Through the offices of the Namibia Development Trust (NDT) and the Namibia Community Based Tourism Assistance Trust (NACOBTA) funding generated from overseas donors is to be made available shortly to support a minimum of two unique Tourism and Community Partnership opportunities, specifically in the South of the country.

The Berseba/#Kharis Emerging Conservancy have made application to the relevant authorities and Government for the Conservancy to be gazetted and registered. This process is underway. Once registered, the final name will be the #Kharis Conservancy, and it will cover a staggering area of 728,106 hectares (some 1.8 million acres or 7,281 sq km).

The Conservancy land, incorporating the villages of Berseba and Ganegobes, lies to the north of Keetmanshoop and to the west of Tses. It is wholly within the Karas Region. The members of #Kharis are virtually all of the Nama tribe; the Nama language is their mother tongue, though good proportions have knowledge of both Afrikaans and English too. They are a people with the most proud and colourful of cultures, and genuine warmth towards visitors and tourists. This semi-desert area is arid and consists in the main of flat dwarf shrub savannah and sparse grassland; rainfall is likely to be in the region of 150mm per year. The ephemeral Fish River runs north to south through the Conservancy, and usually flows at least once a year. Mature, but magnificent, tree growth is only noticeably found abutting the river course itself. There are areas of distinct sandy dunes, whilst the impressive Mount Brukkaros, an extinct volcano, is a landmark to the west.

Successful investors will, in forming a Partnership with the Community, mutually agree on a site within the Conservancy on an exclusive area of reasonable size to support a Tourism venture. This demarcated zone is usually 10 hectares in extent; furthermore exclusivity is protected in that no other tourism construction is allowed within a radius of 5 kms, whilst the operator will be allowed to freely traverse the Conservancy and its villages and settlements too.  Since the Community as a whole do share all the surrounding land, there might be issues regarding confrontation between, say, subsistence farmers and tourism; but both the NDT and NACOBTA are keen to ensure there will be no such zonation problems. Indeed the NDT are developing a Management Utilization Plan (MUP) which the Conservancy Management and their partners would then adopt.

In the Ganegobes section of the proposed Conservancy, a local Village Committee spearheads tourism activities, under the stewardship of the Emerging #Kharis Conservancy in their role as the coordinating body. Any anticipated Tourism enterprise in this area would greatly benefit from two local attractions of great interest; firstly, located twixt the Village and the Fish River is a genuine Hot Spring and small development, known always to the Namas as a traditional Holy and healing place. Renovated in 1998, through a donation from the CDM Diamond Company, the springs are exquisitely laid out, their surroundings being neatly formed out of local stone. Alongside lie a small office, with craft centre potential, flush toilets and a communal braai area. Some 3, 5 kms from the Village, reachable directly by a lovely riverside hiking trail, or by a more circuitous 4x4 drive, there is an extraordinary waterfall in the Fish River; two 150m long rock faces form a chasm, some 20m wide and over 15m deep in the centre of the river bed, over which the water cascades spectacularly when the river is running. When the river bed is reasonably or completely dry, it is possible to walk to the edge of these rocks, where - until dryness conquers - a torrent still swirls in from the eastern corner. But the pool deep in the chasm remains full of water all year round, and thus a natural swimming pool and floating bar are possible and dramatic amenities that spring to mind.

Parts of the Karas Region carry a population density of just 1 person to 16 sq km, making it one of the least populated areas on the planet, almost virgin territory; yet it is full of tourism attractions and provides astonishingly wide, almost mesmeric and ethereal, scenic landscapes. All within easy reach of both the Conservancy and Berseba are: Mount Brukkaros , The Fish River Canyon, Ai-Ais / Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, Quivertree Forest, Giant's Playground, the Mesosaurus Fossils site, Naute Dam, Warmbad Hot Springs & Museum, Groot and Klein Karas Mountain ranges, the historical town of Bethanie plus Luderitz & Kolmanskop (for the diamond story), all wonderful tourism experiences. The South is doubtless where, within Namibia, that new enterprises can flourish most easily, for it is massively underdeveloped and opportunities abound. The specific attractions of the area surrounding are, without doubt, the Hot Springs, the Fish River and particularly the stunning waterfall. Hiking in nature, and the close proximity to Mount Brukkaros are other notable draw cards too. A further enhancement of the area might be an increase in wildlife; indeed the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) have re-introduced game into three other Karas Conservancies in the past few years, and there is no reason why a successful application could not be made here.

The local Ganegobes Village Committee relating to Tourism does have a preference in terms of what development might be carried out, favouring a middle market Lodge. It is a prerequisite of any investment that the experienced tourism operator would also judge that, and be able to call upon current regional tourism studies and market indicators. This preferred establishment could take the form of a small lodge, all built from local stone and materials, or perhaps a luxury tented camp. There is an obvious need for more accommodation of any class in the South of Namibia, particularly amongst self drive tourists and those enjoying the very strongly marketed Cape/Namibia route. Also it is a perfect stepping stone to the capital Windhoek and beyond to the north, the Kalahari to the east, and the Namib and Atlantic Coast to the west. Marketing could furthermore dwell on the plethora of local and worthwhile attractions reached easily from any such establishment construction here. Access to the specific area is excellent via the B1 tar road and D3921 District road; Ganegobes lies just 9 km and 39 km from the larger villages and communities at Tses and Berseba respectively. However, both the D3921 and most local community tracks within the proposed Conservancy do suffer badly during and after the rainy season, so it would be recommended that 4x4 vehicles be a prerequisite, certainly for some parts of the summer and beyond. There is on the western extremity of the Village, a newly renovated collection of buildings – the largest in the Village – which are shortly to be inaugurated as a Government sponsored and run Youth Centre, one of several similar sites across the country. Although this establishment does sit closest to the Hot Springs, there are two excellent consequences of this new enterprise; both electricity (Nampower) and a water supply (Namwater) are by all accounts going to be provided, not only for the Youth Centre, but for the entire Village too. Re-instatement does not appear to be a major problem here. Rather the choice of venue, for there are several possible sites, perhaps a favourite being atop a sandy dune, studded with mature trees, and overlooking the Fish River and Mount Brukkaros too...

Ganegobes. An opportunity not to be missed!

For more information, please contact:

Olga Katjiuongua

Executive Director 

Namibia Community Based Tourism Assistance Trust (NACOBTA)

2878 Johann Albrecht Street, Windhoek North,

PO Box 86099

Windhoek, Namibia

Tel: (061) 250558 / 228783

Fax: (061) 222647

e-mail: olga@nacobta.com.na

website: www.nacobta.com.na

Mr Jeremy Muller                                               

NDT Mariental                                                   

881 Leonard Street,                                                                

Mariental                                                                      

P O Box  870                                                    

MARIENTAL                                                       

Tel:  + 264 63 240790                                       

Fax: + 264 63 240790                           

e-mail:jeremy@ndt.org.na