The road less travelled
As Namibia becomes an ever-more popular destination we are very conscious of the fact that we need to have a responsible approach to how we travel and traverse this awe-inspiring country. A game plan, a strategy and a sense of awareness of the impact that we as humans (and in this case travellers) have on our environment, the imprint we may leave on other people and the after-effects of our journey. We so often use the adage Leave only your footprints behind, but are we truly conscious of each footprint? And perhaps they aren’t only physical.
We want Namibia to remain the special and authentic experience which we can proudly say it is today. Over-tourism is a rapidly growing global issue and we, here in this far-flung corner of southern Africa, are not immune to it. So we’d like to encourage you to travel consciously. Pick travel partners (like lodges and tour operators) who are aware of their impact, and thus by extension yours, on our earth. Sometimes going off-the-beaten-track can be far less damaging than encouraging hordes of visitors to demolish a specific spectacle… when off-the-beaten-track is done right.
So here are our recommendations of special places to visit in Namibia that may not pop up on the first page of your search engine results, that haven’t made it to the majority of Top 10 lists, and therefore have been able to retain their authenticity and charm. Skip the crowds, take the road less travelled. Enjoy Namibia for what it was always meant to be. Raw, authentic and unique. We hope it stays that way.
Elsewhere, also not far from Sossusvlei, the N/a’an ku sê Foundation has established Kanaan Desert Retreat on a similar principle of turning farms into a nature reserve. A lodge, camping, wildlife orientated activities and voluntourism can be found there.
Gondwana Namib Park is host to various lodges and campsites, as well as activities that include nature drives and e-bike cycling routes.
