Elephant tracking
Elephant tracking at Grootberg Lodge has become one of our most popular activities. Guests will set out in the early morning (07:30) with a guide and tracker to the surrounding farms in search of elusive desert elephant. Since the elephants roam free in the conservancy, sightings cannot always be guaranteed but the experience also gives one the opportunity to learn and appreciate more about the lifestyle of the local people. Lunch is provided in the shade of a tree in the remote wilderness of Damaraland. You can expect to return to the lodge during the early afternoon enriched by the unique beauty of Damaraland and a good chance of having spotted one of Namibia”s unique desert elephants.
Guided walks on top of the plateau
After a scrumptious breakfast on the veranda of the restaurant, guests who prefer an early start to the day will depart at around 7.30am for a 3 hour walk on top of the plateau. Our knowledgeable guide will help to spot the various shy inhabitants of the plateau. Other highlights of the walk include local flora, the amazing rock formations of the Etendeka Mountains.
Damara Cultural Tour
Guests will be guided through surrounding conservancy farms visiting a couple of authentic homesteads of the Damara people which allows them with the exclusive opportunity to spend time with their hosts understanding their origins, cultures, traditions and their approach to human wildlife conflict farming within the harsh desert conditions.
The tour includes a visit to the #Khoadi //Hoas Conservancy office to meet their staff and then on to the Erwee Primary School. This provides the guest with the unique experience of understanding and gaining insight into the positive impacts and benefits that the Conservancy enjoys directly as a result of its ownership of the Grootberg Lodge.
The tour concludes with a cultural performance by the Erwee school pupils, followed by a lunch under the trees in a remote spot in the wilderness of Damaraland.
Scenic drives on Top of the Plateau – AM or PM
The lodge offers scenic drives on top of the Etendeka Plateau with the possibility of seeing a variety of wildlife population of zebras, antelope, jackal and occasionally leopard and lion. Springbok, Kudu and Oryx are a permanent fixture and even the nervous and shy klipspringers are sometimes seen leaping from ledge to ledge on the steep cliffs of the mountain.
Rhino tracking
Once classified as critically endangered, black rhino numbers have risen dramatically thanks to a conservation partnership between local communities and eco-tourism. Our dedicated guides and local trackers will take you on an unforgettable exploration on foot amidst the cliffs of the Klip River Valley and rising plateau of volcanic basalt ridges.
The Rhino Trekking Activity has in fact become so popular that the Rhinos are showing signs of stress. There is a real concern that if we don’t implement immediate restrictions to the number of people participating in this activity, the Rhinos will move out of the area of their own accord. This in turn severely increases the risk of poaching in other areas not under Journeys Namibia management. It is important that this activity be managed to ensure that it is both natural and non-obtrusive for the animals, where they are unaware of the human presence.
We have been forced to take measures to restrict the number of guests participating in this activity.