Tandala Ridge Etosha Namibia

Private, quiet but not expensive, Tandala Ridge has only two chalets making it ideal for couples or families. Tandala Ridge is a natural stop-over between Etosha National Park and the Northwest Kunene region.

Email: etosha@go.namibiabookings.com

Freedom to roam the bush and explore the night!

Tired of being stuck in your car? Want to track game on foot? Hike the game trails of Windpoort Farm and enjoy the freedom to walk without fear of becoming part of the food chain.

Located just one hour by road (D2695) from Etosha National Park, Tandala Ridge provides the excitement of Etosha without the restrictions. The wild game species are beautiful and accessible. No elephant or lion, but plenty of kudu, oryx, red hartebeest, blue wildebeest, zebra and eland. Smaller antelope such as duiker, dik dik and steenbok abound as well as the rare Welwitchi hyrax, Jameson's rock rabbit, and striped tree squirrel. Two species new to science have been found on Windpoort Farm: a rock mouse and an agamid lizard.

On Windpoort Farm (5850 ha) experience the cradle of mankind with its Paleolithic stone tool sites, and the cradle of life itself with hectares of stromatolites - 650 million year-old fossil blue-green algae, the first life form on earth.

Have sundowners with an African wildcat and dinner with African porcupines. The wildlife around Tandala Ridge is totally wild, but because there are no domestic animals, they are comfortable with sharing our environment.

Your hosts, Tim and Laurel Osborne are naturalists, wildlife researchers, and authors who are happy to share their knowledge, stories and research with you.

Black Rhinoceros now roam the farm as part of the Namibian Black Rhino Custodianship Program. Track these magnificent creatures with us.

Tandala Ridge Accommodation

Private, quiet but not expensive, Tandala Ridge has only two chalets making it ideal for couples or families. Off the beaten path, on the D2695, Tandala Ridge is a natural stop-over between Etosha National Park and the Northwest Kunene region or the Southwest Twyfelfontein/Brandberg area. Tandala Ridge is located on Windpoort Farm where the two chalets overlook a waterhole and a vast valley of game with the hills of Etosha in the distance.

We offer a wide range of accommodation from the luxurious to all camping and combinations of both. Your accommodation is in two beautiful ensuite thatched chalets overlooking a vast valley of game and the hills of Etosha. A maximum of four persons can be accommodated at one time, ensuring your privacy and individual attention.

Built on a 650 million year old Stromatolite Reef, Tandala Ridge is immersed in pre-history, making a connection to the time when life on earth first began. Hike to ancient house sites littered with Paleolithic arrow points while you imagine what it was like to be a hunter-gatherer in this, amazing example of the cradle of mankind as well as the cradle of life itself.

Have sundowners with a Black Rhinoceros and dine with a family of Porcupines. Sleep peacefully with the knowledge that you are at one with nature.

CAMPING
Windpoort Farm also has a campsite with 3 sites and lots of shady Mopane trees. Free firewood is provided as well as tables and braai pits. Rates are per standard vehicle (cars or trucks) per night, regardless of the number of passengers. Tours of the farm can be arranged.

Windpoort Farm campsite with has two unit ablution block, each containing a flush toilet, sink and hot shower. The three main campsites have tables, water taps and braai pits.

Your hosts, Tim and Laurel Osborne are retired Alaskan biologists who have also worked and conducted research in southern Africa for the past 30 years. Their expertise is in the area of small and large mammals as well as birds, with an emphasis on birds of prey.

They operate a bird banding and research facility at Tandala Ridge where guests are welcome to watch and participate. Tim and Laurel both own and manage the B & B. They encourage guests to take advantage of their knowledge of African wildlife to create an unforgettable tour of the local region or all of Namibia.

Activities
Are you looking for a tailor-made tour with just yourselves as clients? Then Tandala Ridge Tours is the perfect company for you. All our tours are individually packaged and limited to a maximum of four persons. We do not mix you with strangers. If you like a particular location, under most circumstances you will be able to extend your stay. We plan for relaxed schedules instead of rushing from place to place.

Our main focus is natural history, mammals, birds, plants and geology but we also offer cultural and historical trips. Our guides are Tim Osborne and Wilferd Versfeld, co-owners of Windpoort Farm and authors of the Guidebook to Etosha National Park.

Tim is a retired wildlife biologist who is one of the top birders and bird ringers in Namibia. He has discovered two new species of small mammal on Windpoort Farm. Wilferd works in Etosha NP as a biologist and has extensive knowledge of the Namibian plants and animals. He is a NATH II guide.

Birding at Tandala Ridge
Are you looking for a place to see the endemics of Namibia? Tandala Ridge B+B at Windpoort Farm, has 8 of the 17 endemic Namibian bird species and all but one can be seen at the B & B. Wake up to the calls of Hartlaub's Francolin and Carp's Black Tit.

From the lapa you can see Monteiro's Hornbill, Damara Hornbill, Ruppell's Parrot, Bare-cheeked Babbler, and White-tailed Shrike while it is only a short ways to Rock Runner habitat. In addition we have many other species of birds not commonly seen in southern Africa including Orange River Francolin, Chestnut Weaver, Short-toed Rock Thrush and 3 nesting pairs of African Hawk Eagles.

Your hosts, Tim and Laurel Osborne, have 30 years of birding experience in Africa and are quite willing to share their knowledge and expertise. They will gladly assist with birding on the farm, as well as planning your trip and offering helpful tips on Namibian travel.

Bird Tours
We also offer custom built tours for those who would like to travel with an experienced guide. These are led by ornithologist Tim Osborne who has more than 30 years of birding in Africa.

Bird tours typically last 2-3 weeks depending on what birds you desire to see and where you want to go. To ensure your comfort and individual attention we limit the tour to a maximum of 3 passengers. Tours includes all transportation, accommodation, meals, cold drinks, and park entry fees. Prices vary depending on the class of accommodation and itinerary. Please contact us for a quote.

Bird ringing/banding
Ring birds with Tim Osborne , one of southern Africa's top ringers, at Windpoort Farm. Since 1999 he has ringed over 15,500 birds ranging from white pelicans to sunbirds. We mainly use mist nets, but also have balchatris for raptors, and our bustard net (with its various modifications) which has caught everything from pelicans to curlew sandpipers. We will willingly share our knowledge about various trapping and bird ringing techniques.

We will supply all rings and equipment. The Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism will issue a temporary ringing permit to any licensed ringer.