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The view from the top of the mountain pass is overwhelming. The magnificent vast desert scenery spreads out far below, and the dry Marienfluss riverbed meanders through it. Now is the time to take a deep breath, compose yourself and gather your wits. Because the only way into the valley is down Van Zyl’s Pass, the most notorious pass in Namibia. 

640 School children and 60 volunteers came together to partake in a waste collection movement on the 600 ha land around the Hakusembe River Lodge. At the end of a morning of cleaning eight massive bags of rubbish had been collected. The waste collection movement took place on 17 June 2016, and was organised by Gondwana together with the local Sikondo-community near Rundu.

The smallest light has always been able to break the darkest of nights, and the Dutch designed Waka Waka solar lights are going to make this even easier. On 14 June 2016, the Netherlands Minister of International Trade and Development, Honourable Lilianne Ploumen announced the introduction of the solar lights and chargers to the Namibian community. It is their hope that the Waka Waka lights will offer energy and light to off-grid communities and allow learners to study after dark. 

Twenty years ago the swathe of land bordering the Fish River Canyon was overgrazed and barren. At the tail end of years of severe drought, farmers were putting their farms up for sale, seeking greener pastures. Once, the land had been in balance and the wildlife abundant. Herds of springbok took days to pass and rhino and giraffe roamed the savannah. The intense heat that builds up in the canyon walls chasing the clouds away, didn’t affect the animals. They were adapted to the arid-zone conditions and migrated, following the scattered rainfall. 

These days the dune belt between Walvis Bay and Lüderitz is a popular 4x4 route. At the start of the 20th century, however, intrepid explorers ventured into it without any resources worth mentioning. Most of the expeditions which attempted to cross the Namib from east to west did not make it very far because they simply got stuck in the sand. In 1909 Georg M. Stillger became the first European who managed to reach the Atlantic coast by crossing the dunes with camels. The Lüderitzbuchter Zeitung reported about Stillger’s expedition which had set out from Sesriem.

Salt is vital: human beings should take in 3 to 6 g per day. We use it without thinking twice – and often far too liberally. But it was not always like that. Advanced civilisations of earlier times valued salt almost as highly as gold. More than 60 types of industries are based on salt and the chemicals which are made with it, and it is hard to imagine life without them. The supply of salt seems virtually inexhaustible. Apparently the salt domes of the world contain 100 trillion tons of the ‘white gold’- enough for the next 400,000 years. In addition there is the salt from the oceans, which is also harvested here in Namibia. 

“Stunning Oasis”, “Little garden village”, “Excellent place for family”. These are the kind words used to describe the Gondwana Lodges that have received the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. Kalahari Farmhouse, Damara Mopane Lodge and the Canyon Roadhouse have each received a “Certificate of Excellence 2016” to award their dedication to providing outstanding customer service. TripAdvisor is a major travel-aid in the online world and offers travelers the opportunity to review and rate their experiences at various establishments across the globe. 

‘Mountain Zebra Drive - Permit Only’ – A couple from Hanover, Germany, came across this sign on their way to Canyon Lodge. They had arrived in Namibia just two days earlier and the husband was thrilled. “Let’s go now, we’ll pay afterwards”, he suggested. He left the regular road and off they went through the breathtaking landscape in the north-western parts of Gondwana Canyon Park. It is a challenging route and even though the couple were driving a four-wheel drive vehicle they managed to get stuck in a sandy dry riverbed. 

The pioneer mule trekking tour in the Fish River Canyon had a few hiccups – in the end the animals actually deserted us. It was a clear September morning when we set off to find out how the mules would manage in the canyon. Mannfred had invited me to join the pioneer tour: Four days trekking across country, drinking from waterholes, eating at the campfire, nights spent under the star-studded night sky. Awesome! But from day one it was clear that quite a bit of work was needed to prepare the mules for their new job.

The Responsible Tourism Awards 2016 were presented at the Namibia Tourism Expo today (19 May). Etosha Safari Camp was one of three finalists in the Accommodation Establishment category, together with Wolwedans Boulders Camp and award winner Nkasa Lupala Tented Lodge. Sense of Africa received the tour operator award. The winners of the Responsible Tourism Awards were announced by the Expo organisers, Namibia Media Holdings. Etosha Safari Camp is located 9km from the Anderson Gate at the Etosha National Park.