NAUKLUFT PARK – The campsite in the Nauklfuft Park has received a facelift with six new chalets added, giving the facility a total of 20 camping sites. The camp also has new ablution facilities.
The Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), the owner of the camp, said it spent N$7.9 million in the revamping of the resort, which is below the initial budget of N$8.3 million.
The revamped Koedoesrus camp, situated between Solitaire and Maltahöhe, has also allowed for the recruitment of 10 new staff members, bringing the total number of employees to 15, said NWR managing director Zelna Hengari.
Previously the campsite only had five tour guides as employees. “Through the camp and our other establishments in the Hardap Region, we hope our efforts aid in creating the much needed employment that our country needs,” said Hengari at the opening of the new campsite over the weekend.
The camping resort is in the Naukluft National Park, a section of the Namib-Naukluft Park initially created as a sanctuary for the Hartmann’s mountain zebra. The mountainous area is extremely beautiful as well as having an interesting history and geography.
The Naufkluft Mountains are very popular for hiking and four-wheel drive trails while also offering something for the more sedate as the beautiful rock pools near the Koedoesrus campsite are the ideal place to spend a day lazing in the sun.
Thus the camping resort offers basic amenities, a kiosk, bar and swimming pool while the adventurous individuals utilize the 4×4 trails, hiking trails and nature walks. The camp chalets cost N$800 per person per night while campers will only pay N$125 per pay.
Hengari says the Naukluft Mountains are of particular interest for their ancient geological history, as they are composed of Rehoboth Sinclair basement complex, the sedimentary formations of the Nama Group and nappes of the Naukluft Nappe complex.
“The basement is found mainly on the west side of the mountain complex and consisting of metasedimentary and volcanic rocks, gneisses and franites, varying in age from 1000 to about 2000 million years. The overlying Nama sediment consists mainly of dark limestone which were deposited about 600 million years ago when the entire southwestern part of the southern African sub-continent was covered by a shallow tropical sea,” said Hengari.
The Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse-Imarwa who was present at the launch said developing and modernizing the tourism sector in the Hardap Region will expand the tourism industry and thus contribute towards employment creation and eradicating unemployment.
Caption: (Pic: Zelna Katrina.jpg):
Namibia Wildlife Resorts Managing Director Zelnah Hengari and the Hardap Governor Katrina Hanse-Imarwa.
By Obrein Simasiku