Guides
In addition to Dr Flip Stander, a knowledgeable wildlife expert and ardent conservationist, the group will be under the care of a professional safari guide.
Dr Flip Stander is a renowned wildlife and conservationist expert. He has worked with carnivores for over 27 years and has dedicated the last 12 of these to the conservation of Namibia's desert lions - working closely with the Namibia Desert Lion Project. Before taking up the lion's plight, Dr Flip Stander spent time in the US as a research associate with Cornell University in the US; working in Namibia as a ranger and field research officer with the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET); studying at Cambridge University where he obtained his M.Phil and PhD; and working for the MET in Namibia again. In early 2004 Dr Stander resigned from MET and set up his own wildlife consultancy business, Wildlife Science, and in this role he took on the Desert Lion Conservation project. Dr Stander's time is not only spent studying these magnificent creatures but also trying to find real solutions to the human/lion conflict that unavoidably arises from sharing the same area and resources. Dr Flip Stander has extensive knowledge on predators, wildlife management, conservation, community involvement and Namibia as a whole.
Camp team
A back-up crew will travel alongside the safari carrying all the camping equipment. It is their job to set up and take down each mobile camp and to prepare all the meals.
Mobile camps and camping equipment
Good-quality camping equipment is included in the cost of the Namibia Desert Lion Safari. You'll stay in 3x3 metre walk-in canvas dome tents with a built in ground sheet and equipped with bedrolls, linen, duvets, pillows and towels. Camp stretchers can be arranged on request at the time of your booking but is not recommended as the bedrolls and mattresses are much more comfortable without. Each tent also has an LED lamp, a small mirror, complimentary insect repellent and a side-table.
Depending on where the desert lion conservation project is based during your visit, the mobile camp might be set up in a remote area of Namibia's Kunene region or at a community based campsite. The community campsites usually have a tap and camp fire at each site and shared ladies/gents ablution blocks with hot/cold running water and flush toilets nearby. When camping at a remote site, canvas wash basins are set up outside each tent. A separate enclosure for a bucket shower and another with a bush toilet are also erected.
Vehicles
The safari is conducted in Land Rovers which take up to three passengers in each - allowing everyone a window seat. Each Land Rover is equipped with two-way radios and there is a satellite phone with the lead vehicle. Each vehicle is also fitted with a power inverter with 2 round-pin plug sockets where guests can charge their batteries. A fridge is also fitted into each vehicle to keep drinks cool.
Road transfers between Swakopmund and Wereldsend are usually conducted in Land Rovers but could also be in a comfortable minibus or 4WD double-cab vehicle.
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