Rewilding the Namibian Deep South PLANNING CHECKLIST O Make sure you understand and agree to Oana Namibia’s Terms and Conditions in the Participation Form and Risk Awareness Form. O Make sure you have all the necessary vaccinations. O Review the packing list to make sure you have all the clothing, personal supplies, and equipment needed. O Make sure your passport is current and, you have obtained your visa. O Leave copies of your photo ID, travel insurance and flight reservation number with a parent, relative, or friend. Upload the documents to the cloud, share with the Oana booking team and have an electronic copy with you. Read this expedition briefing thoroughly. It provides the most accurate information available at the time of your Oana Namibia’s staff project planning, and will likely answer any questions you have about the project. However, please also keep in mind that conservation in Africa requires improvisation, and you may need to be flexible. There could be unpredictable factors such as weather, equipment failure, and travel challenges. To enjoy your expedition to the fullest, remember to expect the unexpected, be tolerant of repetitive tasks, and try to find humour in difficult situations. If there are any major changes to the project or field logistics, Oana Namibia will make every effort to keep you well informed before you go into the field. Make sure you understand and agree to Oana Namibia’s Terms and Conditions in the Participation Form and Risk Awareness Form. AIRPORT TRANSFER Airport transfer to Base Camp is included, and involves an overnight stop at one of our partners en route. You will be collected from Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek by an Oana driver holding an Oana sign. There is an ATM at the airport, which will allow you to draw local currency (Namibian Dollar). This will be used for additional beverages, souvenirs, personal orders from town and tips for expedition staff. DAILY SCHEDULE Typical Field Day 7:30 am Breakfast 8:30 am Fieldwork 10:00 am Morning break 1:00 pm Lunch and midday break 3:00 pm Continue fieldwork 6:00 pm Sundowners 7:00 pm Dinner & briefing for next day’s activities 8:00 pm Evening activity, summary/discussions around bonfire, movie CONSERVATION ADVENTURE COMMUNITY Leopard monitoring 3 day Orange River hike Soup kitchen Game counts Mountain biking Gamaseb Community Conservancy Wildlife research River rafting Warmbad Village outreach Megafauna tracking Sleep under the stars Nama Culture Camera trapping Fishing Base Camp LAT -28.811998 LON 18.954966 YOUR HOME IN THE FIELD During your expedition, the team will be based in the Bedouin style tented camp, ‘glamping’ with a homely rustic ambience situated in the core conservation area on Kum Kum plain, surrounded by spectacular quartz and volcanic mountains.You will spend most of your time at base camp in the main ‘hang out’ tent, which is furnished with plenty of cosy cushions, day beds, a library, refreshment station and beautiful dining tables where we spend most of our meal times dining as a family. SLEEPING you make sure to bring all batteries required for camera equipment, etc. as it can be very hard to find them locally. There are three different accommodation tents at base camp. You may sleep in two- or three-pax pods or five-pax safari style walk in tents, depending on the number of team WATER members and the gender make-up of the team. Most people will share a sleeping area with one or two others of the same gender. Beds, pillows, and sheets are provided, but you must Water is drawn from our boreholes, with fresh, safe drinking bring your own warm sleeping bag. water straight from the ground as well as non-pottable water available for ablutions. BATHROOMS PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS Bathroom facilities include hot showers and flush loos. Hot There is no mobile phone reception at the camp. Wi-Fi is water is supplied by a gas boiler. A camp house-keeper will available for staff only; the Internet connection is very slow. sweep up and clean bathroom facilities. There is landline satellite connection and the number is +264 837 837 071 families are welcome to call this number for emergencies. In the case of an emergency, Expedition Leaders have a satellite mobile phone on them at all times. ELECTRICITY If you’d like a copy of photos taken during the expedition, we suggest you bring a memory stick. The electricity at the site is generated by solar power. It is 220/230 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are UK and SA type. The campsite has electrical outlets, so cameras, cell phones, DISTANCE TO THE FIELD SITE drones, etc. may be charged during the day. Please do not bring unnecessary electrical equipment, as the system at the campsite is easily overloaded and charging capabilities The reserve is around 9 hours' drive from Windhoek Airport, will be limited. This will help preserve energy for other with an overnight stay en route, to avoid arriving at night. The camp necessities such as filling water tanks. We advise that nearest village is Warmbad, a 1 hour drive from camp. FOOD AND WATER SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS A local chef will prepare breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Lunch and dinner will be a mix of international and local cuisine, including Please alert Oana Namibia to any special dietary requirements traditional Namibian meals such as poitjiekos (game stews) and (e.g., diabetes, lactose intolerance, nut or other food allergies, braais (barbeques), using free-range game from neighbouring vegetarian or vegan diets) as soon as possible, and note them game reserve. We have a conscious menu therefore you in the space provided on your participation forms. will eat seasonally. You don’t need to assist in shopping food preparation unless you want to, but will be required to assist We can accommodate vegetarian and vegan, but very with some cleaning. In the occasional event that we bring a specialized diet accommodation is not guaranteed and can be picnic on a day trip, you may be asked to help prepare your own very difficult due to availability of food, location of field sites, lunch. Most meals will be eaten communally on site in the mess and other local conditions. tent dining area. If you have special dietary needs; it is recommended that you Tea, coffee, water, squash and snacks will be available bring supplemental snacks. throughout the day. Alcohol consumption is not permitted by minors regardless of local law. The following are examples of foods you may find in the field. Variety depends on availability and seasonality. We appreciate your flexibility BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER SNACKS BEVERAGES Cereal, porridge, fruit, Salad, quiche, Braais, stews, pasta, Fruit, biscuits, Drinking toast/bread, jam, tea, biltong, soups, potatoes, vegetarian crisps, popcorn water, squash, coffee, occasionally hot bread rolls options, desert occasionally breakfast fizzy drinks Project Conditions THE FIELD GENERAL CONDITIONS ENVIRONMENT The following are averages. Please check weather resources for your team The climate of the area is sub arid, dates for more accurate weather predictions. Projects have experienced we are part of the Nama Karoo, unseasonable weather at all times of year. Succulent Karoo and Namib Desert biomes, with an annual rainfall of HUMIDITY: 20%–40% approximately 90 millimetres mostly falling during summer thunderstorms between October and March. TEMPERATURE RANGE: Remember that seasons in the September/October/March/April temperature: Northern and Southern Hemispheres Average 30º C in the day and 10º C-13º C at night. are reversed. June/July/August temperature: Temperatures can drop below freezing at night and be up to 28º C in the day ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS All participants must be able, independently or with the assistance of a companion, to: O Consistently and immediately comply with instructions from O Tolerate long periods of time in the field; days can be long. all staff field rangers, and guides. O Without assistance, get up into and down out of project O See clearly (with or without corrective lenses) to a distance vehicles, which may include vans, trucks with high beds, and of 500 meters (1,640 feet), and see close up to read research open-topped safari vehicles. instruments. We may go out in the evening or for a night drive, so the ability to see in low light is also a must. O Sit or ride in project vehicles with seat belt fastened and in close proximity to other team members while traveling over O Enjoy being outdoors all day in all types of weather, often rough and bumpy roads or have to sit still during behavioural exposed to the sun for long periods of time or highly variable observations for up to approximately 5 hours per day. weather conditions, which may include large temperature Although the team will take regular breaks, in some research differences between night and day and sudden storms or areas you will not be permitted to get out of the vehicle and drops in temperature walk around due to the presence of dangerous animals. O Enjoy being outdoors in the potential presence of wild, O Get low enough to access and collect samples and identify dangerous animals, including snakes and insects. plants on the ground and in the brush and to access or set up camera traps. O Walk over rough, uneven terrain with areas of dense, thorny vegetation, animal holes that can be hard to spot, or rocky O Keep as quiet and still as possible while observing animals and steep slopes for up to 6 kilometres per day and generally and working in the bush. up to three hours per day an average rate of one kilometre (0.6 miles) in 15 minutes, with minimal fatigue.