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Namibia> Places to visit in Namibia |
The Ai-Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Conservation Park spans some of the most spectacular scenery of the arid and desert environments in southern Africa. Bisected by the Orange River, which forms the border between South Africa and Namibia, it comprises the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Game Park in Namibia and the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa. Some of the distinctive features in the area include the Fish River Canyon (often likened to the Grand Canyon in the USA) and the Ai-Ais Hot springs. This arid zone is further characterised by a unique and impressive variety of succulent plant species, which makes the proposed park an undisputed biodiversity "hot spot", the new park will certainly be an interesting destination for those on holiday in Namibia
The cross-border park, which spans seven thousand kilometres, features the worlds second-largest canyon in the Fish River Canyon, a hot spring game park on the Namibian side, and spectacular arid and desert mountainous scenery on the South African side, combining to make a huge biodiversity and geological classroom.
Among the potential tourism projects are guided tours by vehicle, hiking trails and overnight camping, specialist botanical, geological, ornithological, photographic and cultural tours, and river rafting and canoeing. Other projects to be undertaken include mountain biking, horse and camel trails, angling, overnight accommodation, campsites, a shop and information centre, and visits by educational institutions.
The establishment of transfrontier parks is a broad conservation programme pioneered by the department of environmental affairs and tourism together with SA National Parks and the Peace Parks Foundation. In terms of the programme, boundaries separating conservation areas and other protected areas are removed in favour of integrated, jointly managed parks.
Nama communities living in and around the Ai-Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park are set to reap the benefits of the treaty. The disadvantaged Richtersveld population, comprising the Kuboes, Sanddrift, Lekkersing and Eksteenfontien communities, heavily reliant on a mining industry which is scaling down, is set to reap sustainable jobs from tourism growth.
For accommodation establishments in Southern Namibia and for safaris that visit areas of the park have a look at our safaris in Namibia.