Hunting & Tracking With The San Bushmen 

Will we actually be hunting?

For the San, tracking and hunting are largely inseparable.  Tracking is a skill used to find food, and this area of Namibia is unique in Southern Africa in that the San (and only the San) can still legally hunt by the traditional bow and poison arrow.  Time will be split between more organized tracking study and also very informal bush walks, usually in smaller groups, where we go wherever the tracks go!  If we find fresh tracks we follow them and if there’s an opportunity at the end of the trail, we may take it.  But this is never guaranteed due to the unpredictability of hunting conditions.  If we do hunt something we will take advantage of the chance to show you how to butcher and prepare the meat for drying with the expert San as our guides. 

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Do the San Bushmen speak English?

Yes, both our master tracker guides have a good understanding of English.  

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What is the climate like?

Namibia is hot and dry for most of the year and you should expect temperatures to be between 30 – 35 degrees in the heat of the day. Mornings and evenings are cooler and pleasant which is why we focus our activities at these times.  November is the beginning of the rainy seasons and so we could get the odd rain shower or thunderstorm but this is great for tracking as it increases the chances of fresh tracks to follow!

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What is the accommodation/facilities

Our camp is about 6km from a gravel road in remote bush.  We will set up an expedition camp with ample shade, a kitchen area, a camp shower and a long drop composting toilet.  Each person will have a spacious safari style canvas tent each with a cot bed, matress, sleeping bag and pillow provided.  Water is ample, safe to drink and comes from a borehole.  All meals are provided and we take our catering very seriously – expect to be well fed!  There will also be a night in a guest house provided in Windhoek before and after the expedition phase.     

Where does the trip start and finish?

The meeting and end point is in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.  You will need to arrange your own international flight but we can advise on which one is best. 

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How will we travel?

The group will all travel together in an 11 seater, 4x4 safari vehicle driven by an experienced licenced Namibian tour guide.

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What is included/excluded in the price?

From the meeting point to the end point in Windhoek we will cover all travel, meals accommodation, tuition and guides fees.  Excluded in the price are any crafts you wish to buy or alcohol.  You must also purchase your own travel insurance policy which we can advise on. 

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Is it safe?

Namibia is generally a friendly, safe county with low rates of crime throughout. Petty theft occurs in the bigger towns and cities but we will be spending very little time there.  We will also be accompanied by a local Namibian tour guide, acting as our driver for the duration.

In the bush there are risks associated with wildlife including snakes and scorpions and larger game animals such as elephant and lion.  These risks are considered small and will be managed by Steven Hanton who has worked as a health and safety consultant for high profile film and TV shoots for many years in remote environments.  A full safety brief will be given as well as the team carrying a full expedition medical kit and a satelite phone for emergencies.  Steven Hanton is experienced at providing expedition first aid and holds a FREC 4 (Ambulance ECA) certificate.  All members will be asked to take out a travel insurance policy with ample medical costs coverage.  

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Tell me about the location?

We are based in the heart of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy in Namibia’s north east corner.  This is the heart of ‘Bushmanland’ and the home of the Ju/’hoansi Bushmen.  This is a sparsely populated desert environment with vast wilderness and plenty of wildlife.  We are right on the edge of Khaudum National Park, famed for its rich biodiversity. It’s a flat, sandy area of open scrub and tall Baobab trees interspaced with many salt pans and waterholes.   

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What is the food like?

Food in Namibia is good with simple African dishes fused with German influence.  Please be warned that Namibians love to eat meat and in restaurants vegetarian dishes can be a bit of an afterthought.  Food while on the expedition phase will be classic desert campfire cookery (or ‘Braai’ as it is known there) with all meals cooked on an open fire using a mixture of barbecue style food and stews and curries cooked in heavy cast iron pots.  We take our catering seriously and we aim to make the food one of the highlights of the trip.  We can cater to vegetarians and medical intolerances but vegans and more unusual food requirements can be tricky in Namibia.  We are always happy to chat about this before booking.

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Do I need spending money?

Almost all shops and supermarkets take card and contactless payments.  Its is wise to have some cash with you for craft purchases in the villages – the San have some great crafts to buy.  The easiest thing to do is withdraw this from an ATM in Windhoek before the trip. 

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Is the water safe?

It is not advisable to drink the water from the taps in Namibia.  Our water in the bush will come from a borehole and is safe to drink without treatment.  

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Is there phone signal?

Phone signal in Namibia is generally very good. At the last visit, there was patchy phone signal at the location of our bush camp but it can be unreliable.  It is improving fast however. 

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Do I need to be fit?  Should I train?

You need a basic level of fitness to attend this expedition.  We suggest that being able to walk 3km at least each day is a good minimum bench mark.  We will be splitting the group up most days to alternate between local tracking studies and more adventurous bush walks trailing animals in smaller groups so there is an option to do less vigorous activities every day.  The trailing bushwalks could involve longer distances of up to and over 10km as we search for fresh trails and try to follow them, so to get the most out of this expedition we suggest that being able to walk this distance is advisable.  Again, you can do more local activities each day if you need a lighter day.  

Remember that it is hot too, so you may feel more fatigued than normal.  A light cardiovascular training regime on the run up to the expedition will help a great deal by making sure that your sweating response is functioning well.  This will help you enjoy the trip more by preparing your body for activity in a hot climate.  We want you to enjoy the expedition so please contact us with any questions on this.

 

What about insurance?

You must purchase your own travel insurance policy that covers you for medical costs and evacuation.  We can advise on this.  

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Do I need travel vaccinations?

You should make sure that for all foreign travel you are fully up to date with routine vaccinations recommended for like in Britain.  In addition we recommend that you consult your GP/travel clinic well in advance of the trip to enquire about travel vaccinations.  The NHS also has an excellent website called 'fit for travel' for advice.