TOURISM
To ensure the long-term sustainable existence of the Reserve funds are
needed. Since 1994, exclusive safaris are being offered to nature
lovers
from different parts of the world, placing as little strain as possible
on the environment. Guests are encouraged to admire the uniqueness of
the Reserve, accompanied by trained rangers and field-guides, on foot,
by cross-country vehicle or from the sky in a hot-air balloon.
Hot
air ballooning
The rules of the Reserve prescribe that the total number of guest-beds
in the Reserve is restricted to one bed per 1000 hectare and a limit
of 20 guest-beds in any one location. Presently there are six
concessionaires conducting tourism operations in the Reserve. These
tourism operators collect a daily park fee from guests on behalf of the
Reserve.
Wolwdans
Dunes Lodge
All of these concessionaires make every effort
to co-operate with one another so as not to
interfere with each other's activities, such as
drives, hikes, utilisation of tracks and care
of the environment. They are also bound by
their concession agreements to respect and
maintain the natural resources of this pristine
area, in terms of game viewing, driving rules,
type of structures erected, water utilisation,
volumes of tourists allowed, planting of trees
and refuse removal, amongst many other
factors.
TOURISM
CONCESSIONS
Tourism concessions on the NamibRand Nature Reserve contributing park
fees include exclusive accommodation establishments and activity
orientated products such as hot-air ballooning and walking trails. We
believe that each concessionaire has a
unique product to offer, suiting the needs,
wishes and pocket of every kind of
tourist:
- In the far
north of the Reserve, Sossusvlei
Desert Lodge, operated by
& Beyond accommodates guest in rooms of the highest standard
and provides the perfect base from which to explore the giant dunes of
Sossusvlei.
- In the heart of
NamibRand, the Wolwedans Collection,
run by NamibRand Safaris (Pty) Ltd. offers a variety of lodges and
camps. Guests are provided with a classical safari experience close to
nature, in comfort and style, at the tented Dune Camp, the Dunes Lodge,
the Private Camp or the Boulders Camp.
- The Family Hideout,
an old farmhouse in the south of the Reserve, provides self-catering
accommodation, targeting primarily local families and regional visitors.
- Tok-Tokkie Trails,
operated by Safaris Unlimited, offers guided walks in the dunes and
mountain ranges of NamibRand.
- Hot-air
ballooning, operated by Namib Sky Adventures,
is a unique activity offered to guest who are accommodated at any of
the surrounding lodges.
- The N/a'ankuse
Foundation has assisted the
Reserve in
re-introducing cheetah and
leopard in the area. They maintain a base on the Reserve and conduct
predator related research with the assistance of Wildlife
Conservation Volunteers.
DARK NIGHT SKY
The NamibRand Nature Reserve in
Namibia has been proclaimed
as Africa's first International Dark Sky Reserve (IDSR),
meaning that
it’s one of the best places on earth to star-gaze.
Sossusvlei Desert Lodge offers
unrivalled stargazing from its observatory in the NamibRand Nature
Reserve. The
Lodge boasts a state of the art observatory, complete with a Meade
LX200R 12
inch telescope. Guests are invited to join the resident astronomers
either
before or after dinner to unlock the mysteries of Namibia’s skies.
12 inch Meade LX200R
telescope
at Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
Guides from the Wolwedans
Collection and Tok-Tokkie Trails are trained in
aspects of astronomy and spend time with guests sharing stories
about the constellations, as well as unbelievable views of the moon and
planets such as Jupiter or Saturn.
View images of the dark sky at NamibRand
here.
