- Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park/ News 14.11.05


		Restricted Area becomes National Park - 14.11.05 The transformation into a nature reserve of the Diamond Restricted Area in south-western Namibia is imminent. According to the Ministry for the Environment (MET) only the name and boundaries need to be determined for submitting the bill to Parliament. The recreation areas around Lüderitz are to be included. Tours to diamond settlements like Elisabeth Bay or Bogenfels will still require the Namdeb diamond company’s permission. Nature Conservation officials are already busy preparing the opening of the Restricted Area for tourism – based on the results of an environmental study. Plans are to offer guided hiking and self-drive tours through the largely unspoilt area. Lüderitz and Oranjemund at the coast as well as Rosh Pinah and Aus in the interior will serve as starting points. Most of the area is pristine wilderness, as it served as a buffer against smuggling since diamonds were discovered in 1908. Moreover it is part of the Succulent Karoo, the desert boasting the greatest bio-diversity on earth. In Gondwana Sperrgebiet Rand Park, which adjoins the north-eastern parts of the Restricted Area, visitors can experience the Succulent Karoo as close as it gets.