Namibia: Luxury Onduli Enclave is finally open

ONDULI ENCLAVE is finally open

After almost two years of planning and a year of building, we are delighted to introduce what will be Namibia’s premier villa experience, ONDULI ENCLAVE. Built as a privately serviced stand-alone villa near ONDULI RIDGE in Damaraland, our newest venture has once again been created in line with our commitment to help preserve wild places through impact investments that have a positive effect on the environment and its custodians.

NOW OPEN with official pictures, ONDULI ENCLAVE will be Ultimate Safaris’ premier private retreat, setting a new benchmark for villa experiences in Namibia, and our belief is that it will be competing with the very best villas in Africa.

AT A GLANCE

° An exclusive use villa with three glass-fronted super king size suites

° Mini bars along with an ice cream and sorbet freezer, local craft gin bar, and an artisan coffee and tea station in each suite

° Fully climate-controlled suites

° Large bathrooms with double inside and outside showers

° Suites with private decks boasting wood-fired hot tubs, sun loungers and shaded sitting area

° Interleading lounge / children’s room between two of the suites

° Minimum 4 / Maximum 10 (maximum 6 adults)

° Star beds

° Private swimming pool and sun deck

° Private guide, chef and butler

° Open-air art collection

° Fully inclusive stays including all premium drinks as offered (excluding spa offerings)

° Experiences and activities include searching for the desert adapted elephants, star gazing, solar e-biking, rock art viewing, nature drives, and walks.  

° Artisan tea and coffee

° Crafted pizza evenings

° Spacious private lounge, dining room, interactive open plan kitchen, campfire circle and pizza boma

° Open year-round

° Minimum 2-night stays (3 nights recommended)

° Children very welcome

° 100% solar powered

° 100% water reclamation 

° Waterhole for wildlife viewing

° Use of the Swarovski binoculars provided in each suite

° Wi-Fi throughout the venue

OVERVIEW

Onduli Enclave, also named after the resident giraffe of the area, is the privately serviced and stand-alone villa addition to Onduli Ridge which is separate from the main lodge and runs independently from it. Designed, developed, fitted and furnished by our co-founder, Tristan Cowley and the help of an incredible tribe that is beginning to make its mark with these sorts of developments, Onduli epitomizes mindful environmental integration and consideration, and the Onduli Enclave is a venue that allows guests the luxury of being at one with nature, whilst enjoying the ambience of Namibia’s most exclusive and luxurious villa. Onduli Enclave is built high up (12 meters high to be precise) against a south facing granite outcrop affording magnificent views of the Brandberg, Namibia’s highest mountain to the south, the dispersed cathedral-like granite inselbergs to the southeast, and the Doros Crater to the west.  The Enclave blends into its surroundings perfectly, maximizing the views of this most extraordinary landscape, and every space becomes a viewpoint whether from the bed, the desk, or the bathroom. Frameless glass stacking doors can be opened completely, blurring the lines between the indoors and nature, or closed when needed to take account of personal preference or local weather conditions. Three fully climate-controlled suites have super king-sized beds which can be rolled out onto your private deck for a night under a billion stars as required. Each suite also has a sleeper couch to accommodate a child, and there is an interleading lounge / children’s room with another sleeper couch between two of the suites that is available for larger families. The villa exudes refinement and meticulous attention to detail meeting all requirements, from private sun decks with individual wood-fired hot tubs (where water is recycled after use and it is fired with environmentally responsible wood) and shaded outside seating areas at each of the three suites, double inside and outside water-saving rain showers, private pool, pizza boma with a fire circle, magnificent art installations and plenty of places to relax and laze, all connected by floating wooden decks. A private lounge and dining room, with an interactive open plan kitchen, make up the communal area, along with numerous outside areas for sitting and relaxing. World class meals prepared by a private chef and served by a private butler combine with the exceptional activities offered by a private guide to provide a genuinely unforgettable stay of exceptional quality, while everything blends effortlessly into the natural surroundings.

AREA

Onduli Enclave is located on a private concession in the Doro !Nawas Conservancy in the heart of Damaraland, and a mere 30 minutes away from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Twyfelfontein. The landscape consists of rugged folded hills, plains, and wooded river valleys in a largely semi-desert and sparse savannah. Boasting some of the most magnificent views of Namibia’s highest mountain, the Brandberg,  as well as the typical cathedral-like granite inselbergs of Damaraland, Onduli Enclave is within striking distance of other geological attractions such as the Doros Crater, Burnt Mountain and the Organ Pipes. Named after the Doros Crater, Doro !Nawas means ‘the place where rhinos roam’ in the Khoekhoegowab language, and the area is home desert-adapted black rhino, desert-adapted elephant, desert-adapted giraffe as well as general plains game and predators such as cheetah, leopard, lion, spotted and brown hyena. 

CAMP SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability forms the foundation of each of our properties, and our Eco Awards ratings bear testimony to this. Onduli Enclave is no different as all power is produced by solar energy, negating the need for any use of fossil fuels.  As Onduli is situated in a desert environment, water is in short supply, so all used water runs through a sophisticated reclamation plant. It is then used to water gardens in our staff village which means there is no wastage. Solid waste is sorted on site according to recycling guidelines and driven out on the same transport that brings in operational supplies before being disposed of at recycling plants in Windhoek. The villa was also designed and built to ensure that, should we ever decide we need to remove it, this can be done quickly and efficiently, ensuring the site is returned to its original pristine condition.

EXPERIENCES

We recommend extended stays to get the full benefit of time spent at the Onduli Enclave and to explore one of Namibia’s most remarkable and amazingly diverse areas. Your time with us will be both exhilarating and life enriching, and it can include nature drives and walks as well as excursions to track unique desert wildlife. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Twyfelfontein is within reach of an afternoon Solar E-Bike ride, and you have the option to ‘wheel’ your bed out to spend the night under a blanket of a billion stars. Trail Treats will surprise you along the way whilst our Journey Magicians ensure each moment spent at the Onduli Enclave is as perfect as possible. Here is a summary of all the experiences on offer:

Desert-adapted elephant activity

Track members of one of only two populations of desert-adapted elephants in the world.

Desert-adapted black rhino activity

Learn about the world’s only population of free-roaming black rhino, but only on extended stays of 3 nights or more.

Desert-adapted giraffe activity

Head out with a guide to track, locate and monitor giraffe in the area, learning about our conservation efforts with regards to these animals.

Star Beds

Have your bed rolled out onto your deck and sleep under a blanket of a billion stars.

E- biking

Explore the area on e-bikes bikes with a biking guide, and maybe even head out on a Giraffe Conservation Activity by e-bike.

Rock art

View and learn about art of a bygone era, giving insight into our origins.

Nature Drives

Explore the area by vehicle, learning about the intricacies and complexities of this fascinating ecosystem.

Nature Walks

Explore the area on foot, learning about the smaller factors that also impact on the ecosystem.

Trail Treats

Let us surprise you with the most amazing surprises as you explore this magnificent area.

IMPACT

Doro !Nawas Conservancy

This is an area that was plagued by ventures that did not produce the promised beneficial impact it needed. However, this changed with the opening of Onduli Ridge in 2021. Onduli Enclave will bring even more investment to both the community and local conservation efforts through conservation levies raised and through the support provided by the Conservation Travel Foundation.

Giraffe Conservation Foundation

Onduli Ridge, and now also Onduli Enclave, pays homage to the desert adapted giraffe found through Namibia’s north west region. In June 2020, fourteen Angolan giraffe were relocated from private farmland in central Namibia to the Doro !Nawas Conservancy through a joint project undertaken by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Ultimate Safaris’ Conservation Travel Foundation, and private donors, The intention was to boost the existing small giraffe population in the area and to improve its genetic diversity, while also increasing the local tourism potential for the land custodians.

Save the Rhino Trust (SRT)

Onduli Ridge and Onduli Enclave support a Rhino Ranger team ensuring crucial rhino monitoring in conjunction with SRT. Ever since May 2020, even before the completion of the Onduli Ridge, all Doro !Nawas Conservancy Rhino Ranger costs (salaries, subsistence, uniforms, etc.) have been covered by Ultimate Safaris. 

Wildlife Credits

Onduli Ridge and Onduli Enclave pay a wildlife ‘sightings fee’ to the Conservancy for every sighting of high-profile game (rhino, elephants, giraffe, lion, etc.), thus raising substantial additional income for local conservation purposes.

Granietkop Campsite

As part of our contribution to the host Conservancy, Ultimate Safaris will manage and operate the Granietkop Community Campsite on behalf of the Conservancy on a pro bono basis (opening in 2024).

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Namibia: Rhinoceros poaching is on increase

Rhinoceros poaching is on increase in Namibia

Namibia is experiencing a surge in poaching, with the number of poached rhinoceros rising to 48 this year, according to Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.

In a Ministry statement, it said that of the poached rhinoceros, 32 were black rhinoceros and 16 were white rhinoceros.

Poaching has become more prevalent in private farms as well as black rhino custodianship farms. The Ministry is busy implementing new measures across the board to counter this surge.

Anti-Poaching Units in private farms are being strengthened while police and Ministry law enforcement officials are being roped in to assist private farmers with intelligence, law enforcement and patrols, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ministry will also be availing the services of its helicopter for aerial patrols in hotspot areas.

According to Ministry, the figure included three carcasses discovered in June and recently confirmed as poached after a thorough assessment in the Etosha National Park while the Ministry also discovered two more carcasses last week, bringing the total to 20 poached in Etosha.

He said that 12 black rhinos were poached on custodianship farms while 16 white rhinos were poached on private farms.

"We want to assure the public that the Ministry with its stakeholders will pull resources together in stopping this new surge of poaching," said the Ministry spokesperson, urging members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspected case of poaching and other wildlife crimes.

Namibia boasts the largest population of free-roaming black rhinoceros in the world and has rebuilt the white rhinoceros population after local extinction during the colonial era.

The country recorded 44 rhinoceros poached in 2021, 42 in 2020, 57 in 2019, 83 in 2018, and 55 in 2017.

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Namibia: Kifaru Luxury Lodge & Bush Camp | Кифару Лодж Намибия

The Portfolio: Kifaru Luxury Lodge & Bush Camp

A mere 25 km from the northern Namibian town of Outjo and just 100 km away from the world renowned Etosha National Park, you find Kifaru Luxury Lodge and Bush Camp.

This private reserve boasts more than 60 species of mammal and more than 300 species of bird.

This is definitely not just an over-night stop, this is somewhere to linger a while and experience the very real and tangible positive impact that tourism has on the conservation efforts for the black and white rhino in Namibia.

The Kifaru Luxury Lodge is built atop beautifully weathered outcrops, offering unrivalled views of the mopane forest and wildlife reserve below.

Kifaru Luxury Lodge comprises of 4 premier suites and 2 deluxe rooms.

The 4 premier suites are air-conditioned and boast a safe, tea and coffee station, hair dryer, full-length mirror, a cheeky midnight snack, fruit basket, 100% cotton bathrobes, mosquito nets, free wi-fi and a private viewing deck.

In the bathrooms you will find both an in-door and out-door shower, separate WC, standalone bathtub with bath salts to release the stresses of a day in the veld, a double vanity as well as luxurious toiletries made from 100% natural ingredients, as are the luxuriant towels.

The 2 deluxe rooms are air-conditioned and boast a safe, tea and coffee station, hair dryer, fruit basket, 100% cotton bathrobes, free wi-fi and a private viewing deck.

In the bathrooms you will find a large walk-in shower, separate WC, a double vanity as well as luxurious toiletries made from 100% natural ingredients, as are the luxuriant towels.

The rustic Bush Camp, located about 5 km away, and offers guests a laid-back, relaxed experience; with a main area built to resemble a barn and a 'farm dam' swimming pool.

The 12 en-suite rooms have showers, complimentary toiletries and a cordoned off patio area with outside seating.

There are both twin-bed and double-bed rooms available. Bush Camp is ideal for guests travelling in large groups.

Conservation at Kifaru

The name ‘Kifaru’ means ‘Rhino’ in Swahili and the conservation of these critically endangered animals is at the heart of the Kifaru ethos, with the majority of the revenue generated by the lodge going directly towards Rhino Momma and their conservation efforts.

The Rhino Momma Project is dedicated to the care and repopulation of the Rhino species in Southern Africa. In order to achieve these goals we routinely dehorn our rhinos to reduce the risk of poaching. Kifaru Luxury Lodge is the proud lodge representative of the program.

By visiting the lodge and experiencing the reserve, visitors are offered a very real experience of the positive and tangible impact that tourism can have on the conservation efforts of these incredible animals in Namibia.

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South Africa: MalaMala Game Reserve conservation

'Somebody' needs some love

Despite all the trials and tribulations of 2021, our overall game viewing statistics paint a very positive picture. The following numbers show the percentage of days in 2021 on which our guests viewed the following iconic species: Lion 94.8%, leopard 97.3%, elephant 97.5% and buffalo 79%.  Notably, we do not report on our rhino sightings as the rhino population, across Africa, has been severely impacted by poaching.

According to a statement by the South African Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, "While there has been a 24% decrease in rhino poaching compared with the pre-COVID period in 2019, there has been an increase in poaching on private properties. A total of 451 rhino were poached in South Africa in 2021, 327 within government reserves and 124 on private property."

Rhinos were afforded a brief and welcome reprieve during our national lockdown as poachers felt the pinch of international travel restrictions and an increased military and police presence in the country. However, as the world begins to 'open up', the scourge of rhino poaching is rearing its very ugly head again and we need to ensure that rhinos are not forgotten.

The calling to save the rhino can feel lonely and draining. But there is strength in numbers.  It takes a village of dedicated, selfless and courageous people to save such a species. February is the month of love, when most of the world celebrates Valentine's Day and this year, we would like to show 'somebody' very special some much needed love.

As our village grows in numbers so the weight of the burden lightens and hope for the future of the rhinoceros strengthens. Here at MalaMala Game Reserve we have a full-time anti-poaching unit (APU) who work tirelessly in an attempt to guard the safety of the wildlife that reside on our property.  Our APU is devoted to the protection of the wildlife however funding is often a problem as the cost of protecting  these animals is extremely high and funding is often a challenge.

We have learned that conservation is a team effort and we cannot do it on our own. The requirements to operate a fully-fledged anti poaching operation are significant. They include additional manpower, accommodation, K9 support, surveillance equipment, training, vehicles - the list is endless.  When we work together, alchemy happens – there is magic. MalaMala Magic. With many individual donations we can achieve our fundraising goals. Little bits make a LOT and no donation is too small.

Conservation and anti-poaching

The Southern Ground Hornbill

Preserving and protecting the environmental integrity of the property has been MalaMala’s rasion d’être for over 60 years. This unyielding focus on the environment has resulted in one of the most beautiful and bountiful tracts of land in Africa, internationally renowned for offering some of the finest Big 5 game viewing on the continent. In the words of Russell MacLaughlin of National Geographic: “Nowhere in Africa can the scenic beauty and wildlife behaviour be remotely compared to MalaMala in any aspect and it is hands down the most remarkable place I have ever filmed in."

In a concerted effort to reduce the human footprint on MalaMala, the bed and vehicle densities have been kept to an absolute minimum. At 1 bed per 500 acres (200 hectares) and 1 vehicle per 2 350 acres (950 hectares), these densities are amongst the lowest of any private game reserve in the country, consistent with the principle that the environment is the essence of MalaMala.

One of the great advantages of having an unfenced boundary with almost 5 million acres of the Kruger National Park is that the wildlife is free to live and move in a natural, unconstrained environment with minimal need for human intervention and interference.

Sadly, with the threat of rhino poaching, this is not always possible and poaching has become our greatest conservation challenge to date. Fortunately, MalaMala is strategically sandwiched between two sizeable protected areas, the Kruger National Park to our east and the Sabi Sands game reserve to our west. This makes access to MalaMala more difficult but even so, we have not remained unscathed.

MalaMala spends millions of Rands annually in the fight against rhino poaching and we are continually bolstering our anti-poaching capacity. We have significantly increased our team of anti-poaching field rangers and have added multiple high-tech cameras with SMS functionality for real-time poacher identification.

Conservation projects

While the anti-poaching program consumes a significant amount of MalaMala’s time, energy, and resource, we are also involved in many other conservation projects:

Research and monitoring:

Numerous research projects are carried out on an annual basis, mostly designed to monitor the impact of our environmental management practices on the habitat. We have studied the effects of the ever-growing elephant population on the property and tracked the progress of threatened species like the Southern Ground Hornbill. MalaMala has a detailed Vegetation Monitoring Program and we also work closely with independent conservation groups like Panthera who assist in monitoring our leopard population.

Habitat and wildlife management:

Many of these projects are the unglamorous and behind-the-scenes tasks that are critical to the wellbeing and sustainability of the property.

MalaMala has several invasive plant species that encroach on the reserve and we have an annual control program for the containment of these alien species. One specific challenge, brought about by climate change, has been the encroachment of ‘woody plants’, creating dense woody thickets on what used to be semi-open savannah. This could potentially change the wildlife composition in these areas and, as a result, MalaMala has embarked on a bush thinning program to protect these savannah areas.

We have an annual burning program which serves to protect the property through an extensive network of firebreaks, but it also plays a critical role in savannah management and the rejuvenation of the bush.

Road maintenance and erosion control programs are ongoing and are essential maintenance functions for the property.

Finally, although MalaMala prefers a “light-touch” approach to wildlife management, we do occasionally require veterinary interventions for threatened or endangered species. We also conduct an annual aerial game count which is a critical management tool and enables us to monitor the changing trends in our wildlife population and distribution.

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