Granietkop revival puts community tourism first
For most organisations, purchasing a new vehicle would hardly make the news. But for Doro !Nawas
Conservancy, this Hilux represents something far greater than a new asset. It is the visible reward of a
community enterprise that, just over a year ago, had no income, no visitors, and little prospect of a future.
Purchased entirely from the profits generated by Granietkop Campsite, the vehicle is a powerful symbol of
what can happen when communities are given the opportunity, and the support, to build successful tourism
businesses of their own.
Just two years ago, Granietkop Campsite was little more than a forgotten tourism asset. Closed for almost
two decades, its infrastructure had deteriorated, employment opportunities had disappeared, and a
valuable source of income for the conservancy had been lost. Recognising its potential, ultimate.earth, together with its own non-profit, the Conservation Travel Foundation, and the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia (CCFN), funded the complete refurbishment of the campsite in 2024, allowing it to reopen after years of neglect.
But bricks and mortar alone do not build successful businesses.
Rather than taking over the operation, ultimate.earth has worked alongside the conservancy on a pro bono
basis to help build the foundations for a sustainable, conservancy-owned enterprise. From developing a
dedicated website and implementing an online booking and payment system to mentoring the on-site team
and supporting the overall management of the business, the focus has been on equipping the conservancy
with the tools, systems, and confidence to manage the operation themselves.
The results have exceeded expectations.
In just over a year, Granietkop has created four permanent jobs, generated sufficient revenue to cover all
operating costs and ongoing maintenance, and accumulated enough profit to purchase a brand-new Toyota
Hilux outright, an investment that will support the conservancy's work for years to come.
For Doro !Nawas Conservancy Chairperson Anna Haraes, the vehicle is a reminder of what can be achieved
through collaboration, commitment and local ownership. “Granietkop belongs to our conservancy, and seeing it succeed is something our entire community can be proud of. This vehicle is the result of hard work by our team and the support we have received from partners who believed in our ability to make this business work. It shows that, with the right support, communities can build successful enterprises that create jobs and generate lasting benefits.”
Namibia's communal conservancies have become internationally recognised for demonstrating how
partnerships between communities and the private sector can successfully protect biodiversity while
creating sustainable generational economic opportunities.
Doro !Nawas Conservancy is itself home to one of Namibia's most celebrated examples of this model.
Onduli Ridge, a luxury safari lodge developed through a joint venture with ultimate.earth, has created
employment, generated significant income for the conservancy, and established itself as one of Africa's
leading safari experiences.
Running a world-class luxury lodge, however, requires decades of specialised experience across hospitality,
international marketing, finance, operations, and guest services. Strong private-sector partnerships remain
fundamental to the success of these flagship tourism enterprises.
Granietkop represents something equally important.
It provides an opportunity for the conservancy to own and operate a business that is appropriately scaled to
develop practical management experience, financial discipline, and entrepreneurial confidence from within
the community itself. Every booking processed, every guest welcomed, and every operational decision made
strengthens local business capacity and builds the skills that can be passed on to future generations.
As those skills grow, so too does the conservancy's ability to expand its own portfolio of successful
community enterprises.
Tristan Cowley, Managing Director of ultimate.earth, believes this is where the real success of Granietkop
lies. "The Hilux is wonderful, but it isn't the biggest achievement. The real achievement is seeing a conservancy-owned business become financially sustainable while developing the people and systems needed to run it successfully. That's something that cannot simply be bought, it has to be built."
He says the project complements, rather than replaces, Namibia's successful joint venture model.
"Community-owned businesses and private-sector partnerships are not competing ideas, they are complementary.
Joint ventures like Onduli Ridge bring world-class expertise, investment, and market access, while enterprises like
Granietkop provide a platform for conservancies to develop their own business and management capabilities. One
strengthens the other." Cowley believes the long-term value of projects like Granietkop extends far beyond one successful campsite.
“Every successful community business builds confidence. It develops leaders, creates opportunities for young people, and strengthens institutions. Perhaps today’s campsite manager becomes tomorrow’s lodge manager, or perhaps a future generation develops the expertise to operate increasingly sophisticated tourism businesses themselves. That journey has to start somewhere, and Granietkop is an inspiring place to begin.”
Today, the new Hilux stands as a symbol of far more than commercial success. It represents four new jobs. It represents a tourism enterprise brought back from the brink. It represents a conservancy investing in its own future.
Most importantly, it demonstrates that when communities, conservation organisations, and the private sector work together, each contributing what they do best, community tourism can deliver benefits that endure long after the ribbon is cut.
