New Sossusvlei Lodge to open in May

THE new lodge that Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is building in the Namib-Naukluft Park in south-western Namibia will be opened at the end of May.

“Seventy per cent of it is done,” NWR Managing Director Tobie Aupindi told The Namibian at the end of last week. The groundbreaking ceremony for the new lodge was held in September last year.According to NWR, the Sossus Dune Lodge is being built in an environmentally friendly manner, primarily from wood, canvas and thatch in an Afro-village style.It is part of the NWR’s turnaround strategy to improve the standard of service at dilapidated State-owned resorts, which have been making huge losses.The reorganisation of NWR includes renovating existing campsites, building new ones and training staff.Government has granted NWR a loan of N$120 million, of which N$60 million will be used to renovate the Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni campsites in the Etosha National Park.Aupindi says the refurbishment of Halali should be completed by the end of next month.Okaukuejo and Namutoni will be finished by the end of May, in time for the peak tourism season.NWR’s Waterberg Campsite is also being renovated and Aupindi said this would be completed by the first week of next month.The groundbreaking ceremony for the new lodge was held in September last year.According to NWR, the Sossus Dune Lodge is being built in an environmentally friendly manner, primarily from wood, canvas and thatch in an Afro-village style.It is part of the NWR’s turnaround strategy to improve the standard of service at dilapidated State-owned resorts, which have been making huge losses.The reorganisation of NWR includes renovating existing campsites, building new ones and training staff.Government has granted NWR a loan of N$120 million, of which N$60 million will be used to renovate the Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni campsites in the Etosha National Park.Aupindi says the refurbishment of Halali should be completed by the end of next month.Okaukuejo and Namutoni will be finished by the end of May, in time for the peak tourism season.NWR’s Waterberg Campsite is also being renovated and Aupindi said this would be completed by the first week of next month.