In the midst of the savannah at the foot of the Naukluft lies the Ababis Guest Farm, of the hosts Kathrin and Uwe Schulze Neuhoff. It happens to be one of the oldest farms in Namibia, having been established in 1898 as an outpost of the then Imperial Stud Farm at Nauchas.

The livelihood of the farm was based on karakul sheep, whose fur – known as “Persian” – had once dominated fur fashions in Europe. A German fur trader had imported the breed in 1907 from Bukhara in central Asia. But profitable sheep-farming was ill-suited to Namibia, where rainfall was scant. Moreover, a drought lasting a number of years at the beginning of the 1980s put an end to many a farmer’s dreams.

With its abundant water supply, Ababis was a favourite resting place for early inhabitants of south-western Africa. Rock art, stone artefacts, tools and shelters bear testimony to the fact that the area was home to inhabitants from the Stone Age.

Today, cattle and goats are reared on the farm for meat production. Nonetheless, the largest portion of the farm is a private nature reserve, and offers numerous species of game a secure means of survival. This reserve on the 30,000-ha farm is regarded as exemplary.

On a guided farm drives to the Areb Valley, one will find herds of Hartmann’s mountain zebra, oryx, kudu and springbok to capture on film. The small flock of ostriches kept near the farmhouse allows one to study this unusual bird species.

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BüllsPort lies on a plateau directly abutting the mighty mountains of the Naukluft massif, below Bull’s Mouth. The first image of this prominent rock was made on a copperplate engraving in 1837, and gave the farm its name.

The only passage through the Naukluft Mountains follows the ephemeral Tsondab River from south to north. At the southern entrance one finds the farm, half of which lies in the mountainous area of the Naukluft. Johanna and Ernst Sauber, the hosts, successfully breed horses there, and offer excursions into the picturesque landscape.

The rich flora and fauna and ever-changing geology of the Naukluft and the impressive unspoilt landscape are best experienced by way of hiking, e.g. through the Quiver Tree Gorge. This classifies as the highlight of the activities on offer around the Naukluft.

The farm has been owned by one family for generations. In the southern Naukluft area, therefore, it probably ranks as the richest in terms of tradition. BüllsPort became famous through, amongst other things, the novel entitled Hans Kisker’s Weg nach Südwest (“Hans Kisker’s travels to South West [Africa]”) by Hans Grimm. Hans Kisker ran a breeding station at BüllsPort since 1903. At the time the farm still belonged to the State, which had established a police station there.

From the beginning of the 1980s, the annual rainfall – in comparison with the preceding 30 years – had dropped by 40%. Despite this, Ernst and Johanna’s love of the flora and fauna have seen to it that the number of game and species diversity have increased on the farmlands. Since 1990, BüllsPort has prided itself on placing the sustainable development of game at the forefront of its existence. Today, guests can observe many different game species on the walks and excursions at close range.

Also important to know is that the farm offers the only shop and petrol station for miles around. A tyre repair and sales service is also offered.

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