Gondwana Collection will add two Namibian lodges to its product range from May 1: the well-known Palmwag Lodge, and Omarunga Lodge.

Palmwag is the gateway to the sparsely populated Kaokoland, and has a large concession area that has been a popular holiday destination in Damaraland for many years. Omarunga Lodge is close to the Epupa Falls on the banks of the Kunene River, in the far north of the Kunene region.

Long-time owners Birgit and Fritz Schenk made the decision to part with the properties for personal reasons.

“We poured our lifeblood into the two lodges and invested a lot into the local communities and nature conservation as part of our sustainability concept. It pleases us to pass both lodges on to Gondwana, which has a similar corporate philosophy.”

The couple will remain active in in the tourism space with their tour company, Camelthorn Tours & Safaris.

Gondwana MD, Gys Joubert, says: “This is another investment by Gondwana into community-based tourism in Namibia. These, to us, are two iconic destinations. We are looking forward to play our role in conservation and in bringing tourism benefits closer to the people on the ground by working closely with Torra, Anabeb and Sesfontein Conservancies at Palmwag and the Epupa Conservancy up at Epupa. At Gondwana we believe that in the long term, tourism is not sustainable unless it is inclusive.”

The Gondwana Collection Namibia will honour all obligations and bookings accepted by Palmwag and Omarunga. Terms and conditions valid before the sale will continue to apply until October 31, with Gondwana Collection Namibia’s terms and conditions coming into effect on November 1.

Courtesy Of Southern Times Africa.