Na-Gumbo

The Namib-Naukluft National Park is beside the central coast of Namibia and occupies a stretch of more than 300 km. The Namib desert, an extension of the Kalahari, from neighbouring Botswana, is considered to be the oldest desert in the world. Surprisingly, the mist that sometimes comes in from the sea provides the necessary moisture for a unique vegetation and a huge range of mammals.

Beside this park is the Na-Gumbo lodge, which owns and manages the Ruimte and Emeritus estates (SEE MAP), 177 km southeast of the capital, Windhoek, and 130 km east of Walvis Bay, the second largest city in Namibia. The total area of both these estates, which are naturally joined, is 48,000 ha.

 

To reach Na-Gumbo from Windhoek, take the C 26 road and continue through US Pass, crossing the Khomas mountains. The captivating presence of Africa is obvious from the first moment. During the journey, which takes approximately two and a half hours, you can already enjoy the immensity of the African savannah, the bush, herds of kudo, Oryx, warthogs, baboons, springboks, etc., especially if you travel in the early morning. During the journey to the lodge we will barely come across one or two automobiles; the silence, the solitude, the stop in the shade of an acacia tree to enjoy a snack. You can also get to Na-Gumbo by light airplane, as we have our own landing strip on the plain of the Emeritus estate. From the air, the view is no less interesting: you can see the rivers, dry or in full spate depending on the rains, the herds of wild animals, and the aerial view of the mountains, which not something easily forgotten. The flight takes approximately half an hour and can be booked directly at the Hosea Kutako international airport in Windhoek or from Eros, the small aerodrome located in the centre of the capital.

Travel there without the need for special precautions, as there are no mosquitos and no malaria or yellow fever has been detected in the entire geographic area of which Na-Gumbo is a part.

Distributed throughout the territory are numerous water points, which are frequented by a large number of wildlife of all kinds: oryx, zebra, kudu, springbok, jackal, leopard, cheetah, hartebeest, ostrich, etc. The animal population of Na-Gumbo is subject to the strictest ecological control, as one of the main requirements established by the management since its inauguration. The enormous variety of species that populate Na-Gumbo is distributed throughout the territory in perfect balance.

Climate

Na-Gumbo is located in the southern hemisphere and, therefore, winter is from June to September (the best time for hunting) and there is a rainy season and a dry season. During the day warm clothing is not necessary as temperatures are usually pleasant and only fall at night. We recommend bringing comfortable clothes and suitable footwear for mountainous terrain. It barely rains at all and, when it does, nature produces a miracle that turns this land into a garden in just a few hours; those lucky enough to witness this spectacle can see everywhere little streams appear from nowhere. The Namibian winter is also the time of the greatest concentration of animals at the waterholes.