Acacia News
March 2009

At the start of the New Year 2009
we are positive and confident as the upward trend in Namibia's tourism sector continues. We notice immense investment into new hotel projects, lodge constructions and renovations of various accommodation establishments. Namibia, too, is preparing for the big upcoming event in Southern Africa, the Soccer World Cup 2010, where Namibia's tourism industry has its own expectations. Various new accommodation establishments have recently opened their doors

Namibia offers excellent conditions and opportunities for stargazers
Wish to spot unique constellations like the Southern Cross and view a most brilliant ‘Milky Way”? In Namibia several facilities offer the opportunity to observe the southern night sky with good instruments. Visitors appreciate our clear, unpolluted desert sky. Some accommodation establishments in Namibia offer telescopes and astronomical explanations, amongst them Okomitundu, Niedersachsen, Tivoli, Sossusvlei Mountain Lodge, Hakos & Rooisand. For hobby-astronomers the Rooisand Guestfarm offers in depths observations into the universe. Hakos Guest farm also provides the ideal platform for an ‘Astro Vacation’. The farm specialises in stargazing tours and the international amateur observatory station is ideally situated on the property. Namibia’s largest observatory is situated on top of Gamsberg, the H.E.S.S. array. It is coordinated by the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics and searches space for the most energetic particles in the universe. Various lectures and exhibitions will be staged in Namibia to mark this significant year. For amateur stargazers there will be an excursion to the highest Mountain in Namibia, the Brandberg from 19 - 22 June 2009. For Info: www.suedsternfreundtreffen.homepage.t-online.de General websites: www.100hoursofastronomy.org and www.astronomy2009.org

New Product : The Naukluft Nature Challenge & Horse Trail
Guestfarm Büllsport has introduced two special departures of Horse Safaris. The exciting horse trails take the riding enthusiast through rugged hills, along the ephemeral Tsondab River into the Namib and to the Remhoogte mountain pass. One may spot baboons, warthogs, kudus, springbok and possibly shy mountain-zebra en route. As one has to tackle steep climbs with the horses, it is required to also walk some distances. The 3 day/ 2 night horse safari starts at Ababis Guestfarm and offers the day before after the trail at Büllsport for relaxation. Departure Dates for the Horse Trail : 23rd May and 26th May 2009 For more info & Rates please contact acacia@iway.na

Sperrgebiet – now a National Park!
Namibia’s “Forbidden Zone” (the Sperrgebiet) stretching 320 km along the south-western side of Namibia, bordering the Atlantic ocean, has recently been declared a National Park, covering an area of 26 000 sq km. It means that this largely pristine wilderness area will slowly open its doors to the public. The Ministry of Environment & Tourism is facing the challenge of balancing further diamond mining activities in the area and the rehabilitation and upgrading of infrastructure for future tourism related projects. The park will eventually attract visitors wishing to experience pristine landscapes, strange rock formations, meteorite craters, unique birdlife, fossilised dunes, hidden fountains, rugged mountains and vast plains doted by an abundance of succulent plants. Deserted diamond mining towns may also be of immense interest to tourists. Due to the rugged terrain only guided tours are currently possible with 4x4 vehicles and undertaken by companies allowed in the concession area. The Sperrgebiet forms part of the Succulent Karoo Biome, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, which extends further southwards into the Richtersveld and South Africa. More than 1000 endemic plants have been classified in the Sperrgebiet alone. Together with the Skeleton Coast Park, the Namib Naukluft Park and the “West-Coast Park’ (still to be proclaimed), this 1570 km stretch along Namibia’s atlantic coastline, will represent a total Nature Conservation area of 107 540 sq km

Dietlind Dietterle

(updated May 2009)