NHOMA SAFARI CAMP
Cultural Experiences
in Tsumkwe, Otjozondjupa,
Namibia, Africa
Nhoma Safari Camp is a small activity orientated, luxury tented camp (ten
units) situated in the north east of Namibia, 80 km from Tsumkwe and 280 km from
Grootfontein. The safari tents provide the basic luxuries such as comfortable
beds and en-suite bathrooms with hot water. Meals and drinks are served in a
central dining area. The camp is situated on a dune vegetated with Zambesi teak
trees with a 180 degree view over the Nhoma omuramba (fossil river bed). It is
adjacent to the Ju'hoan village by the name of :nhoq'ma, on whose culture the
activities are based, and only 60 km, or a one-and-a-half hour drive on a 4WD
track, from the Khaudum National Park. Bookings are essential and no walk-in
visitors are allowed. The owners have an exclusive agreement with the community
whereby other tour operators are not allowed unless booked through Nhoma Safari
Camp.
Nhoma Safari Camp offers an intensive and authentic Bushman/San experience due
to the limited number of visitors, the location of the camp next to the village,
the wilderness area surrounding the camp, the spontaneity of the community and
the fact that every day's activities are not set, but based on where the hunters
want to go and search for food that day. Tourism allows the community to earn
cash in order to buy food and supplies not provided by the surrounding
environment. Without tourism, the community would have left their ancestral land
and moved to settled areas such as Tsumkwe.
Guests are taken on hunting/gathering excursions with the hunters of the village
whereby skills such as fire making, rope making and setting of traps for birds
and antelope are demonstrated, as well as lesser known hunting skills with, for
example, the springhare probe. Visitors are encouraged to take an active part.
The hunters will follow promising spoor of anything from porcupine to kudu if
they believe that there's a chance to catch up with the animal and the walk can
turn into an actual hunt. The duration and intensity of the walk depends on the
fitness of the guests and is adaptable. Honey and veld food are also actively
sought. The entire community participates in traditional games in the afternoon.
This is followed by the Giraffe or Elephant healing dances in the evening, which
is the way the owners of medicine cure illness and through which social tensions
are relieved. (Day visitors will only see a demonstration of the dance in
daylight).
Other important information:
- Temperatures can reach a high above 37°C from mid-September to November
before the rains start. Winter temperatures can drop to 0°C at night and
rise above 20°C during the day. Heavy rains can be experienced from January
to March and may limit the outdoor activities. April to June and early
September is climate-wise the best time to visit.
- It is a malaria endemic area and precautions should be taken, but we
have few mosquitoes as it's a sandy area with little standing water and the
tents are generally insect-proof.
- Hats, hiking boots and light-weight cotton trousers are essential (light
or white clothing will dirty too much).
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