Guest Farm Niedersachsen

Information

Farm Niedersachsen lies at the foot of Us-Pass on the outskirts of the Namib Desert, 160 km west of Windhoek. From the castle-like homestead on a hill one can enjoy a panoramic view over 18.535 hectares of undulating savannah scenery, bordered by the distant mountain ranges of the Khomas Hochland in the east and the Gamsberg in the south.

Since 1936, Niedersachsen farms Karakul sheep, in good years up to 2000 animals. Since the demand for Persian lamb fur dropped in the 1970s, sheep breeding on Niedersachsen is of minor importance. Karakul sheep breeding is, however, still done on a small scale.

The Guest farm Niedersachsen offers quiet, yet inspiring holidays in breathtaking nature, farm drives, hiking, game- and bird watching, 4x4 tours to the Namib-Naukluft-Park and to the Kuiseb Canyon and also spectacular Deep-Sky observations from our own astronomical observatory.

And, of course, we offer cozy accommodation in en-suite rooms and best home-cooked food with a focus on game meals.

Your hosts Barbara and Klaus Ahlert - both Namibians of German origin - look forward to welcome you as guests on Farm Niedersachsen.

Activities available at the Guest Farm:

Guest farm Niedersachsen offers two different Farm drives in our Land rover. Each trip lasts 3 to 4 hours. If possible, we start in the afternoon, so that you can catch the nicest photos in the setting sun.

Henno Martin Drive

When World War II started, two German geologists, Henno Martin and Hermann Korn, decided to hide in the Namib Desert and to live and survive like Bushmen. Later, Henno Martin wrote a book on this adventure. One of the desert dwellings of the two geologists lies on Farm Niedersachsen and can be visited here. Over mountains and valleys we drive in our Land rover deep down into the rivers of the Nausgomnab. We observe plants, trees and shrubs, which have developed special strategies to survive the long droughts. From the gorges of the rivers our way ascends into the mountains and a breathtaking sight far into the Namib awaits us.

A short distance along the Baaiweg (the very old connection from the highlands to the coast), then we arrive at the well preserved second dwelling of Dr. Henno Martin and Dr. Korn. Here we have the opportunity to reconstruct their ways of living and survival with hunting-methods taken over from the native inhabitants. We visit their water spots and also their bitter-water source, where they often hunted successfully.

Kuiseb Drive

We drive with our 4x4-vehicle on adventurous tracks down to the gorges of the Kuiseb River. We encounter Oryx, Springbok and Mountain Zebra. Bird lovers also get their due, as Niedersachsen is the haven of a large number of bird species. Our drive takes us up to the Kuiseb Canyon, through the riverbed and up again into mountain regions, homewards for a sundowner and dinner.

Hiking

2-hours' hikes are possible, starting directly at the homestead. We recommend hikes into the mountains where we have marked hiking trails. Or hike down the Amintis River, which snakes through the farm. Farm Niedersachsen lies within the so-called "Copper belt", and the geologically interested hiker will discover many different rock formations on our farm. Your host will gladly assist you with advice.

Guest farm Niedersachsen also offers day tours into the Namib Desert with its beautiful scenery.

Day tour to Blutkuppe

In the morning after breakfast we set off to the Namib-Naukluft Park. Often one sees game on the farm already and if we are fortunate, also the desert giraffe. The first quiver trees stand beside the road. After a good rainy season they bloom Mai/June. We drive over a gravel-road that takes us to the vast Tinkasfläche. Occasionally we see a tree, often with a vulture’s nest on top. In the distance, about 80 km away we can see the mountains of the Erongo Mountains range. After about a 30-km drive we reach a gorge, see a maze of rocks and the vegetation increases. Even the ungainly Elephant-foot-tree occurs (actual habitat: Kaokoland/Damaraland). The canyon ends and we arrive at the big Tinkas-dam, which adapts wonderfully to the surroundings. From Tinkas-dam onwards the landscape gets more diverse. In the whole area granite forced itself between slate/mica millions of years ago and so forms the environment of bands of rock and fairy-like rock formations. Through this bizarre landscape, through thick sand we come to the Bogenfels (rock arch). We have a well-earned lunch break in a shady semi-cave.

Afterwards we proceed through the partially sandy riverbed to the old dugout of the guards of the "Schutztruppe", well preserved with their crenels. The soldiers had to guard the ox-wagon path (Baai Weg) in the desert. We continue to the "cheese-rocks", a granite formation with many holes and caves in it. The resemblance to a Swiss cheese cannot be denied. At the Blutkuppe - this mountain glows at sunrise and sunset as red as blood - we have a coffee break. If you feel like loosening your limbs you can do so by climbing or taking a short walk. Passing various waterholes, where we observe game, we return to Niedersachsen.

Day tour to Kuiseb Canyon

After breakfast we set off to the Namib-Naukluft Park. We cross wide plains with rivers. From time to time we come across camel-thorn trees and in the distance one can see mountain ranges. At one place in this flat landscape the water of the rainy seasons digs a canyon. It is a special sight how the small rainfalls have eaten their way into the subsoil over millions of years, thereby changing the landscape. The drive takes us to a one-time terrace of the river, from where we look deep down into the gorges of the Kuiseb Canyon. We are now in the vicinity where the two German geologists, Dr. Martin und Dr. Korn, first lived after their escape from Windhoek. A 20-minute hike takes us to the first living quarters of the men, situated underneath a big overhanging rock. Well worth seeing: the archway, through which even today herds of zebra move. We wander back again to the car and drive up the twisting and steep pass to the Kuiseb Bridge and have a rest underneath big Anna-trees. After that we drive across the Zebra-pan. We see the old copper mine of the 19th century, and Homeb, a small settlement in the Kuiseb River. In the shadow of Anna- and Camel thorn trees we have lunch break and enjoy the view: on the one side of the Kuiseb the rocky desert with its large and empty expanse, in the middle the green riverbed and towards the south the red dunes of the Namib. We carry on driving to the granite Island Mountain Mirabib, where we have coffee. Afterwards we take a look at the waterhole Ganab, where we watch game like antelopes and zebras drinking. After an eventful day we return to Niedersachsen for supper.

Additional day tours to other destinations can be requested. We are also quite prepared to offer advise on sightseeing and routes for adequate vehicles, if you prefer to drive yourself. Please order the necessary permits for Namib-Naukluft-Park in advance or get them yourself in Windhoek, Walvisbay or Swakopmund.

Try "Astro-Vacation" on Niedersachsen in Namibia. Guest farm Niedersachsen offers an observatory for DEEP-SKY observations and Astro-photography not far from the homestead. Conditions are perfect from a visual and a photographic point of view and there is absolutely no light pollution. The best weather conditions exist from May to September. You may bring your own instrument, but a C-8 on a Vixen SP-DX mounting on a stable, vibration-free pillar with lots of visual and photographic apparatus is available. Because we also have winds sometimes, a stable and flexible wind-shelter is available. 12 Volt direct current is available at the pillar, suited to the steering unit of the C-8. A second battery is available for your own personal instrument. Additional counterweights for your own instrument are also available.

You will have to make sure that the equilibration axis of your own instrument passes by the tripod even at a low polar distance (23° on the Tropic of Capricorn).

We, the Ahlerts, are no astro-professionals, but we are often able to help out with small technical problems. For professional advice and assistance: Mrs. Itting-Enke in Windhoek, (Phone/Fax: +264 61 238982).

Accommodation available at the Guest Farm:

• 5 spacious rooms, each with two single beds. An additional bed for a child can be placed in each room.
• All rooms are en-suite and comfortably furnished. There are easy chairs, and a table with reading lamp. Some rooms have a verandah with garden furniture.
• Guests can also use our main verandah, where they will enjoy a wonderful view of the river valley and the hilly grasslands of our farm.
• The lounge in the main homestead is also open to all our guests.
• We serve mainly traditional Namibian meals with an emphasis on game cuisine. For breakfast we serve German-style "Brötchen" as well as Namibian sausage specialties. Milk, butter and cheese from our own Jersey cows and the eggs are from our free-range chickens.
• Following an old tradition on Namibian guest farms, we will take our meals together with our guests. This will give you the opportunity to get a first-hand impression of the life of a farmer's family at the edge of the Namib desert and also get interesting insider information on our country, the history and people.

Camping:

For camping enthusiasts we offer camping facilities on the farm. One site is very close to the homestead. The other site lies in the mountains (11km) and a 4x4 is needed to reach it. Both sites have shade, a cold-water shower and toilet.

Facilities available at the Guest Farm:

• Unfortunately we do not have a Swimming pool as water is quite scarce in our area and rainfall sometimes very low
• Comfortable verandah and lounge