Wilderness Namibia Unveiled as First Location in
NBC TODAY Show’s “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?”
th
November 2011 – NAMIBIA - Wilderness Safaris Namibia was chosen as the first location for the 10
anniversary of the TODAY Show’s popular “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” series . TODAY’s “Where
in the World” features Lauer’s exotic travels around the world and Namibia was selected by its producers
to kick off the week-long series, thanks to the country’s stunning scenic landscapes, incredible wildli fe
and successful conservation initiatives.
As Namibia was revealed as Lauer’s first secret location with him standing atop a sand dune – which he
later skied down – at the start of TODAY, he remarked, “We’re in one of the most amazing countries
we’ve been to in the 10 years I’ve been doing this series . It’s like something out of a movie.”
TODAY’s crews experienced a number of the regions in which Wilderness Safaris Namibia operates, from
the stupendous Sossusvlei dunes to the starkly beautiful Damaraland. Matt marvelled at the conservation
success story of Namibia, including the protection of the unique and endangered desert -adapted black
rhino.
Savannah Guthrie — who was waiting for Matt on the coast — was in awe of the amazing desert -adapted
elephants that thrive in the area. TODAY crews also spent time interacting with the people of the country,
including the Himba.
“The people are the best part about the country,” said Guthrie . “They are so friendly and welcoming.”
Africa Adventure Company’s very own Ian Flores was in Namibia last year and posted some comments
on the NBC website.
Seeing those images on the Today Show with Matt and Savannah in Namibia
brought back a flood of memories from my mountain biking trip there last year.
It’s nice to see the country painted in such a positive light that shows the many
different aspects of Namibia as a travel destination. It’s amazing how Matt
covered a lot of the highlights from the Sand Dunes at Sossusvlei, the Skeleton
Coast, the wildlife around Damaraland (h ow cool was the 2-week old baby
elephant!), and the diversity in culture and activities.
This is such a unique part of Africa, and the most interesting thing is that because
the environment is so harsh, every living thing from the plants to animals such as
beetles or Desert adapted elephants, everything there has an amazing story of
survival to tell.
Visiting Namibia is good all year round. One great thing to see on the show was
how they worked with Wilderness Safaris to coordinate th is special trip.
I recognized some of the people on TV from my trip and I’m sure they’d get a
kick to hear they were on national television on a program viewed by millions of
people!
Wilderness Safaris partners with tour companies all over the world and we have
been a proud partner of theirs for over 20 years and are now one of their biggest
tour operator suppliers into the Skeleton Coast and Damaraland. Together we
have been able to provide travelers worldwide, some of their greatest adventures.
I think it’s a Must-Do destination for any intrepid travel.
Best,
Ian Flores
Safari Consultant at the Africa Adventure Company
Damaraland Camp
Serra Cafema - August 2011
04 Oct 2011
02 Sep 2011
Weather
Weather and
and Landscape
Landscape
This time of year the weather should be starting to warm up as we
move
away
the clutches
of winter
spring,
but
weand
have
For most
of from
the month
the weather
has and
beeninto
stable,
with
hot
dry
experienced
very
cold
nights
and
mornings.
We
did
have
a
couple
conditions persisting. Once the sun set, it did cool down a fair deal,of
mornings
where
a blanket of coastal fog settled in the valleys, making
but was still
comfortable.
for very scenic photos. By midday the temperature did warm up,
providing
very
temperate
conditions.
The monthly
weather
trend
was broken on the 25th of the month,
when a clump of ominous clouds built up rapidly, rumbling and
As
the area experienced
large amounts
during
the last
rainya
threatening,
but only producing
a coupleofofrain
drops
of rain.
We had
season,ofthere
are still
largemist
stands
of moved
grass covering
ground;
couple
mornings,
where
belts
through the
Damaraland,
these
grasses
have
turned
to a very beautiful shade of golden yellow.
making
for some
scenic
photographs.
Wildlife
The landscape has dried up substantially and is covered with a gol den
As
the Kunene
has
substantially,
we havefor
been
able to
weave
of grass.River
Some
of dropped
the tree species
are preparing
summer
do
This new
has growth,
providedadding
our guests
some to
great
andboat
havecruises
begunagain.
sprouting
somewith
greenery
the
sightings
of
crocodiles,
ranging
from
tiny
hatchlings
through
to
huge
landscape.
adults.
Wildlife
Good
of springbok
movedasinto
possibly
to
Gamenumbers
viewing was
fantastic have
this month
we the
hadvalley,
a couple
of unusual
take
advantage
of theus
moisture
from
the morning mist. They have
visitors
which graced
with t heir
presence.
been joined by impressive herds of gemsbok (oryx) that have taken
residence
in great
the same
area.sightings, which entertained our guests as
We
had two
cheetah
the cheetah were taking advantage of the long grass and actively
Birds
andfor
Birding
searching
possible prey items.
We have been very lucky wi th ostrich sightings, as these large birds
have
congregating
We rhino
have which
seen ahave
number
Somealso
verystarted
exciting
news for us in
is the
the valley.
two black
of
crèche
the to
young
chicks
scurrying
frantically
the adults'
been
seengroups,
very close
camp.
On one
occasion,
the duoatdecided
to
feet,
trying
with
them
as at
they
walk along.
go and
havetoa keep
drinkup
from
the
spring
Fonteine,
a small village about
4km away from camp. The rhino stuck around for three days and then
Some
birdswith
have
taken
a liking
to the heading
newly refurbished
camp,
continued
their
journey,
possibly
to the Palm
wag as a
couple
of
Southern
Masked
-Weavers
and
Greater
Striped
Swallows
Concession.
have built nests around the camp.
We are happy to report that the baby elephant in the Oscar herd is
Camp
Newsand going strong. We had a number of fantastic elephant
still
healthy
After
five during
monthsthe
of month,
being under
construction,
thecreatures
new camp
finally
sightings
as these
magnificent
have
been
reopened
on
the
15
August.
concentrating along the ephemeral riverbeds, taking advantage of the
green vegetation which has tapped into the water table.
We also had some staff changes during this time as we welcomed a
number
of new staff to the camp. The new additions to the team are
Camp News
Lucia
and
Samantha
as waitresses,
Jonathan
as a
guide,
We congratulate,
Maggie
Vries (Camp
Manager)
for
beingWagga
electedastoa
maintenance
and
handyman,
and
Lynette
as
the
food
and
beverag
e
represent Namibia and the Torra Conservancy at the Adventure
Travel
manager.
World Summit, which will be held in Mexico from the 11th to 23rd
October 2011.
Guest Comments
"This
by far, the best location with the best lodge with the best
Guestis,Comments
staff we
visited.
Thanks to
everyone
here
making
experience
"The
friendly
welcoming
(singing),
the
nicefor
rooms,
theour
wonderful
meal
so
and
Amanda
(Italy). Jessica.
andfantastic."
of course Francesco
the animals
were
all fantastic!"
"You
made
stay and honeymoon
unforgettabl e! Thank
youattentive
so
"Albert
was our
an excellent
guide, very knowledgeable
and very
much
Serra
Cafema
is
very
special
and
we
are
already
planning
our
to my interests making this a wonderful visit." Lesley.
next visit, we just have to come back and see you guys again!" Ingo
and Eva.
Kulala Desert Lodge
04 Oct 2011
The month of September thre w a curve ball at us regarding the
weather. Just as we thought summer was here, we were whipped by
a cold front, followed by some cloudy days and then by a stretch of
some very hot and dry conditions.
Apart from the mindblowing scenery, the wildlife also provided some
great sightings with some rare species making an appearance.
A highlight for the month was when Petrus and his guests found a
brown hyaena, which was very accommodating to the guests' needs
by slowly walking right in front of the vehicle.
Charles, a guide from Wilderness Explorations, was here on a trip in
the first week of September and made a very good and unusual
discovery at Dune 45; he and his guests came across a snake. After
some time they managed to identify the serpent - it was a dwarf
beaked snake. This particular species is found throughout Namibia but
is historically restricted to more rocky terrain. The snake stuck
around, allowing the guests a couple of photographs before slithering
away. A very special sighting indeed.
The bird ringing project is going very well, with Kobus being able to
ring over 50 species. This is a very important project as it will provide
us with some important information regarding the breeding dynamics
and distribution of the Namibian birds. The latest ad ditions to the
species list being ringed are Ruppell's Korhaan and Double -banded
Courser.
Serra Cafema Camp - September 2011
04 Oct 2011
Weather and Landscape
This month has been pleasant as the weather has changed a fair
deal from last month and summer is in full swing. Daytime
temperatures have been quite consistent, providing warm and
slightly humid conditions. Even the early mornings have warmed up;
we did however have a couple of misty mornings wher e the
temperature was brisk. We experienced some very scenic mornings,
when the moon was still setting and casting its beautiful reflection
over the river, which was enhanced by the sun rising.
The river level has dropped considerably, making the boat trip s
slightly shorter. With the drop in the water level, some large
sandbanks have formed, making the ideal spot for many crocodiles
to sun themselves.
Wildlife
September has been a fantastic month, bearing some excellent
wildlife and avian sightings.
The highlight for the month was the sighting of a brown hyaena very
close to camp. We had the luxury of viewing this elusive creature in
full daylight. Almost every morning, we would find the characteristic
paw-prints of the brown hyaena riddled around camp. The morning
of the 10th was no different, until Harry called in on the radio that
he had just seen a brown hyaena right outside camp. We
immediately grabbed our guests and jumped into a vehicle and went
to try get a glimpse of the elusive creature.
We were all very pleased when we came across the female hyaena,
while she was lying in some shade. It looked like the hyaena was
getting ready to go to sleep, as she was not very active, moving
only to find a more comfy position in the shade. For a pictu re gallery
of this sighting, please click here.
After a couple of minutes she became aware of our presence and
stood up. Once she became comfortable with us b eing there, she
picked up an oryx (gemsbok) hide lying next to her. The hide
seemed to be still fresh, and her belly was bulging, so we presume
that she had already eaten the rest of the carcass. She then
displayed some behaviour typical of a canine. She b egan to dig a
hole and placed the hide into the hole and started to bury her prize.
After about 15 minutes, the pelt was completely covered and out of
sight from the Pied Crows that were starting to show interest in it.
After the hyaena was satisfied tha t she had concealed her tasty
treat, she slowly walked over the ridge, most likely to find a more
private resting area for the day.
In terms of birding, the riverine thickets have provided some great
birding activity and the odd special. With summer fast on the
approach, we are expecting large numbers of the summer migrants
to arrive soon. A pair of Madagascar Bee -eaters have been spotted
around the camp which is a sure sign that the migrants are arriving.
Camp News
As our vegetable garden was washed away by the flood, we have
started to build a new one. Things are looking good as we have now
removed all the shrubs and weeds and have planted various herbs.
We would like to welcome our new relief manager, Cobus Botha to
Wilderness and Serra Cafema. We wish him all the best in this most
wonderful place.
Guest Comments
"This is the most beautiful place we have ever been, and it becomes
even better thanks to the staff of Wilderness. We hope to come
back!" Montleban Family.
"This is a wonderful place with won derful people who made our stay
here unforgettable. Everything was perfect and we will keep Serra
Cafema in our mind for ever. Thank you for all." Susanne and
Martin.
Desert Rhino Camp - September 2011
03 Oct 2011
Weather and Landscape
With summer fast approaching, temperatures are starting to soar, and
the days are becoming really hot with the mercury reaching 40° C on
occasion. From three o'clock in the afternoons the south -westerly
wind starts to blow inland from the Atlantic coast, bringing in a cold
breeze and an occasional thick layer of fog, causing a dramatic drop
in evening temperatures.
This year's unusually high rainfall, means that despite the colder
winter months, most of the Palmwag Conservancy is still covered in a
lush carpet of vegetation, attracting huge numbers of animals into the
area. The abundant grass covering has provided a very scenic setting,
shades of golden yellow tones, introduce a landscape of rolling plains,
endless mountain vistas and instill a feeling of peace and harmony especially during the afternoon hours when the sun is hugging the
western horizon.
Wildlife
The SRT (Save the Rhino Trust) trackers and guide teams are
patrolling the area on a continuou s basis, monitoring movements of
the desert-adapted black rhino and the local wildlife. Their dedication
paid dividends when two unknown female rhino moved into our area,
providing some exciting sightings for our guests. On one occasion the
conditions were so favourable, the camp staff also had the
opportunity to get "out of the kitchen" so to speak and admire these
often secretive animals.
As the month progressed the rhino sightings peaked, when on two
occasions, guests out rhino tracking had the fortune to spot a
congregation of not one, but four of these bulk browsers in one area.
Wow! What a sight that must have been! Such an ancient creature;
surviving in the harsh conditions of the Damaraland region.
Another unusual sighting for us at Desert Rhino Ca mp was witnessed
in the Salvadora River, only a few kilometres west of camp: we
encountered a breeding herd of elephant consisting of 17 individuals,
including a very small calf, estimated to be approximately one month
old and appears to be doing well. Our guests that afternoon had to
drink their sundowners mobile style - in the back of the jeep! They
spent almost two hours watching the herd feeding around the spring,
devouring the desert sour -grass with gusto, and staging the
occasional play fight for the tourists. All in all, a rewarding afternoon
game drive.
General game sightings have been fantastic with constant wildlife
activity in every valley and grassy plain. The Hartmann's mountain
zebra continue to mesmerise our guests with their distinctive coat s
and endearing "look at me" characteristics.
Quite often, wildlife sightings could be enjoyed from the comfort of
camp. Ungulate species seen around the camp area were kudu,
springbok and oryx, their distinctive profiles making for great
photographic compositions.
On the predatory side of things, we had some outstanding sightings,
especially of the desert -adapted lions. On one occasion a small sub pride was seen on two consecutive days. Lion audio was heard almost
on a nightly basis, mixed with the distant background call of hyaena.
We have also been finding a large number of predator tracks around
the conservancy, which show s that the predators do indeed follow the
abundant prey source.
Another noteworthy sighting was that of an aardwolf at dusk.
Birds and Birding
Birding has been very good as there are large flocks of Lark -like
Buntings flying around the grassy areas, whic h have attracted good
numbers of predatory species to the feeding table. We have had
regular sightings of Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Martial Eagle
and the occasional Black -chested Snake-Eagle.
Around camp, the birding has been very productive with re gular
appearances of Bokmakierie, Namaqua Sandgrouse and Ostrich.
Guest Comments
"Thank you very much too all the staff of the Desert Rhino Camp for
an unforgettable experience. We have seen four rhinos and five lions.
We will miss the welcome drinks, the fire in the evenings, the
mountains, the smiles of all you guys!"
"Amazing! Our guide was great and scenery was fantastic. Truly an
educational, relaxing, highly memorable three days. Keep on working
to save the rhinos!! Say hello to Ben the rhino next t ime you see
him."
"Dear "unknown" rhinos, we will have fond memories from our visit.
Will send the photo's to add to your data base, hopefully your names
will also go down in history."
Staff in Camp
Managers: Helen, Ian and Agnes.
Guides: Ali, Makumbi and Raymond.