The Ancient Fish River Canyon

Fish River Lodge in southern Namibia is the only lodge perched directly on the rim of the Fish River Canyon offering guests breathtaking views of the canyon from sunrise to sunset. Experience first hand the geological forces that unfolded 300 million years ago, when the Fish River began to etch its way through hard quartzite forming a Canyon 90 km long, making it the world's second largest Canyon. Set in a grove of ancient Quiver trees (Aloe dichotoma), the Lodge has been carefully designed to echo the terraced and rugged terrain as well as the colours and textures of the landscape thereby offering guests a pleasant change from the typical 'safari' type lodge found elsewhere in Africa. There is a blend of classical and contemporary furnishings and many of the accessories have been made by San and Nama communities whose ancestors once roamed the terrain; authenticity, comfort and simplicity are key to the Lodge's unique ambiance.

Safari top the list for family holidays

Safari was by far the most popular family activity in the region, followed by adventure and beach activities. “Wildlife, ecology or bush experiences shared by the entire family are the most popular,” said Christian Grosch, MD of Airboat Afrika.

“Safari is an amazing way to gather the family together and create the experience of lifetime,” said Margie Jordan of US-based Jordan Executive Travel Service. She pointed out that in Southern Africa, families could secure an entire safari lodge.

Top destinations

1.Cape Town and the Western Cape

Cape Town came out as the top destination for families in Southern Africa. The Garden Route was noted for family-friendly options including Ostrich Safari Farm in Oudtshoorn, the Cango Caves, Featherbed Nature Reserve, Birds of Eden and Monkeyland.

2.South Africa

it is well-suited to self-drive holidays. Suggested that the availability of self-catering accommodation options positioned the country well for families.

3.KwaZulu Natal

The warm beaches in KwaZulu Natal were seen as a draw card for families, while uShaka Marine World in Durban was seen as must visit for families. The South Coast region in particular was described as a great family destination because of the many guest lodges, camping grounds and beach activities available. 

4.Botswana

“Botswana is definitely experiencing an increase in family travel,” said Walter Smith, MD of Desert & Delta Safaris.

Botswana offers Mother Nature's natural highlights with ease and authenticity. Small exclusive camps or lodges, private guides and activities focused on real natural experiences.”

5.Other highlights

Namibia was highlighted for the desert activities on offer.

Keep calm use Namibia Reservations as your booking agency

Namibia Reservations offers its clients the opportunity to book all Namibia Travel arrangements at one place! From Accommodation in Namibia and Car Rental to Scheduled or Tailor Made Namibia Tours and Safaris there should be something for everybody’s Travel & Holiday taste.

 

 

Choose one of many Tour and Safari packages on offer. You will find a number of Self Drive Tours, Group Tours or Fly In Safaris to choose from. Most packages are easy to change should you have some special requests and cater from budget to luxury accommodation for your Namibia travels.

 

Travelers have the chance to experience the outdoors with our various camping safaris. Wildlife and scenery at its best can be experienced by camping in the open. 

 

                            

Various Packages offered that include the flights from South Africa and Namibia, accommodation, activities and car rental. Should you want a special package that suits your needs we can assist you. 

For more information please contact us at 

info@namibiareservations.com

www.namibiareservations.com 

Keep calm and enjoy your weekend!!!! 

The New "Digital Elite"

Who are the new “Digital Elite,” and how are they different from less-connected travelers?  Following is an overview of insights from the new report:

• A BURGEONING MARKET: The “Digital Elite” are defined as travelers who either own or access the internet on both a smartphone and tablet. Smartphone usage among active travelers has nearly tripled in just two years – from 23 percent in 2011 to 62 percent in 2013. Tablet adoption has been even more rapid, with only seven percent of travelers using them to access the internet in 2011, up six-fold to 43 percent this year.
• FAMILY MATTERS: Half of the “Digital Elite” have children in their household (50 percent), compared with just 37 percent of less-connected travelers, consistent with their younger age, and revealing a discernible family focus. They are also much more likely to have traveled with their kids (51 compared to 38 percent) – and their kids have greater influence on practically all family activity decisions than in other households. For example, the “Digital Elite” are significantly more likely to agree that their children influence the actual selection of vacation destinations (78 vs. 70 percent).
• DIGITAL TRAVELERS HAVE MORE FUN: Perhaps surprisingly, while on vacation the “Digital Elite” are considerably more likely to try to relax while staying in touch with the office (40 vs. 30 percent). As such, they desire more time to relax and unwind (86 vs. 81 percent), and engage in “relaxing” activities more on vacation than they do at home, including drinking alcoholic beverages (53 vs. 43 percent), making love (41 vs. 35 percent), sleeping (38 to 32 percent) and reading (38 to 34 percent).
• HAVE DEVICES, WILL TRAVEL: During the past year, the “Digital Elite” took significantly more leisure trips than their counterparts – 4.1 compared to 3.7 – including weekend trips (2.1 vs. 1.8) and long trips (1.4 vs. 1.2). They were also much more likely to take a last-minute trip (31 vs. 22 percent) and a staycation (31 vs. 23 percent). These travelers also spent far more – an average of $4,988 compared to $3,812 than less-connected travelers – and intend to spend an average of $5,210 on leisure travel in the year ahead, compared to just $3,690 for their counterparts.
• INTERNATIONAL INTERESTS: “The Digital Elite” are significantly more inclined to travel internationally, with more than half (53 percent) having taken at least one leisure trip outside the continental U.S. during the past year, compared with only 38 percent of less-connected travelers. Among them, six in 10 took a long-haul trip where the flight time exceeded eight hours (61 percent), while only 55 percent of travelers who own and use fewer devices have done so. And they are more likely to have visited Western Europe (39 vs. 29 percent) and the Caribbean (34 vs. 29 percent).
• SOCIAL CONNECTIONS: The online social activities of the “Digital Elite” paint a far different picture than that of less-connected travelers. Eight in 10 are on Facebook (81 percent) compared to just 70 percent of those who own and use fewer digital devices, and nearly half are on LinkedIn (48 percent vs. 28 percent). More than three in 10 are active on Twitter (33 percent) compared to just 19 percent of their counterparts, and nearly one quarter (23 percent) is on YouTube (versus 19 percent) and Google+ (23 vs. 13 percent). Twice as many are on Pinterest (19 percent vs. 9 percent).
• KEY TRAITS: Beyond their use of these devices, their personalities differ, too – the “Digital Elite” are significantly more likely to say they are “happy” (82 percent) than travelers who own and use fewer digital devices (72 percent). They are also much more likely to describe themselves as “fun” (54 vs. 46 percent), “confident” (52 vs. 47 percent) and “sociable” (47 vs. 40 percent). More describe themselves as “healthy” (50 percent) and “fit” (32 percent) than less-connected travelers (44 and 25 percent, respectively), and many more plan to “become healthier” (62 vs. 56 percent) and “improve their appearance” (42 vs. 34 percent) in the coming year.
• SHOPPING HABITS: When it comes to finding the best prices for travel services, the “Digital Elite” more often turn to an online travel agency (OTA), with 53 percent doing so compared to 45 percent of less-connected travelers. The same goes for booking travel services, with significantly more of the “Digital Elite” believing that OTAs provide the most convenient way to arrange travel plans (49 percent) – significantly more than their travelers with fewer digital devices (43 percent).
• PUSHING FOR BETTER WEB EXPERIENCE: The “Digital Elite” are driving the demand for better web content from the travel industry, with nine in 10 having made travel reservations online last year – 10 percent more than less-connected travelers. They are highly likely to find more sophisticated content, often designed specifically for the web shopping experience, as desirable. For example, think interactive maps that explore the destination (65 vs. 60 percent); downloadable coupons for savings on air tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars and vacation packages (62 vs. 56 percent); user-generated reviews or commentary from past visitors (58 vs. 47 percent); websites optimized for mobile (57 vs. 31 percent) and virtual tours of the area (56 vs. 52 percent). They are also significantly more likely to want an easy-to-use booking feature (76 vs. 72 percent), photos of the area (76 vs. to 72 percent) and the ability to preview room locations (74 vs. 65 percent).

Fly Fishing Namibia

Fliegenfischen in Namibia

Denkt man an Namibia, denkt man an ein Wüstenland. Ist ja auch richtig! Namibia liegt zwischen zwei Wüsten, der Namib- und der Kalahariwüste. Kaum einer denkt an Feuchtgebiete oder gar an das Fliegenfischen in Namibia. Falsch gedacht!

Namibia hat fünf Grenzflüsse, die das ganze Jahr über Wasser führen und sogar sehr gut zu befischen sind, auch mit der Fliege.

Der weltbekannte Okavango, der Sambesi und weniger bekannt, der Kwando Fluss, sind am fischreichsten. Alle diese Flüsse sind im Nordosten Namibias, eine Region die hauptsächlich aus unberührter Natur besteht.

Das Fischen in Namibia ist aber mehr als nur den Fischen nachzustellen, es ist ein überwältigendes Naturerlebnis. Elefanten, Flusspferde und diverse Antilopen kommen zum trinken an die Flußufer. Eine traumhafte Kulisse für den Angler!

„Piscator non solum piscatur“ - Fischen ist mehr als nur einen Fisch zu fangen.

,Wann ist die Beste Jahrezeit zum Fischen in Namibia? Na ja, ich könnte jetzt den Klassiker anbringen: " Jeder Tag ist ein guter Tag zum Fischen!" aber die Beste Zeit ist von Mai bis Mitte Dezember. Ab Mai sinkt das Hochwasser ab und ab Mitte Dezember, mit  Beginn der Regensaison steigen die Pegel wieder.

Was für Fische können sonst noch gefangen werden?

• Nembwe (Serranochromis robustus)
• Rotbrust Tilapia (Tilapia rendalli)
• Dreiflecken Barsch (Oreochromis andersonii)
• Humpback (Serranochromis altus)
• Thinface (Serranochromis angusticeps)
• Afrikanischer Hecht (Hepsetus odoe)
• Afrikanischer Raubwels (Clarias gariepinus) 

 
 
 

Remarkable Journey of The Rebel Desert Lion

'Terrace Male'

On August 16, the desert lion “XPL 68″, nicknamed the “Terrace male”, crossed the Kunene river to return home to Namibia. This was a significant and remarkable event for several reasons. 

Who better to describe the journey and it’s uniqueness than renowned lion researcher Dr Flip Stander, who stayed close on the heels of the Terrace male throughout his journey. Here is a post, which appeared on

on August 17, written by Dr Stander himself:

 

During the 1980s the tracks of a male lion was observed on several occasions at the mouth of the Kunene River by Rangers of the Skeleton Coast Park and Skeleton Coast Fly-In Safaris (re: Andre Schoeman). The tracks suggested that this lion was spending a lot of time in Angola, but he disappeared after 1990. There have not been any subsequent records of lion movements in Iona National Park as well as the south-western corner of Angola.

On 01 Aug 2013 the “Terrace Male” (Xpl-68) swam across the Kunene River and ventured into Angola. This was a significant event and marked the return of lions to the area after an absence of 23 years. In addition, it is also remarkable that a “Desert lion”, with no experience of perennial rivers or any body of water larger that the pools found at small springs in the desert, swam across 76 metres of fast-flowing & crocodile-infested water.

 

 

Xpl-68 stayed in Angola for 15 days and travelled 328.5 km (average 23.5 km/day). He explored the western section of Iona National Park and travelled as far north as Baia Dos Tigress.

At 01h00 on 16 Aug 2013 he crossed the Kunene River and returned to Namibia.

Since Xpl-68 is obviously not aware of the political boundary (Namibia/Angola), his remarkable journey actually started on 20 Jul 2013 when he left the Hoaruseb River to explore “uncharted” territory (see map below). During this period of 29 days he walked 780.4 km at an average of 26.9 km/day (max = 66.3 km).

 

 

 

 

 

'Entdecke Namibia'

We have just received this very positive news from NTB Frankfurt.
Their designed App, "Entdecke Namibia"  has been nominated for the Election of the Best Travel App of the Year, by a public vote activity of the Magazine DIE WELT and the Travel Industry Club.  Apart from the Namibia App, 27 other Apps have been nominated, including the App for the German/Austrian region of the "Salzkammergut", Baden Württenberg, Lufthansa and Expedia!
The Team of NTB Frankfurt Office has developed this App over the past year and has worked meticulously at the concept, content and functions of this app, and is proud of being amongst the top nominees.

The following link will take you to the voting site for the app:

http://www.welt.de/reise/article119002597/Waehlen-Sie-die-beste-Reise-App-des-Jahres.html

Your vote can be submitted via computer, PC-tablet, iPad or Smartphone. One vote per gadget is possible and voting can be done anonymously. Just vote for your favorite app, fill in required fields & send!  Your 3 clicks will mean one extra vote for Namibia,  and this can mean wonders, and yet another acclaim and achievement for NAMIBIA!
Please support this endeavour.
NTB Frankfurt appreciates your help, - and your contribution will help put Namibia on the map once again! 
Go for it.

Adventure Travel: The Future of Tourism

Shannon Stowell, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, talks about about opportunities in this fast-growing segment of the industry.

Imagine snorkeling off the Norwegian coast, floating in the chilly Atlantic Ocean as a group of killer whales swims just a few feet below the surface waiting to capture their meal. Tourists can witness the orca’s unique feeding behavior only a few times a year, making for a truly rare experience.

Mingling with whales is just one of many tour options that fall under the category of adventure travel, a market that holds huge growth potential.
The adventure travel industry has experienced a major boom in recent years, with hundreds of new tours popping up and more operators and companies entering the lucrative business.
“The growth pattern in adventure travel is extremely high,” says Shannon Stowell, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). “It’s because people want more from their vacation, they want something transformative, they want it to be memorable.”
ATTA, a global organization formed to grow and promote the adventure travel market, has some 800 members, from tour operators to travel agents to media providers. One of its goals is to encourage more people to get out and explore the world.
Since the term adventure travel elicits a variety of images and ideas for each person, ATTA tries to help define what exactly it is and establish an understanding among customers and businesses. Stowell says a trip must have three elements to categorize it as adventure travel. First, it has to have some sort of physical activity, not necessarily extreme. In fact, hiking is probably the most common pursuit on adventure tours. Second, there has to be some kind of connection to nature, such as a wildlife tour or a trek through the forest or mountains. Third, it has to include some kind of cultural experience.
“It can be extreme or it can be quite mellow,” Stowell says. “A walking tour in Scotland can be an adventure tour for somebody, and for somebody else it could be hiking in Nepal. There is some variation in the definition in the traveler’s mind.”
As adventure travel has become more popular, the selection of tours has grown substantially, making it tough to know where to begin for travelers who have never done an adventure trip.
“The beauty of adventure travel is it’s so broad and varied that I think if a person has a fascination with a place or an activity, it is what they should pursue,” Stowell says.
A seasoned traveler, Stowell has journeyed to some off-the-map destinations. One of the most interesting, he notes, was a trip to Kurdistan in Northern Iraq, mostly because it is lightly traveled by people from the West. A destination such as this is certainly a possibility, though few novice travelers may want to start there.
Classic destinations include Machu Picchu in Peru, or any city in Brazil, a personal favorite of Stowell’s. In fact, South America is a current hotspot, according to a survey of some 400 ATTA members. Norway, one of the few places where travelers can ski to the ocean, is also popular, offering activities from dog sledding to horseback riding and hiking.
One trend is a boom in soft adventure travel, a mellower category that can include anything from walking and biking tours to sightseeing and boating. Custom itineraries are also popular, and tour operators are getting into the action by creating programs with activities that have rarely been done on certain trips or in specific locations.
Part of ATTA’s mission is to educate tour operators on the best practices of adventure travel and help them boost their reputations as quality companies. Stowell recommends listening to what customers want and experimenting with a few different itineraries to gauge interest. Many companies may have a current experience or trip that could be changed or given a new twist, he says.
Consumers should check companies’ qualifications to make sure they meet specific standards. For example, it is essential for the company to have experienced, well-trained guides with proper certifications, as high-quality leaders make for a more personalized experience. And ATTA is there to lend a hand to companies. The organization will be launching an educational program aimed at the trade to increase knowledge about adventure tourism. The program will include skills training, such as certification for rafting or mountain guiding. The idea is that ATTA will have an educational offering that increases the professionalism and opportunities for travel companies and destinations.
“We exist to try to grow the sustainable side of the adventure travel industry,” says Stowell. “We’re really serious about trying to help companies increase their adventure tourism businesses and to do it responsibly.”
A large part of that initiative is the Adventure Travel World Summit, which gathers hundreds of tourism industry professionals in one exciting location to learn and invest in adventure travel, which many consider to be the future of tourism. This year’s summit will be held in Namibia, marking the first time the event will take place in Africa.
So why Namibia?
“The core reason for Namibia is it is one of the shining stars in Africa now for wildlife conservation,” Stowell says. That has been achieved over the last 20 years through “community conservancy.” These are basically plots of land with a tourism-interest site composed of one or many lodges. The owners and local communities sign a legal agreement whereby the communities benefit from what the lodges earn from tourists. The lodges, in turn, succeed by having incredible wildlife for customers to see. It puts everybody in charge of protecting the wildlife.

“It’s an amazing model and it’s working,” Stowell says. “We wanted the tourism professionals to come and see how this works, and possibly apply a version of it wherever they can.” This fits with ATTA’s commitment to responsible and sustainable travel because “tourism should be a protective force, not a destructive force,” Stowell adds. And he is not alone in this mentality.
At the summit in 2012, Taleb Rifai, the secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization, left the crowd with an insightful observation: “Adventure travel is what travel should be today and will be tomorrow.”
Adventure travel, with its strong focus on nature and culture, has the opportunity to be a preserver of human and natural capital, according to Stowell. He, along with Rifai, sees adventure travel as a way to explore the world more responsibly.
As for where adventure travel can go, it seems unlimited.
“I think adventure travel is an expression of the creative interest of humans,” Stowell says. As long as humans remain curious about the world, the adventure tourism industry will continue to thrive.
“The interesting thing about adventure tourism is that it’s about people exploring, so the directions it can go, I think, are incredibly diverse,” says Stowell. “We haven’t even thought about some of the things that will be offered as tours five years from now.”

Sossus Dune Lodge Special

The first lodge in the Namib-Naukluft Park, is the Sossus Dune Lodge.  Built in an environmentally sensitive manner, primarily from wood, canvas and thatch, in an attractive ‘afro-village’ style, Sossus Dune Lodge will offer guests an evocative and life changing experience.

 

 

SPECIAL FOR ALL OVERNIGHTS DONE BETWEEN THE 01.11.2013 - 30.04.2014 Single Dune Chalet  N$ 1125.00 DBB  Double Dune Chalet  N$ 2250.00 DBB

 

Uri Adventures

5 Days Faces of the Namib

Discover this desert’s unique treasures…

A world of infinite horizons, dramatic vistas and fascinating flora and fauna…

Reported to be the oldest desert on earth, the Namib is approximately 80 million years old. Completely devoid of surface water, it is bisected by several dry riverbeds and is characterised by extensive, undulating dunes. The Sahara may be larger and Gobi more isolated, but the Namib is the very oldest, so on this trip, prepare for the best desert experience possible! Our aim with this trip is to cross the desert from east to west experiencing all the wonders this desert has to offer.

 

 

With the assistance of our knowledgeable and experienced guides you will gain an insight into the history and biology of the untamed land.Training and advice will be given en-route and our guides will be on hand to talk you through any obstacles you might encounter. 2 Way radios are issued to each vehicle at the beginning of the trip. Not only are our guides there to get you to your final destination in a safe, enjoyable manner, but to provide you with 3 excellent meals each day.

Fiume Lodge, Grootfontein

Fiume is owner managed and situated just 30 km north from the town of Grootfontein and 3 km from the B8, Fiume Lodge is an ideal stop over for travelers en-route to the north of Namibia, the Caprivi as well as Botswana and Victoria Falls.

 
The Lodge’s ideal location also provides easy access to Bushman land, Khaudom National Park and Etosha National Park. The lodge is situated on a 1400 hectare private game farm with more that 10 different big game species and smaller mammal species.

Comfortable accommodation is offered in 6 stylish chalets, all equipped with air-conditioning, en-suite bathroom, twin- beds, mosquito nets as well as built-in cupboards to lock valuables for peace of mind.
Each chalet is built from stone and topped with thatch with interior designed with rose pine wood to create that cosy “warm” feeling people appreciate when travelling far from home.


Activities offered are:

Game drives
Bushmen excursions
"A day in the life of a Namibian farmer" excursion

Local news from the Gondwana Collection

It’s a verdant Desert
The clay pan of Sossusvlei in the heart of the Namib, surrounded by the highest dunes on earth, has turned into a big lake. A few days ago those who wanted to see this rare spectacle of nature had to walk for 5 km because the seasonal Tsauchab River, which flows into Sossusvlei, had swept away part of the gravel road to the vlei. The eastern fringe of the Namib Desert, which you pass on the way to Sossusvlei, has turned into a vast silvery-green sea of grass. At Namib Desert Lodge, nestled at the foot of the fossilized dunes, a bank of sand had to be heaped up to protect the lodge from flooding.

The Kalahari Desert in eastern Namibia is also decked out in greenery and blooms. The Auob River flooded the depressions near Stampriet and enclosed the rise on which Kalahari Farmhouse is situated. At times guests had to park their cars at the riverbank and climb onto a hanger to be taken through hundreds of metres of shallow water by tractor. At Aus in the south-westerly parts of the country a kayakist used the opportunity for a trip on the seasonal river in flood. The monthly figures have beaten all records, at least since the time that rainfall results were recorded. Here are this season’s figures (from 1 September 2010):
Etosha Safari Lodge & Camp at Etosha National Park – 274.8 mm (annual average: approx. 300 mm; in February alone: 99.8 mm).
Damara Mopane Lodge near Khorixas - 306 mm (approx. 150 mm / 139.8 mm)
Kalahari Anib Lodge northeast of Mariental – approx. 300 mm (approx. 250 mm / no data available). Kalahari Farmhouse near Stampriet – 275.4 mm (approx. 250 mm / 112.0 mm).
Namib Desert Lodge north of Sossusvlei/Sesriem – 258.6 mm (approx. 100 mm / 160.6 mm).
Cañon Roadhouse east of the Fish River Canyon – 74.7 mm (approx. 80 mm / 64.6 mm).
Klein-Aus Vista near Aus – 103.4 mm (approx. 80 mm / 97.8 mm).

The rainfalls have washed away parts of gravel and tar roads and caused potholes. A roughly 50 metre section of the B 3 main road between Karasburg and Ariamsvlei in the southeast has been eroded. Repairs are expected to take two to three months. In the meantime travellers have to make a detour. Some passes on the escarpment between the central plateau and the coastal plains of the Namib can only be negotiated by four-wheel drive at present.

In Etosha National Park a bus with a tour group got stuck in a waterhole and had to be pulled out. Damara Mopane Lodge near Khorixas had no problems with flooding but there were constant power failures. Guests nevertheless had a pleasant stay thanks to the lodge’s own generator - and candles.

The dams have filled up. The sluice gates of Hardap Dam near Mariental, the country’s largest reservoir, had to be opened several times already to avoid overflowing. Hardap dams up the Fish River which nevertheless flowed in full width several hundred kilometres further south, in the Fish River Canyon. South Africa has also had a lot of rain. When the Gariep/Orange River, which forms Namibia’s southern border, burst its banks several weeks ago lodgings and fields of grapes were flooded, and the ferry service at Sendelingsdrift had to be suspended.

For more details please contact us at info@namibiareservations.com