Doro Nawas: that winning Wilderness blend of tourism and community upliftment.

Doro Nawas Camp, the youngest of the burgeoning Wilderness Safaris portfolio in Namibia, opened its doors late last year. The lodge is situated in the huge Doro Nawas Conservancy in the Damaraland region of north-western Namibia. The neighbouring conservancy to the south, Torra - home for ten years now to Damaraland Camp, the first and pioneering Wilderness joint venture in tourism - has become one of the most successful and well managed examples of community upliftment and empowerment in Namibia. And the blueprint has been followed closely here in Doro Nawas. Wilderness provide the finance, oversee the lodge construction, provide the expertise, senior management and training for on-going development; the community provides obviously the conservancy itself, labour and local skills, and virtually all the staff at the lodge; a Namibian empowerment company looks after the overall joint venture, ensuring a smooth passage for all parties. Shares are then split 40%: 40%: 20% between the three concerns. The benefits to the 450 odd community members of the Doro Nawas Conservancy should, in time, be immense and include upliftment, both social and financial, greater employment opportunities together with training in tourism and game management skills. Indeed the Torra Conservancy is now financially self-sufficient, a model for Namibia.

The camp itself is in the Classic Wilderness category, mid-range between the choice of their upmarket Premier camps, more traditional Vintage camps and the exciting new Explorations option in the Wilderness collection. The main lodge building is set atop a rocky outcrop amidst this harsh yet dramatic Damaraland veldt, punctuated by sandstone cliffs to the south and the remarkable Etendeka Mountains to the north. You'll find a spacious reception, with curio shop and a small gallery of Namibian art, dining areas inside and also outside, on a shaded veranda that hugs the building on three sides, affording spectacular views. There's a bar and a restful pool area too, sculpted out of the rocks. Thoughtful use of wood and stone provides visitors with cool respite from Namibia's sometimes scorching heat, and also ensures the building best blends into its natural surroundings. A rooftop terrace provides further limitless vistas, moreover a great place for watching the rising or setting of the sun, and for stargazers, thanks to a formidable telescope. Sixteen extremely comfortable chalets are set around the base of the hill, all merging into this arid environment in eco-friendly style through the use of natural stone, gum poles, canvas and thatch. Each offers the visitor a large bedroom, en-suite bathroom, outside shower and a roomy veranda. Power and water both on tap, with a ceiling fan for the hottest days. The beds, courtesy of lockable wheels, can be ingeniously rolled out onto the veranda for cool, stargazing sleep-outs. A lovely touch. The food served in the dining room is excellent. Wholesome, tasty and generously sized dishes use as many local ingredients as possible. Self drive travellers, together with guided group tours hosted by both Wilderness and other companies make up the great majority of bookings, but fly-ins are welcomed, with the airstrip located very close to the lodge.

Activities are very much a focal point of a stay at Doro Nawas. The camp lies close to the proposed world heritage site at Twyfelfontein, home to an awesome collection of over 2000 examples of rock art and engravings attributed to the indigenous San peoples from many hundreds of years ago. Daily morning or afternoon visits to this amazing site can be undertaken, with guests then able to also visit two further attractions nearby, the Burnt Mountain and the Organ Pipes. There are pleasant guided walks along local trails too, and also scenic drives in the lodge's own Land Rovers. But pride of place for guests must surely go to the regular half or full day game drives, searching for the extraordinary desert-adapted elephants of north- west Namibia that often frequent the two nearby ephemeral rivers, the Aba-Huab and the Huab. There are three groups of elephant that regularly browse and take on water where possible in these usually dry river courses; Oscar's group, named after the patriarch; Rosie's group, reference to Rosie Haroes, who has worked for Wilderness for 10 years now, and the tusk-less group, all of whom lack the usual ivory. To come across these mammals, in nature, and to study them from a distance, must qualify as one of life's finest moments. So all in all, it's quite a story at Doro Nawas Camp. Low-impact, sustainable tourism bringing tourists a fabulous place to enjoy, whilst the joint venture will ensure great benefits to the local populace as from now for years to come. For further information, simply contact +264 61 274.