June 1, 2022

Birding in Lüderitz

I wonder if any of those pioneers in the early 1900s ever saw Barlow’s Lark (Calendulauda barlowi) at Pomona, or the Dune Lark (C. erythrochlamys) in the dunes near Lüderitz? Looking at the barren ‘killing fields’ those diamond hunters left behind as memories for later generations, I doubt it very much. I suppose the diamond’s blinding effect on your eyes has the same effect on your mind. In the end, it’s the larks that are still around, and not those diamond hunters.
September 1, 2022

Turning travel into impact: Celebrating 10 years of TOSCO

The uproar in the Namibian tourism industry as a result of the poisoning incident was a direct reason for stakeholders to open the dialogue. The consensus towards the end of the meeting was overwhelming: an organisation was needed to strengthen the relationship of the tourism industry with communities and conservation organisations. That same year, Félix founded the Tourism Supporting Conservation Trust which has become known as TOSCO.
June 21, 2023

The land of sand and freedom: Birds of a feather

We feel tremendously privileged to know some nature specialists who are founts of knowledge. Luckily, they are also amazing human beings who share their wisdom and their knowledge. Birds of a feather flock together. As this story is about our birding experiences over the years, that seemed like an apt segue.
January 17, 2024

The Kavango-Zambezi transfrontier ELEPHANT SURVEY

The first flight to begin an elephant survey covering parts of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe took off from a dirt strip in Zimbabwe on 22 August 2022. The survey area, known as the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), hosts over half of Africa’s savanna elephants, which underlines the importance of the survey.
January 21, 2024

Empowering the Visually Impaired

There are around 32,000 Namibians who are visually impaired. These individuals face many challenges to find stable employment, such as ignorance, social stigma and limited access to educational programmes. However, one company in the business of rejuvenation is rewriting the script. Nomad Wellness Homestead is a sanctuary of relaxation in the capital city of Windhoek.
January 21, 2024

ECO AWARDS NAMIBIA

Eco Awards Namibia is the only certification program for rating sustainability in Namibian tourism establishments. It is an NGO partnership of twelve organisations, representing the private sector, civil society, parastatals, tertiary institutions and the government, including the Namibian Tourism Board.
March 5, 2024

Gardens in the desert

On the edge of the Namib Desert, at the gateway to Sossusvlei, lies the village of Maltahöhe. Founded in 1899 and once a hub for tourism, Maltahöhe has been on a steady decline for a number of decades. As it became more dilapidated, this small southern community saw an exodus of businesspeople and a massive spike in unemployment. What had been a welcome stopover was now a place that visitors would rather pass through in a hurry. But this was in the past, and today Maltahöhe is on track to become a thriving desert-based economy thanks to an exciting community revitalisation project called RuralRevive.
March 28, 2024

Giving Plastic Pollution a Cute Face

Seals are popularly known as the dogs of the sea. This is because seals and dogs are physically similar and therefore classed in the same carnivore sub-order called Caniformes (meaning dog-like). Even their behaviour is similar, as seals are known to be playful and intelligent. Not surprisingly, humans can easily relate to seals as the marine version of man’s best friend.