Private nature reserve in the Naukluft Mountains in the southern centre of Namibia

The mountains for the game, the plains for the livestock. This has been the basic principle of BüllsPort Lodge & Farm for decades. So that agriculture can co-finance nature conservation. This is because the contribution from the tourism activities is not enough to cover the costs.

BüllsPort has deliberately limited the number of rooms and campsites and runs the business as environmentally friendly as possible. On the 14 paths through the private nature reserve, hikers and horse riders leave nothing but their footprints or hoofprints. It is no accident that BüllsPort Lodge & Farm has received 5 out of 5 ‘desert flowers’ from the official eco label Eco Awards Namibia.

Game management for the conservation of biodiversity

Three boreholes have been drilled in the uplands so that the game does not have to rely solely on the springs and watercourses in the gorges. This means that the area is grazed more evenly. The wind turbine and solar pumps have to be checked regularly and repaired from time to time. The same applies to around 20 kilometres of external fencing, which runs through terrain that is difficult to access.

The fence is often damaged, especially at the border to the Naukluft Mountain Zebra National Park (part of the Namib Naukluft Park) – mostly by mountain zebras. No wonder: There are an estimated 4,000 zebras in the park. That is twice the upper limit of 2,000 animals that experts have set based on the carrying capacity of the land.

In search of food, the mountain zebras push into the private nature reserve of BüllsPort – and from there down into the plains intended for sheep. Nature is thus threatening the very source of income that helps finance its protection. And especially in times of drought, when grazing must be strictly rationed through carefully planned utilisation of the ‘kamps’ (fenced areas for grazing).

Guests enjoy the NAUkLuFT and help with nature conservation

Hospitality and nature conservation are inextricably linked to each other on BüllsPort Lodge & Farm – to our mutual benefit. Guests can enjoy the unique nature of the NAUkLuFT on foot and on horseback. At the same time, they contribute to its preservation with their stay.

Nature lovers can also support the protection of the mountain world of the NAUkLuFT on BüllsPort from afar – with an unusual sponsorship.You can find out more about this on the ‘My Quiver Tree’ initiative page ‘My Quiver Tree’.