Namibia: massive rough diamond is missing during strike

In all the commotion caused by a recent miner strike in Namibia over wages and medical and education fees, a massive rough diamond has gone missing, Mining.com reports. The stone is said to weigh a whopping 78 carats, and based on the prices paid for similar-sized diamonds in the recent past, it could be worth as much as $6 million.

The loss of a precious gem was not what Namdeb feared when one thousand five hundred employees of the Namibia Diamond Trading Company went on strike during the summer. As the IDI reported at that time, Namdeb threatened to take the Mineworkers Union of Namibia to court over the strike, claiming that it was affecting two essential emergency services crucial to its operations – the seawalls and mining de-watering. In a letter, Namdeb noted that failure to return to work “might result in loss of life and destruction of a national asset due to the strike."

The Namibian reported in August that Namdeb CEO Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi said that the strike cost the diamond company and the government about $930,000 a day and that it could even lead to the closure of the company.

Namibia: International Fashion House at Wolwedans

Wolwedans in Namibia was always known as one of the most striking locations on earth and once again, the world has shown that it agrees with it.

With the latest issue of “The Look” magazine, readers can admire the distinct beauty of the NamibRand Nature Reserve. The pages are a collage of vivid colours, crafty layout, gorgeous models and an outstanding portrayal of the location. The magazine published images secured by Paul Kehl Zurich, the PKZ fashion house.

The fashion house visited Wolwedans in 2014 to take some exquisite shots of their fashion line. Identified by their production team as a scenic location of note, Wolwedans did not disappoint. With vast open spaces, piercing blue skies and mesmerizing multi-coloured dunes, the photographers had the perfect backdrop for an array of photographic exploits. The combination of skilled artists behind the camera, attractive personalities beyond the camera and magnificent landscapes surrounding the camera, resulted in an exceptional photo shoot with a uniquely Namibian flavour.

Victoria Falls's new International airport by 2015

An international airport is set to open at Victoria Falls by July 2015 at a cost of US $150 million.

The new Victoria Falls International Airport will accommodate more than three times more passengers, catering for an annual capacity of 1.2 million international travellers and 500,000 domestic passengers.

It will feature a new international terminal building, while the existing airport will be re-opened as a domestic terminal.

A new 4km runway, capable of landing the biggest passenger planes, including the A380, is due to be built, while the existing runway is set to become a taxiway.

Africa Albida Tourism, a hospitality group operating in Zimbabwe and Botswana, is supporting the initiative.

Chief Executive Ross Kennedy, said: "The Victoria Falls Airport is going to be a massive game changer, not only for Zimbabwe, but for the region. We will have a new airport capable of landing and handling, in all conditions, long haul wide body jets.

"This would turn Victoria Falls into a new regional hub, firstly for tourism, but it also has the potential to become a commercial centre".

The new Victoria Falls Airport, funded by a China Exim Bank loan to the Zimbabwean Government, is being constructed by China Jiangsu International Group.

Sun City Resort Refurbishments - Hotel & Meeting Facilities

We are renovating the Non-Smoking Casino at Sun City Resort, removing the rocks and Palm Trees. The renovations are projected to finish mid-November and the Casino and the bars in the Non-Smoking area will open on the 15th of November. The Non-Smoking Casino has been relocated to the Baobab room just next to the area under renovations.
The smoking Casino is still operational as normal and easily accessible from the entrance as well. The Orchid Restaurant is also closed for refurbishment and the Calabash has been relocated to the 1st floor. The rooms are not affected by the refurbishment.

Plans for SADC visa

Zimbabwe is working on plans to introduce a single visa system at all its borders to allow easy access that will promote tourism in the region, Tourism deputy minister Retired Brigadier-General Walter Kanhanga has said.

Speaking at the Gaza Transfrontier Cultural Festival in Chiredzi over the weekend, Kanhanga said government was working on a uni-visa pilot programme in Victoria Falls which is set to be adopted at all border posts to allow easy movement by tourists and enhance trade within Southern Africa.

“We are working on a pilot project of a single visa system at Victoria Falls. We are at an advanced stage of adopting the single visa system and should we succeed, it will be the model that will be used at all our borders,” Kanhanga said.

The single visa system will ensure one visa will allow entry in all Sadc countries and will therefore reduce the hassles for tourists traveling in the region, who had blamed the cumbersome processes of obtaining visas.

Explore Namibia in Winter

Winter in Namibia is a great time of year to explore our vast and diverse country. The weather is more moderate than in other months of the year and our country is a great option if you want to avoid the huge crowds of the northern hemisphere’s summer months. Read on for a few more reasons why we think you should visit Namibia in the winter months.

The Manageable Weather

As you probably know already, Namibia is a place associated with hot, dry and sunny weather. The cloudless skies and blazing sun can, at times, become overwhelming in the warmer months (particularly over December, January and February). Winter is a slightly different story in the Land of the Brave. Daytime temperatures for the season stay manageable and rarely climb above the 25 degrees Celsius
Another cloudless and temperate winter's day in Namibia.

Namibia gets its rain in the summer months so the winter daytime skies are also incredibly clear and cloudless. It is not uncommon to go for days without seeing a cloud in the perfect blue sky and this allows photographers ample opportunity to take some incredible high contrast pictures against a deep blue background.

And while we are talking about awesome photo opportunities, you should know that toward the end of winter you will be treated to some incredible sunsets. Toward the end of winter the winter months the desert winds begin to start blowing. These winds pick up dust into the air, which then spectacularly refracts the light of the setting sun.
A giraffe at sunset in Etosha National Park.

At night the temperatures can get quite nippy, but it never gets quite as cold as the frigid winters of northern Europe or northern America. The temperatures in Namibia are cool enough to justify lighting a warming fire and nothing makes winter more enjoyable than sitting around a roaring fire and sharing some stories with your friends and family.
A large camp fire keeps the night, and the cold, at bay. (Image via Wofford)

Note: In the southern and central regions of Namibia it can occasionally get to freezing. These temperatures are exceptional though and you can expect it to not get much colder than 5 degrees Celsius.

Winter adventures

Winter is the perfect time to be physically active in Namibia. The lack of humidity and the relatively moderate daytime temperatures make doing physical activity far easier in the winter than in the summer months. Rock climbing, cycling, trail running and several other adventure sports are all best done in the winter. The sun is at a less steep angle and the cooling winter breeze make any physical exercise much easier to deal with.

Hiking is another great activity to take part in when visiting Namibia in the winter. Some hikes, like the Fish River Canyon Hike are not offered to guests in the summer months as the temperatures are too high and the heat makes the hike too strenuous.

While not exactly physically demanding, going on safari is also very worthwhile during winter. The animals become easier to spot because the vegetation dries out in the rainless months giving the wildlife less cover. This is coupled with the fact that the animals are drawn out to the remaining waterholes in search of water and means that your chances of catching a glimpse of some of Namibia’s awesome wildlife are greatly increased during winter.

Note: Even though the sun is less harsh in the winter in Namibia you still need to make sure you are protected from it. Always use sunscreen and wear a hat and sunglasses.

Hit the beach

The winter months are arguably the best time of the year to head to the beach in Namibia. All along the famously rugged coastline temperatures remain warm and the fog stays away. These favourable weather conditions are as a result of the foehn winds (berg winds) that travel down the great escarpment and into the ocean.

The warm winds ensure that the coast stays dry and the frequent evening fog that descends over towns like Swakopmund, Luderitz, Walvis Bay and Henties Bay is kept at bay by the dry warm winds. The fine weather, coupled with the winds, make this time of year ideal for anyone who wants to take part in water sports like kiteboarding, windsurfing, surfing, stand-up paddle boarding and body boarding.

It should be clear now that the winds are a key feature of this season on the coast and at times they can get quite strong. When they pick up enough, usually as the sun is setting, sand from the Namib Desert can become suspended in the air in a dramatic fashion. With the right amount of skill, timing, and photographer’s luck you can capture these surreal moments and leave the coast with some unforgettable photographs.

Note: A great place for water sports like those mentioned above is Luderitz and within the small town there are a few operators who can take you out on to the ocean.

There is loads to do in Namibia throughout all of its seasons, but if you are looking for moderate temperatures and adventure filled activities then winter could be the ideal time for you to visit the Land of the Brave. Also, during the Namibian winter the northern hemissphere’s tourist hotspots are traditionally over-crowded with holiday makers soaking up the sunshine. So why not give the summer crowds a skip and come and spend some time around a warm fire in Namibia?

Save the Rhino Trust Namibia celebrates 30 years of rhino conservation

The Save the Rhino Trust Namibia recently celebrated its 30th birthday which coincided with the World Rhino Day. The event attracted dozens of school children as well as people from the local community who donated money contributing to the success of the event.
Namibia is known to have the largest population of free-ranging rhinos in the world and has the largest population of rhinos persisting on harsh desert rangelands that are unprotected. Founded in 1982 by the late Blythe Loutit and her husband Rudi, Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia has been successfully protecting the desert-adapted black rhino of the Kunene and Erongo regions for 30 years and has established the largest and longest running rhino monitoring database in existence.
Through its community-centered approach, the Save the Rhino Trust Namibia developed a capacity building programme where people from the local community are trained on how to monitor and co-exist with the critically endagered rhinos that range freely on their lands.Over 60 community game guards have received training since 2005 and are tasked with the translocation of desert-adapted black rhino into their former habitat to establish meta-populations and to ensure the survival and growth of the species. 
According to Jeff Muntifering, Research and Evaluation Manager at Save the Rhino Trust Namibia, the tracking of rhinos is crucial for monitoring the movement and living behaviour of the rhinos and recording this information in the data base system.
Muntifering added that the database is an unrivalled source of knowledge on rhino biology and ecology that enables them to not only monitor the health of the animals but also better understand what resources are critical to ensure their survival and what levels of human pressure they will most likely tolerate. Thus informaton from the database can be transformed into tools such as large format maps to help make decisions regarding the well-being of the rhinos.
“We believe research should be management-driven, which means the monitoring and research outputs are focused on what decision makers feel is important. That way, we can help gather, synthesize and disseminate information that will be much more useful and likely to be used by many stakeholders such athe Ministry of Environment and Tourism and local community for decision making,” Muntifering explained.
According to Muntifering, the trust is also taking on a more inter-disciplinary perspective that not only looks at the monitoring of the rhinos but also focuses on other dimensions such as economic and social aspects especially the development of responsible rhino-based tourism practices.
He emphasised that Namibia is widely known for its community based conservation so promoting and practising a participatory research approach with comunities is very important in order to ensure action is taken and learning is achieved.
Over the past 10 years, the trust has assisted the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and local communities with translocating nearly 40 rhinos to about 134 communal conservancies in the Kunene region and has developed joint patrols to promote community involment and motivation in protecting the rhinos.
Activities at the trust also focus on wildlife-based tourism, in close collaboration with the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET). Guests at the Desert Rhino Camp can go out with the rhino trackers in a 4x4 vehicle to search for the rhinos, before getting closer on foot. Rhino viewing cards provides information on the distance and time allocated to view the rhinos.
Save the Rhino Trust Namibia received a generous donation of N$250,000 from Solvay-Okoruso Mine’s Community Trust at the World Rhino Day celebrations, which Muntifering said will be directly channeled to support their core rhino monitoring work.

Namibia: environmental management students received support from Nacoma

Several post-graduate students received study grants last week from the Namibian Coast Conservation and Management Project at a gala dinner in Swakopmund to mark the end of the second part of the Nacoma Coastal Biodiversity week.
Recipients of the grants this year are Mrs Nangula Amutenya who will be completing her Master’s degree in Environmental Management from the University of the Free State, Mr Petrus Uushona and Ms Selma Iipinge, both enrolled at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology for the MSc in Environmental Management, and Mr Jacobs Francois Jacob for a doctorate at the University of Kwazulu-Natal.
The gala dinner was hosted last Friday to raise funds for the Coastal Environment Scholarship Fund. Proceeds assist students to pursue post-graduate studies in environmental management.  “The importance of having students in the field of environmental management should not be doubted, particularly because there is a need for individuals with capacities to contribute to the sustainable management of the environment”, said Mr Rod Braby at the gala dinner.  Honorary Coastodian were also awarded at the dinner. Braby said, “despite the fact that we have institutions, organisations and projects at the coast that are doing their best to safeguard the environment; there are also individuals that have realized the need to take care of the environment, and have gone the extra mile to do so.

The Honorary Coastodians are those individuals who have significantly contributed to the protection of the environment in many possible ways for a reasonable period of time. The award recipients are former governor of the Erongo Region, Hon. Samuel Nuuyoma, Dr Anja Kreiner, Ms Aunie Gebhard and Mr Tommy Collard. A dinner highlight for the young generation was the announcement of the Mister Coastodian and Miss Coastodian titles, respectively going to Lizinho Pallais and Tanya Knüffel. Both are learners at Namib High School.
The Coastal Biodiversity Week Part 2 concluded on Saturday 20 September with the International Coastal clean-up along the shore. Celebrated annually, teachers and volunteers gathered to collect rubbish from their respective beaches to ensure they remain clean. Debris consisted mostly of plastic bags, glass and plastic beverage bottles, beverage cans, caps, lids and food wrappers.  The annual clean-up is supported by the municipalities of Oranjemund, Lüderitz, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund with additional assistance from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism; the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Nadeet, Namdeb Diamond Corporation, Plastic Packaging; Rent-a-Drum, churches, various schools and individual volunteers. The Coastal Biodiversity week is made possible with financial support from Rossing Uranium, Erongo RED, Swakop Uranium, PASS Project, NAMDEB Diamond Corporation, NAMSOV, Municipality of Walvis Bay, Suzuki Auto Namibia, Schoemans Office Systems, Areva, Manica Group Namibia, Distell Namibia, Namibia Breweries Limited, O&L Leisure Hotels and Lodges, Batis Birding Safaris, Protea Hotel Namibia, Photo Adventures, Hata Angu Cultural Tours, Walvis Bay Bird Paradise, Walvis Bay Tours and Living Desert Tours.

Botswana special: Camp Kuzuma

Overlooking a regularly frequented waterhole and open plains of the Kazuma Pans, Camp Kuzuma is situated in the busiest elephant corridor that joins two of the world’s greatest parks: The Chobe National Park in Botswana and the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

Pay Stay deal

Pay for a 3 night stay at Camp Kuzuma and receive a complimentary 4th night! Applicable for the duration of 2014 and 2015 rates and includes a 3 hour complimentary Chobe River Cruise. Our rates include accommodation in luxury tents, breakfast, lunch and dinner, a selection of beverages including local beers, house wines, soft drinks, tea and coffee and mineral water as well as 3 on site camp activities per day (game drives, guided walks and night drives).

3 night special with complimentary 3 hour Chobe River Cruise

With every 3 night stay booked, we offer a complimentary 3 hour Chobe River Cruise with snacks and beverages included. After arriving at the water’s edge, step aboard your sightseeing boat and sit out on deck to see the stunning variety of wildlife, both in and around the river. Discover the riverside wonders of the Chobe River  which runs through the heart of Chobe National Park, and  attracts an array of colourful birdlife, as well as crocodiles, hippos, elephants and more!

There is an abundance of wildlife roaming the open plains around Camp Kuzuma including breeding herds of elephant, leopard, lion, spotted hyena, giraffe, large buffalo herds, roan antelope and sable to name a few.  Embark on our morning and evening game drives, go on an exhilarating bush walk or relax whilst indulging in one of our Spa treatments.  Quietly watch elephant drinking from the water hole whilst sipping on a cocktail.

Ebola update from Botswana

STATEMENT ON THE EBOLA OUTBREAK

BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - BOTSWANA TOURISM ORGANISATION

Botswana Government, through the Ministry of Health, is implementing public health interventions to prevent the introduction and/or spread of the Ebola disease into the country.  One of the interventions undertaken includes entry restrictions on visitors who have been to countries affected by the disease in the last 3 months.

In this connection, the Botswana Tourism Organisation (BTO) advises that this is a very important public health issue, and urge all travelers to abide by the regulations and take advice from Immigration and Health Officials at ports of entry.  These measures include travelers subjected to “Ebola Screening and travel tracing formalities, and possibly access restrictions.

BTO wishes to express its confidence in the authorities to execute these measures in the most professional and ethical manner possible.  Further, BTO wishes to assure travelers of its interest in their well-being and that of the rest of the region during this period.

Thabo Brian Dithebe

Acting Chief Executive Officer
Botswana Tourism Organisation