When travellers arrive at a Gondwana lodge, they come for the beauty of Namibia, the wide-open skies, desert-adapted wildlife, and the chance to experience nature at its most raw and rewarding. What often goes unseen, however, is the way these stays directly support the communities who have been custodians of these landscapes for generations.
Namibia is one of the few countries in the world where communities have legal rights over wildlife and tourism on their land. Through Namibia’s Community-based Natural Resource Management program (CBNRM), rural people benefit when guests visit lodges built on their land. At Gondwana, we see this as a cornerstone of truly sustainable tourism: profits from nature should flow back to the people who live with nature every day.
Palmwag communal conservancy meeting with Gondwana Collection
A Growing Contribution
The numbers tell a powerful story. Since 2019, Gondwana has contributed nearly N$45 million in conservancy fees across its lodges, with the Palmwag Concession Area alone receiving over N$18.5 million in that time. Even during the difficult pandemic years, these payments continued, and as tourism rebounded, so did the benefits. By 2023, Gondwana’s contributions to conservancies climbed to almost N$10 million in a single year, the highest to date.
These payments aren’t acts of charity. They are a recognition that local communities are the stewards of the land and wildlife that make tourism possible. When tourism prospers, so should the people who protect its foundation.
Beyond Fees: Investing in People
Our commitment goes further than lodge fees. Every year, each lodge nominates nearby schools to take part in the Gondwana Care Trust’s Back-to-School Project, which ensures learners start the year with the educational supplies they need. Many of these same schools are also part of our MealForTwo Project: for every meal enjoyed by a lodge guest, someone in need shares a meal too. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that hospitality can extend well beyond the dining room.
Gondwana also manages a Community Development Fund, where a portion of lodge revenue is set aside for local development projects. From electrifying villages, increasing access to potable water and strengthening health services, these initiatives help communities grow stronger alongside the Gondwana industry.
Back-to-School Christmas Bags Project, Gondwana Care Trust
Sustaining the Future Together
Tourism in Namibia is lucrative because of the natural world; the elephants, the rhinos, the deserts and rivers. But it is sustainable only if the people who live here are part of the story and share in its rewards. At Gondwana, we are proud that our guests’ stays ripple outward, touching classrooms, kitchens, and clinics, and ensuring that both people and nature thrive.
Because in the end, a holiday in Namibia isn’t just about the landscapes you see, it’s about the lives your visit helps to support.
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