern Namibia.

Less than ten minutes after nature conservation officials have pulled a dead giraffe bull from the man-made waterhole the first black-backed jackal appears at the scene. This little predator cannot bite through the giraffe’s thick skin, so it goes for the tongue of the dead animal. More jackals turn up, soon they are joined by a spotted hyena that is attracted by the stench of the carcass. More and more hyenas emerge from between the green mopane trees. 

With the rainy season over and winter approaching, President Hage Geingob declared a national drought emergency in Namibia on 6 May. Government has requested all working Namibians to donate two percent of their monthly income as a once-off contribution for drought support and youth programmes. The Windhoek municipality informed residents that they must save 15 percent water, up from 10 percent, due to low dam levels after a bad rainy season.announced that it acquired the popular Palmwag Lodge and Omarunga Lodge in the Kunene Region.

The President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. John Pompe Joseph Magufuli, renamed the well-known Lazarett Street in Windhoek to Julius K. Nyerere Street on Monday (May 27, 2019) in the presence of President Hage Geingob. "We are here to pay tribute to one of Africa's most renowned luminaries, a symbol of Pan-Africanism, an extraordinary personality and one of Africa's founding fathers who rebelled against colonialism and fought for independence," President Geingob stated.

Eleven members of the Namibia Bass Angling Association (NBAA) gathered at Oanob Dam on the weekend of 27 and 28 April 2019 in an attempt to qualify for the international 2020 Bass Nation Championship in the United States. Determining factors for good results are accurate throwing, patience, knowing the area and the behaviour of the fish, the choice of fishing tackle and artificial lures, as well as a little bit of luck.

The world’s largest online travel site TripAdvisor highly acknowledged Gondwana’s continuous investments into unique accommodation establishments and service excellence. Seven lodges have been recognised as a TripAdvisor “Hall of Fame” winner. Nine more lodges of the Gondwana group received the “Certificate of Excellence 2019”. 

The only botanical garden in Namibia is located in Windhoek and is less known than the Zoo Garden or the Parliament Garden. It lies just a few hundred metres further south hidden on a hill in the direction of Klein Windhoek. A visit to the national botanical garden is definitely worth it. A patch of wilderness in the middle of the capital can be found here, with hiking trails and benches with beautiful views. The twelve-hectare site also houses the building of Namibia's National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI).