BRANDBERG – The establishment of the Elephant Rock Campsite came about when entrepreneur Monica Areses was selling refreshments at the White Lady spot in the Brandberg Mountain.
The campsite is located in the Tsiseb conservancy, west of Uis in the Erongo region.
“Tourists used to ask why there was no campsite west of Brandberg. They would go hiking and needed refreshments. This was the birth of my ambition, something which could turn into my life’s work,” said Areses, while hanging out with a group of local media personalities last week.
The mother of four added that owning the campsite, a venture she established with her late husband, had its ups and downs.
“I initially thought of setting it up at the foot of Brandberg, but the National Heritage Council of Namibia rejected my application. I was not discouraged, and continued with my research,” she said.
While randomly tagging along with tour guides, she stumbled upon the current location, and decided to set up the campsite there.
“While walking around the mountainous terrain, I saw the elephant-shaped rock, and was fascinated by it. I was convinced to choose this place to set up the camping site. I decided this was it, and I was not going to search any further,” she recalled.
In 2007, her dream became a reality when she got the authority and documents from the line ministries and by 2016, she had her first clients; a couple she charged N$50 per person per night.
“Getting all of these documents was not a walk in the park, it took everything from me. My dear beloved late husband, children and helpers played a crucial role in this venture, and this is why we are here,” she added.
The campsite has a breathtaking view and when you go at the right time, you will experience the golden sunset.
When you are lucky, you will see mountain zebras, springbok, ostrich and a diversity of bird species.
The Elephant Rock Campsite is about 40km from Uis, and 127km from Henties Bay. With only four employees, the campsite provides accommodation, meals on request, drinks and braai, mountain hiking, paragliding and many more.
Areses’s son, Fritz Tangeni Hangula (31), said seeing his mother smile during busy times at the campsite always makes him proud.
“I know what this means to her. It’s a personal project she had with my father. Although he is no more with us, a part of him stayed, and it’s the work and idea he shared with my mother about this campsite,” said Hangula, a teacher of history, geography, creative arts and home ecology.
“My parents travelled all over, so at home we cleaned after ourselves, cooked, made our beds and everything. That’s why you see me serving and cooking here. It’s something I have been doing my whole life,” said the energetic entrepreneur, who owns 20% of the business venture.
Hangula added that he would like the campsite to expand its services as it has a lot to offer visitors.
“This is why I am here during the school holidays and trying my best to be more involved, and will continue to do that. I don’t see myself teaching forever this is what we to fall back on. When I am at the campsite, it doesn’t feel like I am working. I am an adult at home doing what must be done,” he said.
Hangula said Namibia is a beautiful holiday and tourist destination due to the precious scenery and the Elephant Rock Campsite’s unique landscape, which is a meeting point between grassland and the desert.
“You will be exposed to all those vegetations, plus the view of the Brandberg mountain,” he said, adding that the assistance of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) played a big role in the development of the campsite.
GIZ helped with the installation of a full solar system, network booster, restaurant equipment, training courses, road signs, and now is in the process of drilling a borehole so that the campsite can have access to a steady supply of potable water.
-psiririka@nepc.com.na