Indholdsfortegnelse for Autumn 2022 i Travel Namibia

Rara Avis is a Latin phrase for ‘rare bird’. It is also used to refer to an unusual, or exceptional person or thing. Paul van Schalkwyk was both. The late Paul van Schalkwyk’s body of work, published by his wife Rieth in his honour, is a phenomenon. The collection of photographs feature familiar Namibian destinations such as the Namib Desert, Etosha National Park, the Messum Crater and the Skeleton Coast of Namibia from an aerial perspective, completely reinventing the way that these popular photographic subjects are generally viewed and perceived. These images truly reflect the way that the harsh contrasts, the extraordinary colours and rich textures of the landscapes make you feel. Viewing them, you become the bird too. Paul’s life abruptly ended when his plane crashed in Etosha in…

All of us had to adjust while the pandemic filtered into our dayto-day life, making major lifestyle changes as we went along. For nearly two years of having to find new creative ideas and hoping for the travel industry to recover, conservation continued... education continued... and so did the passion for sustainable tourism. You see, while the world seemingly came to a standstill, nature forced us to keep going. Conservation had to continue. Supporting communities had to continue. Therefore, tourism had to continue. Because conservancies and communities still rely on tourism. With this in mind, Journeys Namibia invited a group of wonderful influential guests from neighbouring South Africa. The group included journalists who highlighted the importance of sustainable tourism in our country, emphasising the importance of community lodges and conservation…

Cradled by the Kwando and Linyanti rivers at the Zambezi Region’s southernmost point, lies Namibia’s largest conserved wetland area, the 28,500-ha-large Nkasa Rupara National Park. Complex tectonic, climatic and hydrological events have shaped and reshaped the wetlands over countless aeons. The most dramatic change took place millions of years ago when uplift along the Linyanti Fault diverted the Kwando River into a northeasterly direction. Since then, the fate of this extremely dynamic system has been at the mercy of the rainfall in the Kwando River’s catchment area in central Angola where it is known as the Cuando. No two seasons are the same. Blockages caused by sedimentation and dense reed beds or floating vegetation divert water into channels that have been waterless for decades, while channels that flowed only recently…

Early one morning at the end of November 2021 at the Chudop waterhole in Etosha National Park, a black-backed jackal bitch appears. Hundreds of Cape Turtle Doves and a few Laughing Doves, now called Palm Doves, come to drink at the water’s edge. In the usual jackal trot the female moves around the waterhole watching the thirsty doves while keeping a distance of two to four metres from the water. The moment a dove starts to drink, with its back turned towards the prowling jackal, the small predator lowers its head and body and tries to sneak up close to the dove. Most potential victims are too wary or warned by nearby doves taking off. Several attacks end with a splash of water and feathers in the mouth while the…

In Damaraland you don’t measure a trip from here to there in distance; you measure it in time. Forged from an outpouring of lava some 130 million years ago and then exposed to millions of years of erosion, fluvial drainage, sun, wind, temperature extremes and seismic activity, the landscape is so rugged, it ranks as one of the harshest terrains on our planet. In this regard, the extreme terrain acts as its own fortress, a barrier to outsiders and a haven for those that can adapt to live within this land of sun-baked basalt and hardship. The wildlife that has forged a life in Damaraland’s mountains and valleys is unique, not in their physiology, but in their generational knowledge – survival messages passed on from old to young – which…

“On your way in, the sounds of hippos draw you to the river where you are welcomed to magical lush surroundings.” The car is packed, the rooftop tent strapped and you bought more snacks than you should have for the nine or so hour drive to Bwabwata National Park from Windhoek. It’s a long haul north, but now you have hit the sharp right turn, leaving Rundu in your rearview mirror. Each tree is starting to look greener than the one before as you cruise alongside the Okavango River, keeping a keen eye open for the entrance to your accommodation. Found it! Hopefully taking the correct turnoff and onto the winding soft sand road that leads you to the lovely riverside lodge you booked for that relaxing break you really…

You may not be a tree lover or a birder. You may not even like camping or road-tripping. Days at a waterhole when the monotony of yet another gemsbok or springbok or zebra coming to drink may bore you to tears, and the thought of the foggy coast and the sound of crashing waves, the boring conversations of fishing trips and the catch of the day makes you wonder where else in Namibia a more exciting adventure could be waiting. Rièth van Schalkwyk followed the whim of a family member to break the tradition of Christmas at the seaside, packed the camper for two weeks of slow travel and camped on the banks of the Kavango, Zambezi, Chobe and Kwando to discover the magic of looking closer and staying longer.…

The Lüderitz Speed Challenge is an annual speed sailing event, held since 2007 in the harbour town. Since its inception, 146 national and 20 world speed sailing records have been set. Last year’s event took place from 18 October to 28 November and, as always, attracted the biggest names in the sport. Participants included Erik Beale, the first person to break 40 knots, as well as national record-holders Farrell O’Shea (UK), Oisìn van Gelderen (Ireland), Hans Kreisel (Netherlands), Gunnar Asmussen (Germany) and Roger Ornvang (Sweden, windsurf and kiteboarding). One man, however, the Danish-Dutch legend of the sport, Björn Dunkerbeck, was out to add another accolade to an already illustrious career. Dunkerbeck has been speed sailing since 1987 and broke his first open ocean windsurf record in 1992 with a run…

The area bordering the Namib-Naukluft National Park in Namibia’s south, which may seem like a wasteland to some, has become synonymous with conservation. Unsuccessful commercial small livestock farms having given way to large tracts of fencless land allowing for the unhindered movement of desert adapted wildlife. The Pro-Namib is a transition zone between the arid Namib and the escarpments to the East where a slightly higher rainfall means a more constant supply of grazing. This region is of critical importance for animals moving out of the desert proper during droughts in search of sustenance. Thanks to various private nature reserves wildlife like gemsbok, springbok and other hardy desert dwellers are able to once again freely follow seasonal migratory routes. Ondili is not only committed to responsible tourism through a range…

“Silent rage is selfdestructive- Edith Eger” Corgis are highly alert dogs, they react to any sound by barking. They are fearless, aggressive and excellent watch dogs, reacting by sounding the alarm for almost everything. Unfortunately it barks at almost anything, which can get annoying. They also become destructive, chew on furniture or other forbidden things. Separation anxiety can occur when not saying goodbye, and barking all day, getting on everybody’s nerves, is a well known trait. Not unlike the Lapwing... Similarities between Corgis and Lapwings: they are both highly alert and react to any sound or disturbance. They are fearless, even attacking elephant herds about to tread on their eggs. Unfortunately, they scream at almost anything, which can get annoying. But Lapwings do not become destructive, chew furniture or forbidden…