Monday, 16 February 2015

320 | An angel in human form - Gisela Tjitemisa

WELFARE AND TOURISM 


Gisela Tjitemisa, an angel in human form, founded in 2005 in Kalkfeld (Namibia), a small village 70 kilometers from Otjiwarongo away, a home for children who are in need of help.


Ngatuve Vatere, the apt naming in the Herero language means as much as 'place for a safe home for children'.




BirdsConTour supports this project and honored the dedicated team at Gisela Tjitemisa for its full social and tourism effort with a two penguin-rated Welfare & Tourism Support 2015 Award.




Friday, 13 February 2015

319 | Become part of the Glöditsch family on Gelukspoort Guest Farm

CONSERVATION AND TOURISM 



The Guest Farm, situated in the Fransfontein Mountains, offers friendly hospitality, great cooking and personal service with a family touch.



Guests are especially fond of the game drives, and a great deal of effort is put into supporting wildlife.



These efforts earns Gelukspoort Guest Farm the two penguin-rated Conservation & Tourism Support 2015 Award presented by BirdsConTour.

318 | The impressive Etendero Guest Farm

CONSERVATION AND TOURISM 



You're fond of hiking? You take an interest in bird watching? You enjoy staying in a natural setting? You prefer original Namibian hospitality to the commercialised version? Then Etendero, situated near Omaruru, is the place for you.


Free ranging chicken keep ticks at bay

Sundowner

Etendero Guest Farm was awarded a two penguin-rated Conservation & Tourism Support 2015 Award by BirdsConTour for animal-friendly practices and for authentic tourism implemented on the farm by Regine & Horst Dietz and their friendly staff.






Thursday, 12 February 2015

322 | The Namib Sand Sea

CONSERVATION AND TOURISM 


Did you know?

- That the Namib Desert is the oldest desert in the world.
- That its landscape is blanketed in fog many mornings of the year.
- That it's rivers often end in dry sands and dunes.
- That it's linear oases shelter animals as well as people.
- That shifting sand dunes cover 84% of the Namib Sand Sea.
- That the inscribed Namib Sand Sea covers an area of 30,777 square kilometer with an additional 899,500 hectares buffer zone
- That there are 16 types of dunes in the Namib Sand Sea.
- That the Namib Sand Sea became the 962nd UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2013
- That the Namib Sand Sea actually consists of two deserts, one ancient (its consolidated dunes ageing 21 million years) and one modern (its dunes being active since 5 million years).
- That it is Namibia's first natural World Heritage Site (Twyfelfontein being a cultural World Heritage Site).
- That it is the desert with the highest biodiversity (305 species of life, 54% being endemic) of all hyper-arid areas in the world.


Striving to protect and support these sensitive forms of life, especially at Sossusvlei, a major tourist hotspot, where visitors unconsciously destroy a lot of potential food, such as insects that serve as a source of moisture supply, by hiking. 



BirdsConTour in cooperation with Pack Safari and Chamäleon Reisen gives back in return through offering water for desert dwelling birds. Each tour guide visiting Sossusvlei offers water for birds in a mobile water trough.


325 | BirdsConTour keeps countries travelled clean

CONSERVATION


As part of its commitment to the environment, Birds Conservation & Tourism (BirdsConTour) continues to clean up countries travelled. Publishing such clean-up sessions raises awareness about the importance of a clean environment among citizens.


Often guests want to participate in such clean-up sessions alongside the road and therefore BirdsConTour bought two more garbage grapplers that are taken along with each tour that is guided by BirdsConTour.

317 | Eco-friendly Orange House

CONSERVATION AND TOURISM 



A Conservation & Tourism Support 2015 Award were given to Orange House for its contribution  and support in tourism and conservation aspects, presented to Orange House accommodation by BirdsConTour.

Solar panels



316 | Top award for Namib Desert Lodge

WELFARE, CONSERVATION AND TOURISM 



Namib Desert Lodge (Gondwana Collection) received a Welfare, Conservation and Tourism Support 2015 Award, an award recognised throughout the world by Birds Conservation and Tourism (BirdsConTour).

Water recycling project in the Namib Desert

Small things also count! Water for garden birds

These awards recognise the effort that institutions and people put into welfare, conservation and tourism aspects. These awards raise awareness of the need of support in these aspects, ultimately inspiring to support welfare, conservation and tourism.

Professional internal manager training